Ladoo are small round sweets; versions differ in ingredients and texture. This coconut version is an approachable addition to a sweets plate. Our Diwali feature explains the Festival of Lights and the place shared sweets can have in welcoming friends and family.

Small coconut sweets with a soft, chewy center and a fine coconut coating. Sweetened condensed milk binds the mixture, while cardamom adds a gentle fragrance.

Recipe information

Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 8–10 minutes | Cooling: About 30 minutes | Total: About 55 minutes | Yield: About 18 small ladoo | Difficulty: Easy (2 of 5) | Cost: Low (2 of 5) | Region: Indian. Times and yield are approximate.

Ingredients

• 2 cups unsweetened fine desiccated coconut, about 160 grams
• 1 cup sweetened condensed milk, about 300 grams
• 1/4 teaspoon ground green cardamom
• 1/4 cup unsweetened fine desiccated coconut, about 20 grams, for coating

Instructions

1. Place the 2 cups coconut, condensed milk, and cardamom in a heavy saucepan. Stir over low to medium-low heat for 8–10 minutes, until the mixture thickens and gathers together when pushed with a spatula. Keep the mixture pale and moist rather than browned.
2. Spread on a plate and cool until warm enough to handle comfortably, about 15–20 minutes.
3. Divide into about 18 portions. Roll gently into small balls. If the mixture is too soft, let it cool a little longer before shaping.
4. Put the remaining coconut on a small plate and roll each ball in it. Let the ladoo cool completely before serving.

Cook’s notes

Use unsweetened fine desiccated coconut rather than sweetened long coconut shreds. These sweets contain milk and are egg-free, onion-free, and garlic-free. Check the condensed milk and coconut ingredient lists to suit your household’s lacto-vegetarian requirements; prepare with clean utensils kept free of meat and egg contact. This is a festival sweet, not a universal fasting recipe or a claim that ritual offering requirements have been met.