Simple, easy, and unbelievably quick to prepare, this recipe of Coconut Malai peda is something that promises to cater to your sweet cravings fantastically! This stunningly sweet creation made with coconut and milk solids is completely addictive with its creaminess and subtle flavors.
So, entice your guests with the nariyal peda recipe and enjoy the bliss it brings to your celebrations!
Festivals in India are celebrated with utmost enthusiasm, and sweets are integral to the celebrations. Since the festive season is around the corner, something as heavenly as this dessert is a welcoming treat to every heart that loves sweets.
These coconut malai pedas are the perfect addition to the festivities and the elaborate feasts that follow.
What is Coconut Malai Peda
Peda, also known as pedha, pera, or penda (in Gujarat), is a milk-based fudge kind-of cookie made in the shape of a disc.
It is prepared with milk solids that form the base and adds structure to them. The addition of desiccated coconut renders the recipe a delightfully subtle crunch!
Furthermore, these creamy nariyal pedas are sweetened with sugar and flavored with cardamoms, rose water, and saffron. Desi ghee lends a rich and deep flavor to these pedas, while the creaminess coming from the milk solids blends to extreme heavenliness.
Make these super soft and moist pedas for festivals and celebrations, and enjoy this delicacy with your family and friends.
Reasons You’ll ♡ Coconut Malai Peda
This melt-in-the-mouth textured Coconut Malai Peda is relished for its divine taste and stellar flavors. However, you’ll love this recipe as it is —
- Prepared with just 5 simple ingredients
- Turns out perfectly moist and soft
- Is addictively delicious
- Perfect for festivals and celebrations, and
- Prepared with the least time and with the minimum ingredients that are commonly available in the pantry.
These portion-sized pedas are perfect for serving and enjoying if you crave something sweet after dinner. So, go ahead and indulge in these little delicacies guilt-free!
The best part is that if you have kids at home, rest assured, they will love these coconut pedas completely!
COCONUT MALAI PEDA INGREDIENT LIST
Ghee — Homemade ghee is best for this recipe of Coconut malai Peda as it gives the recipe a deep nutty flavor and uniquely enticing aroma.
Coconut — Desiccated unsweetened coconut is the star ingredient that adds crunch and optimum coconut flavor to the recipe.
Heavy whipping cream — This is added to the pedas to bring richness, texture, and irresistible deliciousness to the recipe.
Sugar — Powdered sugar is added to this gorgeous recipe of coconut malai peda, as it blends entirely into the peda mixture.
Milk Powder — It brings richness and texture to this mouth-watering recipe of Coconut Pedas!
Cardamom Powder — The subtle flavor of powdered cardamoms added to the peda mixture takes the recipe to another level.
Coconut Extract — Lends a more intense flavor of coconut to this Coconut Malai Peda recipe.
Saffron Strands — They draw the saffron flavor and add subtle yellow color to the recipe.
Recipe Tips and Variations
Pure ghee for best taste — Fresh homemade pure ghee is best for making this recipe as it renders the most heavenly flavor. You can also use the store-bought pure ghee to prepare this recipe.
Key to the best texture — Fine coconut works best for this recipe of Coconut Malai Peda as it makes the most smooth-textured pedas that are a delight to relish. If you have large coconut shreds/gratings, consider processing them in the food processor to get a fine consistency of coconut. However, ensure that you run the processor for shorter intervals to avoid making the coconut greasy from the oils released from it while processing.
Continuous stirring avoids burning — The mixture of coconut + milk powder + sugar can get burnt quickly as it gets thick and tends to stick to the bottom of the pan while cooking. To avoid this, keep stirring continuously, so it doesn’t get stuck to the bottom of the pan. This will prevent it from burning.
Cooking to the right consistency imperative — The coconut mixture must be cooked up to the right consistency, or it will not bind into the pedas. Overcooking will make the peda mixture dry and crumbly, therefore hard to bind. Likewise, a little extra moisture left in the mix while cooking will not let the mixture bind well. Therefore, just cook the peda mixture to the right consistency, which is thick and dense and can hold its shape when rolled into a ball.
For a dairy-free and vegan option — You can comfortably customize this Malai peda recipe and turn it into a dairy-free and vegan version. Just replace the desi ghee with coconut oil and the milk powder with coconut milk powder. The rest of the recipe remains the same, so follow the directions for the recipe below.
