Atta Laddu | Wheat Ladoo
Whole wheat flour is a versatile ingredient. The proof of the pudding lies in the fact that it can be used to make dishes, ranging from savory/salty to sweet. Just like this Atta Laddu or Atta Ladoo, which is made with whole wheat flour and just 2 more ingredients. These delicious Wheat Ladoo recipe is easy and gets made quickly. Quite the change that you sometimes need from your other regular Ladoo.
About Wheat Ladoo
There are some recipes that you learn while growing up and some later in life. Though, this Atta Ladoo recipe falls in the latter category, it has grown on me like none other. I can easily say that this Atta Laddu is one of my most preferred ones now.
I learnt to make Atta Ke Laddu from my mother-in-law. This sweet is primarily a Punjabi/North Indian specialty. Thus, is a winter favorite. Going by the same trend, my mother-in-law would also make 1 to 2 kgs of these yummy ladoo for the whole family.
During the numbing chilly months in North India, the heat from shaping the hot ladoo mixture, used to be warming and comforting to the hands. Hence, it was a yearly ritual in the very Punjabi household, every winter season.
Though Maharashtra and nearby regions are not that cold, I still make the rustic Atta Ke Laddu at home. Ladoo made with flours are easier to make at home. And so were these Atta Laddu. These filling ladoo made with just atta, sugar and ghee are not only good during winters, but also suitable in monsoons.
Atta Laddu makes for an awesome snack for kids and adults alike. It is also apt for festive occasions, where the recipe can be doubled or tripled in order to make a huge batch. The only tiring and time taking thing would be to roast the whole wheat flour in a massive quantity.
Keep in mind that these laddu are made with ‘atta’ which is whole wheat flour that is used to make Indian flatbreads like roti, chapati and paratha. Atta is finely ground whole wheat flour made from soft to medium hard wheat grains. Unlike the whole wheat flour (available outside India) milled in metal rollers, atta is mostly stone milled.
This recipe works with atta and I think should also work with the whole wheat flour that is made and sold outside India.
How to make Atta Laddu
Powder Sugar
1. Take ⅓ cup sugar in a dry grinder or a small blender.
2. Grind to a fine powder and keep aside.
Roast Whole Wheat Flour
3. Take 1 cup whole wheat flour (atta) in a kadai or a broad thick bottomed pan.
4. Keep the pan on a low to medium-low heat or sim and begin to roast the whole wheat flour.
5. Stir continuously and non-stop while roasting the flour so that there is even roasting and browning.
6. Roast till the color changes and you get a nutty aroma from the whole wheat flour. About 7 to 10 minutes on low heat.
Timing will vary with the material, size and thickness of the pan. I used a steel kadai without a thick bottomed base. Thus, it took me 7 minutes to roast the flour.
Make Atta Ladoo
7. Then, add ⅓ cup ghee in the flour.
8. Begin to mix very well.
9. Keep on stirring and roasting this mixture for 3 to 5 minutes more. Again, here the timing will vary with the material, size and thickness of the pan.
It took me 4 minutes to get the roasting done at this step, due to the steel kadai I used.
10. Check the taste of the whole wheat flour, it should feel cooked. There should be no rawness.
11. Switch off the heat, remove the pan from stovetop and place it on the kitchen countertop. Add the powdered sugar.
12. Add 1 tablespoon raisins and mix well with a spoon or spatula.
13. Break the sugar lumps, if any, in the mixture with the spatula or spoon.
14. The sugar has to be mixed thoroughly in the flour-ghee mixture.
15. When the mixture is still hot and the heat is tolerable, take a heaped portion of it in a spoon.
16. Use this portion to shape into a ladoo or small to medium-sized round ball. If the heat is not tolerable, then wait for some minutes. Don’t burn your hands.
17. Similarly, make medium size ladoo from the remaining mixture.
In case, you are not able to form neat round balls and mixture is crumbling, then add a few more tablespoons of warm ghee. Mix well and then continue to make the round balls.
18. Once done, store them in an air-tight box or jar. These stay good for a month in winters. But in hot weather, you’ll have to refrigerate them. Serve Atta Laddu as a sweet snack.
More With Atta
When it comes to a multipurpose use, whole wheat flour or atta stands true to it. For instance, most our regular Indian flatbreads like paratha, chapati, roti or phulka are atta based. Along with these, there are many other recipes which feature it as an integral part.
And not just salty or savory, the varied list of sweet dishes or desserts that can be made with atta is quite impressive too. One example is this Atta Laddu and the very satisfying sweet of Atta Halwa, which is loaded with cashews too.
