Making Sesame laddu, or ladoo, is an exciting event in my household. It’s an act of celebration, something I tend to reserve for special occasions. They are definitely well-loved!
Traditional Indian sweet balls, these laddu are phenomenally satisfying, tasty and wholesome treats, composed of only 3 ingredients ~ none of which is flour or sugar. And ~ no baking required. Woohoo!
Though they are typically made with jaggery, this recipe makes use of dates instead. In general, dates provide sweetness and a nourishing, grounding quality. As opposed to table sugar, they contain a host of minerals, and, when consumed moderately, don’t set us up for insulin resistance and chronic inflammation (yikes). Sesame seeds are high in calcium, among other minerals, and are a good source of protein.
I found this recipe online several years ago after enjoying my first sesame laddu at a celebration and completely falling in love. I haven’t been able to track down the original recipe to link to… you’ll find there are several out there, all with a pretty similar template.
Here’s the scoop.
1 c. sesame seeds (preferably un-hulled), plus
1/4 c. sesame seeds, for garnish
280 grams dates, pitted (a little over 300g with pits)
2 tsp. cardamom powder
Optional:
2 Tbsp. dried coconut flakes for garnish
1/4 c. cashews, coarsely ground
If using dried dates, 2 tsp. ghee or coconut oil is helpful for softening (see below for details)
Toast the 1 1/4 c. sesame seeds in a dry skillet, I use a big cast iron pan, on medium-low heat.
Shake the pan occasionally to gently mix the seeds around.
Turn off heat once you begin to smell the aroma of toasting sesame seeds, taking care not to burn. Usually 5+ minutes.
Reserve 1/4 c. for garnish, cool the remaining cup and grind in a seed grinder to a fine powder along with the cardamom. Take care not to over-grind and turn the seeds into tahini!
Remove the pits and caps from the dates if present. If using fresh dates, mash them directly with a fork in a medium bowl.
If using dried dates, I like to chop them up into smaller pieces and put in a saucepan with a few tsp. of ghee.
Cover and heat gently on low for ~ 5 minutes, stir once or twice. I use a mini cast-iron pan or saucepan for this step. This helps soften the dates so you can mash them more easily.
Whether using fresh or dry dates, you want to be able to mash the dates on their own, by hand, with a fork before the next step. The dried dates won’t be as “mashable” but softening them first helps considerably, and will still work deliciously. Fresh dates easily incorporate into a super sticky, relatively uniform paste. Mmmmm. 
If using coconut flakes, throw them in the same dry skillet you used for the sesame seeds and toast very lightly for a few minutes, set aside.
If using cashews, pulse a few times in the seed/ nut grinder. No need to create a full-on powder. Some pieces are fine.
Add the cashews, if using, to the sesame powder & cardamom mixture.
Add this mixture to the mashed dates and mix into a thick paste. I use a big fork to start and virtually always end up using my hands to finish it off. It’s a sticky mess but a necessary part of the process!
Once the sesame powder is well incorporated with the dates, pinch off small sections and roll into balls.
I go for a smallish golf-ball size ~ a few Tablespoons each.
Roll these in the sesame seeds/ coconut flakes you’ve set aside, and serve.
Particularly divine with a cup of chai…
Keeps in airtight container for 2-3 days… if they last!
Enjoy!!!
