masala milk powder recipe with step by step photos – here’s a recipe of a healthy masala milk powder that was made at home during our growing up years. you can make this masala milk powder in bulk and use it whenever required. i have also shared the recipe of instant masala milk in case you want to make it in small quantity. e.g. during festivals like kojagiri poornima which is celebrated in maharashtra, masala doodh is usually made.
when we were in school, mom would give us haldi doodh (hot turmeric milk) in the mornings and a cold or warm beverage of masala milk (depending on the season) in the evenings or nights. well, milk was a compulsory drink in our home. we were never exposed to tea or coffee. an occasional sip of tea or coffee was allowed when we would go out to restaurants.
as a family, we have tried both homemade as well as store brought masala milk powders. my thumbs up will always be for the homemade ones. this recipe is again a family recipe, with a few variations of my own. just because i know these variations are healthy.
what is added in masala milk powder – apart from the dry fruits (almonds, cashews and pistachios) , i have also added pumpkin seeds and dried rose petals. these are not essential and you can skip them. we also add store brought milk powder, but i have skipped it in this recipe. the fragrant spices added are cardamom, black pepper, nutmeg, turmeric and saffron. i have also included fennel seeds which are good for digestion, but you can skip them.
saffron is expensive. so, instead of saffron you can also add turmeric powder (amount mentioned in the recipe notes below). addition of turmeric powder gives a nice faint yellow color and is good for the body too.
masala means a spice blend or a mixture of spices. milk powder in this case, means a ground powdered form of dry fruits & spices which is added to milk. now this fragrant dry fruits and spice blend can also be added to vegan milks like almond milk or cashew milk. personally, i don’t like the taste of plain soy milk. so i am not suggesting it. but you can try with soy milk.
you can also add a few teaspoons of the powder to various indian sweets like phirni, kheer, gulab jamun, sooji halwa and many more.
apart from adding to sweets, i usually make a hot beverage with milk and this aromatic blend. just add a 2 to 3 teaspoons of the milk powder in a glass of milk (dairy or vegan). add a sweetener like sugar or any sweetener you prefer. stir and serve. you can skip the sugar too. avoid adding honey as a sweetener. honey should not be added to hot drinks, as per ayurveda. honey becomes toxic when heated. if not heating up the milk & serving cold or at room temperature, then you can add honey.
one glass of hot milk with masala milk powder in the night will also help in getting sound sleep. the spice nutmeg in the powder calms, relaxes and helps in getting sleep. with all the dry fruits and spices in it, this masala milk powder makes an excellent drink with milk, for both kids and adults like.
if stored in fridge, then shelf life of this masala powder is about 1 to 2 months.
more how to recipes:
1. rasam powder recipe
2. how to maka pav bhaji masala
3. how to make chenna for sweets
4. how to make pulao biryani masala
5. how to make cottage cheese or paneer
masala milk powder recipe below:
masala milk powder recipe | masala doodh powder recipe
ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml)
- ½ cup almonds (badam)
- ½ cup cashews (kaju)
- ½ cup pistachios (pista) - shells removed
- 20 green cardamoms (hari elaichi or choti elaichi) - only seeds and the husks removed
- 3.5 teaspoon nutmeg powder (jaiphal powder) Or half nutmeg - grated or powdered
- ½ to 1 tablespoon dry rose petals (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (sabut kali mirch) - if you prefer you can increase the amount to ½ teaspoon
- ½ teaspoon saffron strands (kesar) - check notes if you plan to skip saffron
- 5 tablespoon organic cane sugar or regular sugar. you can also add as required
- 1 teaspoon saunf (aniseeds or fennel seeds/) - optional
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds or melon seeds (magaz) - check notes if not adding pumpkin seeds - optional
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi) for additional yellow color. check notes if you want to skip saffron and just add turmeric powder, optional
how to make recipe
- heat a pan and add all the dry fruits - almonds, pistachios, cashews, pumpkin seeds/melon seeds.
- dry roast for 3 to 4 minutes on a low flame.
- remove and keep aside in a plate or tray. use fresh nuts and not the ones whose shelf life has expired.
- in the same pan, add the saffron strands.
- stir for more than half a minute, till the color of the saffron changes to a darker shade. remove and keep aside.
- grate the nutmeg and keep aside.
- once the dry fruits cool down, then add everything in a dry grinder jar, including rose petals, fennel, black pepper, turmeric powder, cardamom seeds and sugar. if you have a small dry grinder jar, then you will have to grind in batches. grind to a fine powder.
