Learn how to make healthy and delicious dates and nuts ladoo in just 20 minutes with zero added sugar. Packed with nutrient-rich dry fruits, melon seeds and fragrant ghee, this easy energy ball recipe is perfect for Diwali and guilt-free festive snacking.
To start with this year’s Diwali recipes, here is an easy and simple, sugar-free Dates nuts laddu recipe. This recipe is similar to Dates and nuts roll I posted few years back. But its procedure is much easier than dates roll. I tried this with the leftover pack of dates. It tastes so good and flavorful too.
With a nice flavor of ghee and crunchy taste of nuts, this dates ladoo is sure a healthy choice for kids and adults with good calories. Use soft dates (Medjool dates) if you like soft ladoo or use regular, hard dates like Lion dates for slightly, chewy and hard ladoo. Its your choice finally.
Chopping the nuts is little time consuming otherwise this ladoo can be prepared in few minutes. If you want to ease this chopping job, you can grind coarsely and then roast it. Friends, do try this healthy, sugarless sweet for this Diwali and enjoy ! Lets see how to make dates and nuts ladoo with step by step pictures.
Check out my Dates and Nuts Roll Recipe.
Quick Notes for US & Abroad Kitchens
- Dates Selection: Medjool dates (available at Costco, Trader Joe’s and regular grocery stores) provide a naturally soft, fudgy texture without soaking. Pitted Deglet Noor dates also work well for a slightly firmer, chewy bite.
- Nut Variations & Prep: Pecans, walnuts or pumpkin seeds (pepitas) can be added or substituted. Pulsing whole nuts briefly in a food processor saves time compared to hand-chopping.
- No Added Sweetener: The natural caramel richness of the dates binds the mixture together seamlessly without needing any honey, maple syrup or refined sugar.
- Shelf Life & Storage: Keep the ladoos in an airtight glass container at room temperature for up to 10 days, or refrigerate for up to a month.
Dates and Nuts Ladoo Recipe (Sugar Free)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Seedless dates / approx. 15 nos (approx. 200g / 7 oz)
- ¼ cup Chopped cashew nuts (approx. 35g / 1.2 oz)
- ¼ cup Chopped almonds (approx. 35g / 1.2 oz)
- 2 tbsp Melon seeds (magaz)
- 1 tbsp Chopped pistachios (optional)
- 1 tbsp Poppy seeds / khus khus
- 1 tbsp Desiccated coconut (optional)
- 1 tbsp Ghee (approx. 15 ml / 0.5 fl oz + for greasing palms)
Instructions
- Wash the dates and chop roughly. Grind to a coarse paste in a mixie or food processor and set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a kadai. Roast the cashew nuts, almonds and melon seeds on low to medium flame. When they start to turn golden, add poppy seeds and desiccated coconut. Roast for a minute without burning.
- To this add the ground dates paste. Mix on medium flame till everything comes together as a whole mass. As the dates paste gets heated by the warm ghee, it becomes soft and easy to mix.
- Once everything comes together as a non-sticky mass, switch off the flame. Let it cool until comfortably warm. Grease your hands with ghee, pinch small portions and roll into smooth round ladoos. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Adjust the quantity of nuts as per your taste. I used 1/4 cup, you can use 1/2 cup too.
- Do not add sugar or honey. It is not necessary as dates provide natural sweetness.
- You can use soft dates (like Medjool) or regular dates. Medjool dates give soft ladoos while regular dates give chewy ladoos.
- Do not overcook the mixture after adding dates paste. Ladoo may become hard and chewy after cooling down. Just cook till it comes together as a mass.
- Greasing your hands with ghee helps to give a nice shine and aroma to the ladoos.
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Try this easy, yummy dates and nuts ladoo recipe and enjoy !
