Rava Laddu Recipe | Suji Ke Laddu - Dassana’s Veg Recipes

Name: Rava Laddu Recipe (Suji Ke Laddu)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon ghee ((clarified butter)); 1 heaped cup (185 grams) rava (– finer quality (sooji or semolina) ); 6 tablespoons fresh grated coconut (or desiccated coconut, optional); ½ cup (120 grams) sugar (– or add as per taste); 3 tablespoons ghee ((clarified butter)); 3 tablespoons nuts (– like cashews, almonds, pistachios, chopped); 1 tablespoon golden raisins; ½ teaspoon cardamom powder (– or 5 to 6 green cardamoms seeds crushed to a powder in a mortar-pestle)

Rava Laddu is a popular Indian sweet made with fine semolina, ghee, sugar, cardamom, nuts and raisins. Also known as Suji Ke Laddu, these sweet, fragrant ladoos are commonly prepared for Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi and other festivals. My Maharashtrian style recipe also includes coconut, which adds a lovely flavor. It requires no sugar syrup and comes together quickly, making it suitable even if you are making laddu for the first time.

Recipe Video Comments

rava laddu in a circle with lit earthern lamp in center on a bronze plate.

My Easy Rava Laddu Recipe

I learnt this Maharashtrian-style Rava Laddu recipe from my aunt. It is an easy festive sweet that I make with fine rava, ghee, sugar, cardamom, nuts and coconut.

No sugar syrup: You do not have to check for any particular sugar syrup consistency. This makes the recipe simpler and also reduces the chances of the laddu becoming hard, chewy or brittle.

Coconut options: I prefer adding fresh coconut for its flavor. You can leave it out or replace it with desiccated coconut or grated dry coconut.

These Suji Ke Laddu are easy to shape when the proportions are right. If the mixture feels too dry or soft, you can correct it with a little more ghee or by chilling it briefly. I have explained both fixes in the tips below.

During Ganesh Chaturthi, I sometimes make these Rava Laddu along with Modak. Besan Laddu is another easy option for festivals and celebrations.

Make these rava laddu for Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, Janmashtami or any festive occasion.

I hope your family enjoys them as much as mine does.

How to Roast Rava Perfectly Every Time

Roasting the rava properly is one of the most important steps in this recipe.

Undercooked rava will taste raw. If it is not stirred and roasted evenly, some granules may brown and leave specks in the laddu. Over-roasted rava will turn golden or brown, giving the finished laddu a darker color.

Follow these tips to roast it evenly:

Use a heavy pan: A heavy kadai or pan distributes the heat more evenly and reduces the chances of the rava burning.
Keep the heat low: Melt the ghee over low or medium-low heat. Add the rava and begin roasting it slowly.
Stir frequently: You can stir at intervals initially. Once the rava becomes hot, stir continuously so that the granules touching the pan do not brown or burn.
Check the aroma & color: As the rava roasts, it will develop a pleasant, nutty aroma. This is one of the clearest signs that it is well roasted. The rava should remain light in color. Do not roast it until it becomes brown.
Look at the texture: The rava will become dry, light and crumbly, with the individual granules appearing separate. In Hindi, this texture is called danedaar.
Watch for steam: When you see steam rising from the rava, continue roasting it for a little longer while stirring continuously.
Account for residual heat: Remove the pan from the heat once the rava is roasted. Stir it once or twice afterward, as the hot pan will continue cooking it slightly.

Rava is a versatile ingredient widely used in Indian cuisine, especially to make a variety of delicious sweets like Suji Halwa, Kesari, and Suji Kheer.

suji ke laddu in a circle with lit earthen lamp in center on a bronze plate and text layovers.

Looking for more options? Browse this collection of Ladoo Recipes or try one of these popular varieties:

How to make Rava Laddu (Stepwise)

Roast Rava

1. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter) in a heavy pan or kadai. Keep the heat to medium and let the ghee melt. Use desi ghee, either homemade or a good brand of ghee.

heating ghee in a heavy pan for making suji ke laddu.

2. Once the ghee has melted, lower the heat and add 1 heaped cup fine rava (185 grams). Use the fine variety of rava.

Ensure that the rava is within its shelf life and has not become rancid. Also, check for the presence of any molds or insects before you cook. Discard such a rava infested with insects.

adding rava in the hot ghee for making suji ke laddu.

3. Mix rava very well with the ghee with a spatula or large spoon.

mixing rava with ghee for making suji ke laddu.

4. Stir often and begin to roast rava on a low heat.

5. Continue to roast till the rava becomes fragrant and changes color. No need to brown the rava. The texture will also appear crumbly, loose and light.

Roasting rava takes about 10 to 12 minutes on low heat. Once the rava becomes hot, you have to stir non-stop so that the rava does not get browned or burnt

6. Once the rava has roasted well, add 6 tablespoons grated fresh coconut. You can also add desiccated coconut instead of fresh coconut.