Food color for tinted pedas — Would you like to add color to these pedas? Just add a few drops of food coloring to the peda mixture once it has cooled. Then, knead it until the color has blended well into the dough and the dough feels smooth and creamy. Roll out your luscious pedas now!
Fixing the crumbly peda mixture — You may find your coconut malai peda mixture to be crumbly and difficult to shape. There are primarily two reasons for the peda mixture to turn crumbly.
- Either it is overcooked, or
- It still retains more than the required amount of moisture.
To fix the over-cooked mixture devoid of moisture, return it to the pan, add some cream or milk and cook it again until it turns perfectly moist. Similarly, for the moisture-laden mixture, please return it to the pan and cook until all the moisture has been absorbed and the mixture has a balanced amount of moisture in it. Now, shape them as the pedas.
Fresh or frozen coconut — You can use freshly grated or frozen coconut to prepare this delicious recipe of Coconut Pedas. However, fresh coconut will need more cooking time as it contains more moisture.
The cardamom flavoring — Freshly ground cardamom is used in this Malai coconut peda recipe for the best aroma and a refreshingly enticing flavor.
Let me know what you think!
These drool-worthy sweet treats, Coconut Malai Pedas, must be tried at home. So below is a perfect pictorial recipe that teaches you to prepare the best coconut pedas ever.
Curate a batch of the most heavenly coconut malai pedas and serve your family and guests this blissfully delicious preparation!
Should you make this Coconut Malai Peda, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below.
And don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.
MORE LIP-SMACKINGLY DESSERTS THAT YOU’LL LOVE!
Follow the step-by-step instructions to make the best Coconut Malai Peda Recipe
Coconut Malai Peda
INGREDIENTS
FOR PEDAS
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
- 2 cups Desiccated unsweetened Coconut
- 1¼ cup Heavy whipping Cream
- ⅔ cup Sugar
- ¼ cup Milk Powder
- ½ teaspoon Cardamom Powder
- ¾ teaspoon Coconut Extract
GARNISH
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add ghee to a heavy-bottomed pan.
- Add desiccated coconut to it. Sauté the coconut on the medium-low setting until it emits its nutty aroma. This will take somewhere between 4-5 minutes over medium-low flame.
- Add cream to the coconut. Do not skip the cream.Tip — The delicate crunch of desiccated coconut and the milky richness from the cream and milk powder creates a magical combination that makes the recipe a stunner that is marveled at!
- After adding the cream, don't stop stirring to avoid lump formation in the coconut.
- Add powdered sugar.
- Mix until well-blended.
- Add milk powder, coconut extract, and cardamom powder.
- Mix until well-blended. Sauté this mixture for 4-5 minutes on the lowest heat setting.
- Soon the coconut mixture will thicken and turns into a soft dough. Turn off the heat.
- Take a little mixture and roll it between your thumb and fingers; it should roll into a ball and still be slightly sticky. Meaning – while rolling the dough ball, a small part of the mix will still stick to your fingers.
- Allow the coconut mix to cool for a few minutes. Now, grease your hands and knead the dough for 4- 5 minutes with your hands to ensure extra melt-in-the-mouth smoothness. At this point, the mixture should not be sticky at all. Tip — Kneading the peda dough helps eliminate the lumps that may have formed during cooking. Therefore, this is an essential step not to be skipped.
- Use a mold to shape the pedas.
- Garnish with pistachios, and enjoy!
- Feel free to roll the coconut malai peda without the mold. For that, take about a golf size dough ball and roll it into your hands. Flatten the ball.
- Your peda is ready; repeat the process with the rest of the mixture.
- Garnish with saffron strands and cardamom powder, and enjoy! These delicious little treats are my go-to sweet recipe for festivals and special occasions.
What milk cream are you using? I’d like to try this
I have used heavy whipping cream for this recipe.
Like u mentioned only milk will do instead of cream?
Either one will work.
You can use either cream or milk.
This recipe is epic.
Tastes wonderful and so easy. My family and potluck friends loved it.
You made my Diwali extra sweet.
Thank you Ruchi for sharing.
Glad to hear that, Sushma!
Thank you so much for your kind words.
Oddly enough I can find everything EXCEPT dessicated unsweetened coconut. I have no clue what it is or if there is a substitute. HELP!!
Judy, the amazon link to all the ingredients are listed in the recipe section.
You can order the ingredients online. The heavy whipping cream, you can find at your nearest grocery section, in the refrigerator section.
Feel free to email me if you need any other help.