Mawa Peda (Khoya Peda)
Mawa Peda, also called Khoya Peda, is a soft Indian milk sweet made by cooking mawa (khoya), milk, sugar and ghee until thick, then shaping the mixture into small discs. This recipe is flavored with cardamom and saffron and garnished with pistachios. The added milk gives the peda a soft, moist texture, while lightly cooking the mawa brings a gentle caramelized milk flavor. Make this Mawa Peda recipe for Raksha Bandhan, Diwali and other festivals, offer them as prasad or serve them as an after-meal sweet.
A Soft Mawa Peda Recipe
This homemade Mawa Peda is made by first sautéing the khoya in ghee briefly and then cooking it with whole milk and sugar. As the mixture slowly reduces, it develops a light golden color and a pleasant caramelized milk flavor without becoming as dark as Mathura Peda.
A full cup of whole milk gives these pedas a soft, moist texture, but it also takes time to reduce. Cook the mixture until it becomes thick, begins to leave the sides of the pan and the spatula leaves a clear trail through it. It will firm up further as it cools.
I flavor these pedas with cardamom and saffron, though you can leave out the saffron for plain cardamom-flavored Mawa Peda. I hope you enjoy making this traditional sweet for your family and festive celebrations.
Ingredients You Need
- Mawa (khoya): Use 250 grams of fresh, unsweetened Mawa. Crumble or grate it so that it cooks evenly. If mawa is not readily available where you live, look for it in the refrigerated or frozen section of an Indian grocery store, or make it at home.
- Whole milk: 1 cup (240 ml) of whole milk gives the pedas their soft and moist texture. Avoid low-fat or skimmed milk.
- Sugar: ½ cup (about 100 grams) of granulated sugar gives a balanced sweetness. You can adjust it slightly to taste, but adding much more sugar can make the mixture softer and take longer to thicken.
- Ghee: Use 1 tablespoon for cooking the mawa and the remaining ½ tablespoon for greasing the tray.
- Cardamom powder: A small amount gives the Mawa Peda its familiar sweet and warm aroma. For the best flavor, powder the seeds from green cardamom pods just before using.
- Saffron: A pinch of saffron strands add a light saffron flavor and pale golden color. They are optional.
- Pistachios: Use thinly sliced or finely chopped unsalted pistachios for garnishing. You can also use sliced almonds, cashews, chironji or leave out the nuts.
If you like sweets made with milk solids, you may also like my Mawa Barfi, Milk Peda, Mawa Modak, Chocolate Barfi and Gujiya recipes.
How to Make Mawa Peda (Stepwise)
Prepare Ingredients & Cook Mawa
Measure 250 grams mawa, 1 cup whole milk, ½ cup sugar, 1½ tablespoons ghee, 1 pinch of saffron strands and ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder. Crumble or grate the mawa. Finely slice or halve a few unsalted pistachios for the garnish.
Grease a plate or tray with ½ tablespoon of the ghee and set it aside. Keep a bit of extra ghee for greasing your palms later.
1. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a heavy-bottomed kadai or pan over low heat.
2. Add the grated or crumbled mawa and mix well.
3. Begin to stir and mix the mawa with the ghee.
4. Cook the mawa for 2 to 3 minutes over low heat, stirring continuously.
5. It will soften and begin to melt.
Add milk, sugar and flavorings
6. As it melts, pour in 1 cup whole milk.
7. Mix and stir until the softened mawa combines with the milk. Break up any visible lumps with the spatula.
8. Add ½ cup sugar.
9. Mix well. The mixture will become thinner as the sugar dissolves. Add a pinch of saffron strands and mix again.
10. Simmer the mixture over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring at regular intervals. The milk will gradually reduce and the mixture will begin to thicken.
11. Add ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder. Mix well and continue to cook.
12. Continue cooking over low heat for another 10 to 15 minutes. Stir continuously as the mixture thickens so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
13. The mixture is ready when it becomes thick, begins to leave the sides of the pan and the spatula leaves a clear trail through it.
Switch off the heat at this stage, as the mixture will thicken further while cooling.
Cool & Make Mawa Peda
14. Transfer the cooked mixture to the greased plate or tray and spread it lightly. Do not leave it in the hot pan, as it will continue to cook and may stick.
Let the mixture cool until it is warm and comfortable to handle. It will become firmer as it cools.
Grease your palms lightly with ghee. Take a small portion of the mixture and roll it into a smooth ball. Press the center gently with your thumb or fingertip to make a shallow indentation, as shown in the photo.
Alternatively, shape the mixture into small balls and flatten them slightly to make the traditional peda shape.
15. Garnish each mawa peda with halved or sliced pistachios or a pinch of saffron strands. Let the pedas cool completely before transferring them to a container.
Serving Suggestions & Storage
Serve Mawa Peda at room temperature as a festive sweet or after-meal dessert. You can also prepare it for Diwali, Holi, Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami or any puja and offer it as prasad.
