Besan Ladoo are creamy, golden-hued, melt-in-your-mouth dessert balls often made during festivals and special occasions. One of the easiest dessert recipes, besan laddoo or laddu, is made with besan/gram flour, ghee, and sugar laced with aromatic cardamom, nutmeg, and saffron.
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Growing up, besan laddus were a treat we enjoyed all year round, but they held a special place during Diwali. The festival always felt extra magical when our heirloom copper pans came out, ready for that slow, patient roasting of besan. My mother would stand at the stove, stirring the flour over a gentle flame, adding ghee spoonful by spoonful until the mixture turned light, fluffy, and aromatic. That warm, nutty fragrance would fill every corner of the house, and we kids would wait, barely containing our excitement for the moment the laddus were shaped and still warm enough to melt in our mouths.
Of course, Diwali wasn't just about laddus. Our home would come alive with the making of Layered Karanji filled with rose-scented coconut, Shankarpali for a crisp bite, Rava Laddu with Fresh Coconut that was soft and aromatic, Saranachi Puri (Satori) for rich indulgence, and Chakli for that signature crunch. Each recipe had its own story, passed down through generations, making our festive spread a true celebration of tradition and love.
I'm so excited to share our treasured family recipe for soft, melt-in-your-mouth Marathi besan laddus; rich, aromatic, and irresistible. They're the kind of treat that disappears from the kitchen before you know it, and trust me, your kids will beam when they find one tucked into their lunchbox. Quick to make and bursting with nostalgic flavor, these laddus are pure joy in every bite, so roll up your sleeves and give them a try!
Ingredient Notes
- Besan/gram flour: made from yellow split Bengal gram (chana dal). It's sometimes called chickpea flour, though true chickpea flour is made from whole white chickpeas (garbanzo beans). Available in both coarse and fine textures at Indian grocery stores, traditional Maharashtrian Besan Ladoo is best with superfine gram flour. I like the Swad brand, which is also labeled "chickpea flour."
- Ghee: Use good-quality homemade ghee for the richest flavor and authentic aroma. It binds the laddu and gives them a melt-in-the-mouth texture.
- Powdered Sugar - Also called confectioners' sugar, it blends smoothly into the roasted besan, ensuring even sweetness. You can adjust the quantity to taste.
- Ground Spices & Saffron - Freshly ground cardamom and a pinch of nutmeg add warmth, fragrance, and depth of flavor. Saffron, if using, lends a delicate floral aroma and a beautiful golden hue.
How to Make Besan Laddu
Step 1 - Add ghee and besan to a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pan. Keeping the heat low, slow-roast the besan flour, while stirring constantly with a spatula. Continue to stir evenly and break the lumps that will form initially (photos 1 - 4).
Step 2 - After about 10 minutes, the flour will start to loosen up and become light and fluffy. Continue roasting for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the flour turns light golden brown. At this stage, the ghee will start to separate, filling the kitchen with a delightful aroma (photos 5 - 8).
Step 3 - Turn the heat off and transfer the mixture into a bowl. This will avoid the besan from being overcooked. Allow it to cool for about 15 minutes or until it is lukewarm to the touch. Add saffron, cardamom, nutmeg, and pistachios (photos 9 - 12).
Step 4 - Add powdered sugar and mix well. Next, massage the mixture with the palm of your hands, and as you do so, the ghee starts to release, allowing the mixture to bind together. Take 2 to 3 tablespoons of the mix at a time and start pressing and shaping to form round balls (photos 13 - 16). Repeat with the remaining mix.
Storing
Store in an airtight container. These laddus will stay good at room temperature for 8 to 10 days. For a longer shelf life, keep them in the refrigerator and optionally heat them in the microwave for about 10 seconds before enjoying them.
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Recipe
Traditional Besan Laddu (ladoo) recipe
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup fine besan / gram flour sift before measuring
- ¼ cup ghee
- ½ cup powdered sugar sifted
- 1 tablespoon pistachios thinly sliced, optional
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon saffron
Instructions
- Add ghee and besan to a medium sized heavy bottomed pan. Keeping the heat low, slow roast the besan flour, while stirring constantly with a spatula. Continue to stir evenly and break the lumps that will form initially.
- After about 10 minutes, the flour will start to loosen up and become light and fluffy. Continue roasting for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the flour turns light golden brown. At this stage the ghee will start to separate, filling the kitchen with a delightful aroma.
- Turn the heat off and take out the mixture into a bowl. This will avoid the besan from being overcooked. Allow it to cool for about 15 minutes or until it is luke warm to touch.
- Add powdered sugar, cardamom, nutmeg, saffron and pistachios. Massage the mixture with the palm of your hands, and as you do so the ghee starts to release, allowing the mixture to bind together.