These are some of the other sweet recipes with whole wheat flour that I often make at home – Atta Cake, Panjiri (a traditional Punjabi grainy-textured sweet dish, also a common offering in Krishna Janmashtami bhog) and Kada Prashad (the quintessential velvety, rich halwa served in Gurudwaras all over the world).
Expert Tips
- At home, I usually use ‘khand’ or ‘khandsari,’ which is Indian raw sugar for ladoo. When using raw sugar, I powder it first and then add to the ladoo. Though, you can even make them with regular powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar.
- Raisins is my choice of dry fruit which goes in this Wheat Ladoo. You can also use almonds. When using these, first roast them separately, then chop and add.
- Extra flavorings like cardamom powder, etc. is not required in Wheat Laddu. The nutty aroma of the roasted whole wheat flour is enough to make it absolutely delightful.
- While increasing the quantities, add more ghee if needed.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour – 120 grams
- ⅓ cup raw sugar or regular sugar – 60 grams, powdered, or ⅓ cup + 1 to 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup Ghee (clarified butter) at room temperature – 65 grams
- 1 tablespoon raisins – optional
Instructions
Powdering Sugar
- Take sugar in a dry grinder or a small blender.
- Grind to a fine powder and set aside.
Roasting Whole Wheat Flour
- Take whole wheat flour in a kadai or a thick bottomed broad pan.
- Keep the pan on a low to medium-low heat or sim and begin to roast the whole wheat flour.
- You have to stir non-stop and often while roasting the flour so that there is even roasting and browning.
- Roast till the color changes and you get nutty aroma from the atta (whole wheat flour). About 7 to 10 minutes on a low to medium-low heat. Timing will vary with the material, size and thickness of the pan.
- Then add ghee in the flour.
- Begin to mix very well.
- Keep on stirring and roasting this mixture for 3 to 5 minutes more. Again here timing will vary with the material, size and thickness of the pan.
- Do check the taste of the whole wheat flour and it should feel cooked. There should be no rawness in the taste.
Making atta laddu
- Switch off the heat. Keep the pan on the kitchen countertop and add the powdered sugar.
- Add raisins and mix very thoroughly with a spoon or spatula.
- Break the sugar lumps if any in the ladoo mixture. The ladoo mixture has to be mixed very well.
- When the mixture is still hot and the heat is tolerable to you, take a heaped size portion of it in a spoon.
- Use this portion to shape in to ladoo. The heat should be tolerable. If the heat is not tolerable, then wait for some minutes. Don't burn your hands.
- Make small to medium-sized balls from this whole mixture.
- In case, you are not able to form ladoo, then add a few teaspoons more of the warm ghee. Mix well and then continue to shape the ladoo.
- Once done, store them in an air-tight box or jar. In the cold months, these stay good for a month. But in hot weather, do refrigerate.
- Serve atta laddu as needed.
Notes
- If the mixture crumbles while shaping, add a few tablespoons of warm ghee. Mix and begin shaping again.
- This recipe can be doubled or tripled. Add more ghee if required while doubling or tripling the recipe.
- Dry fruits and nuts of your choice can be added. You can chop them and add when you add ghee. If adding almonds, then separately roast them first. Chop them and then add when you add raisins.
Nutrition
This Atta Laddu recipe from the archives first published in July 2016 has been republished and updated on 6 July 2022.
Amazing recipe Dassana. Ladoos turned out very tasty.
Thank you and nice to know.
I made this. It was very easy and tasty.
Thanks for the feedback and rating Sana.
Hi Dassana,
Thanks for the recipe. It’s well explained with step by step, simple and precise instructions.
Made the atta ladoos that came out well. Thanks
Regards
Anju
Thanks Anju for the feedback and the rating. Glad to know.
Hi,
Mistakenly I have added uncrushed sugar. Can I do something about it. I tried to reheat the flour but it’s not working out.
uncrushed sugar won’t melt even if you reheat the flour. the only option is to make a halwa of this. boil 2 cups of water. then add the hot water in the ladoo mixture. mix well and break lumps if possible. keep the pan or kadai on the stoevtop. on a low flame keep on stirring often till some ghee releases from the sides of the halwa. switch off flame and serve. another option is to make raab or pudding. add more hot water like 2.5 to 3 cups or more. mix very well. cook till the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency.
Hello i tried this out today. I went wrong with ghee measurement but then i got it added at the last and i could make round shapes. Thanks so much. Its tasting excellent !!
welcome sudha and thanks for feedback, rating on atta ladoo recipe. glad to know.
Hii
I just read the recipe of Atta ladoo nd I tried
And after eating I don’t believe that I can make this type of dishes.
