Date and Nut Ladoo
This recipe is for Date and Nut Ladoo, or Candy as we call them at home. For my grand kids they are like candy and they love it. Adapted from my friend Renu’s recipe, when I tried this ladoo for the first time, I said WOW. I could not believe the main ingredient was only dates. That surprised me because I am not very fond of dates. This was the first time I have tasted date ladoos flavored with coco powder. This is a quick and easy recipe. Like me if you are using roasted nuts then there is a little or no cooking involved? This is a guilt free healthy snack (no sugar or butter added). Date ladoos are also vegan and gluten free. It's hard to eat just one!
Ingredients
- 1 cup dates pitted and chopped (khajoor)
- 1-1/2 cups mixed nuts roasted and roughly chopped, I am using almonds, pistachios, cashews, and pecans
- 2 tablespoons coco powder
- 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon oil to oil your palms
Instructions
- Soften the chopped dates in microwave for 30 seconds.
- Blend the dates in the food processor until they become to the paste, this should take about 10 seconds, add coffee, coco, and salt blend it again until all the ingredients nicely incorporated about 10 seconds. Add the nuts to the food processor and blend it for about 15 seconds. Nuts should be still chunky.
- Remove from food processor, oil your palm and knead the mix into dough, and divide them into 18 equal parts and roll them into ladoos.
- Dates and nuts ladoos can be stored in air tight container for a month or more.
Notes
Notes: if you do not have roasted nuts dry roast them individually for about 3 minutes on medium heat and use your choice of nuts.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Tripti Goel
April 19, 2019 at 11:58 amvery nice recipe and looking tasty.
Kalpana
February 3, 2017 at 5:08 amHi Manjulaji …thank you for this easy and taste ful recepie….we all enjoyed
Anne M
November 6, 2016 at 9:30 pmThank you for this wonderful, easy Ladoo recipe. Even those who don’t like dates in my family loved this recipe. It’s so simple, fast to make and very yummy. I appreciate your videos and your very clear instructions with precise measures.
Sylwia
October 27, 2016 at 4:20 amThank you so much for so many good recipes. Can you please tell me do you use oil/ghee to roast nuts or you roast them on dry pan?
Manjula Jain
October 27, 2016 at 9:58 amSylwia, Thank you for compliment. I dry roast the nuts don’t need oil or ghee.
Diksha Tolani
October 25, 2016 at 12:52 amHi Manjula Aunty,
Can we make this recipe using dried dates?
Since I’m not much of a dessert specialist, how would we pick the right kind of fresh dates for the recipe in case dried dates won’t work for the recipe?
Appreciate any advice you give me as I’d like to make these for my family and work colleagues 🙂
Shikha jain
October 14, 2016 at 8:54 amHi Manjula Aunty
Its always difficult to find good recipe without onion garlic but your site helps us this way !! Thanks a lot for sharing these.
One thing that I cant stop myself mentioning that u resemble my mom a lot ….specially the time when you give cooking instruction….this is another reason why ur recipes always brings more taste for me .
Thanks
Manjula Jain
October 14, 2016 at 12:05 pmShikha, thank the best compliment
Valerie
September 21, 2016 at 8:13 amManjula, dear. Do you think that dried figs could be substituted for the dates? Thank you for all your wonderful recipes.
Humaira
September 22, 2016 at 4:53 amFigs especially dried figs should not be taken more than one and half in a day because it is hot in nature and can cause different complications in digestion, so better to avoid in large quantity.
Manjula Jain
September 23, 2016 at 12:52 pmHumaria, good information but this recipe do not use any fig
Ashwani
January 3, 2016 at 4:40 amDear Auntie,
Thanks so much for putting such delicious vegan recipes on your website also. I was so lucky to grow up eating your food! I have for past few years given up eggs, meat, cheese/dairy, etc. and love cooking delicious vegan foods at home. Even though my kids and wife are not vegan, they still enjoy many of my vegan dishes. We at least stopped buying eggs and milk so I make plenty of tofu scramble / cheela omelette instead of eggs. I love to cook/experiment in the kitchen and “veganize” old recipes.
For this recipe, I want to try it using carob powder. Amita bought some and I tasted it last time when I visited. It has a very pleasant sweet flavor, almost reminds me of chocolate but I think it would do well in your recipe for those wanting to avoid cocoa or coffee.
Manjula Jain
January 4, 2016 at 10:02 amAshwani, It is so good to hear from you, I just read about carob powder, this should work I will also experiment
Parul Rana
May 7, 2016 at 10:41 pmAshwini, You may use carob powder as cocoa powder replacer. I have used carob powder so many times as cocoa powder replacer. It goes well in cakes as well. The amount is same as cocoa powder.
Jaswant
May 24, 2020 at 7:23 amWhat is carob powder and where can you get it
Reni
September 20, 2015 at 12:30 pmHello Manjulaji,
i have bought Date Paste from Orient Store.
Can i use these for this recipe too?
Manjula Jain
September 21, 2015 at 5:22 pmReni, that will be very sticky
Swechha
August 23, 2015 at 1:20 amMam…can we soften the khajur without microwave? How?
Manjula Jain
August 23, 2015 at 11:19 amSwecha, soften them over steam
Kirti
August 7, 2015 at 6:56 pmThanks manjulaji.I tried this recipe .it’s very nice and healthy as well. You are amazing.
Poonam
August 7, 2015 at 6:40 pmWhat a awesome receipe! Love you cooking Manjula Jain!
Mila
August 7, 2015 at 5:00 pmDear Manjulaji,
What is the coffee meant for? Is it absolutely neaded for the taste? Or can it be substituted with something else? I would like to make caffeine-free ladddoos
Manjula Jain
August 8, 2015 at 7:16 amMila, coffee just for flavor, just do without
Piyush
August 7, 2015 at 1:20 pmVery good recipes Manjula Ji. Dates and nuts laddu are very simple and very-very healthy. Thank you.
Piyush
August 7, 2015 at 1:14 pmBahut. Simple and healthy. As one my sis told to use it Prasaad. Fantastic.
Arati
August 7, 2015 at 10:32 amManjulaji, can we do it without cocoa & coffee powder incase giving to kids
Manjula Jain
August 9, 2015 at 11:25 pmArati, yes you can do without
dolly
August 7, 2015 at 9:23 amVery nice and simple recipe. Thanks manju aunty.
Ghanshyam Trivedi
August 7, 2015 at 8:06 amHi Manjuji
Its very good recipe and I’ll try to make this one .
Its my hobby to cook many Gujarati sweet at my home.
Is this sweet okay for fast? (Upvas)
Anam
June 29, 2015 at 3:07 pmHi manjula aunty. Can we make the recipe without coco powder?if yes, any substitute for it or it can be ok without it? Thank you
Manjula Jain
June 29, 2015 at 11:47 pmAnam, do without coco powder there is no substitute
Zeenie
April 1, 2015 at 8:17 pmHello Manjulaji
The coco powder in the receipe is sweetened or unsweetened ?
Manjula Jain
April 14, 2015 at 5:39 pmZeenie, unsweetened
kamla masalawalla
March 15, 2015 at 1:57 pmthis recipe would be ideal to take for PRASAD at religious ceremonies.so quick and easy to make.
i have done so
thank you Manjulaji for a great recipe.
Lori
March 15, 2015 at 11:41 amCan you make these into more of a square?
Manjula Jain
March 16, 2015 at 9:59 pmyea Lori, you can do that too.