A ladoo (or laddu) is a very delicious and traditional Indian dessert popular throughout the country. They are basically round balls of sweet yummy goodness that can be made in a variety of flavors and textures. Ladoos are always made on holidays, festivals and special occasions – in fact, it wouldn’t be much of celebration if the ladoos were missing! This wonderful dessert is actually quite difficult to describe since there is nothing similar to it in the American/European dessert repertoire. I think the closest example would be a “non chocolate truffle” if that makes any sense. You will just have to trust me, but I am sure your family and friends will enjoy it!

My Coconut & Date Ladoos are heavenly little bites of delicious yummy goodness. These ladoos will literally just melt in your mouth and yes, they are really that good. If you prefer a little texture in your ladoos, then feel free to roughly chop both the dates and nuts accordingly.

This is a great way to get your kids into the kitchen to help you roll the ladoos. If not, enlist the help of some friends or family. It’s a fun way to spend some quality time and bond with your loved ones ☺.

Ghee is clarified butter, it’s basically pure butter with no water or milk solids. Ghee can easily be made at home or found in any Indian grocery store. In Marathi, the word for ghee is “tup” (thoop).

If the dates are naturally super sweet, then you can omit the honey altogether.


COCONUT & DATE LADOO

Ingredients:

2 cups pitted dates (I used the Mejdool variety), very finely chopped
1 cup unsalted nuts (you can use cashews, pistachios, almonds or a combination), finely chopped
1 cup fine coconut flakes
1-2 tbsp of honey, to taste (or you can use gul or jaggery)
½ tsp ground cinnamon powder
½ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground cardamom powder
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

METHOD:

In a dry wok or kadai on low heat, add the nuts and toast them for 3-4 minutes - until fragrant and lightly browned. Then add ½ cup of the coconut flakes and toast for another 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside until needed.

Now to the same wok or kadai on medium high heat, add the ghee. When hot, add the finely chopped dates. Sauté until completely softened, about 5-6 minutes. Next, add the honey along with the spices (ground cinnamon powder, ground allspice, ground cardamom powder and freshly grated nutmeg. Lastly, add in the nuts/coconut mixture and stir well to combine all of ingredients. Let cook for another 3-4 minutes until all the ingredients start coming together. Then remove the pan from the heat and allow to slightly cool (about 15-20 minutes).

When you are ready to make the ladoos, lightly grease your palms with a little ghee and form round balls (ping pong size). Roll the ladoos in the remaining ½ cup of coconut flakes until they are well covered. Serve any time for a delicious and heavenly treat.

NEWSLETTER: I invite you to subscribe to our free weekly newsletter. This gives you all of the updates for the Indian Food site. Sometimes, this newsletter has additional information on recipes that are not in the articles. Fill in the blank just below the article with your email address - which is never passed on beyond this site. We will never sell or trade your personal information.