Easy Kesar Pedas
on Nov 08, 2015, Updated Apr 07, 2021
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Easy Kesar Pedas are one of the easiest Indian sweets to make at home during the festive season. The saffron brings in a lot of flavor and the pistachios add some crunch. Make extras because these will disappear from the table really quickly!
If you’ve grown up in India, I’m sure you have memories of grabbing a handful of pedas as soon as they came home, and then fighting with your siblings for more. Because these bite sized Indian sweets, made with milk solids deserve to be fought over! These homemade kesar pedas are so perfect for Diwali and are just as delicious as their store-bought versions! They are super soft, and pretty much melt in your mouth. I love the bright yellow color that the saffron gives them and topped with pistachios, there’s an added crunch to these little beauties.
Quick Walk Through: Kesar Pedas
Richa’s top tips to make the best kesar pedas
- Traditionally pedas would take a lot of time because of the khoya which would be made from scratch at homes. But I recommend, buying ready made khoya from a reputed dairy or sweet shop which will save you a lot of time.
- Even though I prefer my kesar pedas to only have pistachios as garnish, feel free to add other nuts you like.
FAQs
Even though pedas and barfis are made from similar ingredients, the main difference between the two is in the texture. Pedas have a slightly firmer texture, while barfis have a fudge like texture and is usually topped with varkh.
Overcooking the khoya and sugar mixture is one of the most common reasons for chewy pedas. Make sure to cook the khoya on a medium flame and allow it to cool completely before shaping and refrigerating it.
While some cracks are absolutely natural, if you notice a lot of cracks then it could be because of overcooking. Try kneading the dough with a little ghee to help smoothen it. This should help get rid of some of the cracks.
Kesar pedas easily last in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
While these handmade pedas aren’t perfect looking, they taste just like from my favorite halwai down the road. Added to that, the pride of having made these myself, I can’t stop looking at them!
If you can’t resist making these, but are still a little concerned about your weight, also read my 5 Tips to Eat Healthy this Festive Season!
Easy Kesar Pedas
Ingredients
- 300 grams Khoya
- 4 tablespoons Sugar
- 15 Strands kesar, or saffron
- 2 tablespoons Milk
- 1/4 teaspoon Cardamom, powdered
- 1 tablespoon Pista, sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon Ghee, optional
Instructions
- To begin making the Kesar Peda Recipe, gently warm the milk without boiling it and soak the saffron in it. Keep this aside for 10 minutes.
- In a pan or kadai, add crumbled khoya and sugar. Cook this on a low heat for 4-5 minutes stirring continuously until the sugar is completely dissolved. The khoya will first liquify and then thicken again. Be careful not to burn the khoya.
- Once the khoya has thickened, add saffron milk and powdered cardamom to it. Cook for a few more minutes till the khoya thickens up considerably and resembles a sticky dough like consistency.
- At this stage, turn off the heat and allow the peda mixture to cool.
- Once the mixture is cool enough to touch, knead it lightly to get rid of any lumps so you have a smooth mixture. You can add a little ghee at this stage to give it a good shine.
- Roll the kesar peda mixture into a log and cut 12 equal pieces.
- Roll each of peda portions into small balls, make a small dent in the center and add the pista slices. Once shaped the Kesar Peda is ready to be served.
- Refrigerate the Kesar Peda later or serve them immediately.
I have used saffron, brand name Noor Saffron. The results are excellent. I am trying one tonight.
Tried this today and it came out extremely well and very tasty..u inspire me to cook more.. thank u so much
These look delicious! Can I make them using milk powder? If so, what adjustments do I need to make to the process?
Thanks Raksha! I’ve never tried them with milk powder
I made this but mind turned out chewy from the inside it was not smooth what went wrong
Hey Aarti, I’m sorry this didn’t work out well for you, i have made this a multiple times and it has turned out perfect.