This Falooda Recipe is a childhood favorite of mine! A uniquely delicious dessert drink and very popular in South Asia, this is a rose and vanilla flavored milkshake, and a fantastic summer treat!
This authentic falooda recipe (with ice cream) is made from scratch using a homemade falooda syrup!
What is falooda?
Falooda is one of a kind! Also known as (and spelled) Faluda, and Faloodeh or Faludeh, falooda is a uniquely delicious and decadent drink that is very popular in South Asian cuisine.
It’s a rose and vanilla flavored milkshake that is rich, sweet, and quite the treat! I grew up enjoying this drink from Bombay Sweet shops in Sri Lanka. While the drink is especially popular in India and the Indian subcontinent, falooda traces its roots to Persia.
The Persian variation is a little different from this beautiful pink drink. But it does contain vermicelli and rose water, and has a more sorbet-like consistency. Whereas, this popular version of falooda is a delicious dessert drink.
My falooda recipe uses a homemade rose syrup that is super simple to make, and is accessible to everyone. Which in turn makes this falooda ice cream recipe very accessible to anyone who wants to enjoy the dessert!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s made from scratch. This homemade falooda syrup recipe is easy, and you know exactly what goes into it, unlike store-bought syrups.
- But you can also easily substitute this recipe with store-bought rose syrup or rooh afza.
- I talk about the differences between using rose syrup and rooh afza.
- The falooda flavor here is truly authentic! And thanks to a simple, secret ingredient, the flavor of this falooda is actually even better!
- Adaptable to your taste, because I show you easy ways to make rich sweet milk for falooda (but this will taste even good without it).
- Adaptable to dietary needs! Make it vegan, or gluten free, or dairy free!
- The beautiful pink color makes this drink especially pretty. You could even top it with some rose petals (maybe even edible fondant rose petals) for a perfect Valentines day recipe!
- It’s an addictively delicious milkshake flavor that is also quite unique and exotic (especially if you’re not from the south Asian region where this drink is popular).
Both kids and adults will love this ice cream dessert.
Falooda ingredients and substitutions
Main ingredients for homemade falooda drink
- Milk (non-dairy milk is fine too), or thick sweet milk
- Falooda syrup
Optional add-ins
- Vanilla ice cream (non-dairy ice cream works too)
- Tukmaria seeds, soaked
- Roasted vermicelli, cooked
- Red strawberry jello (or strawberry jelly for my non-North American readers)
- Green or yellow jello
Rose syrup
Rose syrup is one of the two most important ingredients for faluda. This syrup gives the drink its characteristic flavor AND color!
In Sri Lanka, we exclusively use falooda syrup that we can buy from stores. You can also buy rose syrup from stores, but the color and strength of the syrup might vary a little then.
I make my own rose syrup at home that is great for making this classic falooda, as well as other drinks and cocktails (like this blushing ginger rose fizz or rose cocktail, or this vanilla rose and white chocolate cocktail aka falooda cocktail).
You can also use rooh afza sherbet rose syrup or sharbat syrup.
Rooh afza vs rose syrup
Rose syrup is made with rose water (or rose extract), and sugar (and maybe some preservatives). Rooh afza is different from regular rose syrup. The flavors are stronger in rooh afza because it contains rose and pandan extract, as well as other herbs and flavors.
This flavor might be a little strong for those who have never had it before, but it’s still very delicious and refreshing once you get used to the floral, herby, and musk flavors.
Homemade rose syrup and store-bought sharbat syrup
Evaporated milk can be used instead of regular milk for a richer, thicker consistency. Adding condensed milk will make the drink even sweeter.
Milk or sweet milk
The second most important ingredient is milk. In Sri Lanka, we make faluda ice cream with milk. Falooda tastes better with full fat milk (3% milk). Just adding plain milk to rose syrup will be more than enough to make a delicious falooda drink.
However, if you want your drink to taste even better, with a richer taste, then you can make it with thick milk or sweet milk!
Making thick milk or sweet milk
Many recipes call for reducing milk with sugar to make thick sweet milk, but this extra milk is not necessary! I’ll show you some short cuts in this recipe.
Ice cream
A scoop of vanilla ice cream is typically how this falooda ice cream is served. But if you’re adding ice cream, I find that you don’t need to use thick sweet cream. The ice cream adds the richness and sweetness instead, transforming this drink into a milkshake!
