Peda recipe – 2 ways to make instant peda in 15 mins. Doodh peda is a popular Indian sweet made with milk, sugar and a flavoring ingredient like cardamom or saffron. Traditionally peda is made by simmering milk for prolonged hours to obtain the evaporated milk solids known as khova, khoya or mawa. Then it is sweetened and flavored. Making the traditional milk peda takes several hours and requires attention.
The shortcut methods I have shared here are great to try when you don’t prefer to toil in the kitchen for hours. There are a few different ways to make instant milk peda using milk powder or khoya. I have shared 2 recipes in this post & both of them take just about 15 mins.
In the first recipe, I made instant mawa using milk powder which just took about 6 mins. Then cooled it and then sweetened and flavored it.
In the second recipe, I used store bought mawa & condensed milk. These peda are much superior in taste and come close to the traditional ones.
If you have store bought mawa and want to make these without condensed milk, then you may simply skip making the instant mawa in recipe 1. I have shared more details in the tips below.
You can flavor these milk peda with kesar, cocoa, rose water, kewra water or just with cardamom powder.
More Diwali Sweets Recipes
Rasgulla
Rasmalai
Gulab jamun
Mysore pak
Puran poli
Step-by-step photos
Make instant mawa
1. Pour ½ tablespoon ghee to a non-stick pan.
2. Pour ½ cup milk. When the milk becomes warm, add 1 cup milk powder. I used Nestle everyday regular.
3. Regulate the flame to low and mix both of them well to make a smooth mixture.
4. Keep stirring constantly and cook on a medium flame. You will see the mixture begins to turn thicker.
5. After 1 to 2 mins, it becomes thicker and sticky. Then add another ½ tablespoon ghee.
6. Keep stirring continuously & cook until it becomes a mass and leaves the pan. While you stir ensure you also collect the mixture stuck to the sides of the pan. Instant mawa is ready.
How to make peda
7. Transfer this to a mixing bowl and cool down.
8. When it is slightly warm, add the ¼ to ½ teaspoon cardamom powder and 4 to 5 tablespoons powdered sugar. [Don’t add sugar when the milk solids are hot or even slightly hot. Sugar will melt and make the entire thing sticky]
9. Knead the dough to smooth. Taste test and add more sugar if you prefer. Divide to 8 equal portions and roll to balls.
10. Flatten and tuck in a sliced pistachio in the center of each peda. (Watch video). Store in an air tight jar. These milk powder pedas stay good at room temperature for 1 day and in the refrigerator for upto a month. They will remain dry and non-sticky if prepared properly.
Recipe 1 Tips
- To use saffron, crush a pinch of saffron strands and add it once the milk becomes warm. Turn off the stove and let it soak for a while then proceed with the next step.
- You can also use 1 teaspoon rose water or a few drops of kewra water. Pour it along with the milk.
- Overcooking the mixture can make the pedas dense & dry. So take off the mixture from the stove in time.
- If you have store bought mawa and want to follow the recipe 1, then simply heat up the mawa on a low flame for a few minutes. Remove and cool down. Follow the recipe from step 7 in step-by-step instructions.
Step-by-step photos
Recipe 2 – Mawa peda
1. Defrost mawa/khoya either in microwave or refrigerator or leave it at room temperature for about 30 minutes. If you are using frozen khoya. Do not begin to heat up very cold one, sometimes this makes the khoya taste bitter. [Optional: Soak 1 pinch saffron in 2 tablespoons hot milk. I did not use it.]
2. Crumble 200 grams khoya (about 1½ cup) and add it to a pan.
3. Add ½ tin condensed milk (½ of 400 grams tin). Also add in ½ teaspoon cardamom powder and saffron milk if using.
4. Begin to cook on a medium flame. Cook the mixture stirring constantly. It melts and turns gooey.
5. Next cook till the mixture thickens, while stirring constantly and becomes a mass. Turn off the heat.
6. After cooling the mixture looks smooth and slightly darker in color. It thickens as well.
Making peda
7. Grease your palms, take small portions and roll them to balls. Flatten them and dent in the center. Tuck the chopped pistachios. I had set aside a part of this mixture and added cocoa. Knead well and made some chocolate peda.
Store them in a air tight jar and refrigerate.
Related Recipes
Recipe
Doodh peda recipe
Peda recipe | How to make milk peda or doodh peda recipe
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
Recipe 1
- 1 tablespoon ghee (divided – ½ + ½ tablespoon)
- ½ cup milk (or heavy cream, whipping cream)
- 1 cup milk powder
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon cardamom powder (I used ½)
- 5 to 6 tablespoons powdered sugar (adjust to taste, refer notes)
- 1 pinch saffron (kesar, optional)
Recipe 2
- 1½ cups crumbled mawa (khoya, khova)(about 180 to 200 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- ½ tin condensed milk (½ of 392 grams tin or substitute with 6 to 7 tbsps sugar + 2 tbsps milk)
- 1 tablespoons pistachios (chopped for garnish)
- 1 pinch saffron strands (soaked in 2 tablespoons milk, optional)
Instructions
Recipe 1 – peda with milk powder
- Pour ½ tablespoon ghee and ½ cup milk to a non-stick pan.
- When the milk turns warm, add the milk powder and mix well to make a smooth mixture.
- Begin to heat on a medium flame and cook until it thickens and becomes sticky.
- Then add ½ tablespoons ghee. Scrape off the sides with the spatula. Cook stirring continuously until it becomes thick and becomes a mass. (Check video). At this stage it will also leave the the pan.
- Transfer this to a mixing bowl. Cool down.
