12 Types of Diwali Laddoos

Prashant Dhingra

Laddoos are the easiest Diwali sweet to make and share: besan, motichoor and boondi ladoos are the classics, rava and coconut the quick ones.

By Prashant Dhingra

See all 12 sweets Keeping guide

Chart titled 12 Types of Diwali Laddoos, showing Besan Ladoo, Motichoor Ladoo, Boondi Ladoo, Rava / Suji Ladoo, Coconut / Nariyal Ladoo, Atta Ladoo, Dry Fruit Ladoo, Gond Ladoo, Til-Gud Ladoo, Peanut Ladoo, Rajgira Ladoo, Makhana Ladoo

In short

Laddoos are the easiest Diwali sweet to make and share: besan, motichoor and boondi ladoos are the classics, rava and coconut the quick ones. Atta, dry fruit, gond and til-gud ladoos are the nourishing winter versions, and peanut, rajgira and makhana ladoos suit fasting or lighter plates.

About laddoos

Almost every Indian region has its own laddoo, and most can be shaped from a warm mixture with greased palms in minutes. Ladoos made with ghee and roasted flour keep for weeks; those with fresh coconut or khoya need refrigeration.

The 12 sweets

What each one is, what it is made of, and how long it keeps.

01 of 12
Besan Ladoo
LadooKeeps 2+ weeks
Gram flour roasted slowly in ghee until golden and nutty, mixed with powdered sugar.

Made with: Gram flour, ghee, powdered sugar, cardamom
02 of 12
Motichoor Ladoo
LadooKeeps about a week
Made from very fine boondi soaked in syrup; soft and moist, often orange and studded with melon seeds.

Made with: Fine gram-flour boondi, sugar syrup, melon seeds
03 of 12
Boondi Ladoo
LadooKeeps about a week
Larger, crisper boondi bound with syrup; the temple prasad laddoo.

Made with: Gram-flour boondi, sugar syrup, cardamom
04 of 12
Rava / Suji Ladoo
LadooKeeps about a week
Roasted semolina with coconut and sugar; quick to make.

Made with: Semolina, coconut, sugar, ghee
05 of 12
Coconut / Nariyal Ladoo
LadooRefrigerate, 2 to 4 days
Coconut cooked with condensed milk or sugar and rolled in desiccated coconut.

Made with: Coconut, condensed milk or sugar
06 of 12
Atta Ladoo
LadooKeeps 2+ weeks
Whole wheat flour roasted in ghee with jaggery; a wholesome winter laddoo.

Made with: Whole wheat flour, ghee, jaggery or sugar, nuts
07 of 12
Dry Fruit Ladoo
LadooKeeps 2+ weeks
Dates and nuts pressed together with no added sugar.

Made with: Dates, figs, almonds, cashews, pistachios
08 of 12
Gond Ladoo
LadooKeeps 2+ weeks
Made with fried edible gum, wheat flour and ghee; traditionally given in winter and to new mothers for strength.

Made with: Edible gum, wheat flour, ghee, jaggery, nuts
09 of 12
Til-Gud Ladoo
LadooKeeps 2+ weeks
Roasted sesame bound with jaggery syrup; also the Makar Sankranti sweet.

Made with: Sesame seeds, jaggery
10 of 12
Peanut Ladoo
LadooKeeps 2+ weeks
Roasted peanuts with jaggery; crunchy, cheap and quick.

Made with: Roasted peanuts, jaggery
11 of 12
Rajgira Ladoo
LadooKeeps 2+ weeks
Puffed amaranth bound with jaggery; light and fasting-friendly.

Made with: Puffed amaranth, jaggery
12 of 12
Makhana Ladoo
LadooKeeps about a week
Roasted, crushed fox nuts with ghee and jaggery; a lighter, modern laddoo.

Made with: Fox nuts, ghee, jaggery or sugar, nuts

At a glance: type and keeping time

Make the long-keeping sweets first and the milk-based ones last. Keeping times are typical for homemade sweets in an airtight container in a cool kitchen; shop-bought sweets may differ.

Sweet	Type	Keeps
Besan Ladoo	Ladoo	Keeps 2+ weeks
Motichoor Ladoo	Ladoo	Keeps about a week
Boondi Ladoo	Ladoo	Keeps about a week
Rava / Suji Ladoo	Ladoo	Keeps about a week
Coconut / Nariyal Ladoo	Ladoo	Refrigerate, 2 to 4 days
Atta Ladoo	Ladoo	Keeps 2+ weeks
Dry Fruit Ladoo	Ladoo	Keeps 2+ weeks
Gond Ladoo	Ladoo	Keeps 2+ weeks
Til-Gud Ladoo	Ladoo	Keeps 2+ weeks
Peanut Ladoo	Ladoo	Keeps 2+ weeks
Rajgira Ladoo	Ladoo	Keeps 2+ weeks
Makhana Ladoo	Ladoo	Keeps about a week

Related sweets in other states

Til-Gud Ladoo: winter sweets of sesame bound with jaggery. Related: Gajak (Rajasthan), Tilkut (Bihar).

Frequently asked questions

What are the most popular Diwali laddoos?

Laddoos are the easiest Diwali sweet to make and share: besan, motichoor and boondi ladoos are the classics, rava and coconut the quick ones. Atta, dry fruit, gond and til-gud ladoos are the nourishing winter versions, and peanut, rajgira and makhana ladoos suit fasting or lighter plates.

Which Diwali laddoos keep longest for gifting?

Besan Ladoo, Atta Ladoo, Dry Fruit Ladoo, Gond Ladoo, Til-Gud Ladoo, Peanut Ladoo and Rajgira Ladoo keep for two weeks or more in an airtight container, so they can be made first and are the safest to gift or courier.

Which Diwali laddoos need to be made last or refrigerated?

Coconut / Nariyal Ladoo are milk-, chhena-, curd- or fresh-coconut based or best served warm. Make them a day or two ahead at most, refrigerate, and serve within a few days.