Besan Laddoo Recipe — History, Health Benefits, and How to Make It at Home

Laddoos are among India’s favorite desserts. Be it a festival, a social gathering, temple prasadam, or some good news, laddoos are found everywhere, and they’re everyone’s go-to sweet. Laddoo is essentially a small sphere that’s sweet and can be eaten as a snack, a medicine, or a dessert.

In historic times, Ayurvedic practitioners used sesame seed laddoos as antiseptics. They also included ingredients like ghee, dates, and nuts, which nourished and energized. Laddoos were also convenient to carry and were a great ration for traveling soldiers. Once sugar was introduced in India, laddoos started changing. They became a celebratory dish in many parts.

Laddoos come in a variety of flavors like nariyal laddoo, motichoor laddoo, til laddoo, and more. Each part of the country makes it with different ingredients and with different tastes and textures, depending on the locally available ingredients. Til laddoos keep you warm while motichoor laddoos are more festive and nariyal laddoos are a response to the widespread availability of coconut in the south.

Another popular type of laddoo is the besan laddoo. With its high protein content, besan or gram flour is a relatively healthier laddoo option. The dietary fiber of besan makes it a great digestive aid, and the laddoos are excellent as an after-meal snack for this reason. Besan also controls blood sugar and promotes heart health, satiates the appetite and controls cravings, making it good for weight loss, and promotes bone, skin and hair health. A mixture of ghee, sugar and besan, the laddoos that emerge are healthy, hearty and delicious.

The History of Laddoo in India — From Ayurveda to Celebration

The exact origin of who thought to mix besan with ghee and sugar and create these laddoos is unknown. But they are a deeply popular option in India today. They're often found at weddings, birthdays, and other celebrations. During festivals like Diwali and Rakhi, besan laddoos satiate everyone’s sweet cravings. And in temples, they make for a popular prasadam choice. In fact, one of the most famous temple laddoos is the besan laddoos served to the deities and then shared with devotees at the Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati.

Easy Besan Laddoo Recipe- Step-by-Step Guide

This classic besan laddoo recipe uses just six ingredients and comes together in under 30 minutes of active cooking. The key is patience at the roasting stage- properly roasted besan is the secret to flavor.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Setting Time: 20–30 minutes
• Makes: Approximately 18–20 laddoos (based on 2 cups besan)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups gram flour or besan
• 1/2 cup desi ghee
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• 2 tbsp raisins, chopped
• 12 cashews, chopped
• 2 tbsp slivered almonds for topping

How to Make Besan Laddoo: Step-by-Step

Directions:

1. Dry roast the besan in a kadhai on low heat for 10 minutes and keep stirring continuously so that it doesn't burn. Make sure you're using fresh besan, which can be of a fine or coarser variety. Both will cook easily. The difference is in the final texture of the laddoo. Coarser besan will lead to a more crumbly texture.
2. Then add the ghee and mix well. Continue roasting the besan for another 15 minutes, stirring continuously. The time of cooking will differ depending on the thickness of the kadhai and the intensity of the flame, so be mindful.
3. Eventually, the mixture will start releasing ghee, which will float on top. This means the besan is cooked.
4. Turn off the heat and add the sugar, mixing strongly and deliberately. It has to be mixed well so that the sugar melts into the besan and no lumps form.
5. Then add the cardamom, raisins and cashews and mix well.
6. Set the mixture aside at room temperature and let it cool until lukewarm.
7. Then, make small spheres and ensure they're sticking well together. If they're not sticking, pop them in the fridge for 20 minutes. The ghee will solidify a little, and you should be able to form the spheres. If the laddoos still aren't forming, add a few tablespoons of hot melted ghee and mix well. Let it cool and then try forming the laddoos again. It all depends on the quality of the ghee.
8. They can be topped with almonds, cashews, or a variety of other dry fruits or toppings.
9. Besan laddoos can be stored in an airtight container for about a month, at room temperature. They can also be refrigerated, but that will make the ghee solidify more than needed, and the laddoos will become hard. So if you are storing them in the fridge, let them sit out for some time and thaw completely before serving.

How to Store Besan Laddoo — Shelf Life and Tips

They are easy to store when kept totally away from moisture and heat. Let your freshly made besan laddoos cool completely before placing them in an airtight container. At room temperature, they usually stay fresh for about 1-2 weeks in a cool, dry place. If you want a longer storage duration, you can refrigerate them for around 3-4 weeks, although they may become slightly firmer when chilled. Always make sure to use a clean, dry spoon or hands when handling them to prevent moisture from getting inside. If the laddoos develop an unusual smell, taste, or noticeable changes in texture, then you should just discard them.