These Malai Paneer Ladoo are soft, grainy Indian milk sweets made with fresh chenna, milk, mawa and cardamom. They are tender and milky when bitten, not dry or chewy, with enough richness to feel special for festivities and special occasions.
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This recipe started from an older paneer cashew ladoo on the blog (published March 2015), but I now make it more classic milk-sweet style. I leave out the cashews, make fresh chenna, and cook it with milk and mawa for a softer, milkier malai ladoo.
What are Malai Paneer Ladoo
Malai Paneer Ladoo are soft Indian milk sweets made with fresh chenna or paneer.
For this recipe, full-fat milk is curdled to make fresh chenna, then cooked again with more milk, mawa, sugar and cardamom until the mixture thickens enough to roll into ladoo.
They are different from quick condensed milk ladoo. These are simple, classic milk ladoo with a soft grainy texture and gentle milky flavour.
You'll notice they have some resemblance in taste and texture of traditional doodh peda.
They are reasonably quick to make but elegant enough for the most special of occasions. I've served them during a diwali dinner party.
The Main Ingredients
You’ll find the full ingredients list with measurements in the recipe card below, but these notes are worth reading first. They explain the small ingredient choices, swaps and texture cues I’ve learnt from making this recipe.
Full-fat milk
Use full-fat milk for the best flavour and texture.
You need milk twice in this recipe: first to make the fresh chenna, and again to cook the ladoo mixture.
The second lot of milk is important. Without it, the mixture can taste more like paneer clumped together with sugar. The milk helps everything cook together and gives that creamier malai flavour.
For this recipe, I keep the chenna naturally grainy. I do not mash it completely smooth because soft, fresh chenna already has the right texture.
The main thing is to avoid big lumps. If your chenna looks very lumpy, break it up gently with your fingers before cooking.
If you want a more detailed guide, see my homemade paneer post.
Vinegar or lemon juice
I prefer clear vinegar for splitting the milk because it curdles reliably for me.
Lemon juice also works, but vinegar gives me a more predictable result.
After curdling, rinse the chenna well so there is no vinegar smell left. This matters because these are sweets, and you want the flavour to stay clean and milky.
Mawa
Mawa adds richness, bulk and a deeper milky flavour. You can get it from Indian grocery stores and grate in or make your own at home.
I used ricotta mawa which in my opinion is best if you want the most classic grainy texture. I prefer ricotta mawa because homemade milk powder mawa can make the mixture stickier.
If you like the soft, slightly grainy texture that ricotta gives Indian sweets, you may also like my ricotta cheese peda and instant ricotta cheese kalakand.
Sugar
Add white sugar after the chenna goes in.
Sugar releases moisture, so the mixture will loosen before it thickens again. This is normal.
Do not add too much sugar. Extra sugar can make the mixture sticky, which means you may need to cook it longer, and overcooking can make the ladoo chewy.
Cardamom
Green cardamom powder keeps the flavour classic and simple.
I like these ladoo mainly milky, so I do not add too many flavours.
Pistachios, rose petals and saffron
For decorating, I like finely chopped pistachios, rose petals and a few saffron strands. It keeps them pretty, modern and festive!.
Let's Make Malai Ladoo Together
- Add vinegar to the boiled milk: Bring the full-fat milk to a boil, then lower the heat. Add the vinegar gradually and stir gently so the milk starts to split.
- Separate the curds and whey: Keep stirring gently until the milk separates into soft curds and clearer whey. Once fully split, turn off the heat.
- Strain, wash and squeeze the chenna: Strain the curds through a muslin cloth or fine sieve, then rinse 2–3 times to remove any vinegar smell. Squeeze quite firmly so the chenna is soft and moist, but not wet.
- Boil the milk and add mawa: In a clean pan, bring the second lot of milk to a boil, then add the mawa. Stir until the mawa softens into the milk and the mixture starts looking creamy.
- Add the fresh chenna: Add the strained chenna and mix well. Keep the texture slightly grainy, but break up any large lumps.
- Add the sugar and cardamom: Add the sugar and cardamom. The mixture will loosen at first as the sugar releases moisture, but it will thicken again as it cooks.
- Cook until the mixture forms one mass: Cook on low to medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture thickens, leaves the sides of the pan and no liquid remains at the bottom. It should form one soft mass.
- Shape and decorate: Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then roll into ladoo with lightly greased hands. Decorate with finely chopped pistachios, rose petals and saffron strands.
Technique
How To Know When The Mixture Is Ready
These are the four signs I look out for in pretty much all of my barfi peda recipes:
It forms one mass
The mixture should come together instead of looking loose or separated.
It leaves the sides of the pan
As you stir, it should pull away from the pan.
There is no liquid at the bottom
You should not see milk pooling underneath the mixture.
It passes the soft ball test
A small amount should gently roll into a ball in your hand.
Do not keep cooking far beyond this point. The ladoo firm up as they sit.
