Delicious 5 ingredient laddoo balls with besan, ghee and spiced with cardamom and pumpkin pie spice. Perfect fall recipe and very fitting for the Indian festive season as well.
Happy Almost Diwali everyone! Hope everyone is busy making sweets and other treats for Diwali that is just a few days away. We are at the end of our grand almost 3 week Europe trip and heading back home. Before I left, I made these besan laddoos and some sooji halwa. I hope to make some coconut burfis too before Diwali day and some gulab jamuns for Diwali dinner.
When I made these, I was feeling all holiday-ey with the fall colors, all the pumpkins and Halloween stuff out there. I spied the little jar of pumpkin spice in my cupboard and wondered what it will taste like if I added some of it to the besan ladoo along with the cardamom. AJ was a little skeptical about the idea so I made most of the ladoos with just cardamom and a little batch with the pumpkin spice. Actually I like the pumpkin spice back a wee little better 🙂 Try it out for yourself and let me know if you like it too!
I am dreading getting back home, as well as looking forward to it. Its going to be a super busy week as I have a ton of stuff that I want to share with you all, for the upcoming Diwali celebrations, lots of food memories and stories from our vacation and lot more. So stay tuned!
Besan Ladoo / Besan Laddoo with Pumpkin Spice – The Recipe
- 4 cups besan / chickpea flour / gram flour
- 1 ½ cups ghee + more as you feel is required
- 2 ½ cups baker’s sugar or super fine sugar
- 1 tsp powdered cardamom
- ¼ tsp pumpkin spice
Heat the ghee in a non stick pan till it melts. Add the besan to the ghee, mix well and cook, stirring continuously for 15-20 mins. If the besan forms lumps with the ghee, break them with the back of your spatula and keep stirring. Stir till the besan is fragrant.
Switch off the heat. Let it cool for a few mins, 10-12 mins. Mix in the cardamom and pumpkin spice. Add the sugar, mix it well with your hands. Shape into lime sized balls. If the mixture doesn’t hold well, add a little more ghee and shape into lime sized balls and keep aside. Decorate with a raisin pressed lightly on top, if you want.
Note: The traditional besan ladoo does not have pumpkin spice in it. Skip the pumpkin spice and follow the rest of the steps to make besan ladoo
Ingredients
- 4 cups besan / chickpea flour / gram flour
- 1 ½ cups ghee plus more, if required
- 2 ½ cups super fine sugar
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Heat the ghee in a non stick pan till it melts. Add the besan to the ghee, mix well and cook, stirring continuously for 15-20 mins. If the besan forms lumps with the ghee, break them with the back of your spatula and keep stirring. Stir till the besan is fragrant.
- Switch off the heat. Let it cool for a few mins, 10-12 mins. Mix in the cardamom and pumpkin spice. Add the sugar, mix it well with your hands. Shape into lime sized balls. If the mixture doesn’t hold well, add a little more ghee and shape into lime sized balls and keep aside. Decorate with a raisin pressed lightly on top, if you want.
Notes
Sue says
These look really tasty and I love the addition of the pumpkin spice. I have the UK Mixed Spice but I think this will work just as well. Thanks for posting and all the very best for Diwali in advance! Sue
Manju says
Thank you Sue! The pumpkin spice was just a fun addition I tried and it worked. Go ahead and try this with your favorite spice mix, as long as it is something you would otherwise use for sweet dishes and do report back please ??