Coconut Almond Ladoo is an easy Indian sweet that can be made for any festival. Made with 3 main ingredients - almond flour, desiccated coconut and sweetened condensed milk, these ladoo's are quick dessert that can be prepared in just 20 minutes.
In the past, I used to make coconut ladoo's, also called nariyal ladoo with condensed milk, which are perfect sweet snowy balls. But I wanted to make them a bit healthier, so decided to add almond flour to them.
Well, another reason was I also got a large bag of almond flour from Costco, and was looking for multiple ways to add it to Indian sweets. And this one was perfect, just as my chocolate ladoo, as it certainly reduces the guilt of enjoying the sweets during festivals.
It is always interesting to find similarities between foods made in different countries. These coconut ladoo's are very similar the coconut fudge balls called Beijinho de Coco or Brigadeiros popular in Brazil. Some people also call these Brazilian coconut kisses.
If you are new to making indian sweets (mithai) at home, these coconut ladoo's are a great recipe to get started with.
These Coconut Almond Ladoo's are a super easy sweet made with just 3 main ingredients and comes together in just 20 minutes. So they are perfect to make for Diwali, Navratri or Ganesh Chaturthi celebration.
Ingredients
Desiccated Coconut - I used store-bought desiccated coconut (fine variety). It's easily available in Indian grocery stores. We add this when making the ladoo and also for the final touch to roll the balls.
Almond Flour - This will help hold the balls together, and also makes these ladoo's healthier. I typically get a large bag of almond flour from Costco. If you don't have almond flour, you can grind whole almonds to a fine powder.
Sweetened Condensed Milk - This is the base of the ladoos, and what adds the sweetness to the dessert.
Cardamom Powder - This is powdered green cardamom. If you have whole green cardamom pods, you can grind them using a spice grinder.
Ghee - I prefer to use homemade ghee when making sweets. Store bought ghee works just as great.
How to make Coconut Almond Flour Ladoo?
- Heat a pan on medium-low flame, and add desiccated coconut and almond flour. Roast for 2-3 minutes on low heat until you get a nutty aroma. We don't want the ingredients to change color much.
- Add the condensed milk and mix it well with the almond and coconut mixture. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes while stirring continuously until it comes together.
- Now add the cardamom powder and mix again.
- The mixture should be thick such that you can roll in your hands.
- Take the pan off the flame and let the mixture cool for 3-4 minutes. We want the mixture to be warm at a temperature you can take in your hand.
- In another plate, take some desiccated coconut to roll the ladoos.
- Grease your hands with ghee or oil. Take a small amount of mixture in your hands and roll it like a ball using both hands. Roll the ball over the desiccated coconut kept aside for rolling.
- Keep them at room temperature for about an hour and enjoy!
Pro-Tips
Coconut: I used desiccated coconut in this recipe. If you would like to use fresh shredded coconut, then roast it in ghee for 4-5 minutes to remove the moisture. Then follow the rest of the steps.
Cooking the mixture: Cook the almond flour, coconut and the mixture on low flame while stirring continuously as otherwise it can burn.
Binding the ladoo: In case the mixture gets dry, and you are unable to bind the ladoo's, then add 1-2 tablespoons of milk to form the dough. Then make the ladoo.
Nuts: You can also add finely chopped roasted nuts to the ladoo if you prefer. Or garnish with an almond on top after making the ladoo.
Storing ladoo: These ladoo's will store well in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
If you like this recipe, check out other desserts:
Coconut Almond Ladoo
Ingredients
- 1 cup Desiccated Coconut dry shredded
- 1 cup Almond Flour
- ½ can Sweetened Condensed Milk (7 oz)
- ½ teaspoon Cardamom powder (Elaichi) optional
For Rolling:
- 2 tablespoon Desiccated Coconut for rolling
- 1 teaspoon Ghee for greasing hands
Instructions
- Heat a pan on medium-low flame, and add desiccated coconut and almond flour. Roast for 2-3 minutes on low heat until you get a nutty aroma.
- Add the condensed milk and mix it well with the almond and coconut mixture. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes while stirring continuously until it comes together.
- Now add the cardamom powder and mix again. The mixture should be thick such that you can roll in your hands.
- Take the pan off the flame and let the mixture cool for 3-4 minutes. We want the mixture to be warm at a temperature you can take in your hand.In another plate, take some desiccated coconut to roll the ladoos.
- Grease your hands with ghee or oil. Take a small amount of mixture in your hands and roll it like a ball using both hands. Roll the ball over the desiccated coconut kept aside for rolling.
- Keep them at room temperature for about an hour and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- These ladoo's will store well in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you are storing them in the refrigerator, then remove them 30 mins before serving.
- If you don't have Almond flour, grind almonds to make a fine powder.
- Coconut Ladoo variation: Skip almond flour and increase amount of desiccated coconut to 2 cups.
Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Lejla Spahic says
Hi Meeta, can this be made with coconut flour instead of almond flour?
Meeta Arora says
Hi Lejla - I have not tried with coconut flour, but I think it would work well. You can also just skip the almond flour and add some more desiccated coconut. Hope you enjoy them!
Ashman says
Simple and amazing. Many thanks. I added a bit of rosewater just at the final step. It added another layer of depth.
Supreetha says
Hi Meeta. What brand of desiccated coconut did you use for this recipe?
Meeta Arora says
Hi Supreeta - I used Udupi brand. Here is the aff link on Amazon so you can see how the pack looks - https://amzn.to/35TUFDN
Cate says
These little coconut balls are a great recipe the cardamom really takes them to another level. Thanks Arora.
Piping Pot Curry says
Hi Cate - So good to hear that. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Elaine says
Easy to make and delicious!!
Piping Pot Curry says
Hi Elaine - good to hear that you liked it and thank you for sharing!