Rava Coconut Laddu is a soft, melt-in-the-mouth Indian sweet made with freshly grated coconut, roasted semolina (rava), and a cozy mix of cardamom and saffron. I grew up sneaking these straight from the laddu dabba, and this version is my no-fail, family-approved favorite - moist, fragrant, and never dry. Below you'll find a clear, step-by-step recipe so you can make perfect Rava Coconut Laddus for Diwali or any celebration!
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Rava Laddu, also known as Narali Pakatale Ladoo in Marathi, translates to "coconut syrup balls." Made from fine semolina (sooji or rava), and fresh coconut, and filled with nuts and raisins, these sweets are an absolute treat for any celebration. From Diwali and Holi to birthdays and anniversaries, these delicious laddus bring a touch of festivity to every occasion, making them a year-round favorite!
If you are like me and love Laddu, you have to try the recipes for Malai Laddu, Besan Laddu, and Oats Pistachio Laddu.
Mom's Special Dessert
How To Make Sugar Syrup
Usually, the syrup (Chasni) making process uses the term "ek tari pak" or single-string consistency. What that means is that you cook the syrup so that when you start dropping the syrup from a spoon, the last few drops start to form a thin single string as it flows (see photos 5 - 6) below in the step-by-step recipe.
The single-string consistency can be a bit hard to achieve, as if you spent too much time testing, you may end up overcooking the syrup, resulting in dry laddu. So I started to time the process, which helps cook the syrup to the perfect consistency. With this simplified recipe, you can make the perfect coconut laddu every time. So here are my tried and tested tips:
- Always use a timer when making the sugar syrup to avoid overcooking
- It takes me 6 minutes to make the syrup with ¾ cup of water and 1.5 cups of sugar in a 2-quart saucepan
- If you double the recipe, it will take about 8 minutes for the syrup to be ready
- To check for the doneness of the syrup, simply lift the spoon up and watch the last few drops of syrup dripping from the spoon. The last drops should form a thin one-line string
How to make Sugar Syrup in the Instant Pot
- Add sugar and water to the Instant Pot and mix well, dissolving most of the sugar in the water.
- Pressure cook on Hi for 4 minutes followed by quick release.
- Be careful not to drop the steam water from the lid in the syrup when opening the lid. That's all! You have the perfect sugar syrup for this laddu.
Pro Tips To Make Coconut Laddu {Nariyal Ladoo}
- Use fine semolina and roast to a light golden brown color
- Use homemade ghee if possible
- If using frozen coconut, make sure to thaw it in the microwave
- After adding the syrup, allow the mixture to fully cool down before shaping the laddu. At first, the laddus may seem a bit too soft , but they will firm up after a few hours
- Does your mixture look too dry even before you are ready to roll them? This is because the syrup has been cooked for too long. To fix, simply sprinkle a tablespoon of warm ghee and 2 to 3 tablespoons of warm milk. Mix well and roll into round balls.
Ingredient Notes
- Rava - Fine Rava or semolina works best for this recipe. If you have coarse semolina, pulse it in a blender a few times to get a fine texture.
- Besan flour - Fine-ground gram flour adds earthy aromas and a creamy texture
- Grated coconut - I love the convenience of frozen fresh coconut that is readily available in Indian Grocery Stores
- Sugar - make the one-string syrup
- Cardamom and saffron - ground cardamom powder, along with a few saffron strands add a wonderful aroma
- Nuts - Thinly sliced nuts add a nice texture and bite to the laddu.
How to make The Best Rava Laddu
Step 1: Roast the Rava and besan with ghee for 10 minutes, stirring constantly on medium heat until the Rava turns golden brown. Add the grated coconut and roast for another 2 minutes. Turn the heat off (photos 1 - 4).
Step 2: Make the sugar syrup by boiling ¾ cup of water with 1.5 cups of sugar for 6 minutes in a 2-quart saucepan on medium-high heat (photos 5 - 6).
Step 3: Add the sugar syrup to the roasted ingredients. Add saffron, cardamom powder, nuts, and raisins and mix well (photos 7 - 8).
Step 4: Allow the mixture to completely cool down. Make round balls using about 3 to 4 tablespoons of the mixture. Press them on the palm of your hands and then roll them into round balls.
Storing
Rava coconut laddu can be stored in an air-tight container for up to a week. For a longer shelf life, they can be refrigerated.
Serving
Serve them with some crispy chakli or crunchy sev and a hot cup of ginger chai.
Recipe
Rava Coconut Laddu
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups fine rava/semolina sooji
- 2 tablespoons besan gram flour
- ½ cup ghee
- 1 cup grated coconut fresh or frozen
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 2 tablespoons raisins
- 1 pinch saffron
- 2 tablespoon nuts sliced almonds and pistachios
Sugar Syrup:
- 1½ cups sugar
- ¾ cup water
Instructions
- Roast the rava and besan with ghee for 10 minutes, stirring constantly on medium heat.
- Add the grated coconut and roast for another 2 minutes. Turn the heat off.
- Add sugar and water to a saucepan and bring it to a full boil on medium-high heat. Then adjust the heat to the lowest setting and allow it to simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Lift the spoon up and watch the last few drops of syrup dripping from the spoon. The last drops should form a one-line string. Make sure not to overcook or undercook the syrup. More tips are in the notes below.
- Add the sugar syrup to the roasted ingredients. Add saffron, cardamom powder, nuts, raisins and mix well.
- Allow the mixture to completely cool down. Make round balls using about 3 to 4 tablespoons of the mixture. Press them in the plam of your hands and then roll them into round balls.
Notes
- Use fine rava and roast to light golden brown color
- Use homemade ghee if possible
- Thaw frozen coconut to room temperature. You can microwave for a few seconds.
- Allow the mixture to fully cool down before trying to make laddu. At first, they may seem a bit too soft but they dry up eventually
- Does your mixture look too dry even before you try to roll them? This only means that the syrup was overcooked. To fix, simply sprinkle some warm ghee and warm water and roll into round balls
- Use an external timer to time the syrup cook time. It takes me 6 minutes to make the syrup with ¾ cup of water and 1.5 cups of sugar in a 2-quart saucepan
- If you double the recipe, it will take about 8 minutes for the syrup to be ready
- To check if the syrup is cooked properly, simply lift the spoon up and watch the last few drops of syrup dripping from the spoon. The last drops should form a one-line string
- Add sugar and water to the Instant Pot and mix well, dissolving most of the sugar in the water
- Pressure cook on Hi for 4 minutes followed by quick release
- When opening, be careful to not drop the steam water from the lid into the syrup. That's all! You have the perfect sugar syrup for this laddu
Nutrition
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Aishwarya says
My ladoo mixture is too soft. I can bind them but they are not holding their shape that well. How do I fix them?
Archana Mundhe says
Just leave the mixture uncovered for a few hours. Depending on the syrup consistency it may take a few hours. Check on it in a couple of hours and I am sure they will be easy to shape.
Arya says
Archana, can I use the sam amount of dry desiccated coconut instead of fresh or frozen coconut.
Archana Mundhe says
I would drizzle a couple of spoonfuls of warm milk to dessicated coconut to add some moisture and bring out similar texture as that of the fresh coconut.
Sunitha says
Easy , yummy
Archana Mundhe says
Thank you!
PC says
Hi Archana,
I would love to try this, will shredded (dry) coconut work in place of grated coconut?
Thanks
Archana Mundhe says
Yes, I like to recommend dessicated or finely shredded coconut for this recipe. Simply sprinkle a spoonful of water on it to make it moist.