Besan Ladoo Recipe
Learn how to make golden, fragrant, and irresistibly soft Besan Ladoo using gram flour. This traditional Indian sweet fills your home with warmth, carrying a rich nutty aroma and a melt-in-the-mouth texture that has made it a festive favorite across generations.
Besan Ladoo (also spelled Besan Laddu) is a traditional Indian sweet made with slow-roasted gram flour (besan), ghee (clarified butter), and jaggery or sugar, flavored with cardamom. These golden, bite-sized ladoos are loved for their healthy fat, simple ingredients, and strong presence in Indian festivals and celebrations. It is an instant energy snack and easy to make with basic pantry staples, besan ladoos can be enjoyed as a healthy Indian sweet or served as a delicious dessert after meals. This recipe provides step-by-step instructions to make perfect homemade besan ladoos without using condensed milk.
Ingredients and Substitutes
- Besan (gram flour / chickpea flour): I use regular besan for authentic taste. As a substitute, you can use roasted chickpea flour or sattu, though the flavor will be slightly different.
- Ghee (clarified butter): It adds richness and binding. If ghee is not available in your kitchen, you can use unsalted butter or coconut oil, but ghee provides the traditional flavor.
- Grated jaggery: Jaggery gives a caramel-like taste and is healthier. If jaggery is not available, powdered sugar works well. You can also use coconut sugar or brown sugar as an alternative.
- Nuts: You can add cashews and raisins for sweetness, crunch and nutrition. You can substitute with almonds, pistachios, or even walnuts. If you don’t have raisins, you can use dried cranberries, chopped dates, or skip them.
- Cardamom powder: It adds fragrance and flavor in ladoos. If cardamom is not available, skip it or I sometimes use nutmeg powder or a few saffron strands.
How to Make Besan Ladoo
- Roasting Besan for Ladoo: Warm a pan and roast gram flour on medium flame until the raw smell goes away and a nutty aroma develops.
- Mixing Ghee in Besan: Add clarified butter to the roasted flour and stir on low flame until it turns golden and aromatic.
- Cooling the Mixture: Spread the roasted mix on a plate, let it cool slightly, and add roasted nuts or raisins for flavor.
- Adding Jaggery or Sugar: Combine grated jaggery or powdered sugar and knead until the mixture turns smooth and binds well.
- Shaping Besan Ladoo: Take small portions of the mixture, roll into round ladoos, and use a little warm ghee if the mixture feels dry.
Tips for Soft and Melt-in-the-Mouth Besan Ladoo
For making soft and aromatic besan ladoos at home, always use a heavy-bottomed kadhai or non-stick pan to ensure even heat distribution. Keep the flame on low to medium to avoid burning the gram flour while enhancing its rich, nutty flavor. I recommend constantly stirring with a wooden spatula, as it helps prevent lumps and gives a smooth texture to your ladoo mixture.
The ideal roasting time to make besan ladoo is around 15–20 minutes, depending on the flame intensity. You’ll know it’s ready when the mixture turns golden brown and releases a roasted aroma that fills the kitchen.
When making traditional Indian besan ladoo with jaggery or sugar, let the roasted mixture cool slightly before adding the sweetener to prevent it from melting and making the mixture oily. You can add a spoonful of warm ghee for soft ladoos if the mixture feels dry or crumbly.
For extra richness, roast cashews, almonds, or raisins in ghee and fold them into the mixture. Follow these simple besan ladoo making tips to get that perfect texture and authentic taste every time.
Serving and Storage Tips for Besan Ladoo
Serve fresh, warm besan ladoos on a plate as a traditional Indian sweet. They are often served during Indian festivals like Diwali, Holi, or Ganesh Chaturthi and can also be enjoyed as a healthy homemade snack with tea or coffee. Garnish with a few extra chopped nuts or a light sprinkle of cardamom powder for added flavor.
Always store besan ladoos in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay fresh for up to 2 weeks but eat them within 7 days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate them for 3–4 weeks. Make sure they are completely cool before storing to prevent moisture and maintain their soft, melt-in-the-mouth texture.
Frequently asked questions
Ghee is an essential ingredient for taste and binding ladoos, but you can try using coconut oil as a vegan alternative (flavor will differ).
Mixture may not have been mixed properly after adding sugar or jaggery. You can break lumps with a spatula or sieve the besan before roasting.
Too much ghee in the mixture or not allowing enough cooling time before shaping can cause besan to become soft or oily. Let the mixture cool slightly before making the ladoos.
Yes, you can add chopped cashews, almonds, pistachios, or raisins while mixing the roasted besan and ghee. This is optional but adds extra flavor and texture.
Yes, you can use powdered sugar as an alternative to jaggery. Jaggery gives a richer, caramel-like flavor, while sugar gives a sweeter taste.
Recipe Card
Besan Ladoo Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Heavy-bottomed pan
- 1 Wide mixing plate or bowl
- 1 Wooden spoon or spatula
Ingredients
- 2 cups besan gram flour / chickpea flour
- ½ cup ghee clarified butter
- ¾ cup grated jaggery or ½ cup powdered sugar as alternative
- 2 tbsp chopped cashew nuts
- 1 tbsp raisins optional
- ½ tsp cardamom powder optional
Instructions
- Take a heavy-bottomed non-stick pan and add besan (gram flour). Dry roast it on medium heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until the raw smell disappears and a nutty aroma emerges.
- Add ghee (clarified butter) to the roasted besan. Mix thoroughly and continue roasting on low to medium flame, stirring continuously until it turns golden brown and aromatic. This roasting step is the secret to making soft, melt-in-the-mouth besan ladoos at home.
- Transfer the hot roasted mixture to a wide plate or bowl and allow it to cool slightly until warm. You can also roast chopped cashew nuts, raisins, or other dry fruits lightly in ghee and mix them with the besan at this stage for extra flavor.
- Add grated jaggery (or powdered sugar as an alternative). Use clean hands to knead it until the sweetness is evenly mixed and the mixture holds together well. This helps in making soft, homemade besan ladoos.
- Take a small portion of the mixture in your palms and gently roll it into a round ball. Repeat the process with the remaining mixture to form ladoos. If the mixture feels too dry, add a little warm ghee. Your traditional Indian sweet besan ladoos are ready to serve.
Notes
- Roast besan carefully to avoid burning; this ensures soft and flavorful ladoos.
- You can substitute dry fruits as desired or skip them.
- You can easily store these ladoos in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
