Coconut Malai Peda is a delicately flavored coconut sweet made with milk solids. Made with just five simple ingredients, this recipe for malai peda is undoubtedly going to please many taste buds. In addition to that, it’s incredibly delicious, super nutty and a perfect way to satisfy your sweet cravings!!
Fall is a very joyous time in India. The heatwave and monsoon have crossed the nation and the festival season is about to begin.
Starting this week till November – Indian calendar is filled with a lot of festivities like – Janmashtami, Teej, Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri, and Diwali.
So what does that mean? It means its time for mouthwatering sweets, treats, decorations, fun-frolic, and extravagant feasts. Festivals in India are incomplete without sweets. Desserts or mithai on a celebration is a mandatory part of Indian culture. It’s by far, my favorite time of the year!
Therefore to celebrate the onset of festival season, I have just the perfect recipe for you today – Coconut Malai Peda!
This melt-in-your-mouth pedas has an intense coconut flavor and a fantastic texture. These malai pedas will be loved by almost everyone, regardless of age or gender.
WONDERING WHAT IS PEDA?
Peda is a small disc-shaped-sweet from the Indian subcontinent. The word Peda is generically used to define a fudge-type-cookie made with milk solids/milk powder, sugar, and some flavorings like cardamom, rose, pistachio, and saffron.
These delicious treats are also assigned the following names – Pedha, Pera, or Penda(in Gujarat). No matter what you call it, peda is a must-have sweet for any joyous celebration.
How to make Coconut Malai Peda?
Coconut lovers, this one is exclusively for you. ??
1. In a large bowl combine milk powder, coconut, and powdered sugar in a bowl. Mix to combine.
2. Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the above mixture. Mix it well.
3. Add cream and cook until the mixture starts to come together like dough (7-9 minutes). Maintain the heat at the low-medium setting. The cooked mixture will be grainy at this point. No worries, take it off the flame.
4. Allow it to cool. The mixture will become firm as it cools. When it’s comfortable to touch, knead the dough until its smooth and no longer grainy.
5. Grease your hands and take about a golf ball size of dough and roll it into your hands. Flatten the ball.
6. Your peda is ready, repeat the process with rest of the mixture. Garnish with saffron strands and cardamom powder.
Faq’s related to Coconut Malai Peda recipe!
Can I use milk for coconut malai peda recipe?
Most definitely! Both milk and cream can be used interchangeably in this recipe.
What can I use instead of Milk powder?
The closest substitute to milk powder is milk mawa powder, and you can find that in your local Indian grocery store in the refrigerator section.
Tips to consider while making pedas!
- Ghee can be substituted with coconut oil.
- This mixture of coconut+milk powder +sugar can get burned pretty quickly so, please be very careful and keep stirring.
- When it is comfortable to touch, knead the dough with your hands for 4-5 minutes. This step is essential because it will get rid of all the lumps that are formed during cooking.
- Like to add color to these cocnut pedas? Add a few drops of food coloring to the mixture once it’s cooled. Knead until the color is well-blended and the peda dough is smooth and creamy.
Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe. Feel free to contact me with any questions or inquiries, and I would be happy to answer them.
Craving for more, try these other options!
Coconut Malai Peda
EQUIPMENT
INGREDIENTS
FOR PEDAS
- 2 cups Milk Powder
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar
- ½ cup Milk/Cream (heavy whipping cream)
- ¼ cup Ghee/Clarified Butter
- ½ cup Desiccated unsweetened Coconut
GARNISH
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large bowl combine milk powder, coconut, and powdered sugar in a bowl. Knead it with your hands to combine.
- Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the above mixture. Mix it well.
- Add cream and cook until the mixture starts to come together like dough (7-9 minutes). Maintain the heat at the low-medium setting. This mixture can get burned pretty quickly so, please be very careful and keep stirring. The cooked mixture will be grainy at this point. No worries, take it off the flame.
- Allow it to cool. The mixture will become firm as it cools. When it’s comfortable to touch, knead the dough until its smooth and no longer grainy.
- Grease your hands and take about a golf ball size of dough and roll it into your hands. Flatten the ball.
- Your peda is ready, repeat the process with rest of the mixture. Garnish with saffron strands and cardamom powder. Can stay well in the refrigerator for 1week.
Judy Jewell says
Oddly enough I can find everything EXCEPT dessicated unsweetened coconut. I have no clue what it is or if there is a substitute. HELP!!
Ruchi says
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.
Sushma says
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.
Ruchi says
Glad to hear that, Sushma!
Thank you so much for your kind words.
Geetha Sures Nambiar says
Like u mentioned only milk will do instead of cream?
Ruchi says
Either one will work.
You can use either cream or milk.
Heather says
What milk cream are you using? I’d like to try this
Ruchi says
I have used heavy whipping cream for this recipe.