This easy rasmalai recipe skips the traditional process of making cheese dumplings from scratch by using ricotta cheese. The cheese is baked in a single pan, then cut into cubes and soaked in a fragrant milk mixture for a delightful, celebratory dessert.
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What is Rasmalai?
Rasmalai has always been one of my favorite desserts at Indian-American restaurants. In Hindi, ras means “juice,” and malai refers to “milk cream.” Traditionally, it’s made with soft paneer dumplings soaked in rosewater and cardamom-infused sweet milk, topped with nuts and saffron, but the version in this recipe uses ricotta cheese. It’s rich, creamy, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
Mom always made this for special occasions, especially Diwali, and we’d savor every last spoonful. It was the perfect dessert to have after enjoying all the vegan curry dishes we’d have for dinner like this Aloo and Channa Curry. But her rasmalai had a twist, incorporating warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and a bit of ginger—staples in West Indian cooking and baking. This fusion made it uniquely suited to our Caribbean palate. My mom’s version, made with ricotta cheese—a tip from an Indian friend—was even more decadent than restaurant versions and it was easier than making the paneer from scratch. We’d bring trays of this to parties too as it’s a great dessert for large gatherings.
Traditional version using paneer
Typically the cheese in rasmalai is flat and circular in shape because of how it’s made. Making the cheese dumplings is the most taxing part of this dish. Boiled milk is curdled with lemon juice, strained then mashed until smooth. The curdled milk is called paneer. The warm paneer is then shaped by hand into flattened balls and ready for cooking. You can certainly buy ready-made paneer at Indian grocery stores. If you’d like to give this more traditional version a try, take a look at this recipe.
Shortcut version using ricotta cheese
This recipe is a shortcut version because it uses ricotta cheese instead of homemade paneer. The ricotta is seasoned with warm spices, baked to remove moisture, and set, and then cut and soaked in the sweet milk mixture overnight.
Preparing the cheese for rasmalai
This recipe uses whole milk ricotta, which contains a lot of moisture. To help the cheese firm up, it’s baked after being seasoned with warm spices. Transfer the mixture to a 9×9-inch baking pan or a standard aluminum foil pan, and bake it in a dry oven—no water bath or steam—for 55-60 minutes.
The edges may brown slightly due to the sugars in the mixture, but you can easily trim them off with a butter knife if you prefer (I always do). Once out of the oven, let the cheese cool in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. After it’s chilled, slice it into 5 rows across and down to create 25 pieces—perfect for serving 8-10 people with room for seconds.
Preparing the milk mixture for rasmalai
My mom’s recipe is a mixture of condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk, but you can use half-and-half instead of evaporated milk if you prefer. In a medium pot, combine the three milks with cardamom, nutmeg, and either almond extract or rosewater—feel free to add saffron strands for extra flavor if you’d like. Heat the mixture gently until warm, but do not boil.
Transfer the warm milk to the dish where you’ll store the rasmalai, then carefully drop in the cheese squares. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight to allow the flavors to meld. Before serving, top with sliced almonds or crushed pistachios.
Use a cupcake pan to make it round
If you’d like to make these round, you can simply fill the crevices of the cupcake/muffin pan with 2 ½ heaping tablespoons of cheese mixture and bake for 35-40 minutes. See the recipe card for additional directions.
In this previous round batch, I added saffron to the milk mixture, giving it a lovely, subtle yellow hue.
I’ve updated this ras malai recipe to simplify it and make it more straightforward. The original recipe used cupcake tins for round cheese dumplings, but I felt it had too many steps. Instead, I followed my mom’s reliable method—baking the cheese in a single pan and cutting it into squares. With this revision, the focus is on convenience and saving time without sacrificing flavor. If you prefer the original, I’ve added notes at the bottom of the recipe card with instructions on baking in a muffin/cupcake pan.
Easy Rasmalai Recipe with Ricotta Cheese
This easy rasmalai recipe skips the traditional process of making cheese dumplings from scratch by using ricotta cheese. The cheese is baked in a single pan, then cut into cubes and soaked in a fragrant milk mixture for a delightful, celebratory dessert.