- remove the masala milk powder and keep in an airtight container or jar. store in the fridge, as the nuts may get rancid. the recipe yields a medium jar of milk powder.
to serve, dissolve 2 to 3 teaspoons of the masala milk powder in a glass of hot milk or chilled milk. add sugar as required. stir and serve masala milk.
recipe notes
few tips for masala milk powder recipe:
- if you want to skip saffron and add turmeric powder, then just add an overall amount of 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder.
- if not adding pumpkin/melon seeds, then reduce the quantity of following spices to:
green cardamoms - 14 to 15
black pepper - 1/8 to 1/4 tsp
fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp (optional)
grated or powdered nutmeg - 2 to 2.5 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/8 to 1/4 tsp (optional) - if stored in fridge, then shelf life of this masala milk powder is about 1 to 2 months.
- for a dairy free version, use almond milk or soy milk. if using soy milk, then use organic and non gmo soy milk.
step by step masala milk powder recipe:
1. heat a pan and add all the dry fruits – almonds, pistachios, cashews, pumpkin seeds. dry roast for 3 to 4 minutes on a low flame. remove and keep aside in a plate or tray. use fresh nuts to make the milk powder. avoid using dry fruits whose shelf life has expired.
2. in the same pan, add the saffron strands/kesar.
3. stir for more than half a minute, till the color of the saffron changes to a darker shade. remove and keep aside.
4. grate the nutmeg/jaiphal and keep aside.
5. once the dry fruits cool, add everything in a dry grinder jar, including grated nutmeg, rose petals, fennel, turmeric powder, black pepper, cardamoms and sugar. if you have a small dry grinder jar, then you will have to grind in batches. do remove the husks from the green cardamoms and add only the seeds.
6. grind to a fine powder.
7. remove the masala milk powder and keep in an airtight container or jar. store in the fridge, as the nuts may get rancid. the recipe yields a medium jar of masala milk powder. if stored in fridge, then shelf life of this masala powder is about 1 to 2 months.
8. to serve, dissolve 2 to 3 teaspoons of the masala milk powder in a glass of hot milk or chilled milk. add sugar if required. stir and serve masala milk.
About
- i started vegrecipesofindia.com in feb 2009. it is a pure vegetarian blog and shares recipes with step by step photos.
i am passionate about cooking from childhood and learnt cooking from my elders. a home science degree course further enhanced my cooking and baking skills professionally along with an internship in a five star hotel. i am trained both in mainstream indian as well as international cuisines.
all the 1800 recipes posted on blog are tried and tested and made healthy wherever possible. the recipes are detailed and with step by step pictures that will easily help you to make delicious and tasty vegetarian food.
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fantastic recipes , really amazing, thanks ,God bless you.
thank you pranita for the comment and the kind wishes.
Hi dassana
Can I skip sugar and add jaggery powder while serving
you can add jaggery powder.
Hi Dassana,
Thank you for a great recipe. However, I have a question. Can I not use fresh milk instead of powdered milk and stir the masala in and have it?
welcome sulekha. i have also used fresh milk. i have not used milk powder. in the last line in step 8, the word ‘milk powder’ actually means the masala milk powder. i will change it. thanks for getting it to my attention.
Is taking almond and saffron is good in summer?
saffron is heaty and almonds when taken raw are also warming. but if you soak almonds in water overnight, then they become cooling. overnight soaked almonds are cooling and a ground paste or powder made from them can be used in drinks in summers. this milk powder is excellent to be had during winters and monsoons.
Can I skip nutmeg, safforn, dried rose petals.
I have salted pumpkin seeds and salted pistachio. Can I use that?
yes you can skip all the three. i suggest to use seeds and nuts which are not salted.
Do we have to grind the mixture with the cane sugar also or add it while drinking. It’s not mentioned clearly
the sugar is added while grinding. agree its not clear. will change. thanks for letting me know.
At last my daughter liked this recipe after trying many others….
Please keep writing….
thanks vijay
Hi
I have got pistachios which are lightly salted…
Can I use them in the recipe
Or is there a good way to remove salt from them
avoid adding salted pistachios. i don’t think the salt can be easily removed from the pistachios.
Hi thank you so much for your recepie, I have one question, can I replace pumpkin seeds with sunflower seeds?
yes you can.