Storage
Store Malai Paneer Ladoo at room temperature for 2–3 days in a cool place.
They will firm up slightly as they sit, so do not overcook the mixture at the start. I do not usually chill them before shaping because they can become too firm.
For longer storage, you can freeze them for about 1 month. The flavour will still be good, but the texture may not be exactly the same once defrosted.
Malai Paneer Ladoo FAQs
What are Malai Paneer Ladoo made of?
They are made with fresh chenna or paneer, milk, mawa, sugar and cardamom.
Are these the same as paneer ladoo?
They are a type of paneer ladoo, but I call them Malai Paneer Ladoo because the milk and mawa make them creamier and more milky.
Can I use shop-bought paneer?
Fresh chenna gives the best soft texture. Shop-bought paneer is usually firmer and may not give the same tender, grainy finish.
Can I use lemon juice instead of vinegar?
Yes. Lemon juice works, but I prefer clear vinegar because it curdles the milk more reliably for me. Rinse the chenna well either way.
Why do you rinse the chenna?
Rinsing removes the vinegar or lemon flavour. This is important because the finished ladoo should taste milky and sweet, not sour.
Should I mash the chenna?
Not completely. Keep it slightly grainy, but break up any large lumps before cooking.
Which mawa is best for malai paneer ladoo?
Store bought or homemade ricotta cheese mawa gives the best grainy texture.
Can I use condensed milk?
I do not use condensed milk here. This recipe is meant to have a cleaner milk-sweet flavour from fresh chenna, milk and mawa. I find that condensed milk makes mithai stickier compared with sugar alone.
Why did my ladoo become sticky?
There may be too much sugar, or the mixture may need a little more cooking. Cook only until it forms a soft mass and passes the soft ball test.
Why did my ladoo become chewy?
They were probably overcooked or too much sugar added. The mixture should not be cooked until completely dry because the ladoo firm up as they sit.
Do I need to chill the mixture before shaping?
No. I prefer shaping at room temperature. Chilling can make the mixture too firm.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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📖 Recipe
Malai Paneer Ladoo
Ingredients
- 2 litres full fat milk
- 2 tablespoon white vinegar
- 60 gram mawa
- 60 gram sugar
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
Instructions
- Pour 1 ¾ litres Full fat milk into a heavy-based pan and bring it to a boil.
- Lower the heat, then add 2 tablespoon white vinegar gradually, stirring gently until the milk separates into soft curds and clear whey.
- Turn off the heat once the milk has fully split. Strain the curds through a muslin cloth or fine sieve.
- Rinse the chenna under clean water 2–3 times to remove any vinegar smell, then squeeze firmly to remove excess water. Set aside.
- In a clean heavy-based pan, bring the remaining ¼ litres Full fat milk to a boil.
- Add 60 gram mawa and stir until it softens into the milk.
- Add the prepared chenna and mix well, breaking up any large lumps while keeping the mixture slightly grainy.
- Add 60 gram sugar The mixture will loosen at first as the sugar melts.
- Cook on low to medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture thickens, comes together in one soft mass and leaves the sides of the pan. There should be no liquid sitting at the bottom. Once the heat is off, add ½ teaspoon cardamom powder and mix well.
- To test, take a small amount of mixture and gently roll it between your fingers. If it forms a soft ball, it is ready.
- Transfer the mixture to a plate and let it cool to room temperature.
- Lightly grease your hands with ghee, then roll the mixture into ladoo and decorate.
Video
Notes
- Clear vinegar gives reliable curdling, but lemon juice also works.
- Rinse the chenna 2–3 times so there is no vinegar or lemon smell.
- Squeeze the chenna firmly. If it is too wet, the mixture will need longer cooking.
- Do not mash the chenna completely smooth; a little grainy texture is good.
- The second lot of milk helps the chenna and mawa cook together into a creamier malai texture.
- If using homemade, ricotta mawa gives the best grainy finish.
- Add sugar after the chenna. It will loosen the mixture at first, then thicken as it cooks.
- Do not add too much sugar, as it can make the mixture sticky.
- Cook until the mixture forms one soft mass, leaves the pan and has no liquid at the bottom.
- Stop once you can gently roll a soft ball. Do not overcook until dry.
- Shape at room temperature.
- The ladoo firm up as they sit, so they should be soft when freshly rolled.
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
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Tarsam Virdee says
How to make mana please
Hayley Dhanecha says
Hi, I have given link for two type of mawa/khoya in the main post above. One is made with milk powder and second one is made with ricotta cheese. I am sharing for you here. Ricotta cheese mawa and Homemade Khoya with Milk Powder
Hope this helps
Hayley
Hayley Dhanecha says
These soft and elegant looking malai paneer ladoos are my most favourite for special occasions. I love that they are made with minimal ingredients.
Taste Melanger says
Looks so delicious. ..will surely try!