Malpua is a traditional Indian sweet pancake that the whole family will love - perfect for festivals, special occasions or as a delightful dessert; made with fluffy pancakes lightly sweetened and flavoured with cardamom, this wholesome version is toddler-friendly with reduced sugar, soft and easy to eat, great for introducing your child to Indian sweets and can be adapted to use banana for natural sweetness, made smaller for easier handling, or kept plain without syrup for fussier eaters; follow this simple recipe for an authentic Indian treat that brings festive flavours to your family table while keeping everything nutritious, safe and utterly delicious.
General Information
Hi, I’m James. By day I’m a cybersecurity bloke keeping companies safe, and by night I’m usually juggling dinner ideas while my little one practices throwing peas like they are tiny satellites. This malpua is a toddler friendly version with no added salt or sugar, made soft and small so it is easy for little hands and mouths.
- Servings: 4 (about 12 small malpuas; toddler serving 2-3 pieces)
- Keywords: malpua, toddler-friendly, no-sugar, no-salt, pumpkin, sweet-potato, pancake, healthy, baby-safe
- Calories (per serving): ~270 kcal
- Protein (per serving): ~7 g
- Carbs (per serving): ~38 g
- Fats (per serving): ~11 g
- Preparation time: 30 minutes
- Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
All measurements are metric. The recipe makes 12 small malpuas about 6 cm across. Cut or tear into very small pieces for toddlers, about 1 cm each, to avoid choking.
- 150 g whole wheat flour (weigh on a kitchen scale)
- 5 g baking powder (1 level teaspoon)
- 250 ml full-fat milk (or breastmilk/formula if appropriate for your child)
- 150 g cooked, soft mashed pumpkin or sweet potato (about 1 small/medium tuber)
- 30 g unsalted butter or ghee (about 2 tablespoons) for frying
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional, for flavour)
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (for the pan if needed)
- Plain full-fat yogurt or unsweetened fruit compote to serve (see Recommended Sides)
Kitchen tools you will need:
- Kitchen scale or measuring jug
- Small saucepan or steamer
- Mixing bowls and spoon or whisk
- Non-stick frying pan or griddle
- Spatula
- Fork or potato masher
- Plate with paper towel for draining
- Small sharp knife to cut cooled pieces
Safety note: Always supervise toddlers while they eat. Make sure each piece is soft, small, and cool enough before serving.
Directions
I’m going to walk you through every chop, mash and sizzle like I would run through a penetration test plan. Calm, step-by-step, and with a few dad jokes for the fryer. If you have very limited experience, follow each numbered step and don’t rush the cooling time.
- Prepare the pumpkin or sweet potato
- Peel one small pumpkin or sweet potato. If using pumpkin, remove seeds and stringy bits.
- Cut into roughly 2 cm cubes. Tip: the smaller the cubes, the faster they cook. I say this because I have tested this with an impatient toddler audience.
- Steam or boil until completely soft when pierced with a fork. Steaming takes about 12-15 minutes; boiling takes about 8-12 minutes depending on size.
- Drain and mash well with a fork or potato masher until smooth and lump-free. Measure 150 g of the mashed vegetable and set aside to cool slightly.
- Measure and combine dry ingredients
- Weigh 150 g whole wheat flour into a medium mixing bowl.
- Add 5 g baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or 1/4 teaspoon cardamom if using.
- Stir together with a spoon to distribute the baking powder evenly. This helps the malpuas puff up gently.
- Mix batter
- Warm the milk slightly to lukewarm, about body temperature. You can test by dipping a clean finger in; it should feel warm, not hot.
- Add the mashed pumpkin or sweet potato to the flour mixture.
- Pour in about half the milk and start mixing with a spoon to form a thick batter. Add remaining milk slowly until the batter is the consistency of pancake batter: not runny, but smooth and dropping from a spoon.
- If batter is very stiff add a tablespoon of milk at a time until it flows slowly. If it is too thin add a tablespoon of flour. You want batter that makes a small mound on the pan without spreading into a huge puddle.
- Rest the batter
- Let the batter rest for 8-10 minutes. This gives the flour a chance to absorb moisture and makes softer pancakes. I usually use this time to pick up rogue toys or to practice my stealthy dad-eating technique.
- Heat the pan
- Place a non-stick frying pan on medium-low heat. Add 1 teaspoon of ghee or butter and spread it around with the back of a spoon or a small paper towel.
- Keep the heat at medium-low. Too hot and the outside will burn before the inside cooks. Think gentle, not flame-broil.
- Cook the malpuas (making small toddler-safe sizes)
- Spoon about 1 level tablespoon of batter into the pan for each malpua. That should make pancakes about 5-6 cm across. I make them small so they cool quicker and are easier for little hands.
- Cook on the first side for about 2-3 minutes until you see tiny bubbles and the edges look set. Then carefully flip with a spatula and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes until golden.
- Use a low heat. If they brown too fast, lower the heat a little. Joke: if your pan looks like it’s doing a BBQ on its own, it’s too hot.
- Drain and cool
- Transfer cooked malpuas to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess butter or ghee. Let them cool on the plate for at least 5 minutes.
- For toddlers, always test the temperature before serving. Cut a malpua in half and touch the inside to check warmth. If it is too hot for your wrist it is too hot for a toddler.
- Cut into toddler-friendly pieces
- Once cooled slightly, cut each malpua into tiny pieces about 1 cm wide or small strips that a toddler can gum or pick up easily. If your child is still learning to chew, mash a piece with a fork and mix with a little yogurt.
- Serve immediately with a small dollop of plain full-fat yogurt or unsweetened fruit compote on the side for dipping.
- Storage
- Keep leftover malpuas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a low oven or warm pan, then cool to toddler-safe temperature. Avoid microwaving for uneven hot spots.
Extra safety tips from my dad toolbox:
- Never give whole slices or large chunks. Cut small.
- Remove any hot bits and check temperature.
- Supervise your toddler while eating and make sure they are seated.
Recommended Sides
- Plain full-fat yogurt: Spoon a little next to the malpua for dipping. Yogurt provides protein and keeps things moist.
- Unsweetened apple or pear compote: Steam peeled, diced apple or pear until soft, then mash. No added sugar. Cool before serving.
- Mashed avocado: A creamy, low-sugar choice that pairs well with the soft malpua.
- Steamed pear slices: Soft steamed pear cut into thin strips is gentle and low risk.
Jokes
- Why did the pancake go to school? To get a little batter education.
- My toddler tried to help cook and ended up doing quality control by taste. Verdict: 100 percent approved by very honest critic.
- I put the malpua on a tiny plate and my toddler called it “pancake for ants.” I said, good, ants can’t reach them.
Enjoy the cooking. If your little one rejects one piece, try again tomorrow. Toddlers are like very small, stubborn security systems. They block things one day and give access the next.
Shop Ingredients
Find these ingredients on Amazon:
- baking powder
- cinnamon or cardamom
- cooked, soft pumpkin
- full-fat milk
- unsalted butter or
- whole wheat flour
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