Tukmaria seeds or sabja seeds
This is by far my favorite addition to falooda. While they are known as sabja seeds in India, and sweet basil seeds in the west, in Sri Lanka we call these seeds “kasa kasa”.
These sweet basil seeds are very similar to chia seeds. Much like chia seeds, these seeds develop a gelatinous coating when soaked in water, but it’s a much thicker coat than with chia. If you can’t find this ingredient, you can add soaked chia seeds instead too, or leave it out altogether.
I personally love the addition of these seeds to my falooda.
Vermicelli or sev
Vermicelli is also added to falooda drinks, especially in India. It’s not as widespread in Sri Lanka. But the vermicelli adds a lovely chewy textural contrast to the drink.
Traditionally, wheat based vermicelli or sev is used. Technically it’s called roasted vermicelli, but regular vermicelli noodles can also be used. However, if you want to keep this drink gluten free, you can make substitutions.
Gluten free substitutions for falooda sev
- Rice vermicelli (made with 100% rice flour) – These rice noodles will not be chewy and can get mushy if overcooked. But can still work.
- Cellophane vermicelli (made with mung beans) – Chewy. But it’s transparent / clear, so might not be too visible in the drink.
- Rice vermicelli made with rice flour AND tapioca – This is my favorite substitution. It’s both chewy and soft, thanks to the tapioca starch.
Jello (or jelly)
Red jello is what is traditional in falooda. This can be strawberry jello or rose flavored jello. I like to use store-bought strawberry jello, and you can add a little rose water to add more flavor to the jello if you like.
But to make the drink more festive and colorful, you can add other colorful jello to the drink too. Green jello or yellow jello are popular variations!
Why make falooda from scratch
Falooda is so popular in South Asian countries, and other countries and cities with a large Indian or South Asian diaspora. But I used to live in a small town in Australia with no good Asian grocery stores. So here’s why it’s a great idea to make falooda from scratch!
- This is great for anyone living overseas and has no access to this drink, or the falooda syrup to make it with.
- Perfect for anyone who wants to know precisely what goes into their milkshake, and would like to control the amount of sweetness too.
- For anyone who has never had falooda before, but wants to try a uniquely delicious milkshake!
Far as I can tell, every other falooda recipe online shows you how to make the drink with store-bought falooda syrup OR sharbat syrup. BUT if you have no access to these syrups, you simply cannot make falooda!
This is the only recipe out there that will show you how to make falooda from complete scratch. Which is made possible with my homemade rose syrup (or falooda syrup), which incidentally, I discovered how to make as a complete fluke while working on a raspberry cake recipe with rose water Swiss meringue buttercream!
Ingredient substitutions
Vegan falooda or dairy free falooda – Substitute the milk and ice cream with vegan milk and vegan ice cream. Also use vegan jello instead of regular jello.
Nut free falooda – There are no nuts in this recipe, so it’s already nut-free! But avoid adding any chopped nuts or nut milks to make this nut free.
Egg free falooda – The only source of eggs in falooda is the ice cream. So just use egg free or vegan ice cream.
Refined sugar free falooda – Unfortunately, I haven’t made a sugar free falooda. However it’s possible. You cannot use store-bought rose syrup, and will need to make your own. You can make sweet milk by adding the sugar substitute of your choice to sweeten the milk. Then add rose water and food coloring to the milk to make the falooda drink.
You can also make the rose syrup from scratch, but you will need to use a sugar substitute that is a 1:1 substitute for regular sugar like monk fruit sugar.
How to make the falooda drink (step by step instructions)
Step one – The rose syrup
If you’re using store-bought rose syrup or rooh afza, then you can skip this step. But if you’re making a rose syrup from scratch, you can follow my recipe for rose syrup.
This step requires rose water, corn syrup, sugar, vanilla, and red food coloring. Let this cool down to room temperature before using.
Step two – Prepare the add-ins
Make the jello and let it set in the fridge overnight. Once set, cut the jello into little squares, and store in the fridge until needed.
Cook the vermicelli (falooda sev) and cut it into smaller pieces as well. Make sure to rinse the vermicelli with cold water and then place a little cold water with the noodles. This is to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
Soak sabja seeds in room temperature water. The seeds will swell up, so make sure to add enough water for this to occur. Any extra water can be strained. This will take only about 15 minutes.
Step three – How to make rich sweet milk the easy way
This is an optional step for those who want to make their falooda with rich milk. Most recipes call for either boiling milk with sugar, and/or cornstarch. But this is just additional time that you don’t need to spend to enjoy your falooda. So here’s a (not so secret) simple way to get the same rich, thick milk taste without all that extra work.
