Crumbly, nutty, and loaded with homemade ghee - just how I love my Besan Ladoos which are inspired by Halwai or Mithaiwalas. Elevate your festivities and celebrations with the most melt-in-mouth Besan ke Laddu which only needs a few easy ingredients.

BESAN LADOO HALWAI AND MITHAIWALA STYLE

What are Besan Ladoos

Besan Ladoos are delicious Indian sweets made from besan (gram/chickpea flour), ghee (clarified butter), sugar and nuts such as almonds and pistachios. They are then shaped into balls. These ladoos have a distinct texture in that they are grainy (danedar) but extremely melt-in-the-mouth.

They are not overly sweet unlike many Indian sweets and have an earthy and nutty taste.

The perfect Besan Ladoos will not stick in your mouth or throat. They should not have a very shiny finish - this is the incorrect texture for besan ladoos.

I do not like to garnish the besan ladoos with anything and prefer to keep them plain.

Halwai Besan Ladoos

Halwai or Mithaiwala is the name given to people in India who make confectionary and sweets. Sweets made at home and sweets found in Mithai shops (Indian sweet shops) always seem to taste different. I can't put my finger on what it specifically is - maybe the cooking process, ingredients used but they just do.

My Mum has been making besan ladoos for the family since I was little and they are one of our favourite types of ladoos. Once, when I was young, my parents bought us Besan Ladoos from a mithai shop in London. I loved the taste of them so much that I still remember them vividly to this day. They were really crumbly and loaded with big pieces of nuts.

Halwais put a little yellow colouring into their ladoos to get that perfect golden look. At home, we don't add it.

Ganesh Chathurthi | Ganpati 

These ladoos are often prepared for Ganesh Chathurthi, a Hindu festival. Ganesh Chathurthi is the birthday of Lord Ganesh, a Hindu God. Ganesh is said to love eating ladoos and that is why they are lovingly made on this day.

Ladoos are also traditionally given as gifts, especially in North India. When a person or family receives some good news, they will send out ladoos to their close ones in happiness.

Along with sweets like Kesar Gulab Jamun and Best Semolina Gujaiya, Besan Ladoos are also made on Diwali - the festival of light. The gorgeous colour of these ladoos makes them perfect for this day. Cover the ladoos in silver or gold edible foil tin for festive cheers.

Of course, you don't need an excuse to make ladoos, so often, these will be made in Indian homes in the winter months as a sweet treat.


I love how Indian mithais are works of art and are so colourful. Almost decorated like a bride! The smell and aroma that comes from making homemade ladoos is hard to beat and decorating them is so much fun. The best part undoubtedly is eating them!

We love making Gujarati style Churma Ladoos, Coconut Ladoo, Mango Badam Coconut Ladoo, 

These ladoos are:

✓Gluten-free (by skipping the plain flour)

✓High in protein - from the gram flour and nuts

✓Beautiful golden colour

✓Perfect for festivals

✓Not sticky

✓Not too sweet

Tips for the Best Besan Ladoo

• Raw besan has a bitter taste so to get the perfect flavour, you must take your time roasting the flour. 

• Keep roasting until the besan becomes aromatic - that is the indication that it is ready to use

• The flour can very easily burn and go brown so you have to stir continuously. 

• Add the sugar at the end so it doesn't melt and release extra moisture. 

• We have powdered the sugar as granulated sugar will release moisture and loosen the mixture.

• Don't forget to sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water, this procedure makes ladoo grainy or danedar just like halwai style. 

• If your ladoos are not binding then:

• You may have either too much or too little ghee. 

• If you have too much ghee then dry roast more fine gram flour separately and add to the mixture and shape

• If there is too little ghee, then add more a bit at a time. You'll need extra ghee if it is shop-bought. 

• The most commonly used nuts are almonds and pistachios. You can also add brazil nuts, cashews or other nuts to your preference. I like to keep the nut pieces quite large for more texture. 

Can I make Coarse Gram Flour at home

Good news is that yes, coarse gram flour can be made easily at home.

1. Take 1 cup chana daal and wash it under running clean water.

2. Pat dry with the clean tea towel.

3. Dry roast on low heat until all the moisture dries up and lentils are roasted, but not changed colour.

4. Let it cool completely, then grind it using a coffee grinder.

5. Don't go for fine flour but just coarsely, then sieve it so very big pieces you can remove it.

How to get powdered sugar at home

Take white granulated sugar and blend in a high-speed blender. Spice or coffee grinders work really well.

For the recipe, use the same weight of granulated to powdered sugar.

Storage:

Store in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature.

These ladoo stays fresh for more than 2-3 weeks.

Do not store in the refrigerator or freezer.

🍬Ingredients and Substitutes 

1. Besan - For the crumbly Punjabi or North Indian style Ladoo, use coarse gram flour, known as Besan Ka Mota Aata or Ladoo Besan here in the UK. If not available, you can use fine or normal besan and add fine semolina for the similar texture of coarse gram flour.

2. Ghee - The backbone of this recipe, all the flavours and textures depends on this ingredient. If possible use homemade desi ghee. Of course, you can use shopbought ghee too if pressing for time. Vegans use vegan butter and coconut oil.

3. Plain flour - Secret ingredient used by halwais and mithaiwalas. All-purpose flour makes ladoos crumbly and reduces the slight bitterness and stickiness of the besan.

