Besan ladoo

Besan Ladoo Recipe

By Swasthi on October 16, 2022, Comments, Jump to Recipe

Besan Ladoo with a melt-in-the-mouth texture are a divine treat that you will love anytime. Also known as besan ke laddu these are immensely popular across India and made during special occasions like festivals, weddings and celebrations. Treat your family and friends this Diwali with these delicious and aromatic sweets. This recipe with video and easy step-by-step photo guide will help you make the best besan ladoo at home.

Besan ladoo

About Besan Ladoo

Besan ladoo are aromatic and delicious traditional North Indian sweet balls made with gram flour, ghee, powdered sugar & cardamoms. Besan is the Hindi word for gram flour and ladoo are ball shaped sweet delights from Indian cuisine.

These Besan ke laddu are made by slow roasting gram flour in ghee until it turns aromatic and golden in color. This nutty mixture is cooled down and then mixed with powdered cardamoms and sugar.

Some variations use cashews, pistachios and melon seeds as well. Portions of this warm mixture is lastly pressed down in the palm to shape to balls which are known as Besan ladoo.

Besan ladoo is made almost in every part of India with numerous variations. The traditional version requires nothing more than gram flour, pure ghee, sugar and cardamoms.

Also the traditional version uses coarse besan and boora or bura shakkar which is a kind of sugar made by melting and cooking sugar until it reaches a crystallization stage. Bhura shakkar enhances the taste and flavor of besan ladoo.

The combination of roasted gram flour, sugar and ghee is unbeatable as it results in a great divine aroma, flavor and taste. Like these Besan ladoos, Besan burfi, Mysore pak and besan halwa are also much loved for the same reason.

Apart from Gulab jamun, Rasmalai and Rasgulla these ladoos are also quite popular and are made for Diwali.

It is believed that Lord Ganesha loves ladoos. I made these along with Modak during Ganesh Chaturthi. Many kinds of ladoos like Coconut ladoo, Rava laddu, Bondi ladoo and Peanut laddu are also made during this festival.

My Recipe

Making besan ladoo at home is simple and pretty straight forward. But the most important part is to use the correct ratio of flour:ghee & using the right ingredients. Here is how to choose & use them in this recipe.

Choosing Ingredients

1. Besan (gram flour): Always choose good quality flour to avoid bitter taste. The best choice is the freshly milled flour or using a fresh pack of besan. Gram flour has a nature to turn bitter within a few months of milling. So always taste it first before using to ensure it is not bitter.

There are different kinds of besan sold in the market with varying levels of texture.

Super smooth flour, moderately fine flour and coarse flour also known as ladoo besan are the most commonly available kinds. The texture of your besan ladoos depend on the kind of flour you use.

If you prefer slight texture in your besan ladoo then use coarse flour or use a small portion of semolina. If you prefer a melt in the mouth texture then choose the smooth and fine besan.

Some people don’t like super smooth besan ladoos as they feel they stick to the teeth and the mouth while eating. So choose your flour depending on how you like your ladoos to be.

2. Sugar: I have used organic sugar. But traditionally bura shakkar or tagar is used. If you are using regular refined white sugar, you may need slightly lesser sugar. If you are looking for a no sugar sweet (made with jaggery), try out this delicious Pinni.

3. Ghee: Using good quality puree ghee helps to make these besan ladoos more aromatic. Homemade ghee is the best . I made it following this ghee recipe.

Pro Tips

1. Roasting besan correctly is the key to aromatic and delicious ladoos. If this step is not done properly the aroma does not come out from the besan resulting in raw tasting besan ladoos.

If the flour is over roasted, the ladoos can have a bitter and burnt flavor. So roasting the flour stirring constantly on a medium to low heat is very important.

When the besan is roasted properly it turns aromatic, fluffy & airy indicating it is done. Also taste test it to ensure it is not raw.

2. Consistency of Roasted Besan: After the besan is roasted, the mixture can be in any of the 3 states – solid, semi-solid or liquid state as this depends on the kind of besan and ghee used. So remember not to panic in any case. If your besan mixture turns runny, it will thicken back when the mixture cools down. If it is in a solid state, make sure you roasted it well.

3. Non stop stirring: You have to keep stirring non-stop & continuously without taking a break even for a few seconds especially at the later stage. Otherwise there are chances of the besan getting burnt.

4. Roasting time: I suggest not to go by the time as it depends on the kind of stove, pan and the intensity of the flame. The time frame I have mentioned in the post is just a guideline.

How To Make Besan Ladoo (Stepwise Photos)

Preparation

1. Measure 1 cup sugar (200 grams) and add it to a blender or grinder jar. Add ⅔ tsp cardamom powder and grind to a very fine powder. You can use white sugar or demerara sugar. Do not open the lid of the jar immediately after grinding as the sugar drifts everywhere. Wait for a minute and then mix a few times with a spoon and grind well again.