- When it comes down to warm temperature, add powdered sugar and cardamom powder. Mix well to incorporate the sugar. Taste test and add more sugar if needed.
- Divide the dough to 8 portions and roll them to balls. Flatten and tuck a sliced pistachio.
- Cool the milk pedas completely and store at room temperature for a day. Or refrigerate for longer shelf life.
Recipe 2 – peda with mawa & condensed milk
- Bring khoya to room temperature. Crumble or grate it and then measure.
- Add it to a non-stick pan. Next add condensed milk along with cardamom powder and saffron milk (optional).
- Mix and begin to cook on a medium flame. The mixture melts and turns gooey.
- Let it cook till it thickens and becomes a mass. Overcooking can make it dry. Turn off and cool down.
- The mixture looks smooth on its own, so don’t have to knead it. Grease your palms and make 12 balls. Next flatten them slightly. Tuck the chopped pistachios in the center.
- Store pedas in a air tight container and refrigerate.
Video
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
Notes
- Recipe 1 – To make powdered sugar, add ¼ cup sugar to a grinder and make a fine powder. Adjust the sugar to suit your taste.
- Recipe 2 – Do not heat up khoya when it is very cold, defrost it in microwave or refrigerator or leave it at room temperature for a while.
- Recipe 2 – If you want to use full 392 grams tin, use 3 cups crumbled khoya.
- To make chocolate peda, I divided the mixture to 2 parts and made 6 plain peda. For the rest of the mixture, add 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons cocoa to a fine sieve. Sieve it directly over half of the cooked mixture and knead well until blended. If needed add more. Divide the mixture to 6 equal sized balls and roll them to smooth balls. slightly flatten.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Roshi says
Hi. I tried making this but milk mixture looks split. Like it feels very grainy. Can you please help me out as to why it has become like that
swasthi says
Hi Roshi,
Please use fresh milk – milk within the shelf period. I use regular milk for this recipe and it turns out smooth like shown in the pictures.
Tulsi says
I am your hardcore fan. I started using ur receipes in the lockdown and everything I have cooked/made has turned excellent.
Easy to understand, make and super delicious. Perfect taste all the time.
swasthi says
Hello Tulsi
Thank you so much! So happy to read your comment.
🙂
Ruby says
Thank you very much. It’s my son’s favorite sweet, will never forget the expression on his face when he tasted them.
swasthi says
Welcome Ruby
Thank you!
Priya Mayanak says
I tried recipe with milkmaid many times. I make it in Ganpati festival for naivaidya and otherwise also. You also gave measurements if we want to skip milkmaid. Please confirm for 200 gms mava it was 2 tablespoons of milk and 6 to 7 tablespoons of sugar right? I didn’t write the same and now not finding it in recipe.
swasthi says
Hi Priya,
Thanks for rating the recipe. I recently republished the recipe and forgot to add that back. I have done it now.
🙂
Priya Mayanak says
Thanks. I make these padhas in Ganpati festival and other occassions. Everyone likes it.
swasthi says
Glad to know Priya
Thanks for leaving a comment
Shaiwalini says
Don’t you have a YouTube Channel? The recipe is so yum….
swasthi says
thank you. Youtube channel
P says
How long will this peda last ?
swasthi says
If refrigerated it keeps good for more than a week.
N says
Thank you for this easy to follow recipe. The pedas were heavenly and polished off by the entire family 🙂 Happy Diwali to you!
swasthi says
You are welcome!
Happy Diwali to you all! Thanks for the comment.
🙂
Mayura B says
Tried making peda,came out very well.thankyou
swasthi says
Welcome Mayura!
Glad they turned out good!
Tulasi says
You are a devotee of Lord Hari and doing very nice work by posting various recipes and sharing your knowledge and experience
swasthi says
Thank you so much Tulasi!
Happy Ganesh chaturthi!
Jyothi Mehta says
Hello Swati the peda recipe shared by you turned out awesome. Thank you so much for sharing.
Would be grateful if you could share recipes for Rasam and Molagapudi powders.
swasthi says
Welcome Jyothi mehta
Thank for trying. You can find rasam here and idli podi here.
selvi says
Hi mam, can we use milk instead of condensed milk and what’s the measurement of sugar when we use milk
swasthi says
Hi Selvi
You can use khoya and sugar. There is no need for milk. You can use about 6 tbsps of powdered sugar for 250 grams of mawa. If you add more sugar the color of the peda will change. I have made it for a similar recipe here for kova ladoo. You can check it.
Faiza says
I want to make this recipe. I am using ready blocks of Nanak brand khoa/mawa. Each block is 12 oz/341 grams. How much condensed milk do I use for 2 blocks?
swasthi says
Hi Faiza,
I am sorry I guess I haven’t checked the mawa in grams. But grate it and measure in cups. For 1 condensed milk tin you can use about 3 cups of mawa. Actually you dont need to follow the exact measurements. After you melt the mawa and condensed milk, check the sweetness and add more if needed. Hope this helps
Faiza Harunani says
I made them. I used 1 can for the 2 blocks, added 1/4 cup half and half soaked with saffron and cardamon powder. They turned out good. I found the sweetness adequate. Thank you.
swasthi says
Thanks for the details Faiza
This will surely help other readers
🙂
Suji says
This Doodh Peda recipe is simply awesome. Turned out so good, most of those who tried it cud not believe it was home made. Thanks for sharing!!!
swasthi says
Welcome Suji. So glad to know it turned out good. Thanks for trying
Eniyan says
All recipes very beautiful
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Alka Dighe says
Your peda recipe rocks!!. First time I made this and it turned out very good.
swasthi says
Thanks Alka
durga says
mast
swasthi says
Thanks Durga