Laddu
Round sweets of flour, ghee and sugar for festivals. ยท India
Round sweets of flour, ghee and sugar for festivals.
About Laddu
Gram flour, semolina or other bases are cooked with ghee and sugar and rolled into round sweets studded with nuts. They are offered at temples and shared at every Indian celebration.
๐๏ธ History & Culture
Laddu is one of the oldest and most beloved sweets in the Indian subcontinent, with references in ancient Ayurvedic texts and temple traditions. Its origins are debated, but it is widely believed to have emerged as a festive offering (prasad) in Hindu rituals, where its round shape symbolizes completeness and prosperity.
Regional variations abound: Motichoor laddu, made from fine gram flour pearls, is popular in North India; besan laddu uses coarse gram flour and ghee; and coconut or rava (semolina) versions thrive in the south and west. Across all regions, laddu remains a staple at weddings, festivals like Diwali, and religious ceremonies, representing joy, sharing, and divine blessing.
๐ณ How to make Laddu
AI-assisted, not kitchen-testedBesan Laddu
Classic golden laddus made by slow-roasting gram flour in ghee with semolina, then binding with sugar and studded with cashews and cardamom. A staple of festivals, weddings, and temple offerings across India.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Serves
- 12 laddus
- Difficulty
- Medium
Recipe ingredients
- 200 g (1ยพ cups) besan (gram flour), fine, freshly milled if possible
- 50 g (ยฝ cup) fine semolina (rava/sooji)
- 150 g (โ cup) ghee, use a good-smelling, pure ghee; do not substitute oil
- 180 g (ยพ cup + 2 tbsp) powdered sugar, boora/tagar style, or blitz granulated sugar to a fine powder
- 1 tsp green cardamom powder, from about 8 to 10 pods, freshly ground
- 40 g (โ cup) raw cashews, chopped into small pieces
- 1 tbsp raisins, optional, for a touch of chew
- 2 tbsp warm milk or water, only if mixture feels too dry to bind
Steps
- 1 Lightly grease a wide plate or thali and a large mixing bowl; set aside. Powder the sugar if not already fine and sift to remove any coarse grains.
- 2 Chop the cashews. Heat 1 tbsp of the ghee in a small pan over medium heat, add the cashews and raisins, and fry for 1 to 2 minutes until the cashews are pale golden and the raisins plump. Tip out of the pan and reserve.
- 3 Set a heavy, wide kadai or thick-bottomed pan over low to medium-low heat (this gentle heat is the secret to nutty, even laddus). Add the remaining ghee and let it melt without browning.
- 4 Add the besan and semolina to the melted ghee and stir to combine. Begin roasting, stirring constantly with a flat spatula and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan to prevent scorching.
- 5 Continue roasting for 25 to 35 minutes. The mixture will first look wet, then dry and crumbly, then darken to a deep golden yellow and release a rich, toasted aroma. You will see a slight sheen of ghee separating at the edges. Do not rush this step; raw-tasting besan is the most common reason laddus taste unpleasant. Doneness cue: the mixture should smell nutty, not floury, and a small pinch eaten (after cooling) should taste cooked, not bitter or beany.
- 6 Turn off the heat. Stir in the fried cashews and raisins, then the cardamom powder. Leave the mixture in the hot pan for 2 minutes so the nuts soften slightly.
- 7 Transfer the roasted mixture to a wide bowl and let it cool to just warm, about 8 to 10 minutes. If it is still steaming when you add the sugar, the sugar will melt and make the laddus soft and sticky rather than firm; this is the second most common mistake.
- 8 Sift the powdered sugar over the warm (not hot) mixture and mix thoroughly with a spoon, then briefly with clean fingertips until evenly combined. The texture should hold together when pressed. If too dry, sprinkle 1 tbsp warm milk or water at a time and mix until it just binds.
- 9 While still warm, grease your palms lightly with a little ghee. Take about 2 generous tablespoons of mixture (roughly 50 g) and press firmly between your palms, shaping into a tight, round ball about 5 cm across. Press firmly so the laddu holds; loose laddus crack apart as they cool.
- 10 Repeat with the remaining mixture, re-greasing your palms as needed. Place finished laddus on the greased plate.
- 11 Allow laddus to cool completely at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours; they will firm up as they cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Serve at room temperature.
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Laddu โ frequently asked questions
What is Laddu?
Gram flour, semolina or other bases are cooked with ghee and sugar and rolled into round sweets studded with nuts. They are offered at temples and shared at every Indian celebration.
What is Laddu made of?
Laddu is made with gram flour, ghee, sugar, cardamom and cashew.
Where does Laddu come from?
Laddu comes from India, and is especially associated with Nationwide. Laddu is one of the oldest and most beloved sweets in the Indian subcontinent, with references in ancient Ayurvedic texts and temple traditions.
Where can I eat Laddu?
An Indian temple or wedding, handed out by the dozen.
How do you make Laddu?
Making Laddu at home takes about 15 minutes of prep and 45 minutes of cooking. The recipe on this page serves 12 laddus and is rated medium. Full ingredient list and step-by-step method are in the recipe section above.
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