Besan ladoo made with just besan, desi ghee, powdered sugar, and homemade elaichi powder - my mother-in-law's traditional recipe. No mawa, no suji. Melt-in-mouth every time.
My mother-in-law was an expert at making Indian sweets at home, and I learned cooking from her. Her besan ladoo was always the first thing made for Diwali, weddings, or any celebration at home.
My daughter loves these and prefers homemade ones only - she dislikes the overpowering dry fruit taste or the addition of suji that many recipes add. So this version is exactly that - just fine besan, pure desi ghee, powdered sugar (or bura), and homemade elaichi powder. Nothing more.
I made this batch around Holi this year - around Diwali I was in the middle of a home shift and could not find my kadhai! But honestly, besan ladoo does not need a festival as an excuse. A festive mood is enough.
If you love Indian festival sweets, my besan halwa is another quick besan recipe that comes together in minutes.
Love ladoos? Try Churma ladoo, Til ke laddu, Ragi laddu
Find my Gram flour recipes collection.
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Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements of the ingredients.
- Besan- Gram flour works best. I have used a local brand Rajdhani. It's a fine blend.
- Desi Ghee- I use the same desi ghee in my missi roti.
- Powdered Sugar- Bura
- Coarsely ground cardamom
How To Make Besan Ke Laddu
Step 1. Roast besan in ghee
Heat desi ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan on a low flame. Add besan and start roasting, stirring continuously. Do not rush this step and do not increase the flame, slow roasting on low heat is what gives besan ladoo its deep, nutty flavour without any raw taste. Keep sautéing without stopping.
Tip
Don't add all the ghee at once. Add ¾th first and add the rest later as needed.
Step 2. Add splashes of water for grainy texture
Now add more ghee and saute again on a slow flame. Once the besan is more than half roasted and has turned a shade darker, add small splashes of water, just a few drops at a time. This creates a slightly grainy texture in the final ladoo. You will notice the besan come together and become more fragrant. Keep stirring.
Step 3. Know when it is done
The besan is ready when it turns brown, your whole kitchen smells of roasted besan, and ghee starts to release from the sides. The colour should be a slightly dark brown. Remove from flame immediately at this point.
Step 4. Cool completely before adding sugar
This is the most important tip-let it cool down almost completely before adding anything. Keep sauteing the roasted besan in wok while it it sitting at the kitchen counter. The wok is too hot and it will keep on roasting besan.
Tip
Adding bura to hot besan will melt the sugar / bura and besan ladoos won't hold the shape.
Once the besan is just cool, not hot, add bura (powdered sugar) and homemade elaichi powder. Mix gently until everything is combined evenly.
Step 5. Shape into ladoos
Take a small portion in your palm and press gently into a round ball. If the mixture feels too dry to hold shape, add a teaspoon of warm ghee and mix again. If it feels too soft, let it cool for a few more minutes before shaping.
Step 6. Serve It
Besan Ladoos are ready. Enjoy them fresh.
Expert Tips
- Slow roasting is the key to the best besan ladoos.
- Stir continuously to avoid burning the besan.
- Make sure to roast to a dark brown color as adding bura will lighten the shade.
- I highly recommend the water splash trick, which gives that traditional grainy texture. Just be careful to avoid any
- Cool off roasted besan before adding sugar, else the laddos won't take shape because sugar, when warm, releases moisture. It should be just warm to touch, especially for people living in colder climates as ghee would solidify if it's too cold.
- Make sure that your hands are dry. Any amount of moisture in the hands or while storing can reduce the shelf life of laddos.
- If ladoos are crumbling, add ghee a teaspoon at a time until they hold.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 weeks.
Recipe FAQs
That is mostly if the ghee is too much- the mixture becomes runny, or you added bura to hot besan, sugar melted and mixture is ruuny or ghee is too less and mixture can't take up the shape.
high heat roasting, less roasting, or roasting without ghee. We add ghee fisrt, then besan to roast it using a slow process.
Besna ladoo becomes slightly hard after a few hrs of making it. That's normal. But if it's harder to bite, you might have added less ghee or in winter, it becomes hard because ghee solidifies. You may reheat in the oven till warm, or keep in a heavy wok over hot tawa for 5-10 minutes.
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Besan Ladoo Recipe (Indian Besan Laddo)
Equipment
- heavy wok
- large pan
Ingredients
- 2.25 cups Besan Rajdhani brand. It's a fine blend (approx 250 gm)
- ½ cup Desi Ghee 110gm
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar- Bura 200 gm. I added slightly more than a cup. It was very sweet. adjust it.
- 1 teaspoon Coarsely ground cardamom
Instructions
- Step 1. Roast besan in ghee
- Heat desi ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan on a low flame. Add besan and start roasting, stirring continuously. Do not rush this step and do not increase the flame, slow roasting on low heat is what gives besan ladoo its deep, nutty flavour without any raw taste. Keep sautéing without stopping.
- Step 2. Add splashes of water for grainy texture
- Once the besan is more than half roasted and has turned a shade darker, add small splashes of water, just a few drops at a time. This creates a slightly grainy texture in the final ladoo which is the traditional home-style finish. You will notice the besan come together and become more fragrant. Keep stirring.
- Step 3. Know when it is done
- The besan is ready when it turns brown, your whole kitchen smells of roasted besan, and ghee starts to release from the sides. The colour should be a slightly dark brown. Remove from flame immediately at this point.
- Step 4. Cool completely before adding sugar
- This is the most important tip-let it cool down almost completely before adding anything. Keep sauteing the roasted besan in wok while it it sitting at the kitchen counter. The wok is too hot and it will keep on roasting besan.
- Adding bura to hot besan melts the sugar, making the ladoos sticky and dense instead of melt-in-the-mouth.
- Step 5. Add bura and elaichi powder
- Once the besan is just cool, not hot, add bura (powdered sugar) and homemade elaichi powder. Mix gently until everything is combined evenly.
- Step 6. Shape into ladoos
- Take a small portion in your palm and press gently into a round ball. If the mixture feels too dry to hold shape, add a teaspoon of warm ghee and mix again. If it feels too soft, let it cool for a few more minutes before shaping.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 weeks.
- I highly recommend the water splash trick, which gives that traditional grainy texture.
Stir continuously to avoid burning the besan.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 1 | |
| Servings Per Recipe: 16 | |
| Calories: 104 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat: 5g | 6% |
| Saturated Fat: 2.7g | 14% |
| Cholesterol: 11mg | 4% |
| Sodium: 8mg | 0% |
| Total Carbohydrate: 12.3g | 4% |
| Dietary Fiber: 1.2g | 4% |
| Total Sugars: 6.8g | |
| Protein: 2.6g | |
| Vitamin D: 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium: 5mg | 0% |
| Iron: 1mg | 3% |
| Potassium: 98mg | 2% |
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