Besan Ladoo

Besan Ladoo or Besan ke Laddu is a popular Indian sweet made from gram flour, powdered sugar and clarified butter (ghee). Make this decadent sweet with my easy fail-proof recipe.

Besan Ladoo are round sweet balls made by roasting gram flour and ghee together, and then adding sugar to make a thick pasty dough that is then formed into delicious, melt-in-your-mouth balls.

Besan is gram flour which is nothing but flour made from split & husked black chickpeas or chana dal. Gram flour is different from chickpea flour that is made with dried white chickpeas. Both have a different texture and flavor.

There are many ladoo varieties, but besan ladoo is one of the most popular, especially during festive occasions like Diwali.

About this recipe

This besan ladoo recipe is made with an easy method. Generally, the most important part of making a tasty laddu is the roasting method. 

The ingredients need to be roasted enough so that they are cooked thoroughly which also releases their aromatic flavors. Proper roasting also helps in getting the correct dough consistency so that the balls will form and stay together. 

Once you have that down, the rest of this recipe is easy! The roasting method I outline in this post, along with the tips below, will have you making tasty ladoo in no time.

My trick is to dry roast the besan or gram flour first and then add the ghee after some time, opposed to adding the ghee right away.

You then continue to roast it further until it starts giving a nutty fragrance before adding the sugar. Be sure to continue stirring constantly so that no lumps form. 

I learned the roasting method I use in this recipe from my mother-in-law, who has been making tasty besan ladoo for years. 

Although it is easy, patience is required so that you don’t roast the ingredients too quickly. Patience and a strong stirring arm!

This foolproof method will give you a laddu with the perfect sweet taste and melt-in-your-mouth texture every time. 

An alternative method

If you are looking for a challenge, there is an alternative method to the foolproof one used in this recipe and it gives the laddu a slightly different texture.

This second method, the besan or gram flour is roasted in ghee right away until it starts giving a nutty fragrance.

With the ghee added first there is even more stirring required to ensure that the mixture doesn’t get lumpy and has the right final texture.

For this reason, it is a slightly trickier method and is not recommended for beginners.

How to make Besan Ladoo

Find below my detailed step-by-step guide which will help you in making perfect besan ladoo.

Roasting besan

1. Take a heavy kadai or wok or pan and keep on a low heat. Add 2 cups besan (200 grams) in the kadai.

2. Begin to dry roast besan on low to medium-low heat.

3. Stir often so that besan gets browned evenly and does not burn. When you begin to roast besan, you will see small lumps in the flour. These lumps disappear later. 

4. Below you can see, the besan which has been roasting for 12 mins. You can see the color has changed as compared to what it was in the beginning.

Roasting ghee with besan

5. Then add ½ cup ghee (125 grams).

6. Mix very well.

7. Continue to stir often and cook this mixture of besan and ghee.

8. Keep on roasting for about a total of 12 to 15 minutes stirring non-stop. Depending on the thickness & size of pan, intensity of flame the timing of roasting will vary.

9. The mixture will thicken and the color will also change.

10. Soon you will see that the mixture will start releasing ghee and will give a nice fragrant aroma. Some ghee will float on top and and you will see a molten lava kind of consistency where the ghee is floating. 

The mixture will also loose sides of the pan and become one. These are the signs that the besan is fully cooked.

If you add the sugar before the besan is cooked fully then your ladoo will have the taste of uncooked besan. So pay attention to these signs. Once you see these signs, you can move on to the next step.

Making besan ladoo mixture

11. Remove the kadai or pan from the stove and keep on your kitchen countertop. Add the powdered sugar or castor sugar or boora (175 grams) and stir well so that no lumps are formed.

You will get the best taste in besan laddu with boora or powdered unrefined cane sugar which is easily available in Indian markets and many grocery stores. For this recipe I powdered ¾ cup sugar in a mixer.

12. After adding sugar mix really well. Begin to mix with all the strength from your hands. You have to mix this part vigorously so that the powdered sugar melts in the flour and ghee mixture. 

13. Mix very well. The entire sugar has to be mixed evenly with the roasted besan and ghee mixture.

14. Add the 1 to 2 tablespoons raisins (chopped), 1 teaspoon cardamom powder and 10 to 12 cashews which have been chopped. You can use any nuts like almonds, pistachios, pecans, walnuts, pine nuts. Just chop them before adding.

15. Mix again very well and let the ladoo mixture become lukewarm or cool at room temperature.

Shaping laddu

16. Then shape into medium-sized ladoo with your palms. If you are not able to shape in balls then freeze the mixture for 5 minutes or refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Depending on the quality and consistency of ghee as well as the room temperature you may be able to easily shape these or not.

If the mixture looks very dry then add 2 to 3 tablespoon of hot melted ghee and mix again. Let the mixture cool again and then shape into laddu. 

17. Store besan ladoo in an airtight steel container. Besan ke laddu keeps well for a month and more at room temperature.

In a highly humid and hot temperature, refrigerate them. Before eating let the laddu come at room temperature, so that the ghee softens.

18. Serve Besan Ladoo. While serving you can garnish with some chopped nuts or cashews like I have done.

Variations

Besan ladoo is a great kid-friendly sweet as it has a great taste along with the health benefits of the gram flour.

To make besan ladoo even more healthy, you can add dry fruits and nuts like almonds, raisins, cashews, pecans, walnuts, pine nuts or pistachios.

Expert Tips

1. Roasting: It is very important to roast the besan (gram flour) very well until it starts releasing ghee and also starts giving a nutty fragrance. Roast the gram flour on low or medium-low heat and keep on stirring continuously. Depending on the pan thickness, size and intensity of flame, the timing of roasting will vary.
2. Sugar: The sugar that is traditionally added is what we call “boora” or “bura” in Hindi. Boora is ground unrefined sugar and made with sugar which is not processed or bleached, but nowadays you can also see boora made with refined sugar in the Indian markets.
3. Powdered Sugar: You can even add powdered sugar or castor sugar. But with castor sugar or powdered white sugar the taste is different as some companies add corn starch in them. Most of the times I powder raw sugar in a mixer and add. For this recipe I have powdered ¾ cup sugar in a mixer that yields about 1 heaped cup of powdered sugar.
4. Adding sugar: If you add the sugar before the besan is completely cooked then the laddu will have the taste of undercooked besan. Also, once you add the sugar then stir continuously so that no lumps are formed.
5. Shaping: If you are unable to form the besan ladoo once the mixture has cooled completely, then keep the mixture in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes. The ghee will solidify a bit and you will easily be able to form the ladoo. If the mixture looks to dry or floury while shaping laddu, then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of warm melted ghee. Mix well and let the mixture cool again before shaping. 
6. Scaling: Double or triple this besan laddu recipe and store the extra in an airtight steel container for a quick and easy snack or dessert all week.

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This recipe post is from the archives (Oct 2013) and has been republished and updated on 17 August 2020.