HeySolids
Choking risk
Ghee is a low choking risk - it melts and mixes into food rather than holding a firm shape a baby has to chew.
Stir or melt a small amount into soft food, and watch the food it is cooked into instead. See how to serve for age-by-age prep.
Allergens
Ghee is made from cow's milk, one of the nine most common food allergens, and cow's milk allergy is one of the most common in babies.[1]
Ghee is clarified butter - most of the milk solids are removed, so it's nearly all milk fat with only a small amount of milk protein left. But "reduced" isn't "none": ghee still contains some milk protein, and it isn't a safe choice for a baby with a cow's milk allergy.
If your baby has reacted to dairy, treat ghee as a dairy food and talk to your pediatrician before offering it.[2]
If dairy is already tolerated, there's no reason to delay ghee. Offer a small amount, earlier in the day and when you can watch baby, and watch for a reaction. Build up gradually if all's well.
Food safety
Use ghee made from pasteurized butter, and go for unsalted, or check the label, since some ghee has salt added.[3]
Ghee is almost pure fat, so it's a cooking fat rather than a food in itself - a little for cooking or flavor is all a baby needs. Skip added salt entirely for the first year, then keep it low.
Ghee keeps for months in the cupboard without going in the fridge, since the milk solids that spoil butter have been taken out. Just keep it dry - always dip in with a clean, dry spoon, because any water or crumbs can make it turn.
How to serve
6+ months old
Melted into food or used to cook
A small amount to cook with, or a little stirred through
Use ghee as a cooking fat and a flavor, not a food on its own. Use a little to soften and cook age-appropriate vegetables, or stir a small amount of melted ghee into mash, puree, or oatmeal for richness and easy calories.[4]
How to cook
No cooking needed to add it - melt and stir a small amount into mash, puree, or cooked vegetables. Keep portions small, since ghee is almost pure fat.
9+ months old
Cooked with food or stirred in
A small amount to cook with, or stirred into a dish
Keep using ghee in small amounts to cook with or add flavor. It is great for gently softening vegetables, making a simple dal, or stirring through rice. A little melted ghee can also be stirred into mash or grains now.[4]
How to cook
Use a small amount to cook with or to finish a dish. Keep the amount modest, since ghee is almost pure fat.
12+ months old
Cooking fat across family cooking
A small amount in family cooking
Ghee can now be used the way you use it in everyday cooking: to cook with, to finish a dish, or in place of butter in recipes. It is almost pure fat, so keep it to small amounts - no added salt is a small plus over salted butter, but a little still goes a long way.[4]
How to cook
No special preparation needed - use a small amount in family cooking as a fat or a finish.
6-24 months+
A small amount, stirred or cooked in
Ghee works as a cooking fat from around 6 months - use a little to sauté vegetables, stir through dal or rice, or add richness to a mash. It has a warm, nutty flavor and a high smoke point, so it's handy for cooking. Use a small amount: ghee is almost pure fat, so it's there to cook with or add a bit of flavor, not as a food in its own right. If dairy is already tolerated, there's no reason to hold it back.
How to prepare
No special prep - melt a little into the pan or stir it through warm food. Choose unsalted ghee made from pasteurized butter, and dip in with a clean, dry spoon so it keeps well in the cupboard.