Besan Laddu / Besan Ladoo

Besan laddu / besan ladoo step-by-step recipe with photos.

About this recipe

Besan laddu / ladoo is a very popular Indian sweet dish prepared during festivals and special occasions. Besan laddu is made with three main ingredients – besan (gram flour), ghee, and sugar.

My mom prepared the best basan laddus. During my hostel days, every time I went home for holidays, she would send a big jar full of besan laddus and they were so popular they would get finished in minutes! This is her recipe I am sharing.

Ingredients

Besan: Besan or gram flour is made with split Bengal gram or chana dal

Ghee: Also called clarified butter, ghee is a key ingredient in making the laddus.

Sugar: I use powdered sugar to make the laddu. As the sugar is added at the end and is not cooked, it is important that the sugar is powdered well. Else, the laddu will have grainy sugar bits.

Nuts and raisins: I use cashew and raisins but you may add other nuts like almonds, pistachio, etc.

Cardamom powder: This adds a very good flavour and aroma to the laddu.

Water: 1 tablespoon water is a key ingredient here. It gives the right texture to the laddu and also is the easiest way to check if the besan is done.

To make these laddus, I roast besan in ghee until it is fragrant and aromatic. I cool it and add sugar, nuts and raisins. I then shape them into round laddus. These laddus can be stored in an air tight container for up to a week.

Tips to make perfect besan ladoo

It is really important to fry the besan correctly. If it is underdone, it will give a raw unpleasant taste. If the besan is over-roasted, it may burn. The besan needs constant stirring while being roasted.

The initial mixture is going to be dry. At this stage, do not get tempted to add more ghee. Keep stirring and the mixture will loosen up.

Make sure you melt the ghee completely and the ghee is warm before adding the besan.

You may choose to replace 1 tablespoon water with 1 tablespoon milk but this will reduce the shelf life of the laddu.

If the besan mixture is too soft (because of more ghee) and you are unable to form the round laddu shape, place the mixture for 10 minutes in the fridge and try again.

Consider patience as an ingredient here. Roasting the besan will take time and energy but the end result is absolutely worth it.

These delicious bites of goodness is absolutely perfect for any occasion. Do try it, you will love them as much as we do 🙂

Click here for more laddu recipes.

Step by step instructions

1. Fry cashew and raisins in ghee and set aside.

2. Heat the ghee and add besan.

3. Initially, the besan soaks up all the ghee and becomes dry.

4. On roasting, the mixture loosens up and becomes smooth.

5. Add 1 tablespoon water to make the mixture fluffy.

6. Transfer the mixture onto a plate and let it cool.

7. Once cooled add powdered sugar and cardamom powder.

8. Add fried cashew and raisin, mix well and form laddus

Recipe card

Besan laddu

Shilpa

Besan laddu is a very popular Indian sweet dish prepared during festivals and special occasions. Besan laddu is made with three main ingredients – besan (gram flour), ghee and sugar.

5 from 4 votes

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Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Cook Time 45 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 cups besan (gram flour)
• ¾ cup ghee
• ¾ cup sugar powdered
• A handful cashew
• A handful raisin
• 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

 

• Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a fry pan or kadhai. Fry the cashew until golden and set aside
• In the same pan, fry raisins until they puff up and set aside
• Now add the remaining ghee and melt it completely
• Add the besan and fry on low flame until the raw smell of besan goes away and it turns slightly golden. Initially, the besan will soak up all the ghee and become dry. Then it slowly loosens up and the mixture becomes smooth
• Keep stirring the besan continuously else it may burn. This may take 12-15 minutes
• Once the besan is roasted well, add 1 tablespoon water to it and mix well. This gives a fluffier texture to the laddus
• Add cardamom powder, cashew, and raisins, and mix well. Transfer to a tray and let it cool
• Add powdered sugar. Mix well
• Take small portions of the mixture and form round shapes or laddus
• Let the laddus dry for an hour before serving or storing them

Notes

• It is really important to fry the besan correctly. If it is underdone, it will give a raw unpleasant taste. If the besan is over-roasted, it may burn. The besan needs constant stirring while being roasted
• If the besan mixture is too soft (because of more ghee) and you are unable to form the round laddu shape, place the mixture for 10 minutes in the fridge and try again

Nutrition Facts

Besan laddu

Amount Per Serving

Calories 88 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 17mg6%

Sodium 1mg0%

Carbohydrates 8g3%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 1g2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Click here to watch besan ladoo web story.