Ingredients
Cheese mixture
- 32 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (optional)
Milk mixture
- 1 (14 oz) can condensed milk
- 12 oz evaporated milk or half & half
- 8 oz whole milk
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom or 5-6 crushed pods
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon rosewater (optional)
- ¼ cup sliced almonds or crushed pistachios (for garnish)
Instructions
Pre-heat oven
Pre-heat the oven to 340°F (171°C).
Prepare the Cheese Mixture:
Combine the ricotta cheese, cardamom, cinnamon, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix well using a fork or spatula until smooth. You can use a 9x9-inch baking pan or standard-size aluminum pan for baking. If your baking pan is not non-stick, spray it with oil spray. Then, pour in the cheese mixture and spread it evenly with a spatula.
Bake the Cheese:
Place the cheese-filled pan on the middle rack. Bake for 50 minutes uncovered. After 50 minutes, lightly cover it with aluminum foil to prevent it from over-browning, then bake for an additional 10 minutes. The cheese is ready when it jiggles like jello when gently shaken and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Then, transfer it to the refrigerator to chill thoroughly for 20 minutes.
Prepare the Milk Mixture:
Combine the condensed milk, evaporated milk (or half and half), and whole milk in a medium pot. Add the nutmeg and cardamom pods (or ground cardamom). Heat the mixture over low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until warm. Do not let it simmer or boil. Remove from heat and stir in almond, vanilla, and rosewater. Pour the milk mixture into a wide or deep dish tupperware or similar container, ensuring it's deep enough to fully submerge the cheese cubes.
Cut the Cheese into Cubes:
Once the cheese is chilled, use a butter knife to loosen the edges from the pan. Trim away any browned edges. Cut the cheese into small cubes by making 5 rows across and 5 rows down. Gently lift the cubes with a small spatula or fork and place them into the prepared milk mixture.
Soak & Serve:
For the best flavor, allow the rasmalai to soak in the milk mixture for at least 6 hours in the refrigerator, but overnight is best.
Before serving, garnish with sliced almonds or crushed pistachios.
Instructions for baking in a muffin/cupcake pan
1. Fill each slot with about 2 ½ tablespoons of the mixture.
If your pan isn't non-stick, spray it lightly with oil.
2. Bake at 340°F (170°C) for 35-40 minutes (check it at 30 minutes), until the edges turn golden brown and the centers jiggle slightly when shaken.
3. Once the cheese is done, let it cool for 10 minutes, then refrigerate for another 10 minutes. Use a butter knife to loosen the edges, and gently lift the cheese rounds from the pan.
If you only have one 12-slot pan, you'll need to bake the remaining mixture in batches, as the recipe makes more than one pan's worth. While the first batch bakes, follow the instructions to prepare the milk mixture.
Notes
- If you do not have a 9x9-inch square pan, you can use a round 9-inch cake pan. The shape won't matter once it's soaked in the delicious milk.
Mary says
What a fabulous recipe Alica,it looks so decadent and exotic. I have never had this at home but I see it in our grocery store, one day I will give it a try. your presentation is so professional.
Alica says
Thank you so much, Mary! Do give it a try one day. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it ?.
Bibi says
Thank you for this recipe, looks very
simple will give it a try.
Zareena says
I made this and it tasted amazing but how do I make th milk thicker
Alica says
Hi you can add more condensed milk or use more evaporated milk.
Ann J. says
First I have to say, this is the BEST rasmali I’ve ever had!! I don’t know what I did wrong though, it wouldn’t set. The first batch took over an hour to set, for the second batch, I took it out of the water bath and turned the heat up. Even then, when I tried to take them out of the pan, they broke apart.
I just ate it like that, and it tasted PERFECT – especially with some hot tea!! But I’d like to know how to get them to stay together so I can serve them to company… Thanks for all your great recipes!!
Alica says
Hi Ann, so glad you liked the flavors! Hmm what type of ricotta did you use? Whole milk? Also how did you lift it out of the pan? Was it still hot? Waiting until it’s completely cooled will help.
Ann says
I used full milk ricotta. I didn’t wait for it to cool though. That may have been the problem… I’m trying your hassar recipe today. Thanks so much! ❤
Alica says
Oh, ok. That’s okay you know for next time ?. Enjoy the hassa!
Ambi K says
This was so easy, I added a little fennel instead of ginger. Thank you so much for sharing!!! My family loved it! I might try more of a pistachio flavor next time.