Omit coconut if you don’t have it or you don’t want to use it.

fresh coconut added to roasted rava for rava laddu recipe.

7. Stir and roast for about 1 to 2 minutes on low heat.

mixing and roasting rava with coconut for rava laddu recipe.

8. Now, keep the pan on the kitchen counter and let the laddu mixture cool at room temperature.

Powder Roasted Rava and Sugar

9. When the ladoo mixture has cooled, take ½ cup sugar (120 grams) in a grinder jar or a blender.

sugar added in a grinder or blender jar for making suji ke laddu.

10. Blend or grind the sugar to a fine powder. Do not open the lid immediately. Wait for a few minutes. If you open the lid immediately, you will see some sugar powder drifting in the air.

sugar ground to a fine powder for suji ke laddu.

11. To the powdered sugar in the jar, add the roasted rava-coconut mixture.

roasted rava-coconut mixture added to powdered sugar.

12. Grind or blend to a semi-fine or fine texture but do make it to a floury texture. I usually grind to an almost fine texture. Keep the grinder jar aside.

Fry Dry Fruits and Nuts

13. In the same pan in which rava was roasted, heat 3 tablespoons ghee on low to medium-low heat.

14. Add 3 tablespoons chopped nuts. You can add almonds, pistachios, cashews or any nuts you like.

chopped mixed nuts added to the hot ghee in pan.

15. Fry the nuts in the ghee, stirring often.

16. Fry till the nuts start to become golden.

17. Then, add 1 tablespoon raisins.

18. Stirring often, fry the raisins till they plump and swell in size.

19. Switch off heat and keep the pan on the kitchen counter.

raisins and nuts fried well to make suji ke laddu.

Make Rava Laddu

20. Add the ground rava-coconut-sugar mixture directly from the grinder or blender jar to the pan containing the fried nuts and hot ghee. The ghee should be hot when you add the mixture.

ground rava laddu mixture added to fried nuts and raisins in the pan.

21. Mix very well with a spoon or spatula. Don’t mix with hands as the ghee is hot.

rava laddu mixture mixed well with the fried nuts and hot ghee.

22. Add ½ teaspoon green cardamom powder.

cardamom powder added to the laddu mixture.

23. Mix well again and then wait for the mixture to become lightly warm or cooled completely to room temperature.

If unable to form laddu, add 2 to 3 teaspoons softened ghee. In case the laddu don’t hold shape and flatten, keep mixture in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes and then shape them.

24. When ladoo mixture becomes warm or cools, take some portion of the mixture in your palms and shape into round balls.

shaping a portion from the rava mixture into a laddu.

25. Make laddu with the entire mixture. Keep them in an air-tight steel jar. This recipe will yield 12 laddu and can be easily doubled or tripled to make a big batch.

Note: The roasting time for rava will increase if the recipe is doubled or tripled.

suji ke laddu placed in a steel container.

26. Serve Rava Laddu or Suji Ke Laddu as a festive sweet or sweet snack. Store them in the refrigerator in a covered container.

rava ladoo in a circle with lit earthen lamp in center on a bronze plate.

Helpful Tips

Choose fine rava: Use the fine variety of rava or suji, not coarse rava. Ensure that it is fresh and free from insects, mold or any rancid smell.
Roast the rava properly: Roast over low or medium-low heat and stir continuously once it becomes hot. The rava should smell fragrant and look dry and separate, but it should not turn brown.
Do not reduce the ghee: You can adjust the sugar according to your preference, but do not reduce the quantity of ghee. It helps bind the mixture and makes the laddu easier to shape.
Use good-quality ghee: Homemade Ghee or good-quality desi ghee gives the Rava Laddu the best flavor.
Choose your coconut: Fresh coconut gives a nice flavor, but you can leave it out. You can also use desiccated coconut or grated dry coconut instead.
Add your preferred nuts: Almonds, cashews and raisins all work well. You can use any combination of nuts and dried fruits you prefer.
Scale the recipe: You can halve, double or triple the recipe. Remember that a larger quantity of rava will take longer to roast evenly.

Your Questions Answered

Why are my Rava Laddu breaking or not holding their shape?

The mixture is probably too dry. Since ghee acts as the binding ingredient, add 2 to 3 teaspoons of melted or softened ghee. Mix well and try shaping the laddu again.

Why are the laddu becoming flat and losing their shape?

The mixture may contain too much ghee or may be too soft. Refrigerate it for 20 to 30 minutes so that the ghee firms up, and then shape the laddu.

You can also roast 2 to 3 teaspoons of rava separately. Let it cool, powder it and mix it into the laddu mixture.

How should I store Rava Laddu?

Since this recipe contains fresh coconut, keep the laddu refrigerated in an airtight steel or food-safe container.

When made with desiccated coconut or grated dry coconut, the laddu have a longer shelf life and can be kept at room temperature for a few days.

Step by Step Photo Guide Above