Vegan Gur Makhana (Jaggery Caramel Makhana) with Sesame and Cardamom
A gur makhana recipe for Diwali: fox nuts roasted in coconut oil, coated in crackly jaggery caramel, then finished with toasted sesame, cardamom and salt.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Rest
- 15 min
- Serves
- 4
Vegan Gur Makhana (Jaggery Caramel Makhana) with Sesame and Cardamom is a vegan snack recipe made with white sesame seeds, coconut oil, makhana (fox nuts). It takes 25 minutes of hands-on time, plus 15 minutes resting, serves 4, and each serving has 177 calories, 2 g of protein and 2 g of fiber.
This sweet version swaps the savory masala and ghee for a jaggery caramel made with coconut oil. For a coating that cracks instead of sticking to your teeth, two things matter: roast the makhana until a piece snaps cleanly, and cook the jaggery until a drop hardens in cold water. A pinch of salt and some toasted sesame keep the caramel from being cloyingly sweet, and the cardamom makes it taste like Diwali mithai.
A flavor profile + dietary (sweet jaggery-caramel coating with sesame and cardamom for Diwali, made vegan with coconut oil, instead of savory masala with ghee, peanuts and curry leaves) take on our Crispy Masala Roasted Makhana Recipe with Ghee, Peanuts and Curry Leaves.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp18 gwhite sesame seeds
Makhana
- 2 tsp9.1 gcoconut oil, for roasting
- 4 cups36 gmakhana (fox nuts)
Jaggery caramel
- ½ cup75 gjaggery, grated or finely chopped (packed)
- 1 tbsp14 gcoconut oil, for the caramel, plus a little for the tray
- 1 tbsp15 gwater
- ½ tsp1 gground cardamom
- ⅛ tsp0.8 gfine salt
- 1 pinch0.3 gbaking soda, makes the coating lighter and crisper (optional)
Kit: large heavy-bottomed skillet or kadai, rimmed baking sheet, parchment paper, small bowl of cold water
Tips
- Don't skip the cold-water test. Jaggery brands differ a lot in moisture, so going by time alone can leave you with a sticky coating.
- Work fast once the makhana goes in, because the caramel starts to set within a minute. If it seizes, put the pan back on very low heat for a few seconds to loosen it.
- Keep the heat at medium-low. Jaggery scorches faster than white sugar.
- To clean the pan easily, fill it with water and bring it to a simmer. The hardened caramel dissolves.
Swap ideas
- Coconut sugar instead of jaggery
- Similar caramel flavor, but a bit less molasses depth. Watch it closely, because it melts and darkens faster.
- Add 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts or cashews with the makhana
- More crunch and a chikki-like flavor, and the snack goes further.
- Replace half the cardamom with 1/4 tsp ground ginger or cinnamon
- A warmer, spicier sweetness that works well for winter gifting.
- Black sesame seeds instead of white
- Nuttier, slightly bitter, and a striking speckled look.
The numbers
Nutrition per serving
177kcal per serving
Everything else · 4 servings per recipe
- Saturated fat
- 5 g 25%
- Sugars
- 16.5 g
- Sodium
- 75 mg 3%
- Potassium
- 282 mg 6%
- Calcium
- 63 mg 5%
- Iron
- 2.7 mg 15%
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg 0%
- Vitamin B12
- 0 µg 0%
% Daily Value on a 2,000 calorie diet. Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient; optional ingredients are excluded. Estimates vary with brands and portions.
Sources: Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, dried, Oil, coconut, Makhana (Fox Nuts) per 100g, values consistent with ICMR-NIN Indian Food Composition Tables (Euryale ferox seeds, popped). Potassium, iron and sodium come from secondary aggregators and vary by source. USDA has no fox nut entry, only lotus seed (a different plant), so it was not used., Swad Jaggery Gur (Granulated, Brown and Powdered Sugar); ingredients: sugarcane juice. Branded food, 30 g serving label values converted to per 100 g., Beverages, water, tap, drinking, Spices, cardamom, Salt, table
Method
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and rub it lightly with coconut oil. Set a small bowl of cold water next to the stove for testing the caramel.
Toast the sesame seeds in a dry, large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat, stirring, until golden and fragrant, 1–2 minutes. Tip them into a bowl.
Add 2 tsp coconut oil and the makhana to the same skillet. Roast over low heat, stirring often, for 8–10 minutes, until the makhana is a shade darker and a piece crushed between your fingers snaps cleanly instead of bending. Transfer to the bowl with the sesame.
Put the jaggery, 1 tbsp coconut oil and the water in the skillet over medium-low heat. Stir until the jaggery melts completely and the mixture turns foamy, 2–3 minutes.
Keep cooking, stirring constantly, until the bubbles get larger and slower and the syrup darkens slightly, another 1–3 minutes. Drop a little into the cold water: it should set right away into a brittle bead that snaps. If it's chewy, cook 20–30 seconds more and test again. Don't let it smoke, or it will turn bitter.
Take the pan off the heat and quickly stir in the cardamom, salt and baking soda (if using). It will foam up. Straight away, tip in the makhana and sesame and fold for 30–60 seconds, until every piece is coated.
Spread the makhana on the prepared tray in a single layer and use two spoons to pull apart any big clumps while it's still warm. Let it cool until hard and crunchy, about 15 minutes.
Break up any clusters that are left and serve, or move to an airtight jar as soon as it's completely cool.
Storage: Once it's completely cool, store it in an airtight jar at room temperature, away from humidity, for up to 1 week. Jaggery absorbs moisture, so if it softens, re-crisp it on a tray in a 250°F oven for 5 minutes and let it cool again.
Questions
- How much protein is in vegan gur makhana (jaggery caramel makhana) with sesame and cardamom?
- Each of the 4 servings has 2 g of protein, 2 g of fiber and 177 calories, calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for every ingredient.
- Is vegan gur makhana (jaggery caramel makhana) with sesame and cardamom vegan?
- Yes. It contains no dairy, eggs, honey or other animal products.
- How long does vegan gur makhana (jaggery caramel makhana) with sesame and cardamom take to make?
- 5 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking, so 25 minutes of hands-on time, plus 15 minutes of unattended resting.
- Can you make vegan gur makhana (jaggery caramel makhana) with sesame and cardamom ahead?
- Once it's completely cool, store it in an airtight jar at room temperature, away from humidity, for up to 1 week. Jaggery absorbs moisture, so if it softens, re-crisp it on a tray in a 250°F oven for 5 minutes and let it cool again.
- What can I substitute in vegan gur makhana (jaggery caramel makhana) with sesame and cardamom?
- Coconut sugar instead of jaggery — similar caramel flavor, but a bit less molasses depth. watch it closely, because it melts and darkens faster.. Add 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts or cashews with the makhana — more crunch and a chikki-like flavor, and the snack goes further.. Replace half the cardamom with 1/4 tsp ground ginger or cinnamon — a warmer, spicier sweetness that works well for winter gifting.. Black sesame seeds instead of white — nuttier, slightly bitter, and a striking speckled look..
- Does vegan gur makhana (jaggery caramel makhana) with sesame and cardamom contain gluten or nuts?
- None of the ingredients are a source of gluten, tree nuts or peanuts. That is a statement about the ingredient list, not a guarantee about the brands you buy — always read the labels if you're cooking for an allergy.
Nutrition is calculated from USDA data for every ingredient — how we work it out.
Published October 9, 2026 ·Indian