Thank you for posting this
And also continue posting these type of contents.
thank you.
Love your recipes and your passion for cooking- its very inspiring- please continue posting new recipes and sharing your talents
thanks a lot. will try to add new recipes as and when i get time.
Hi Dassanna…I’ve tried a lot of your recipes & all of them have turned out fabulous????
Love the precision and simplicity with which you make the most difficult recipes look so simple and easy..Thankyou!!
thank you shilpa for this encouraging comment ????. glad to read your views and it does encourage make me to give better recipes, content, layout etc to my readers ????. thanks again.
Hi.. Its tasting fine. But i think the ghee is more as compared to atta in 1. 5 cup atta. Can i keep the mixture in fridge for 10 – 15 mins and then bind
the quality of atta or ghee can be causing this. yes absolutely you can keep the ladoos in fridge for 15 to 20 minutes and then bind.
Hi… Im a big big big fan of yours. I count on you for every receipe i make. And trust me they all comes out brilliant. How do you give such perfect receipes. From Granndmom’s kitchen to multi cuisine, everything i tried they just come perfect from your receipe. Love you loads. You are a blessing to all Of us.
thank you much komal. felt good reading your encouraging comment. thanks again.
Hi Dassana. I prepared laddoos as illustrated. It turned out yummy but i hv one issue. The base of the laddoo got stick to the plate n i hv to reshape all the laddoos n it took my lot of time. Any suggestion?
kalpna, i do not know what plate you have used. i would suggest to use a good quality steel plate or thali so that this does not happen.
Hey Dassana. U r amazing. Whenever i need to prepare anything from regular recipes to special ones i head towards u. Lots of blessings n good wishes to u.
Thanks Kalpna for your best wishes and kind words.
Superb taste and yummy
Thanks Malini
Hi Dassana ! I tried them and they turned out yum. But I had some issues with the ratio. Instead of 1 cup I had to take 1.5 cup flour, coz while taking 1 cup the mixture was quite runny.
faizia, this depends on the quality of texture of atta and the quality of ghee. even if the mixture becomes runny, on cooling or become warm, the mixture will solidify, but using more flour is also fine.
I d like to add fried gond. will that go well? if so what quantity?
shilpa, you can add fried gond. 2 tablespoons gond will be fine in the recipe.
Can I add nachni or ragi flour too with it?
you can add.
Thank you a lot for tge recipes .
Very awesome
Looks yummyy…
Best wishes ..
welcome aishwarya, do share your views once you try any recipe thanks.
Can we replace ghee with refined oil?
dimpi, with oil the ladoo will not bind. so i would suggest to use ghee.
Ok..thnx ☺
welcome dimpi.
What should be the ratio of jaggery in the recipe,if we are using jaggery instead.. Thanks
for 1 cup of any flour, i use 1/3 cup of jaggery. 1/2 cup can also be used. in this recipe, you can use 1/3 cup powdered or grated jaggery.
Thanks dassana..u really are a genius.. I mean I have been cooking since almost 2 years.. And have been consulting ur recipes.. And taking a lot of credit on your behalf.. Your recipes are like a blessings for ppl like me.. Special mention for ur vegan cakes.. My husband is fan of banana orange and lemon cakes I make…thanks a ton… Keep spreading happiness like u do…
thanks a lot annie. so nice to read your comment 🙂 keeps me motivated and encouraged.
Hi Dassana, can I make these laddoos with jaggery too?? Please let me know.. Thanks for the recipe ?
you can make the ladoos with jaggery. i will add this version too. just add powdered or grated jaggery instead of powdered sugar.
Fantabulous recepie Dassana. …
Made these today nd laddoo came out super delicious nd yummyy?. …these r xactly like the Tikki prashad we get in Gurudwara. ….
Thnx for wonderful recepie Dassana. ..May GOD bless u??
very pleased to know this samrin 🙂 thank you so much, god bless you.
Hi Dassna, did you know that you are plain genius! 🙂 seriously, you are a saviour to all those who were so busy studying and building a career in their youth that they never learned any cooking. It is the little things you do in your cooking that makes your recipe dishes stand out. I am a devout follower of your blog and your name comes up in my conversations with my husband Anurag so many times as if we know you first hand 🙂 will try your aata laddo recipe today itself
thank you very much ritu. i know most of us do not learn cooking as we have a lot of pressure in studies and jobs. i have lived this part of life. but as an exception i learnt cooking when very young, so got trained in the basics at a young age. somehow this training has helped me a lot in life. regards to both of you and wish you all the best.
Hi,
Today I tried Atta ladoo comes very well..thank you ?
welcome alwaya renu and thank you.