Here is another hard-to-resist, refreshing Indian dessert that will delight your taste buds on a hot summer day. This homemade Kesar Pista Kulfi is a rich, luscious, and superbly blissful dessert that deserves every bit of appreciation.

It is a perfect make-ahead recipe with the most effortless preparation and, ideally, the most tempting frozen dessert to surprise your guests with.

When the summer sun peaks, nothing quite hits the spot like a refreshing, frozen treat. Enter the world of decadent Indian desserts with this sumptuous homemade Kesar Pista Kulfi.

This is not just any kulfi; it’s an experience – a sensational blend of creamy richness and exotic flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. A traditional Indian summer treat, this kulfi is saturated with the subtly sweet flavors of kesar and pista and is the perfect finish to any meal.

Satiate your sweet tooth this summer with this lusciously divine dessert!

What is Kesar Pista Kulfi

‘Kulfi’ is the traditional name for an Indian frozen dessert, very similar to ice cream. One can find these delicious frozen treats being sold in a ‘matki’ (earthen pot) on street carts during the hot summer season.

‘Kesar’ is the Hindi name for saffron, and ‘pista’ in Hindi means pistachios. Hence, this dessert, Kesar Pista Kulfi, derives its name from the combo flavors of Saffron and Pistachios in this recipe.

This super delicious dessert is made by reducing the milk by continuously heating it on low flame and then adding saffron, dry fruits, and slivered pistachios to form a super indulgent treat.

It is devoured straight from the matki/ fridge as is or in combination with falooda (thin vermicelli noodles) with a generous drizzle of rose syrup on top for the most flavorsome and enjoyable treat.

A favorite of every age group, this Kesar Pista Kulfi is a great way to put your meals to an ecstatic end.

Reasons You’ll ♡ Kesar Pista Kulfi

Kesar Pista Kulfi is an irresistibly exciting dessert with the delectable Kesar and Pista punching every bite. You will love this dessert as —

Prepared with a handful of ingredients
Rich, creamy, and packed with flavors
An egg-free recipe with a luscious texture
A crowd-pleasing dessert, fit for celebrations and special occasions
Perfectly sweet and purely indulgent
Kids-friendly and super fun to make!

The best part is that this irresistibly delicious homemade Kesar Pista Kulfi is preservative-free and devoid of artificial flavors, which makes it way better than the store-bought ones.

Kesar Pista Kulfi Ingredient List

Milk — Milk + half n half is the base ingredient for our Kesar Pista Kulfi recipe. The full-fat milk is best to prepare the creamiest and most delicious kulfi.

Milk Powder — It adds more creaminess and richness to our yummy Kesar Pista Kulfi.

Cornstarch — Cornstarch slurry is added to the kulfi mixture for extra thickness and lusciousness. It also helps the kulfi to hold its shape and structure.

Nuts — Slivered, unsalted pistachios deliver the crunch and extra fun to the recipe.

Elaichi Powder — Our delicious Kesar Pista Kulfi gets a mesmerizing flavor with the addition of elaichi powder.

Essence — Pistachio essence lends the recipe a lovely hint of pista flavor.

Condensed Milk — It enhances the deliciousness of this recipe, besides adding richness to the texture. It’s the sweetener in the recipe as no sugar is used for the preparation.

Kesar/ Saffron strands — Kesar is the star ingredient that lends a rich flavor and an enticing hint of yellow color to our Kesar Pista kulfi.

Recipe Tips and Variations

For the ultimate richness in the texture — Kulfis or ice creams are their creamiest best when prepared with full-fat cream. This recipe also uses full-fat milk for the rich texture and deliciousness that it is known for.

Using half and half — More milk fat added to the Kulfi creates a creamier and more luscious dessert. Use half and half and whipping cream for the ultimate creaminess and deliciousness.

Use good quality saffron — As most of the flavor and the beautiful yellow color of the pista kulfi depends on the quality of saffron used, always use good quality saffron for this recipe.

Replacing cornstarch — Cornstarch helps the kulfi mixture to get richer, thicker, and creamier. In case you want to replace the cornstarch, add mawa powder or fine bread crumbs, and you will get similar results. In addition to this, the thick kulfi mixture also reduces the formation of ice crystals in the recipe.

Using yellow color — If you are not using saffron for any reason, add a few drops of yellow food color to enhance the looks of the kulfi. However, the kulfi will lack the flavor of saffron in that case.

Keep patience — Kulfi needs time to set like any other ice cream. You need to allow it a few hours in the freezer before it is fully set to be devoured. Avoid opening the freezer door while the kulfi is under freezing, as the temperature changes will not let the kulfi set correctly.

Make ahead recipe — This delicious homemade Kesar Pista Kulfi recipe needs some 6 to 8 hours to freeze completely. Therefore, you can make these joyful popsicles a couple of days in advance and serve them at the party to delight your family and friends.

Easy unmolding — Once the Kulfi has adequately set, remove them from the freezer and run them under lukewarm water. This helps the kulfi to loosen up and leave the molds quickly. However, keep the molds slightly inclined while running them under warm water, so the water doesn’t get inside. Now, wiggle the molds slightly and pull the popsicle sticks out. Remember not to forcefully pull the kulfi out during unmolding, as this may break the kulfi and spoil the fun.

Best place to keep your kulfi — To set your kulfis to their perfect best, pour the kulfi mixture into the molds and place them in the farthest and coldest part of the freezer. Further, keep patient and do not open the freezer door or remove the kulfis before setting the required time. The kulfi may seem hard and set outside, but it may still be soft and liquidy on the inside.

Options for freezing without the molds — Even if you don’t have kulfi molds, you don’t need to worry. Transfer the Kulfi mixture to the freezer-safe container or kullad and freeze until set. It will still taste just the same!

Let me know what you think!

Kesar Pista Kulfi is the perfect antidote to hot summer days! Infused with fragrant kesar and crunchy pista, this frozen treat will send you a wave of sublime refreshment with each bite that’s hard to resist and even harder to forget!

Try it today, and you’ll find an exquisite world of flavors patiently waiting to pamper your palate. So, if you are ready with the ingredients, shall we start?

Should you make this Pista Kesar Kulfi, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below. And don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.