Thanks for sharing this recipe! The milk masala powder turned out amazing. Tried your kulfi recipe too. Kulfis were AWESOME!!!
welcome ritu. glad to know this.
Hi Dassana,
This one is very good. I have tried this and my daughter liked it. Thank you for posting this. My daughter just turned two. She does not have a sweet tooth. So need some help from you can you please add some more salt , savory recipes for kids. The existing ones I have already tried. Thanks once again.
thanks mamta. i will add some more savory recipes like savory muffins and cookies.
can this powder be consumed in all seasons or in winters only……pls reply
poonam, its better in winters. as in summers it can be heaty. also depends where you stay. good for cold climate.
When dry roasting the nuts and seeds, how do you know when they’re okay before setting them aside? I’m not too sure how much they should be roasted.
claire, they should not get browned… not even light brown. i roast for 2-3 minutes on slow flame. i hope it helps.
Claire, they should be lightly roasted. just roast them for 3 to 4 minutes on a low flame. no need to brown them.
Hi Dassana,
My powder doesn’t dissolve properly in milk, it makes lumps. Please tell me what went wrong..
i think some oil has released from the nuts. what you do is just warm a little milk in a microwave safe glass or bowl. then add the milk powder and make a smooth paste. break the lumps with the back of the spoon. then add remaining of the hot milk and sugar.
Is there any precaution I need to take further..
bhavana, when you are grinding then use the pulsing method. pulse for a few times and then scrap. don’t grind at a stretch. in case, if the grinder becomes hot then let it cool down and again pulse.
Recipe is very easy to make and also would it be benifiting to elder or will it be to heavy in point of calories.. as we live in delhi and winters are very harsh here..
thanks shilpa. no it is not heavy in calories as we are adding few tsp of mixture in milk. it is excellent for winters. you can try these soup recipes also – https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/soup-recipes-veg-soup-recipes/
Can we dry the paneer rose petals and add it mam? (Without buying from the store)
rama, what is paneer rose petals? if you just mean rose petals then you can sundry them and add them.
I tried many of your recipes and are appreciated by my family thanks
welcome lalita. glad to know this.
Thanks for step by step recepie for masala milk…prepared it for the first time I followed your steps& it really came out well
thanks for the feedback.
Hi Dassana,
Great recipe! I had already prepareda dry fruit mix for my baby, but setting your recipe was tempted to drink masala milk. As recommended in your recipe I added grated nutmeg to milk along with the powder and tasted awesome. It’s an amazing drink! A warm cup of masala milk keeps you going in this cold season. However the powder that I ground is quiet grainy I like your smooth finish powder as my baby is only a year old I have to strain it and give it to her, which I don’t like. How do I get a smooth non grainy powder?
thanks hazel. use a good & powerful grinder for grinding the nuts. you have to scrape the sides and continue to grind. but do make sure that oil does not get released from the nuts or seeds. you can also pulse for some seconds, scrape and then again pulse. another way is to seive the grainy powder. then add the remaining granular powder back to the grinder and then grind again. then seive. a bit troublesome, but you will get fine textured powder.
Also mam plz tell d calorie content of a tsp or a tbsp if d masala powder..I knw its wierd Q bt my bro is v.calorie consciouss n m making it for him..Appx values wud also b appreciated..Ty
i did try to get a software for counting calories, but it was not compatible with the theme and giving errors on the web page. i don’t know how much calories will be there. so unable to help you in this matter.
Cardamom pods means wid skin right? n cn u plz tell me wat if v use cardamom powder..hw much tsp of it?
thats right. cardamom pods are with skin. you can add about 1 to 1.5 tsp cardamom powder.
Ohk..ty so much
Good morning Dassana
Im happy today dt I gv my child a healthy drink by making ur recipe of masala milk powder.He enjoyed thinking it’s juice.
My question is it dnt come out as shown in ur pics.when im trying to grind,it’s getting wet n so unable to grind it more.any tip for this pl.
Overall im happy n gonna try more of ur recipes n vl sure gv a feedback too.
Thankuuuu:-)
thanks deepshika. thats so sweet. if the dry fruits are completely cooled, then there will be no moisture or wetness while grinding. you can also take breaks while grinding, if the grinding is taking long. long grinding heats up the motor as well as the jar, so the contents also become moist. hope this helps.
Hi Dassana,
It’s been just two days I visited ur site n the way u explain step by step process in pictorial format I really liked it. Yesterday was r anniversary n I tried ur paneerbutter masala recipe n evrybdy loved it. Thanks to u fr a easy recipe.
