Based on my Instant Kesar Peda with Condensed Milk, these beautiful Chocolate Peda are rich with decadent chocolate flavour. Made with toasted milk powder and condensed milk, they have a soft peda texture without being sticky or chewy, and enough cocoa powder to balance the sweetness without making them bitter.
If you like traditional mithai with a twist, my Indian fusion sweets and desserts collection is filled with dangerously addictive treats!
Recipe Summary: Chocolate Peda
- ✅ Recipe Name: Chocolate Peda
- 🕒 Ready In: 20 minutes plus cooling time
- 👪 Makes: 20 (easy to scale)
- 🍽 Calories: 179 per piece
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Milk powder, condensed milk, cocoa powder (dutch processed)
- 📖 Dietary Info: vegetarian, eggless
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: They taste properly chocolatey without losing that classic milky peda character. The sweetness and cocoa balance each other beautifully, they can be shaped in a mould for a polished finish, and they are a fun Indian-fusion mithai for festivals and gifting.
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These chocolate peda were a total accident! I was testing my instant peda, got distracted (oops!), and let the mixture catch at the bottom of the pan. I wasn’t about to waste it, so I added cocoa powder (to hide the dark bits). They ended up being so ridiculously good, that I had to make them again properly for JCO and share with you all.
As the cocoa is mixed straight into the peda dough, the chocolate flavour is there in every bite. It is quite different from my layered milk chocolate barfi, where the chocolate sits on top of a plain milk barfi layer.
The result feels a little more grown-up, while still being the sort of chocolate mithai kids happily reach for too.
In fact, I took these to a recent family gathering with ages ranging from 9-70 years and they were such a hit with everyone!
Important Ingredients Notes
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.
Milk powder
Use full-fat milk powder for the richest flavour. I prefer using VB own brand milk powder (available in the UK).
I toast the milk powder gently before adding it to the condensed milk. It's a step I take for most of my barfi peda recipes. This removes the raw milk-powder taste and gives it a slightly nuttier, cooked-milk flavour.
Keep the heat very low. You want the milk powder lightly toasted, not browned.
Condensed milk
Condensed milk gives enough sweetness on its own, so I do not add extra sugar.
Warm it gently with the ghee before adding the toasted milk powder.
Keep the heat low once everything comes together because condensed milk can catch quickly.
Use any leftovers in this quick fruit salad with condensed milk.
Unsweetened cocoa powder
I have made these with Tesco cocoa powder which is my preferred brand but I've used Bournville cocoa powder successfully in other recipes too. I find that the Tesco version gives a proper cocoa-rich flavour without making the peda bitter.
I do not recommend using drinking chocolate as this contains extra sugar and other ingredients, so it can make the peda too sweet and change the texture.
It's the same cocoa powder I use in my chocolate pistachio barfi.
Technique
Why I Toast The Milk Powder First
I'm going to do my best to de-influence you!
A lot of recipes out there will simply mix together condensed milk and milk powder and call it a day in the name of "easy and quick". But I think that you end up with a sweet that barely has resemblance to the real thing.
Milk powder can taste slightly raw if it is simply stirred into condensed milk and cooked briefly.
So, these are my special techniques that I don't want to gatekeep.
Gently roasting it first develops a deeper milk flavour and gives the peda better texture. The important thing is low heat.
For chocolate peda, a tiny amount of extra colour is not disastrous because the cocoa hides it. But you still do not want the milk powder genuinely browned or burnt, because that bitterness will come through.
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
Chocolate Peda
Ingredients
- 380 grams full cream milk powder
- 397 grams sweetened condensed milk
- 3 tablespoon ghee
- 3 tablespoon cocoa powder
Garnishing
- rose petals edible
- chopped pistachio
- cocoa powder
Instructions
- Place the 380 grams full cream milk powder in a wide, heavy-based pan over low heat. Lightly dry roast for 2–3 minutes, stirring continuously. Do not let it change colour. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add the 3 tablespoon ghee to the same pan and melt over low heat. Pour in the 397 grams sweetened condensed milk and warm gently for a minute, stirring until smooth.
- Gradually add the roasted milk powder to the condensed milk mixture. Stir continuously over low heat until everything is well combined and forms a soft, slightly loose mixture. Do not cook until the mixture becomes too dry.
- Turn off the heat and add the 3 tablespoon cocoa powder. Mix thoroughly until the cocoa is completely incorporated and the mixture is smooth and evenly coloured.
- Transfer the mixture to a plate or bowl and allow it to cool completely at room temperature.
- Once cool enough to handle, divide the mixture into equal portions. Roll each portion into a smooth ball and gently flatten or shape into peda.
- Decorate with edible rose petals and finely chopped pistachio, or lightly dust the peda with cocoa powder.
Notes
- Use full-fat milk powder for the richest flavour.
- Toast the milk powder gently over very low heat to remove the raw taste, but do not brown it.
- Use unsweetened cocoa powder, not drinking chocolate.
- Condensed milk provides enough sweetness; no additional sugar is needed.
- Keep the heat low once the condensed milk and milk powder are combined.
- Cook only until the mixture forms one smooth, soft mass and leaves the sides of the pan.
- Test a small cooled portion before cooking further; hot peda dough naturally feels softer.
- Do not overcook. A dry mixture will give cracked or chewy peda.
- Shape once the mixture is just cool enough to handle.
- If the mixture is dry or cracking, return it to the pan with 1 tablespoon of full-fat milk at a time and warm gently until smooth and pliable again.
- The peda firm slightly as they sit, so the freshly cooked mixture should remain soft.
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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Diya says
recipe is great.. but wt Abt the shape? any mould 🔗?
Hayley Dhanecha says
Hello Diya
I have used this mould for chocolate peda. Sharing a link for you. Hope this helps. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08139N45Q?linkCode=ssc&tag=jcookingody07-21&creativeASIN=B08139N45Q&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.2SEK8FGZJ8PPO&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin
Hayley Dhanecha says
This chocolate peda is such a fun twist on a classic Indian mithai, with rich cocoa adding a delicious chocolatey flavour to the soft, fudgy peda. It’s incredibly easy to make and feels special enough for Diwali, celebrations or a dinner party.