Ricotta Cheese Malai Peda is a soft melt in the mouth Indian sweet made with ricotta cheese, milk powder, sugar and flavored with saffron and cardamom.

The same mixture can also be used to make ricotta cheese malai ladoo.

This recipe is the easy version of the famous peda and takes just about 25 minutes to put it together.

malai peda swerved ina plate with almonds and few flowers for garnish

Milk based recipes are very popular in India, but needs hours of simmering and constant stirring. To make peda, milk is simmered till it reduces in volume and sugar and cardamom are added for sweetness and flavor. While the traditional method of making peda is very tasty, now a days I prefer to make easy desserts.

This malai laddoo (or peda) made with ricotta cheese surely falls in this easy dessert category. The ladoo is soft and creamy and just melts in your mouth.

If you are looking for more ricotta cheese desserts, you should definitely check my Instant Kalakand made with ricotta cheese and Easy Rabdi recipe in instant pot.

This Ricotta Cheese Indian sweet

can be shaped as Peda or ladoo

is creamy and just melts in your mouth

takes just about 25 minutes to make

an easy dessert to make for holi, diwali or for parties.

What is Ricotta Cheese?

Ricotta is an Italian whey cheese made from sheep, cow, goat or Italian buffalo milk whey left over from the production of other cheeses. (source from wikipidea)

Ingredients needed to make Ricotta Cheese Malai Ladoo (peda) –

ricotta chhese, milk powder, sugar, nuts and ghee are displayed

How to make ricotta cheese Peda or ladoo with step by step pics –

1 – In a wide non stick pan, melt 1 tbsp of ghee and add the ricotta cheese.

2- Stirring often, cook the ricotta cheese for 7 to 8 minutes till some of the moisture from the ricotta cheese evaporates.

3- Add the milk powder, sugar and few saffron strands.

4- Combine well and cook stirring often. After five minutes of cooking taste the mixture for sweetness and adjust. The below picture is after 10 minutes of cooking in medium flame.

ghee, ricotta cheese, sugar and milk powder are cooked in a non stick pan

5 & 6 – Cook further till the mixture becomes one big mass. To check if it is the right consistency, take a small portion of the mixture and make a ball. If it doesn’t stick to your hands, it is the right consistency. If it sticks to your hands, cook for couple more minutes. Finally add the cardamom powder and mix it again. Let the mixture rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

7 & 8- Grease your heads with some ghee and make Peda or ladoo. You may observe few cracks on the side of the Peda, which is ok.
If you want smooth finish make ladoo from the mixture.I made few peda’s and few ladoo’s and topped them with a slice of almond or pistachio.

cooked ricotta cheese sugar mixture made to small peda and served in a steel plate

Store them in the refrigerator for couple of hours before serving. They tastes best when served chilled.

How long do the peda/ladoo stay fresh?

Stays fresh for 4-5 days in the refregirator.

What can I replace ricotta cheese with?

I have not tried, but fresh paneer can be used in place of ricotta cheese.

Few more easy Indian sweets –

Almond halwa made with almond flour

Instant Ricotta cheese kalakand

3 minute microwave peda

5 minute coconut ladoo

If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to give a star rating below. For more recipes and to see what’s cooking in my kitchen, follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.