Looking for a sweet that’s comforting, portable, and a little bit healthy?
Poha ladoo (aval ladoo) checks all the boxes. It’s mildly sweet, nutty, and has a lovely grainy texture that’s satisfyingly chewy — perfect for tiffin boxes, festival plates, or an after-school snack.
Poha ladoo is a classic Indian sweet made from flattened rice (poha/aval), jaggery, and roasted nuts.
It’s popular across households because it’s fast to make, uses pantry staples, and keeps well, which is why you’ll often find it during festivals, travel, or as prasadam. Unlike deep-fried sweets, this is lighter and often chosen for its simple, homey flavors.
Why you should make it
- Fast to prepare — most of the work is roasting and mixing.
- Nutritionally balanced — combines complex carbs (poha), protein (peanuts, roasted chana), healthy fats (ghee, coconut), and unrefined sugar (jaggery).
- Kid-friendly & portable — great for lunchboxes, travel, or gifting.
- No special equipment — just a pan, mixer and your hands.
Ingredients breakdown — what each one brings
- Poha (flattened rice) — light, airy base; when roasted, it gives a pleasant grainy texture that absorbs jaggery syrup without becoming soggy.
- Peanuts — nutty flavor and protein; provide crunch and body.
- Roasted chana dal — adds a dry, rava-like texture and extra protein (keeps ladoos from feeling greasy).
- Jaggery — deep caramel sweetness and trace minerals; it binds the mix when turned into syrup.
- Ghee — richness, mouthfeel, and helps the ladoo hold its shape.
- Grated coconut — moistness and chew; balances the dry grains.
- Cashews & raisins — optional luxury: cashews add creaminess, raisins add bursts of sweetness.
- Cardamom powder — floral lift that makes the sweet smell irresistible.
Vegan Swap 🌿: Skip ghee and use coconut oil or vegan butter. The flavor shifts slightly, but the binding and mouthfeel remain excellent.
How it all comes together
First, you toast the dry ingredients so the aroma pops: a quick roast of peanuts, roasted chana and poha until they’re warm and slightly aromatic. Grind these into a coarse, rava-like crumb — not a powder, you want texture.
Meanwhile, melt the jaggery into a light syrup and strain it so no impurities interfere with binding. Return the syrup to low heat with grated coconut and a splash of ghee; when it thickens just enough to coat the back of a spoon, take it off the flame.
Mix the syrup with the coarsely ground poha mix, fold in toasted cashews and plump raisins, add cardamom, and let the mixture cool just slightly. With greased palms, roll into firm balls — that warm-hand shaping is what gives the ladoos their homely gloss and compact shape.
Pro Tip 💡: If your jaggery has impurities, dissolve it in a little water and strain before making the syrup. Cleaner syrup = smoother, shinier ladoos.
What goes along with it
- A cup of masala chai or warm milk makes a classic pairing.
- For a festive platter, pair with dry fruit ladoos or sundal for contrast.
- Great as a quick energy bite during travel, hikes, or long workdays.
How to serve
Serve at room temperature on a plate or a banana leaf. Warm ladoos are softer and more aromatic; cooled ones are firmer and easier to pack. Garnish with a sprinkle of grated coconut or a halved cashew on top for presentation.
Packing & storage
- Room temp: airtight container for 2–3 days.
- Refrigerate: up to 10–12 days (bring to room temp before serving for best texture).
- Freezing: not ideal — texture may change. If you must, freeze individually wrapped ladoos and thaw in the fridge overnight.
Party / Bulk-prep tips
- Batch the grind: roast and grind the dry mix in bulk and store in an airtight jar — it stays good for a week and speeds assembly.
- Double the syrup, half the shaping time: make a big jaggery-coconut syrup pot and mix in batches of the ground mix; shape right away in assembly-line fashion.
- Use molds (silicone or greased candy molds) if you’re making hundreds — they standardize size and save time.
Poha Ladoo
Description
These poha ladoos (aval laddu) are soft, mildly sweet little energy balls made with roasted poha, peanuts, roasted chana dal, jaggery, and coconut. They come together quickly with just a few pantry staples, no complicated steps, and no refined sugar. Lightly roasted nuts and raisins add crunch and sweetness, while cardamom gives a gentle aroma. Perfect for breakfast, as an after-meal treat, or a wholesome snack for kids and adults alike, these ladoos are both healthy and delicious.
Ingredients
Instructions
Prep Work
-
Roast peanuts, chana dal and poha
Roast peanuts for 2 minutes and add roasted gram and then add poha; roast together until fragrant and transfer to a plate to cool completely.
-
Temper cashews and raisins
Heat ghee, roast chopped cashews until golden and then roast raisins until they plump up; remove and set aside. -
Prepare jaggery syrup
Heat jaggery with water until it dissolves and boils; filter the syrup to remove impurities and keep aside. -
Grind mixture
Grind the cooled roasted peanuts, roasted gram and flattened rice into a granulated texture similar to rava and transfer to a bowl.
-
Combine and cook
In a pan, combine the jaggery syrup, grated coconut and ground mixture; add cardamom powder, roasted nuts and raisins and ghee, mix until it thickens.
-
Grease palms
Keep a small dish of ghee or oil to grease palms before shaping ladoos. -
Shape ladoos
Cool slightly and shape into ladoos by rolling small portions with greased palms.
-
Serve and store
Let ladoos cool fully; serve immediately or store in an airtight container.
Equipment
Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links, i.e., when you buy any product using the links below, we get commissions. but it doesn’t cost you anything extra. If you do purchase any product using the given links, we thank you in advance!
Nutrition Facts
Servings 10
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 184kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 8.5g14%
- Saturated Fat 4.3g22%
- Sodium 15mg1%
- Potassium 300mg9%
- Total Carbohydrate 25.7g9%
- Dietary Fiber 1.2g5%
- Sugars 16g
- Protein 2.5g5%
- Calcium 40 mg
- Iron 1.2 mg
- Magnesium 15 mg
- Zinc 0.6 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Poha Ladoo, Aval Ladoo, Indian sweet,
