Rava Ladoo is soft melt-in-the-mouth dessert balls made with freshly grated coconut, roasted semolina that is infused with aromatic cardamom and saffron. Here is my detailed, step-by-step recipe for making this perfect sweet treat that everyone will enjoy!
Ladoo
My mom calls these ladoo "Narali Pakatale Ladoo" which literally translates to coconut-sugar-syrup balls. They are made using fine semolina (sooji or rava), fresh coconut and are studded with nuts and raisins. A sweet dish for every conceivable celebration - from Diwali to Holi to celebrating birthdays or anniversaries they can be enjoyed year-round!
I absolutely love these dessert balls as they bring back memories of my childhood. They have a perfect melt-in-the-mouth texture, not too dry nor too soft. This recipe has my mom's special touch of adding besan flour for a unique earthy taste and creamy texture. The fresh coconut adds a wonderful nutty texture and taste, while saffron and cardamom accentuating the taste and aromas.
Syrup
Here is how to make perfect sugar syrup (also including Instant Pot method):
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 sugar syrup needed for this recipe sometimes may sound complicated to some of you. So I have attempted to simplify the process and explain in detail how to make the perfect coconut ladoo each time.
The single term 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 laddo's. 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 ladoo 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 5 minutes to make 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 done-ness 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
Recently I tried making the Sugar Syrup using the Instant Pot and it was a success. So here is how to make the chasni 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 to not drop the steam water from the lid in the syrup when opening the lid. That's all! You have the perfect sugar syrup for these ladoo.
Pro Tips
Pro tips for making traditional coconut ladoo {Nariyal Laddu}:
- Use fine semolina and roast to 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 ladoo. At first, the ladoo may seem a bit too soft but they will firm up after a few hours
- Does your mixture look too dry even before you trying to roll them? The 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.
Best place to buy all the ingredients:
- Fine rava & besan flour - Indian grocery store or on amazon
- Grated coconut frozen - available in the frozen aisle of Indian grocery stores.
Process
Step by step recipe to make the best rava ladoo:
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 5 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, 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.
These delicious rava coconut ladoo can be stored in an air-tight container for up to a week. For longer shelf life, they can be refrigerated.
Serve them with some crispy chakli or crunchy sev and a hot cup of ginger chai.
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Recipe
Rava Cococnut Ladoo
Ingredients
- 2 cups fine rava 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.
- Make the sugar syrup by boiling water with sugar for 5 minutes on medium-high heat.
- 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 ofyour hands and then roll them into round balls.
Notes
- Use fine rava and roast to light golden brown color
- Use homemade ghee if possible
- If using frozen coconut, make sure to thaw it in the microwave
- Allow the mixture to fully cool down before trying to make ladoos. At first, the ladoo may seem a bit too soft but they dry up eventually
- Does your mixture look too dry even before you trying 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 5 minutes to make 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 in the syrup. That's all! You have the perfect sugar syrup for this ladoo
Nutrition
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Ramya says
Loved your recipe, i am making it right now. Will let you know how it turned out
Archana says
I will love your feedback
Megala says
Love these delicious ladoo! Happy Diwali to you & your family!!
Archana says
Thank you! Happy Diwali
Swatee says
I finally made the rava ladoo..They came out great except they turned hard after some time...Can you tell me how to make them soft..thanks
Archana says
Hi Swatee, If they are already rolled then there isn't much you can do. While rolling you could have sprinkled some warm milk. Also they do harden up a bit once they completely cool and the ghee solidifies, but still should be easy to bite and break.
Pallavi says
Hi Archana,
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. I Tried it today. रवा- नारल लाडू turned out to be just like my Mom makes it. Yummilicious!
Archana says
Awesome!!! Thank you so much for your lovely feedback
Anjuli says
Coconut - I don't have fresh or frozen, can I use desiccated coconut instead? And would it be same ratio? I'm assuming you used unsweetened coconut?? Thanks.
Archana says
Unsweetened coconut will work too.
Jaded Kat says
Coming from a North Indian family, these were not a staple, but a I had these as child at a family friend’s place and have loved this combination since. After decades, I was really craving it and they aren’t too easily available here in Chicago, I followed your recipe and boy are these good! Recipe was easy enough.. I made them with jaggery syrup instead of sugar syrup but the overall recipe is such a winner that jaggery/ sugar syrup doesn’t matter.. thank you for posting this recipe and taking so many of us down the lane of nostalgia
Rupali says
Your ladoo recipe turned out to be delicious. Thanks.
Archana says
Thank you Rupali
Nea says
Hi Archana! The measurements and directions are so clear my rava ladoo came out awesome!! Thanks for sharing!
Shraddha says
Hi.... I tried this recipe. It came out to be awesome... thank you for sharing.... I replaced water to milk to make sugar syrup. Thank you for keeping the tradition alive... 🙂
Smita Moghe says
Love these ladoos...perfect recipe
Manisha Ghodke says
I am so excited to try this recipe! It was so easy and ladoos came out perfect! The sugar syrup you made it real easy!T
Thanks Archana ❤️
Dr Arati Joshi says
Hi Archana, I tried your rawa ladoo recipe for Diwali and it turned out amazingggg !! Everyone at home loved it, and it was my first attempt at rawa ladoos. Thanks a lot for giving step wise and detailed tips.
Preeti says
I just made them and the entire apartment smells divine. Am about to roll them and just tasted some of the rava and think that its not cooked enough in the allotted 10 minutes. I am going to let its stay in the pan and cool off a bit there hoping that it will do the job, but what does one do if that the rava/ sooji seems to have not cooked entirely. Also, I like my laddoos not too sweet, can I put less syrup or make the syrup with less sugar? If so, what quantities would you recommend? PS: I follow your work religiously and would love to become best friends with you 🙂
Archana says
I am pretty sure if you used fine rava it will be roasted. I would suggest you try the recipe as is!
Sulabha says
After years , I was finally able to make a good traditional Pakaatle Rawa Ladoo thanks to your easy instructions , even for the IP. My family loved them so much that I had to make them again the same week. I did not add any dryfruits , just kesar and elaichi . Also the elaichi I reduced to only 1 tsp.
Thank you forthis fool proof recipe. I will be making it again
Aarti S. says
My son has allergies can I skip the besan and what can I substitute it for?
Thanks
Aarti
Archana says
You can just skip besan and it will still work as is.
Girija says
Dear Archana, your recipe is absolutely fabulous. It renders the sort of ladoo my grandma used to make 30 years back. I am so grateful to you for this gem of a recipe, I am able to give my daughter a taste of my childhood. It's very gratifying. Thank you so much.
Archana says
Thank you for the lovely feedback!