We all like gorging on something sweet every once in a while. As Indians, we are especially fond of eating ‘something sweet’ after our meals, which is probably why we have such a rich repertoire of desserts and sugary delights in our culinary treasure chest. From halwas to ladoos, to burfis, to delightful puddings, and to sweet flatbreads, the intense Indian sweet tooth has a delightful range of desserts to indulge in. Ladoos are one of our very own inventions. These sweet balls made of various flours and spices are rolled with hands and held together with copious amounts of ghee. You can make ladoos out of anything and everything you wish to. Ladoos can be made from food grains and cereals, may contain milk and nuts, flavourful spices and even fruits and cooked vegetables.

Due to their compact structure, ladoos are convenient too. They are easy to carry and are hence, often offered to friends and relatives on special occasions. It’s also customary to carry boxes of ladoos while visiting friends or family. Ladoos also have an endless potential to be used as healthy snacks, simply because they’re easy to pack with lunchboxes and in tiffins. If you’re looking to turn your favourite desi sweet ladoo into a healthful morning or evening snack, then we have a few recipe ideas for you.

Healthy Ladoo Recipes

1. Almond And Amaranth Ladoo Recipe

Rajgira, or amaranth, is an ancient grain that is not just gluten-free, but is also incredibly nutritious and rich in protein. Pair it with the mood food almond, along with melted jaggery for this delightful recipe of healthy ladoos.

2. Ragi Oats Ladoo Recipe

Finger millet, or ragi, is rich in protein, calcium and a very essential vitamin – Vitamin D. What’s more? It is also gluten-free and is, therefore, back in vogue and is especially popular among vegans. Oats are also rich in protein and nutritious fibre. This recipe combines both these super-grains in one winner of a recipe.

3. Ragi Coconut Ladoo Recipe

Coconut is one of the most popular sources of healthy fats. This recipe of ragi coconut ladoo is made by steaming finger millet flour and coconut and then adding in jaggery for sweetness and peanuts for the crunch. This salty and sweet ladoo is sure to impress everyone.

4. Dates and Nuts Ladoo Recipe’
This recipe uses the natural sweetness of khajoor, or dates, to eliminate the need for any refined sweeteners. The recipe is tailor-made for those evening hunger pangs that strike before dinner, as it has a mix of our favourite nuts – almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachios and peanuts.

All of the above recipes are completely free from refined sugar or artificial sweeteners. You can play around with the ingredients in the above recipes and mix and match to come up with your own unique healthy ladoo recipes!