Evaporated milk and condensed milk! Evaporated milk is essentially milk that has been concentrated, and condensed milk is the sweetened version.
If you want rich milk without sugar, then you can use evaporated milk. If you want sweetened rich milk, mix 2 cups of evaporated milk or regular milk with up to 1/4 cup of condensed milk.
How to serve falooda
Step four – Choose the glass
Choose tall glasses as serving glasses for your falooda drinks! A straight edge high ball glass works really well. But you can also use tall cocktail glasses or soda float glasses too. Old fashioned soda float glasses are also known as falooda glasses, as they are widely used to serve this drink (image 1).
Step five – Assemble the drink
To the glasses, add some of the jello, cooked vermicelli, and the soaked sabja seeds (images 2 and 3). Follow this with milk (image 4) and rose syrup (image 5). You can add either first, it doesn’t matter. The syrup does settle to the bottom, creating a beautiful ombre look. Finally, add a scoop of ice cream (image 6)
If you’re using a store-bought rose syrup, then don’t forget to add a few drops of vanilla extract to the drink as well. This secret ingredient will elevate your falooda drink even more!
I like to add a dash of rose syrup on top to add the dark pink color streaks, purely for aesthetics. This is optional though.
Serve this drink with a straw. Include a spoon if you like, especially for the ice cream and jello pieces. But I usually use the straw to break the jello, and eat it through the straw.
Flavor variations
While the rose flavored falooda is the classic version, there are many falooda variations too.
Kesar pista falooda
Kesar pista is a pistachio flavored falooda recipe and can also include saffron. Pistachio ice cream is added to the falooda, and you can even blend pistachios with milk to get the flavor of pistachios in the milk as well.
Saffron can be added to the milk as an optional step.
Dry fruit and nut falooda
This is also known as royal falooda. This version can also be made with rose water, but is also made with kesar pista falooda or with badam kheer. Badam kheer is an almond and milk drink flavored with saffron, and is rich, nutty, and creamy. This drink also includes,
- Chopped nuts like pistachios, cashews, and almonds.
- Dry fruits like dates and raisins. But you can even include other dried fruits like apricots, pineapple etc.
- Fresh fruits like apples, pineapples, grapes, pomegranates, or even canned mixed fruits.
Kulfi falooda
This is my second favorite version of a faluda recipe! If you love classic falooda, but wish it was a decadent dessert instead of a milkshake, then kulfi falooda is perfect for you.
Kulfi is a very popular frozen dessert in India, that is a cross between ice cream and popsicle. It’s more of a thick, creamy popsicle, akin to my creamy vanilla popsicles. Absolutely rich in flavor, super creamy, and delicious!
With kulfi falooda, kulfi is served in a bowl with a little falooda sev (vermicelli), chopped nuts, tukmaria seeds, some jello, a splash of thick cream, and rose syrup. It’s like an ice cream sundae version of a classic rose falooda.
Mango falooda
A summer favorite! This version of falooda is made with the puree from sweet mangoes, mixed or layered with milk and all the other add-ins of a regular falooda (tukmaria seeds, sev, jello etc). You can then top it with mango ice cream for full effect.
For a related, mango-flavored dessert drink that is very popular in summer, you can also try classic mango lassi.
Chocolate falooda
Chocolate flavored falooda! Essentially a chocolate milkshake, with tukmaria seeds, faluda sev, and chopped nuts added. And chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla ice cream as well. Chocolate sauce is added to make it even more chocolatey!
Chocolate and rose are a great flavor pairing, so you can add a few drops of rose water
Pro tips for this recipe
- Find a rose syrup that you like, or make your own! Remember that rooh afza / sharbat syrup has a different flavor than rose syrup as well.
- Add vanilla to your falooda (or to your rose syrup!). Vanilla absolutely transforms the flavor of rose!
- Depending on how sweet the rose syrup is, adjust the amount you add to your drink to your liking.
- Instead of making thick milk on the stove, use evaporated milk with or without condensed milk to replicate the taste and texture of thick sweet milk.
- Prepare the add-ins in advance! This will make the assembly of the drink even easier.
- You can mix the syrup and milk ahead of time, and keep it in the fridge too.
- Use tall glasses so that there is enough room for the add-ins, the milk, and the ice cream!
Making falooda for a crowd
Making falooda for a crowd is super easy.