If you do not have a powerful grinder, do not add whole cardamoms as the shells may remain in bits without becoming a fine powder.

powder sugar in a blender for ladoo

2. Check if the sugar is super fine. It has to be very fine as we don’t want any sand like texture in the besan ladoos. Set this aside.

powdered sugar in blender

3. Weigh or measure your besan and ghee correctly. We will need
2 cup besan (210 to 220 grams)
½ cup ghee (8 tbsps) (100 grams)
If you go wrong with the quantities your ladoos may not bind or may turn flat. Fluff up the flour in the jar with a fork and then scoop it to the measuring cup. You can use ghee in liquid or solid form. Both will be same.

Roasting Besan

4. Add 1½ tablespoons ghee to a heavy bottom pan (from the ghee you measured earlier). Heat it. We are using only 1½ tbsps ghee at this step from the total amount required for the recipe. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons chopped cashews to the ghee and fry them on a medium flame until crunchy. Remove them to a bowl. If you don’t prefer cashews, you may skip them.

frying cashews in ghee to make besan ladoo

6. Lower the flame. Add besan to the same pan. Do not add any more ghee at this stage. Adding all of it at this stage will make it hard to fry the besan well.

adding besan to ghee for roasting

7. Mix both of them well. Keep stirring and begin to fry on a medium low heat. You may see small lumps of ghee and besan. Just ignore them.

roasting besan on a medium heat

8. Keep stirring constantly for even roasting and to prevent burning. After 5 mins of roasting, the color of the besan begins to change to a slightly deeper color with a slight aroma.

lightly roasted besan in ghee

9. Reduce the flame to lowest, then quickly add the rest of the ghee.

adding ghee to besan to make besan ladoo

10. Do not stop stirring. Keep stirring to incorporate the ghee well & continue to roast the besan on the lowest flame. The flour will absorb all of the ghee and become lumpy at this stage.

lumpy dough mixture to make besan ladoo

11. As you fry the mixture will turn to a mass.

frying gram flour on a low heat

12. Keep roasting and stirring non stop till the besan smells aromatic and turns deep golden color. Besan will begin to look fluffy and airy, indicating it is ready and done. It took 25 mins for me to reach this stage from the time I added the flour to the pan. Timing may vary depending on the kind of pan and intensity of heat used.

well cooked besan in ghee to make besan ladoo

13. As soon as you smell it aromatic, remove the pan immediately from the stove & place it on the counter. If you don’t remove the pan in time, the mixture will burn. In just few minutes you will notice ghee begins to ooze out from the mixture. The color changes to golden and the consistency begins to change.

ghee oozes out of the besan

The quantity of ghee that oozes out depends on the texture of besan & the kind of ghee. Most times it turns to a semi solid stage. But since there are different kinds of besan in the market, the mixture may or may not turn to a runny or semi solid stage. Sometimes it may turn completely runny and watery like. Don’t panic it is just normal & it thickens back after it cools down. So once the mixture turns aromatic. airy and fluffy, stop roasting.

Make Besan Ladoo

14. After keeping on the counter, stir for another 2 to 3 minutes as the besan will continue to cook in the hot ghee. This is how it was after 3 mins. Taste test this to ensure it is not raw. If it tastes nutty it is roasted correctly.

roasted besan in a pan set to cool down

15. Allow it to cool down to a warm temperature. Touch with your fingers and check, it should be warm and not hot. Also if you live in a cold region, make sure you don’t let the mixture become cold because the ghee will solidify and the besan ladoos won’t bind well. Add cashews.

add cashews to the mixture

16. Add powdered sugar. If you prefer less sweetness in your besan ladoo reduce the sugar. I use all of the powdered sugar. Ensure the besan has cooled down to warm temperature before adding sugar. If you add sugar to hot besan, sugar will instantly melt and ruin.

add powdered sugar to the pan

17. Mix well to incorporate the sugar with the besan mixture. Knead with your hand. At this stage, it will look dry but as you mix, the warmth in your hand will melt the ghee and help to bind all of the ingredients.

knead sugar and besan to make ladoo

18. The mixture should look something like this. It will be greasy.

besan ladoo mixture ready to get shaped

19. Take small portions and roll to balls. You will be able to make 16 besan ladoo. Store them in a air tight jar and use with in 3 weeks.

shape to round balls

If using coarse besan, ladoo may not look smooth. To give a nice smooth finish, after few hours of making these, place each ladoo in a clean white muslin cloth and roll gently.

