This instant kesar mawa modak with milk powder is proof that festive sweets don’t need to be complicated. With a handful of ingredients and under 30 minutes, you can make soft, fragrant, and utterly divine modaks that taste just as authentic as the traditional version.
Whether it’s Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, or a special family celebration, these modaks will bring joy and devotion straight to your plate.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Instant & Easy - Milk powder does the magic!
- Festive Flavor – Kesar (saffron) gives the modaks a royal touch with its golden hue and aroma.
- Melt-in-the-mouth Texture – Soft, rich, and perfectly sweet.
- Beginner-friendly – Requires minimal effort, just some patience and stirring.
What are Modaks?
Modak is a traditional Indian sweet dumpling that plays a very special role in Hindu culture, especially during Ganesh Chaturthi, the festival dedicated to Lord Ganesha.
Shaped like a small dome with a pointed top, modaks represent prosperity and sweetness in life. The word modak comes from Moda, which means happiness and joy. Lord Ganesha loves modaks so much that people lovingly call him Modakpriya (the one who loves modaks). Here’s Bappa’s favorite, fail-proof Ukadiche Modak Recipe you can try at home.
Instant Kesar Mawa Modak
When Ganesh Chaturthi arrives, families prepare modaks that fill homes with a sweet aroma—Lord Ganesha’s most beloved offering. The traditional steamed ukadiche modak carries a special charm, but the saffron (kesar) mawa modak delivers a rich, decadent treat that melts in your mouth.
The best part? You can skip hours in the kitchen and avoid store-bought mawa. This instant kesar mawa modak recipe uses milk powder to create the same creamy texture and luxurious taste—without any fuss!
Serve these modaks as festive offerings, prepare them quickly as prasad, or present them as homemade mithai for guests. They bring together the richness of mawa, the fragrance of saffron, and the ease of milk powder in every bite.
Ingredients To Make This Instant Modak Recipe
Full-Fat Milk Powder - We will be using full-fat milk powder to make this instant modak recipe. This will add instant richness of mawa, without having to spend hours making mawa from scratch or using store-bought mawa.
Ghee - Use ghee to add the nuttiness and smooth silky finish for our modaks.
Saffron - Good quality saffron strands will make a world of difference. I source mine from Burlap and Barrel. Less is more.
Milk - We will be using milk in 2 parts. First, to make saffron milk, and second, to cook the milk powder to make the modak recipe.
Sugar - Use regular white caster sugar for this recipe.
Cardamom - You will need cardamom powder to add the rich and fragrant sweet notes to the recipe.
Garnishes - You can garnish these modaks with edible gold/ silver leaf, pistachio powder, or saffron strands.
Step- By- Step Recipe
Make Saffron Milk
Use a small mortar and pestle. Add saffron strands. Using the pastel, gently crush the saffron strands.
Now add the cold milk to the crushed saffron strands and let it sit for 10 minutes. This will bloom the saffron beautifully and give the modaks a beautiful color.
Cook The Mawa Base
Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a non-stick pan or a thick-bottomed kadhai.
Add ⅓ cup milk and bring it to a gentle simmer.
Also, add the prepared saffron milk.
Stir in 1 cup milk powder gradually, mixing well to avoid lumps.
Keep stirring on a low flame until the mixture thickens and resembles fresh mawa.
Stir in ¼ cup castor sugar (or as per taste) and ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder. You can add up to ½ teaspoon of cardamom powder if you like.
Cook for 2–3 minutes until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a soft dough-like consistency.
Transfer the mixture to a greased plate. Allow it to cool slightly (enough to handle).
Cool and Shape
Grease your palms and the modak mould with a little ghee.
Pinch small portions of the mixture and press into the mould.
Gently unmould to reveal beautifully shaped modaks.
Garnish and Serve
Place chopped/ powdered pistachios along with edible gold leaf on top as garnish. Adding edible gold leaf to these instant modaks makes them look beautiful.
Serve fresh as prasad to Lord Ganesha or store in an airtight container for 2–3 days in the refrigerator.
Expert Tips To Make This Easy Modak Recipe
- Always cook the mixture on low heat to avoid burning.
- Don’t overcook, or the mixture will turn hard. Stop cooking when it forms a soft dough.
- Apply ghee to moulds and hands for smooth shaping.
- You can add rose water, kewra essence, or even dry fruit powders for extra richness.
Serving Suggestions
- Offer these modaks to Bappa during Ganesh Chaturthi puja.
- Serve as a festive dessert with other sweet treats on a mithai board.
- Pack them in decorative boxes as homemade mithai gifts for friends and family.
More Flavors You Can Try
Here are some flavors of mithais from the blog you can try molding into a modak shape.
- Chocolate Modak
- Dry Fruit Modak
- Mango Mawa Modak
- Paan Modak
- Rose Cheesecake Modak
- Chocolate and Walnuts Modak
More Recipes You Might Like From The Blog
Instant Kesar Mawa Modak
These nutrional values are automatically generated. Use them for estimation only.
Equipment
- 1 Non-Stick Pan
Ingredients
- 1 Teaspoon Saffron Strands
- 1 Tablespoon Milk
- 1 Tablespoon Ghee plus, some more ghee for greasing hands and modak mold.
- ⅓ Cup Milk
- 1 Cup Whole Milk Powder I use Nestle Nido Whole Milk Powder
- ¼ Cup Sugar Add more as per your taste. You can add upto ⅓rd cup of sugar
- ¼ Teaspoon Cardamom Powder
Garnishes
- 1 Tablespoon Pistachios Finely Chopped or Powdered
- 2-3 Sheets Edible Gold Leaf
Instructions
Make Saffron Milk
- Use a small mortar and pestle. Add saffron strands. Using the pastel, gently crush the saffron strands.
- Now add the cold milk to the crushed saffron strands and let it sit for 10 minutes. This will bloom the saffron beautifully and give the modaks a beautiful color.
Cook The Mawa Base
- Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a non-stick pan or a thick-bottomed kadhai.
- Add ⅓ cup milk and bring it to a gentle simmer.
- Also, add the prepared saffron milk.
- Stir in 1 cup milk powder gradually, mixing well to avoid lumps.
- Keep stirring on low flame until the mixture thickens and resembles fresh mawa.
- Stir in ¼ cup sugar (or as per taste) and ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder.
- Cook for 2–3 minutes until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a soft dough-like consistency.
- Transfer the mixture to a greased plate. Allow it to cool slightly (enough to handle).
Cool and Shape The Modaks
- Grease your palms and the modak mould with a little ghee.
- Pinch small portions of the mixture and press into the mould.
- Gently unmould to reveal beautifully shaped modaks.
Garnish and Serve
- Place chopped/ powdered pistachios on top as garnish. Add edible gold lead to give a richer look to these modaks.
- Serve fresh as prasad to Lord Ganesha or store in an airtight container for 2–3 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Low flame is key – Always cook the mixture on low heat to avoid burning.
- Consistency matters – Don’t overcook, or the mixture will turn hard. Stop cooking when it forms a soft dough.
- Grease well – Apply ghee to moulds and hands for smooth shaping.
- Flavor variations – You can add rose water, kewra essence, or even dry fruit powders for extra richness.
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