4. Oil - Vegetable oil is added so that when you are cooling the mixture, the ghee does not completely solidify the mixture but keeps it loose to work with. (another secret ingredient used by halwai)

5. Sugar - For particular this recipe you'll need powder sugar NOT ICING SUGAR as we are adding in the last stage once the roasted flour is totally cooled down.  You may use caster sugar or boora or tagar. Vegans use vegan sugar or maple or agave syrup works well too.

6. Nuts - I love my besan ladoo full of nuts and love to use almonds, cashews, pistachio and brazil nuts. We did not roast or fried nuts, just ground it in the grinder.

7. Green Cardamom - for flavours and for help to digest these rich ladoos, do not miss adding these. We crushed it with nuts.

📝How to make the best Besan Ladoo

Following these steps combined with the tips above should get you perfect Besan Ladoos.

First - Heat ghee in a kadai or pan and add oil. (pic 1)

Second - Keep heat low and add coarsely ground besan or gram flour, and mix well. (pic 2)

Third - Now add plain flour (maida) and mix everything using a spatula. (pic 3)

Fourth - keep roasting on low flame for 30-40 minutes or until lightly changed colour and aroma starts wafting.  (pic 4)

Fifth - very important step, sprinkle a tablespoon of water in the mixture to get crumbly and grainy ladoos. Turn off the heat after a minute or so but keep stirring the mixture for another 5 minutes. (pic 5)

Sixth - add crushed nuts, mix and leave it to cool completely.

Seventh - Once the mixture is cooled down totally, add powdered sugar, boora or agar. (pic 7)

Eighth - Mix well and leave it aside for another 10-20 minutes. (pic 8)

Ninth - Take a small amount of mixture in your hands, press it in your palm and roll round ladoos, besan ladoo doesn't have to be in perfect round shapes. (pic 9) At this stage ladoos will be little shiny as the heat of your palm will melt the ghee. (pic 9)

Tenth - Tasty ladoos are ready to store and devour. (pic 10)

Other coarse gram flour recipes

Mohanthaal

Magas

Stuffed Magas Ladoo

Homemade Dakor Gota Mix 

Dakor Na Gota

Methi-Corn Bhajiya

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🖶 Recipe Card

Besan Ladoo, Besan Ke Ladoo, Halwai style Besan ladoo

Desserts, snacks

North Indian, Punjabi

Besan Ladoo Halwai Style | Besan Ke Ladoo | Besan Ladoo Recipe | Besan Ladoo Banane Ki Vidhihttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVdL4BPl88gThese nutty, crumbly and melt in the mouth halwai style besan ke ladoo can be made at home with ease.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVdL4BPl88g2020-06-09

Yield: 18-20 SMALL LADOO

Author: Hayley Dhanecha

Print

BESAN LADOO

These Punjabi halwai and mithaiwala style besan ladoo are so hard to resist when they are nutty, crumbly and loaded with ghee. Just melts in your mouth!!

Prep time: Cook time: 1 H & 40 MTotal time: 1 H & 40 M

Ingredients:

• 170g Coarse gram flour (besan ka mota aata or ladoo flour)
• 80g Plain flour - maida
• 140g Ghee
• 15ml Oil - flavourless oil 
• 200-225g  powder sugar
• 100g Crushed nuts and cardamom powder

Equipment/Tools

• Heavy base kadai or pan
• Spatula
• Grinder

Instructions:

1. Add ghee in a pan, once started melting add oil.
2. Mix.
3. Add gram flour and plain flour.
4. Keep the heat low and roast the flour, keep stirring all the time.
5. You'll see flour turning into a slightly darker colour and roasting aroma will starts after 10-12 minutes of roasting the flour.
6. Keep roasting the flour, you'll be able to see ghee bubbling up and the wafting aroma will get stronger and stronger.
7. Halfway through roasting the flour sprinkle 1 tsp, water.
8. After 35-40 minutes the flour will be much darker in colour and the bubbles will disappear from the pan.
9. Turn off the heat, but keep stirring the flour so it doesn't burn or stick on the base of the pan or kadai.
10. Let the posted mixture cool completely at the room temperature.
11. Once the flour is cooled or touchable add powder sugar and mix well.
12. Add crushed nuts and mix well, the mixture should go to drier but still, you should be able to shape the ladoo.
13. Take little amount of mixture into your palm and roll into small balls.
14. Perfect and scrumptious besan ladoos are ready.

Notes:

You may adjust the quantity of the nuts.
In India, powder sugar is known as boora or buru khand or agar.
If coarse flour is not available use normal chickpea flour and fine semolina.

Calories
214.47

Fat (grams)
12.98

Sat. Fat (grams)
5.47

Carbs (grams)
21.90

Fiber (grams)
1.56

Net carbs
20.34

Sugar (grams)
13.05

Protein (grams)
3.72

Sodium (milligrams)
21.59

Cholesterol (grams)
19.91

The nutritional information provided is an approximation calculated by an online calculator. Please consult a professional dietitian for nutritional advice.

https://www.jcookingodyssey.com/2012/09/besan-ladoo-chick-pea-flour-dessert.html

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Note - This recipe originally posted on 19th of September 2012, since we have updated the post with newer images and content.