I did not use a cloth but just rolled them once more after 30 mins. Store besan ladoo in a air tight jar, away from moisture.

besan ladoo

Storing

Besan ladoo keeps good at room temperature for at least 3 weeks if handled well. Store them in air tight jars and keep away from high humid places like kitchen counter.

If refrigerated they keep good for 2 to 3 months but ghee will solidify. So reheat them in oven at 80 C or 160 F until the ladoos become slightly hot (little more than being warm). Do not keep for too long the ladoos will melt down. Alternately you may leave them at room temperature during summers.

Notes

Please note that patience is the KEY to making awesome besan ladoos. Do not get impatient while you roast the besan. Initially you can roast the besan on a medium flame.

Once it turns hot and begins to change the color slightly switch over to low flame completely until the last stage.

If you feel the mixture is getting too hot at any stage, take off the pan from the stove for a while to bring down the temperature.

Making besan ladoos is a lot of arm work as it involves stirring continuously. If you have weak arms, please do not attempt this without a helping hand.

Besan Ladoo Recipe

Related Recipes

Recipe Card

besan ladoo

Besan Ladoo Recipe (Besan Ke Laddu)

Besan ladoo are delicious & aromatic sweet balls made with gram flour, sugar, ghee and cardamom powder. This recipe will give besan laddu with a melt in the mouth texture.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Servings16 besan ladoos
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

  • 2 cup besan (1x – 210 to 220 grams gram flour)
  • ½ cup ghee (1x – 8 tbsps, 100 grams clarified butter)
  • 1 cup sugar (adjust to taste) (or boora shakkar or powdered jaggery)
  • teaspoon green cardamom powder (elaichi (or 4 to 6 cardamoms crushed/powdered)
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons cashews chopped (optional)


Instructions

Preparation

  • Add sugar and cardamom powder to a grinder jar and powder finely. Set aside.
  • Heat a pan and add 1½ tablespoons ghee.
  • When it melts, add chopped cashews and fry them until lightly golden. Remove them to a small bowl.
  • Add besan to the same pan. On a medium low flame keep stirring and begin to roast the besan for 5 to 6 mins. You may see small lumps of ghee and flour. Just ignore them.
  • After 5 mins, it begins to turn slightly aromatic & changes to a slightly deeper color. Regulate the flame to lowest immediately.
  • Add rest of the ghee. Mix well and keep roasting on a low flame stirring continuously without stopping. Otherwise it may burn.
  • Besan will absorb all of the ghee and turn lumpy at this stage. Just continue to cook it stirring constantly.
  • After a while besan begins to turn deep golden in color and aromatic. It also turns airy and fluffy. Your kitchen will be filled with a aroma indicating the flour is well roasted. It took 25 mins for me to reach this stage. Timing may vary depending on the kind of pan and intensity of heat used.
  • Note: Depending on the kind of besan, at this stage your mixture may be in a solid, semi-solid or liquid state. But there is nothing to panic even if it becomes very runny and looks like water or even if it remains in a solid state. If it is runny it will thicken back when it cools down.
  • Be cautious at this stage & remove the pan quickly from the stove. Begin to cool down by stirring it for another 2 to 3 mins.
  • Cool little bit of the roasted besan and taste test it. It should be nutty and not taste raw even a bit.
  • Cool down the roasted besan completely. This step is important.

How To Make Besan Ladoo

  • When the besan cools down add powdered sugar. If you prefer less sweetness in your ladoos, add little lesser than mentioned in the recipe. I use all of the powdered sugar.
  • Mix very well to combine the sugar. At first your mixture may seem dry but keep mixing or knead it with your hand. The warmth in your hand will melt the ghee and bind all of them well.
  • Take small portions of this and press down in your palm to roll to balls. You can make about 8 ladoos.
  • Store besan ladoo in a air tight jar at room temperature and use within 3 weeks. Alternately you can refrigerate them for up to 2 to 3 months. Reheat them in microwave for 15 to 20 seconds or in the oven at 80 C or 160 F for a few minutes until they become warm.


Notes

  1. Choose fresh besan or least cut open a new pack of besan to avoid bitter taste. Stale flour often tastes bitter. So avoid it.
  2. Under roasting the flour will leave a raw smell of besan to the ladoos. So roast until you begin to get a nice aroma and the color changes to deep golden.
  3. Do not use the entire ghee at the beginning to roast the besan. Adding all the ghee in the beginning makes the flour mixture heavy. It is hard to roast the besan.
  4. It only takes a minute for the well roasted besan to burn. So be extremely cautious at the final stage. Once done remove it from the stove.
  5. Ensure the flame is medium until the besan turns hot. Later regulate to low flame till the end until the besan turns golden & aromatic.
  6. When the besan is done, you will get a very nice aroma. This is the indication to remove from the stove. It may or may not turn semi-liquid depending on the flour. Sometimes it turns to a semi-liquid stage after it is removed from the heat.
  7. The most important point is to add sugar only when the roasted besan cools down. If you add sugar to hot besan, then sugar will melt and the mixture turns runny. You won’t be able to bind the mixture.

Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.

Video

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Besan Ladoo Recipe (Besan Ke Laddu)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 172 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 14mg5%
Sodium 10mg0%
Potassium 152mg4%
Carbohydrates 22g7%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 14g16%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 6IU0%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 10mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

© Swasthi’s Recipes

Besan Ladoo Recipe first published in September 2015. Updated and republished in October 2022.

Besan Ladoo Recipe

About Swasthi

I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me

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Recipe Rating




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5 stars
Tried it for the first time to make as prasad. Came out unexpectedly well. Thank you!

5 stars
I have tried your recipe many times and it worked perfectly every time. The laddus were yummy. Thank you 🙂

5 stars
Too good. Came out really well

5 stars
This is the clearest step by step recipe blog that I have come across. Thanks Swasthi. The laddus were perfect.
Have tried your veg biryani too and it was a hit.

I will attempt these for the first time this weekend for Diwali. I have both white granulated sugar and powdered jaggery. Which do you recommend or should I use half of each? Thank you!

5 stars
This is a wonderful recipe for besan ladoo. I have been making it for every Diwali since 3 years and they get better every time. This year we are making a large batch for gifting family and friends. Thank you for the amazing recipes.

Thanks for the recipe. Besan laddu came out so delicious and perfect. But my only problem was with cardamom. As directed by you, I have directly grinded it with sugar without removing its cover and now I can see it’s traces visible in my laddus.

5 stars
Thank You for the lovely recipe. Our besan ladoo turns out great every time with this recipe.

for health, can I use canola oil instead of ghee?
if so, how much

5 stars
Coconut oil works great and I like the taste, but it’s not a proper fat substitute “for health” because it contains a lot of saturated fat. It’s a good substitute for vegans if you make sure your sugar is also vegan. The ghee is necessary to hold the shape and preserve the food, so you can’t really reduce it too much. For a healthier similar treat, you can try recipes that rely on the sugar syrup to hold the texture (there are many on this site).

5 stars
This is the most perfect recipe for laddus I have ever come across. Can’t wait to make them again and again!!!!! Thanks for the notes and such detailed instructions.

5 stars
Such a simple and accurate recipe. Thank you so much! ?

I tried your recipe. All details you wrote helped me. Thanksss

5 stars
Made besan ladoos and they came out perfect! Super easy to make too

5 stars
I replaced 4 tablespoons besan with suji & followed everything else the same. Besan ladoos came out delicious. Thank you

5 stars
Besan ladoo turned out delicious. I use little suji and milk powder because that’s how it was made back home in India. Thank you.

5 stars
The recipe was so clear and well instructed. The pictures helped. I made super amazing laddoos!! 🙂

5 stars
Your recipes are so perfect and well written for beginners. I haven’t gone wrong even once so far. I made a big batch of besan ladoo with 4 cups flour. Turned out amazing & beautiful exactly like yours in the pictures. Followed your recipe to the T except I added 2 tablespoons of suji because my besan was too smooth. Shared with my MIL and SIL. Everyone was amazed. Thank you very much.

5 stars
Your recipes are amazing. I made these besan ladoos last night and they tasted heavenly. Thank you for making me a great cook.

5 stars
ran across your recipe when showing some friends the different types of laddu available. i’m a pretty decent indian cook (was trained in indian kitchens), but have never mastered laddu, only burned my hands many times trying to shape them before the mixture gets unmanageable. your trick of powdering the sugar first sounds perfect! i have good indian shops near me and should be able to get boora shakkar. will be trying your recipe for thanksgiving, but had to sing its praises even before using it. thank you!

5 stars
made the laddus yesterday, as a thanksgiving treat. your recipe worked just fine! i used jaggery, which was too moist to turn into powdered sugar, so i pounded the cardamom and added it separately, and used shaved jaggery. it melted into the lukewarm ghee and besan perfectly.

of course, my ladoos looked more like truffles than the perfect spheres you picture here, and were darker in color because of the gur. but the taste and consistency were perfect! one first-time taster called them “indian sandies” (as in the nut-based melt-in-the-mouth cooky). thanks for solving a 30-year conundrum for me!

5 stars
Thank you for the detailed instructions. They taste so yummy.

5 stars
This is the first time I am making these Laddoos and they turned out awesome!!!! Our family and friends enjoyed it!!!