Besan ladoo
Roast besan slowly in ghee, cool before adding sugar and shape small cardamom ladoos for a Diwali mithai plate.
- Active prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Yield
- 12–16 small ladoos
About 70 minutes total elapsed time, including 25 minutes for soaking, resting or cooling. Times are estimates; chilling for cold service and preparing already boiled ingredients require additional time where noted.
Good besan ladoo depends on roasting the gram flour thoroughly without burning it. The mixture becomes aromatic and easier to stir as it cooks. These quantities make a small home batch; shaping time and a cooling pause are separate from the roasting, and the mixture should not be hot when sugar is added.
Ingredients
- 2 cups besan (about 200 g)
- ½ cup ghee (about 110 g), plus 1–2 tsp only if needed
- ¾ cup powdered sugar, adjust to taste
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 2 tbsp finely chopped nuts (optional)
Method
- 1
Measure the besan and ghee and keep a wide plate ready for cooling. Break up any flour lumps before starting.
- 2
Heat the ghee gently in a heavy pan. Add besan and stir continuously over low heat, breaking lumps and scraping the corners of the pan.
- 3
Continue roasting until the flour smells nutty and the colour deepens slightly, usually twenty-five to thirty-five minutes depending on the pan and flour. Do not raise the heat to rush this stage.
- 4
Transfer the mixture to the plate so residual pan heat does not burn it. Let it cool until just warm rather than hot.
- 5
Mix in powdered sugar, cardamom and optional nuts. If too soft to shape, let it cool further. If crumbly after cooling, work in a teaspoon of ghee at a time.
- 6
Divide and press into small round ladoos. Let them firm up before packing in a clean airtight container. Use a small first batch to check the texture before making gifts.
Helpful tips
- Raw-flour taste means the besan needed more roasting; sugar will not hide it.
- If the mixture looks oily while warm, cool it first instead of immediately adding more flour.
Estimated nutrition per portion
1 ladoo when the batch is divided into 16 equal pieces. Calculation yield: 16 equal portions.
- Energy
- 131 kcal
- Protein
- 2.8 g
- Carbohydrate
- 12.9 g
- Fat
- 7.7 g
Excludes optional nuts and extra ghee. The recipe permits 12–16 pieces; these values apply only to 16 equal pieces. For 12 pieces, each contains one twelfth of the batch instead. Sugar changes affect the result.
Ingredients and calculation method
- 200 g besan — USDA NDB 16157
- 110 g ghee, modelled with anhydrous butter oil — USDA NDB 01003
- 90 g powdered sugar (¾ US cup, unsifted) — USDA NDB 19336
- 1 g cardamom (½ tsp) — USDA NDB 02006
Calculated from ingredient weights × nutrient values per 100 g, summed and divided by 16. Assumes the base ingredients remain in the batch; water loss changes weight. These are ingredient-based estimates, not laboratory results. Brands, portions, substitutions and cooking losses can change actual values.
Source: USDA Standard Reference 28 food-composition data (ZIP). US volume measures are used where stated. Only calories and macronutrients are estimated; no micronutrient or dietary claims are made.
An optional variation
Mini besan ladoos
About 65 kcal per mini ladoo, compared with 131 kcal for the portion in the calculation above. Estimates use the same USDA ingredient data and exclusions.
- Use the ingredient weights in the nutrition calculation above and follow the main recipe. Keep the binder and cooking method unchanged.
- Instead of the original yield, divide the finished mixture into 32 equal mini ladoos. Weigh the finished batch and divide its weight by 32 for consistent portions.
- Serve one mini ladoo per portion. Two minis contain the same calories as one original piece; the batch itself is not lower in calories.
This is a lower-calorie portion option, not a weight-loss promise. A calorie deficit depends on your overall energy intake and expenditure. Enjoy sweets alongside balanced meals; do not skip meals to compensate.
Understand calories and energy balancePlan ahead
Measure ingredients and prepare boxes before roasting so someone can stir without interruptions. Keep finished ladoos cool and dry, use clean dry hands and utensils, and label chickpea, dairy and any nuts. Refrigerate if your kitchen is warm and check freshness before serving or gifting.
Common questions
Why will my besan ladoos not hold their shape?
A warm mixture may be too soft, while a cool, dry mixture may need a little more ghee. Cool first, then adjust gradually rather than adding a large amount at once.
When should I add the sugar?
Add powdered sugar after the roasted besan has cooled to just warm. Adding it to a hot pan can make the mixture loose and difficult to shape.