I hv an two yr old son n ws worried what wud b the rite milk drink fr him coz these days the kind of news v get abt market products I stopped buying them.thanks for a gud recipe shared.u saved me.il try this for sure.
thanks deepshika. nice to know that the blog is helping you. keep visiting.
Hi Amit,
It’s been just two days I visited ur site n the way u explain step by step process in pictorial format I really liked it. Yesterday was r anniversary n I was looking for sm gud paneer recipe n I tried ur paneer butter masala recipe n evrybdy loved it. Thanks to u fr a easy recipe.
I hv an two yr old son n ws worried what wud b the rite milk drink fr him coz these days the kind of news v get abt the m
thanks for the feedback deepshika. best is to make a dry fruits nuts mix or powder. we don’t but any milk drink from out. don’t know what goes into them. we add this masala milk powder to the everyday milk we have.
Hi Dassana,
Where do we get pumpkin seeds from?
they are available online or from a organic store or super store.
wonderful recipe…….i always prefer for home made recipies like this.
keep it up
happy cooking
Hey, thanks for sharing variety of recipes 🙂 I gotta say Everything is delicious 😀
I had tried this masala milk powder. Its lovely 😀
But what about the oil comes out from it when grinding? is it bad if it forms oil? or Did I grind it too long than its supposed to be?
Thanks in advance 🙂
oil does not appear. i think you ground a bit too long. thats why the oil. even if you get a semi fine powder, its alright. its not bad if the oil comes.
For vegans – I discovered an OUTSTANDING fresh nut milk (to which turmeric, saffron, nuts, fruit, etc) may be added.
Mix/emulsify Brazil nuts & almonds with a pinch of Himalayan pink salt, dates, water and vanilla extract. Sieve/strain (cheesecloth works) to remove any pulp. Then add masala or whatever. It’s amazingly yummy.
thanks for sharing the recipe on making the fresh nut milk. am sure it will help the readers.
Hi Dassana, Thank you so much for the recipe. I was trying to go off store bought milk flavourings and searching for a recipe like this. Your recipe was god send. I especially liked adding rose petals. Could you also post a recipe for sambar powder please.
thanks preeti. i will add sambar powder in some days. its one of the most requested recipe.
I looked for thandai recipe on your website last week and did not find it. I took some other recipie from the net and tried it. It did not come out that well. I wish you had posted this a little early as am never disappointed with your recipies! Would try this one soon.
mansi, i wanted to add thandai but just could not make it. may be next year.
Hi,I want to make this one for my mum in law.
wow..nice combo !!!healthy health drink
Very nice mix Dassana.
I would imagine that this powder could be used in cakes and muffins that call for almonds and/or seeds, and with the addition of saffron and rose petals would feel very luxurious.
Thank you for sharing this.
Rosa
welcome rosa. your ideas are good and the powder will work very well in muffins or cakes.
Lovely pics,homemade is the best,I also prepare this at home sometimes but adding nutmeg is new to me,must give an enticing aroma,hope to try out soon.
thanks harini
Thanks for all your recipes step by step with images. Like it. I like cooking different varieties always. Thanks again. Bimla
welcome bimla
Hi dasaana ,
I like masala milk powder and never forget to buy this . Would love to try this recipe(homemade is always better)
I blindly follow ur recipes n was never disappointed.
But I have few doubts ,the one I use gives yummy nutty flavour n very aromatic. As this recipe contains black pepper n nutmeg ,would it be little spicy like” Thandai”???As u mentioned above what is the purpose of adding milk powder in this recipe (though u skipped it)
Thanks in advance as I always ask so many questions n ur so generous to ans them all 🙂
in this masala milk powder, there is not that spiciness which thandai has. you will though feel a faint hint of pepper. nutmeg gives a good aroma and does not give any hint of spiciness. black pepper is advised as its helps in digestion. milk powder just adds more body to the powder. but i think its not essential and for me it does not make sense at all to add milk powder.
first time hearing the powder from home made. very very nice photos, tempting me to try those powders, i am sure these are healthy and tasty as well as . lovely clicks.
thanks aparna
Thanks for this recipe, I was searching this for long tym.
welcome nidhi
Dassana,
What is the shelf life of this powder
priya, i forgot to mention it. if stored in fridge, then shelf life is about 1 to 2 months.