Since these pedas contain fresh mawa and milk, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They keep well for about 4 to 5 days. Let refrigerated peda sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving so that the texture softens slightly.
Dassana’s Recipe Tips
- Use fresh mawa: Use fresh, unsweetened mawa for the best taste. The cooking time may vary depending on its moisture content, so cook the mixture according to its final consistency.
- Choose a heavy pan: A heavy-bottomed kadai or pan distributes heat more evenly and helps prevent the milk solids from scorching.
- Keep the heat low: Mawa and milk solids can easily stick to the bottom of the pan. Cook the mixture over low heat and stir regularly, especially as it begins to thicken.
- Do not over-brown the mixture: Cook the mixture over low heat. It may develop a light golden color as it cooks, but do not let it become deep brown, as this will change the flavor and color of the Mawa Peda.
- Check the final consistency: The mixture should be thick, come together and leave the sides of the pan. If it is undercooked, the pedas may remain too soft to shape.
- Cool before shaping: The mixture firms as it cools. If it still feels loose, wait a little longer before shaping instead of adding milk powder or another ingredient.
- Fix a mixture that remains too soft: Return it to the pan and cook over low heat for a few more minutes, stirring continuously. Cool it again before shaping.
- Do not overcook: Once the mixture is thick, begins to leave the sides of the pan and the spatula leaves a clear trail through it, remove it from the heat. Overcooking can make the pedas dry or crumbly.
- Make even pedas: Portion the mixture with a teaspoon or small cookie scoop before shaping so that the pedas are similar in size.
- Scale with care: You can double the Mawa Peda recipe, but a larger batch will take longer to reduce and will require more frequent stirring.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Mawa Peda (Khoya Peda)
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
- 250 grams mawa (evaporated milk solids)
- 1 cup/240 ml whole milk
- ½ cup/100 grams sugar or add as required
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 pinch saffron strands – optional
- 14 pistachios – to garnish, optional
- 1 pinch saffron strands – to garnish, optional
Instructions
Preparing The Mawa Mixture
- Crumble or grate the mawa finely so that there are no large lumps. Lightly grease a plate or tray with ½ tablespoon ghee and set aside.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over low heat.
- Add the mawa and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring continuously, until it softens and begins to melt.
- Pour in the milk and stir well until the softened mawa combines evenly with it. Break up any remaining lumps with the spatula.
- Add the sugar and mix well. The mixture will become thinner as the sugar dissolves.
- Add the saffron strands and stir to combine.
Cooking The Mixture
- Simmer the mixture over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring at regular intervals. The milk will gradually reduce and the mixture will begin to thicken.
- Add the cardamom powder and mix well.
- Continue cooking over low heat for another 10 to 15 minutes. Stir continuously as the mixture thickens so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
- The mixture is ready when it becomes thick, begins to leave the sides of the pan and the spatula leaves a clear trail through it. The exact cooking time may vary depending on the moisture in the mawa, the size of the pan and the intensity of the heat.
- Immediately transfer the mixture to the greased plate or tray. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
Making Mawa Peda
- Let the mixture cool until it is warm and comfortable to handle.
- Lightly grease your palms with ghee. Take a small portion of the mixture and roll it into a smooth ball. Press the center gently with your thumb or fingertip to make a shallow indentation.
- Alternatively, shape the mixture into small balls and flatten them slightly to make the traditional peda shape.
- Garnish the pedas with sliced pistachios or saffron strands. Let them cool completely before serving or storing.
Serving & Storage
- Serve Mawa Peda at room temperature as a festive sweet or dessert. You can also offer the pedas as prasad during puja and festivals.
- Refrigerate the pedas in an airtight container and use them within 4 to 5 days.
Dassana’s Notes
- Mawa: Use fresh, unsweetened mawa for the best taste. You can use homemade khoya if it is not available locally.
- Sweetened milk: Do not use sweetened condensed milk as a direct replacement for mawa. It will change the liquid and sugar proportions and require a different recipe.
- Low heat: Cook the peda mixture over low or medium-low heat throughout so that the milk solids do not stick, scorch or brown too deeply.
- Pan: Use a broad, heavy-bottomed kadai or pan. A broad pan allows the milk to reduce more evenly.
- Stirring: Stir at regular intervals while the mixture is simmering. Stir continuously once it begins to thicken.
- Consistency: The mixture is ready when it becomes thick, begins leaving the sides of the pan and the spatula leaves a clear trail through it.
- Cooling: Do not worry if the mixture is slightly soft when transferred to the tray. It will thicken and become easier to shape as it cools.
- Avoid overcooking: Overcooking can make the pedas dry, dense or chewy. Remove the mixture from the heat once it reaches the correct consistency.
- Scaling: The recipe can be doubled or tripled. Use a sufficiently large, broad pan and allow additional cooking time for the mixture to thicken.