Make a big batch of the falooda drink by mixing the syrup with the milk. Adjust the milk and syrup amounts to your taste. Once the milk mixture has been made, place it in a jug and refrigerate until needed.
Then, all you need to do is place the add-ins in separate bowls so that your guests can add what they like to their glass and top it with the falooda milk! If you do not want to go with ice cream, use evaporated milk + condensed milk for that thick, rich, creamy mouthfeel.
Making falooda without food coloring
No problem! You have four options.
- Don’t add any coloring. The drink will be white, but the taste will be the same!
- Make the syrup with some saffron strands, which will make the syrup yellow in color. Still just as beautiful, and the saffron adds another layer of flavor.
- Add a few pieces of raw beetroot when making the syrup to get the deep pink color. The pink shade will be different, and it will have an earthier taste, but it’s natural coloring.
- Add strawberries when making the rose syrup, or to the milk. Make sure to strain the mixture so that there are no seeds. Strawberry and rose are a great flavor combination as well. A strawberry and rose falooda will be delicious without any food coloring.
Frequently asked questions
What does falooda taste like?
Uniquely delicious! There will be slight differences depending on which syrup you use to make the falooda drink (or falooda ice cream).
Sharbat syrup or rooh afza contain more ingredients than rose syrup, so falooda made with rooh afza will have a stronger flavor that first time drinkers might find overwhelming. Along with floral rose flavor, you also get pandan and other herb flavors, as well as some spice and musk flavors. It’s an amazingly robust and interesting flavor profile!
Falooda made with rose syrup (with rose water and sugar), is mainly floral in flavor, with a wonderful sweetness coming from the vanilla. The result is a deliciously floral drink.
Is falooda like boba?
No, falooda is different from boba (bubble tea) because falooda does not contain chewy boba pearls (tapioca pearls). However, you can make falooda into a boba drink by adding cooked boba pearls.
But just like boba drinks, falooda also contain delicious, chewy add-ins to make the drink more interesting!
Is falooda healthy?
If you’re after a healthy dessert, falooda is NOT the right choice. Falooda is a dessert drink, a special occasions treat! So I prefer to drink the classic version when I do make it at home.
However, if you do want to lower the calories in this drink, then you can use low fat milk, and use less of the syrup to flavor the drink. It’s not the same as enjoying a classic falooda, but it’ll still have much of the same flavor profile!
Can I store the falooda drink for later?
Yes, you can, but without the add-ins. The milk and the syrup can be mixed together and stored in the fridge for about 4 days.
Otherwise, the vermicelli / sev will absorb liquid and become too soggy, and the jello will dissolve in the liquid as well.
So, store the add-ins separately, and mix them together just before you serve the drink.
Recipe
Homemade Falooda Recipe (With Ice Cream)
US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Weight measurements are recommended for accurate results whenever available.
Common Measurement ConversionsIngredients:
Homemade falooda syrup (makes about 2½ cups; this is optional if using store-bought rose syrup)
- 400 g white sugar 2 cups
- 50 g corn syrup glucose syrup
- 200 mL rose water not rose extract, just under 1 cup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract Preferably not vanilla essence
- Red coloring I use Americolor red red
Falooda recipe (for 4 drinks)
- 1 cup rose syrup (or homemade falooda syrup) about 2 – 4 tbsp per drink (adjusted to taste)
- 4 cups cold milk / evaporated milk use evaporated milk for thick, rich milk (about 1 cup per drink). See below for thick sweet milk options.
- 4 tsp tukmaria seeds also called sweet basil seeds / sabja seeds / kasa kasa
- ½ cup water to soak the seeds
- 1 cup strawberry jello cut into 1 cm cubes (about 1 cup)
- ½ cup cooked vermicelli (or sev) either roasted vermicelli OR rice vermicelli (gluten free option). Store it in a little cold water.
- 4 scoops vanilla ice cream about 1½ cups
- Vanilla extract OPTIONAL, a few drops per drink if you're using store-bought syrup
Strawberry jello for falooda
- 1 pkt strawberry jello 3 oz / 85 g size
- 1 cup hot water i.e. half the amount of water stated on the package
- ½ cup cold water OPTIONAL – substitute ¼ cup with ¼ cup rose water.
