Moong dal ladoo recipe (with jaggery)

Since festival season is around the corner, let's prepare some healthy sweet recipes. Moong dal is healthy, low in fat content, and very high in protein. These Moong dal ladoos are made with jaggery instead of sugar. So definitely these Moong dal ladoo recipe with jaggery is healthier.

Similar to Besan ladoo, you can make these Moong dal ladoos with sugar powder or boora/tagar. Substitute the quantity of jaggery in the recipe with sugar. Your family will love these protein-rich ladoos.

If you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other amazing Indian sweet recipes

• Rava Ladoo
• Peanut ladoo
• Besan Burfi
• Instant Mawa
• Lauki Burfi
• Til Ladoo

Why You Need This Recipe

• Easy step-by-step instructions with a recipe video.
• Easy to customize – see the ingredient list below for alternative ingredients. You can add or skip the ingredients as per your taste.
• Healthy - This ladoo is made with moon dal (high in protein) and jaggery (instead of sugar). It is not only healthy but tasty too. Kids will love these laddus. You can pack it in their lunch box or give it as a snack.
• Make-ahead recipe - You can make it ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container. Stays good for a week at room temperature.
• Gluten-free - Both Moong dal and jaggery are gluten-free. So this Moong dal ladoo with jaggery is a gluten-free recipe.

Ingredients and substitutions

• Moong dal (Split moong lentils) - It is split & skinned green gram. Moong dal is light and easily digestible.
• Jaggery - Jaggery is considered a healthier alternative to refined sugar. You can substitute it with powdered sugar or tagar (boora).
• Ghee/clarified butter - It helps to bind & shape the ladoos. I have used homemade ghee. If you are using store-bought then check the manufacturing date (make sure it is fresh). Stale ghee may smell bad & can spoil the ladoos.
• Cardamom powder - It is optional but it gives a lovely aroma to the ladoos.
• Cashews - It is optional and used only to garnish the ladoos. You can also add sliced almonds or pistachios instead of cashews. Or completely skip it.

For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.        

Step by step instructions with photos

Preparation

1. Clean the moong dal & rinse it with water twice. Drain off the water & dry it on a clean cotton towel.
2. No need to dry it under the sun. Just dry it under the ceiling fan for 5-10 minutes.
3. Roast the moong dal in a heavy bottom pan over low medium heat. Stir & roast the moong dal until it is aromatic and lightly golden. (image 1 & 2)
4. Remove from heat & keep it aside on a plate to cool.
5. Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon of ghee in the same pan over low heat. Roast cashews until golden. Remove from heat & set it aside. (image 3 & 4)
6. Grind the moong dal to make a fine powder. Sift it & set it aside. (image 5 & 6)

Making the Moong dal ladoo with jaggery

1. Heat ¼ cup of ghee/clarified butter in the same pan over low medium heat.
2. Once the ghee is melted, roast the powdered moong dal until it starts to change color and aromatic. Remove from heat. (image 7 & 8)
3. Immediately transfer it to a mixing bowl and add cardamom powder & jaggery. Mix it well with a ladle while the mixture is hot. (image 9, 10 & 11)
4. You can taste the mixture and adjust the sweetness as per your taste.
5. Grease your palms with ghee before shaping the ladoos. Take out a small portion from the mixture & start making the ladoos.
6. Make ladoos while the mixture is still warm. (image 12)
7. Garnish with cashew.
8. Moong dal laddus are ready. Enjoy!

Tips to make the best Moong Dal Ladoos

1. It is important to roast the moong dal well. Keep the heat on low-medium & roast it stirring continuously for even browning of moong dal. It may take around 10-15 minutes.
2. This way the raw smell from the moong dal goes away. If you roast it on high heat then moong dal will burn soon.
3. If you do not have cardamom powder then add the cardamom seeds (after opening the cardamom pods) to the blender jar while grinding the moong dal.
4. The addition of cashews is optional. I added cashews to garnish the ladoos. You can use sliced almonds or pistachios to garnish it. Or skip it completely.
5. Grate the jaggery before adding it. This way the jaggery will melt faster & easily combines with the dough.
6. You can substitute jaggery with powdered sugar in the same quantity.
7. Adjust the sweetness as per your liking.

Storage Suggestions

1. Let the moong dal ladoo cool down completely. You can store the ladoos in an air-tight container at room temperature for a week.
2. For longer shelf life, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. However, ghee will solidify & ladoos may become hard.
3. If stored in the refrigerator, reheat it in the microwave after taking it out from the refrigerator and serve.

Variations that you can make

• You can make moong dal ladoo with sugar. Add powdered sugar instead of jaggery in the same quantity.
• You can make urad dal ladoo with the same recipe. Simply substitute moong dal with urad dal. Add powdered sugar instead of jaggery to make urad dal ladoo.

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Recipe Card