- Grease the palm of your hands with a little bit of ghee so that the mixture does not stick to your hand. Take 2 to 3 tablespoons of mix at a time and start pressing and shaping to form round balls. Repeat with the remaining mix. Makes 8 ladoo.
- Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place. The laddus will stay good at room temperature for 8 to 10 days. For longer shelf-life keep them in the refrigerator and remember to heat in the microwave for about 10 seconds before enjoying them.
Notes
- Use fresh, good-quality besan/gram flour. I usually buy the fine besan from Indian grocery stores. Sift the flour and then measure it for the perfect proportion of besan, ghee, and sugar.
- Use low to medium heat to fry the besan or gram flour to ensure the flour gets uniformly roasted.
- The key to perfect besan laddu is slow-roasting the besan with ghee over low heat, stirring constantly. Roast until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, turns a rich golden brown, and releases a nutty aroma. For reference, 1 cup of besan takes about 25 minutes, 2 cups take around 35 minutes, and 3 cups take about 45 minutes. Larger batches will naturally need more roasting time.
- If the mixture is too soft and sticky, add some more dry-roasted besan to the mixture and then shape the laddoo.
Nutrition
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Mansi says
recipe did not work for me. i chnaged it for 12 ladoos and used .5 cup ghee, even after 40 minutes no ghee separated. i improvised and put some more ghee, still no where close to the pics above.
Archana says
Mansi if you double the recipe, it should be roasted for atelast 45 mins as mentioned in my notes. Also teh ghee does not really separte but the flour become liquidy, light and fluffy.
Ratna Wynn says
I love your recipes but this one did not work. I doubled the recipe but 1 hour later still no separation. A shame
Archana says
I am so sorry that this did not work out. Were you using fine besan?
Ashwini says
Its yum!! Inspired
BESAN LADOO
Nea says
These ladoos are so perfect brings back childhood memories of my aaji making them!! The addition of saffron gives it such a special touch. Thanks so much Archana to you and your mom for sharing this recipe!!
Aparna says
Can you use confectionary sugar instead of powdered? If yes, what amount would you use?
Archana says
Yes, start with same quantity, taste a bit and add more by spoonfuls if needed.
VT Mukundan says
It was brilliant, the photos were a great guide to know how well I'd cooked the besan. The end product (I used minimum ghee and sugar) was delightfully tasty with a slight roasted crunch!
Nita says
When you say 6 servings, how many laddoos can I make with this recipe? How many laddies in each serving?
Archana says
This recipe makes 12 to 15 ladoo
SR says
How many ladoos do you usually get with this recipe? I'm looking forward to making these for Diwali gift boxes so trying to figure out if I need to double the recipe.
Archana says
You can make 12 to 15 with the recipe.
Aboli says
Nice and simple recipe, but is 1/4 ghee proportion correct for 1 cup besan? I started with it but eventually needed to add more ghee for the required consistency.
Archana says
Yes I always use 1/4 cup but you can use upto 1/2 cup 🙂
SR says
The recipe says to use 1/4 cup, but you noted above you use 1/2 cup. Which should we use? I made two batches using both measurements and in one, it was too soft to stay in the ball shape (roasted more besan and added it) and in the other one, all I had was roasted powder and had to add more ghee to get it stick together. Both ways, the end result tasted good but required some modifications.
Archana says
I would suggested adding 1 to 2 tablespoons more ghee as needed. Depending on the fineness of the besan you may need more. I always use the amount noted in the recipe.
Radhika Sawant says
Best besan ladoo recipe!!!!
Dhanya says
Hi Archana, Can we use regular cane sugar instead of powdered sugar?
Archana says
I would recommend powdered sugar
Pallavi Shirke says
Made these and came out soo good ! Love your recipes . Doubled the quantity and it did take 45 mins . I used coarse besan ( ladoo beaan) . That might be the reason i needed little more ghee than mentioned in recipe!
Poonam Gupta says
Tried this recipe for Diwali and it’s delicious.
ruby says
I am going to try this today, I hope it turns out good. I've never tried to make indian desserts before, I worry I might mess up the measurements.
Archana Mundhe says
I can't wait to hear your feedback.
Shannon says
This recipe was amazing! The tips were very helpful & they turned out beautifully on the first try. Will be making these again.
Archana Mundhe says
Thank you Shannon, I am glad they came out perfect on the first try!
Susmita Mullick says
Archana - thanks for sharing the besan laddu recipe. I made it today using light brown sugar instead of powder sugar. It really came good and tasty.
Archana Mundhe says
Yum! Using light brown sugar is a brilliant swap. I’m so happy they turned out tasty and that the recipe worked well for you. Enjoy the laddus!