Made with earthy finger millet, nuts, ghee and sweetened with dates, this ragi laddu recipe delivers wholesome nourishment and a delicious taste.
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Traditional sweets like Besan Laddu or Ghujia are delicious, but they are often loaded with refined sugar or heavy syrups that lead to energy crashes. Finding a festive sweet that strikes the balance between deeply satisfying, nutrient-dense, and naturally sweet can feel like a tall order.
But here comes – Sugar Free Ragi Laddu packed with nuts like almonds, pistachio, and pumpkin seeds.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Zero Refined Sugar: Sweetened purely with soft dates.
- Calcium Powerhouse: Ragi (finger millet) is exceptionally rich in bone-building calcium, complex carbs, and dietary fiber.
- Healthy Fats for Energy: Ghee and nuts provide sustained energy without quick sugar spikes.
- Quick and Easy Preparation: Takes under 30 minutes from start to finish with no complex sugar syrup consistencies to worry about.
Ingredients Checklist
- Ragi Flour (Finger Millet Flour), finely milled. Make sure its not rancid otherwise laddu will taste bitter. You can make ragi adai, ragi cake, or ragi roti.
- Seedless Dates (Medjool or soft dark dates work best) to bind and sweeten the laddu.
- Mixed Nuts and Seeds like almonds, pistachio, walnuts, white sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
- Ghee to roast the ragi flour and nuts. It also helps in binding the laddu.
- Flavour: Green Cardamom Powder, Desiccated Coconut, Saffron (kesar)
How To Make Laddu
1) Roast the Nuts:
- Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat.
- Add the nuts (and seeds if using) and roast for 2–3 minutes until lightly golden and aromatic. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
2. Slow Roast the Ragi Flour:
- In the same pan, add remaining ghee along with the ragi flour.
- Roast on low heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring continuously. The flour will change color slightly, feel lighter, and give off a nutty aroma. Ensure it doesn’t burn.
- Add the desiccated coconut, and roast for another 1 – 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.
3. Pulse in Processor:
- Place the seedless dates in a food processor or blender pulse along with ghee roasted nuts, seeds, ragi flour, cardamom powder, and saffron until they form a slightly coarse, sticky paste without adding water.
4. Shape into Laddu:
- Pinch a small portion of the warm mixture and press firmly between your palms, rolling it into a smooth ball. Repeat for the remaining mix.
- If the mixture feels too dry to bind, warm a teaspoon of ghee and mix it in.
Store these laddus in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days, or refrigerate for up to a month.
Watch Laddu Video
Hina’s Pro Tips
- Don’t Rush the Roasting: Raw ragi flour can taste bitter and cause digestive discomfort. Roast low and slow until you smell that nutty/chocolatey aroma.
- Adjusting Texture: Dates act as the primary binding agent. If your laddus aren’t holding shape, blend in 2–3 extra soft dates or add a tiny splash of warm ghee.
- Blend Fine: Make sure to pulse the nuts and seeds to a fine consistency otherwise laddu will not bind properly.
Looking for more sugar free sweets? Try my protein packed Sattu Ke Laddu, gluten free Jowar Cookies, or the Bappa Doi.
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Sugar Free Ragi Laddu Recipe
Made with earthy finger millet (ragi), nuts, ghee and sweetened with dates, this ragi laddu recipe delivers wholesome nourishment and a delicious taste.
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Servings: 10 laddu
Calories: 176kcal
- Heavy Bottom Kadhai
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- ¼ Cup ghee
- ½ Cup Ragi Flour (finger millet flour)
- ¼ Cup dessicated coconut
- 2 tablespoon unsalted pistachio
- 2 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
- 2 tablespoon almonds
- 2 tablespoon white sesame seeds (til)
- 1 teaspoon green cardamom powder
- ¼ teaspoon saffron (kesar)
- 1 Cup dates, pitted
Instructions
- Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat. Add the nuts (and seeds if using) and roast for 2–3 minutes until lightly golden and aromatic. Remove them from the pan and set aside.2 tablespoon unsalted pistachio, 2 tablespoon pumpkin seeds, 2 tablespoon almonds, 2 tablespoon white sesame seeds (til)
- In the same pan, add remaining ghee along with the ragi flour. Roast on low heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring continuously. The flour will change colour slightly, feel lighter, and give off a nutty aroma. Ensure it doesn’t burn.¼ Cup ghee, ½ Cup Ragi Flour (finger millet flour)
- Add the desiccated coconut, and roast for another 1 – 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.¼ Cup dessicated coconut
- Place the seedless dates in a food processor or blender pulse along with ghee roasted nuts, seeds, ragi flour, cardamom powder, and saffron until they form a slightly coarse, sticky paste without adding water.1 teaspoon green cardamom powder, ¼ teaspoon saffron (kesar), 1 Cup dates, pitted
- Pinch a small portion of the warm mixture and press firmly between your palms, rolling it into a smooth ball. Repeat for the remaining mix.
- You can enjoy the laddu immediately or store them up to 10 days, or refrigerate for up to a month.
Recipe Notes:
- If the mixture feels too dry to bind, warm a teaspoon of ghee and mix it in.
Nutrition
Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 221mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 1mg
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