Falooda vermicelli or sev
- ⅓ cup dry vermicelli either roasted vermicelli or rice vermicelli
- water
Thick sweet milk for falooda
- 4 cups evaporated milk
- ¾ cup condensed milk (3 tbsp per 1 cup of evaporated milk)
Instructions:
Falooda syrup
- Place the sugar, corn syrup, and rose water in a saucepan. Stir to combine. Heat the mixture over medium heat to dissolve all the sugar. Swirl the pan to help dissolve the sugar. When the sugar has dissolved, let the syrup come to a simmer, and then let it simmer for about 1 minute.400 g white sugar, 50 g corn syrup, 200 mL rose water
- Make sure there are no undissolved sugar crystals on the sides of the saucepan as this will cause the syrup to re-crystallize as it cools down.
- Once all the sugar is dissolved, stir in the vanilla, and add a few drops of red food coloring. Stir to mix in the color.2 tsp vanilla extract, Red coloring
- Pour the syrup into a bottle and let it cool completely before using.
Falooda recipe (for 4 drinks)
- Use 4 tall high ball glasses, or old fashioned soda float glasses or hurricane glasses.
- Cook the vermicelli in advance and let it cool down. Follow package instructions, or follow instructions provided below. Place the prepared vermicelli in a bowl with a little cold water to prevent them from sticking together.
- Soak the tukmaria seeds in about ½ cup of water for about 15 minutes, until they form a "gel coating". Set aside.4 tsp tukmaria seeds, ½ cup water
- Unmold the jello and cut into small cubes. Keep in the fridge until needed.1 cup strawberry jello
- Into each glass, add a generous amount of jello (up to ¼ cup). Then add about 2 tbsp of cooked vermicelli, followed with the soaked tukmaria seeds.1 cup strawberry jello, ½ cup cooked vermicelli (or sev), 4 tsp tukmaria seeds
- Pour about 1 cup of chilled milk / or chilled thick sweet milk. Add the vanilla if you're using store-bought rose syrup.4 cups cold milk / evaporated milk, Vanilla extract
- Pour in 2 – 4 tbsp of the rose syrup (this should create a pink ombre look) per drink. The more you add, the sweeter the drink will be, so start with less and add more if you'd like the drink sweeter.1 cup rose syrup (or homemade falooda syrup)
- Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Optionally, top it with more jello and chopped nuts (if using).4 scoops vanilla ice cream
- Repeat for more drinks.
- Serve with a spoon and a straw.
Strawberry jello
- Empty the contents of the packet into a heat-proof bowl. Dissolve the contents in 1 cup of hot water. Stir to dissolve.1 pkt strawberry jello, 1 cup hot water
- To keep the jello chewy, you can set the jello with just 1 cup of water. Or you can add another ½ cup of water for a softer jello. Add some rose water if you like.½ cup cold water
- Pour the jello mixture into a large pan to create a shallow jello layer. I use an 8 or 9 inch cake pan. Let it cool down to room temperature and then chill to set in the fridge overnight.
Falooda vermicelli or sev
- Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil.water
- Add the sev / vermicelli. Stir and bring the water back to a simmer.⅓ cup dry vermicelli
- Let the vermicelli cook until it becomes tender. With roasted vermicelli, this can take 5 minute or more. But with rice vermicelli this will be much faster.
- Drain the vermicelli with a colander and run it through cold water to cool down the noodles.
- If you’re using vermicelli that is long, use a scissor or knife to cut it into smaller pieces.
- Place the vermicelli in a bowl with a little cold water to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
Thick sweet milk for falooda
- Place the evaporated milk and condensed milk in a jug. For every 1 cup of evaporated milk, add 3 tbsp of condensed milk to make thick sweet milk.4 cups evaporated milk, ¾ cup condensed milk
- Stir to dissolve and mix in the condesned milk.
- Chill in the fridge until needed.
Recipe Notes
Vegan falooda or dairy free falooda
Substitute the milk and ice cream with vegan milk and vegan ice cream. Also use vegan jello instead of regular jello.Nut free falooda
There are no nuts in this recipe, so it’s already nut-free! But avoid adding any chopped nuts or nut milks to make this nut free.Egg free falooda
The only source of eggs in falooda is the ice cream. So just use egg free or vegan ice cream.Refined sugar free falooda
Unfortunately, I haven’t made a sugar free falooda. However it’s possible. You cannot use store-bought rose syrup, and will need to make your own. You can make sweet milk by adding the sugar substitute of your choice to sweeten the milk. Then add rose water and food coloring to the milk to make the falooda drink. You can also make the rose syrup from scratch, but you will need to use a sugar substitute that is a 1:1 substitute for regular sugar like monk fruit sugar.Nutrition Information:
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
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