Ragi Ladoo Recipe | How to Make Healthy Nachni Laddu at Home
Today I am sharing one of my kids’ favourite Ragi Ladoo recipes. Ragi Ladoo is a healthy, nutritious and popular South Indian sweet. These Ragi (Finger Millet) Ladoos are rich in Iron and calcium. Ragi is high in protein, iron, calcium, and dietary fibre and has several health benefits when consumed regularly. It helps to regulate blood sugar levels and has a low glycemic index. These ladoos are soft, tasty, and melt-in-your-mouth sweet balls, snacks or desserts. These super-easy and delicious Nachni ladoos are made with finger millet(Ragi) flour, ghee, sugar, coconut, nuts, and cardamom. I always use fresh ragi flour and homemade ghee for great-tasting ragi ladoos.
Why You’ll Love This Ragi Ladoo Recipe
- ✔️ Made with 3 basic ingredients
- ✔️ No refined sugar – sweetened with jaggery
- ✔️ High in calcium, iron, and fiber
- ✔️ Perfect for kids and adults
- ✔️ Gluten-free & nourishing
Health benefits of Finger Millet:
Ragi (Finger Millet) is a traditional Indian super grain packed with essential nutrients. When combined with jaggery and ghee, it becomes a powerful and wholesome sweet that offers multiple health benefits:
🦴 Rich in Calcium
Ragi is one of the best non-dairy sources of calcium, which supports strong bones and teeth — especially beneficial for growing kids and aging adults.
💪 High in Iron
The natural iron in ragi and jaggery helps improve hemoglobin levels, making it an ideal sweet for those with anemia or fatigue.
🍽️ Aids Digestion
Ragi is rich in dietary fiber, which promotes better digestion and helps prevent constipation.
🔋 Energy Booster
Ghee and jaggery provide healthy fats and natural sugars, offering sustained energy without spikes or crashes.
🧘♀️ Supports Weight Management
Due to its high fiber content, ragi keeps you feeling full longer, which may reduce overeating and support weight loss goals.
🌾 Gluten-Free and Gut Friendly
Perfect for those with gluten intolerance, Ragi is naturally gluten-free and easy on the stomach.
👶 Ideal for Kids & Pregnant Women
The calcium and iron-rich profile of Ragi Ladoo makes it great for children’s growth and maternal nutrition during pregnancy.
What is Ragi Flour?
Ragi flour is also known as nachni or finger millet flour. Finger millet is a gluten-free whole grain, rich in protein, calcium, iron, vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Finger millet can help to support the digestive system an
d eliminate blood glucose spikes. It also helps maintain the health of your skin, blood, and organs.
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Essential Ingredients Ragi Ladoo Recipe
Ragi Flour: You can get this at any local Indian grocery store. Always use fresh ragi flour, free of rancid odour
Sweetener: You can use regular white sugar Powder brown sugar, coconut sugar, Palm Sugar, jaggery Powder etc.
Cardamom Powder: It gives an amazing aroma and flavour to the Ladoos. If you don’t have cardamom powder you can just pound the cardamom seeds inside the green cardamom pods and use them.
Nuts– You can use any nut of your choice like Peanuts, Almonds, pistachios, Chironji or cashews etc.
Ghee: For Roasting and binding the Ragi flour.
Coconut powder: It is optional.
How To Make a Perfect Instant Ragi Ladoo Recipe
Preparation
Lightly crush or chop the dry fruits as per your choice.
Method
Heat the ghee in a thick bottom pan over medium heat.
Add Ragi flour and roast the Ragi flour in a pan until it gives out a nice aroma.
Ragi has to be roasted nicely on low flame for at least 8-10 minutes to eliminate its raw smell. Do not keep the flame high, and then the ragi flour gets burnt.
Add dry fruit mixture to the roasted Ragi flour.
Mix well and Roast for 8-10 minutes over a low flame or till ghee starts to float over Ragi flour.
Turn off the gas heat and allow the mixture to cool down slightly.
Add Sugar powder and cardamom powder.
Mix well.
Shape the mixture into small round laddus.
You can roll the laddus over the desiccated coconut powder, or you can mix coconut powder into the ladoo mixture.
Ragi Ladoos are ready to serve.
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Suggestions& Tips for instent Ragi Ladoo Recipe
Storage: Ragi laddu can stay good for around one week at room temperature and 10-15 days refrigerated.
For Vegans: You can substitute ghee in the laddu with coconut oil.
Seeds: You can also add your favourite seeds like Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.
Sweetener: You can add any sweetener of your choice – powdered white sugar, jaggery or cane sugar.
Some Common Variations of The Traditional Ragi Ladoo Recipe
- Ragi and jaggery ladoo: For this variation, We need to mix melted jaggery with ragi flour to form the dough.
- Ragi and coconut ladoo: In this variation, coconut powder or flakes are added to the ragi and sweetener mixture.
- Nutty Ragi Ladoo: In this variation, grounded nuts of your choice are added to the ragi flour.
- Ragi, sesame ladoo: Roasted seeds are added to the ragi and jaggery mixture, providing a crunchy texture.
- Ragi and dry fruit ladoo: This variation uses a mixture of dried fruits like raisins, dates, and figs, along with ragi flour and sweetener, to create a sweet and nutritious ladoo.
- Ragi and chocolate ladoo: For this variation, melted chocolate is added to the ragi flour and sweetener mixture to create a chocolaty treat.
For more recipes from this blog, you might like please check:
Til ki Kheer
Ragi Semolina Halwa
Malai Ladoo
Kesar Peda
Mango Phirni
FAQs Related to Ragi Ladoo Recipe
Is Ragi gluten-free?
Yes, Ragi is gluten-free.
Are Ragi Ladoos good for kids?
Absolutely! Ragi is rich in calcium and iron, making it great for growing children. Just ensure they don’t overconsume as it’s quite filling.
Is this recipe vegan?
Not by default, since it uses ghee. To make it vegan, replace ghee with coconut oil.
🥣 Storage Suggestions
Room Temperature: Store Ragi Ladoos in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7–10 days.
Cool & Dry Place: Keep them away from moisture and direct sunlight to maintain freshness.
Refrigeration: In warmer climates, you can refrigerate them to extend shelf life up to 2 weeks. Just bring to room temperature before serving for the best taste and texture.
Avoid Frequent Opening: Minimise air exposure by opening the container only when needed.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
- Tea-Time Snack: Enjoy these Ragi Ladoos with masala chai or herbal tea.
- Tiffin Box Treat: Pack 1–2 ladoos in your child’s lunchbox or your office dabba for a healthy sweet bite.
- Post-Meal Dessert: Serve as a guilt-free dessert after lunch or dinner.
- Festive Sweet: Offer them during festivals like Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, or Janmashtami as a nutritious prasad.
- Energy Booster: Ideal as a pre/post-workout snack thanks to their rich fibre and iron content.
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🧾Recipe Card- Ragi Ladoo Recipe
How to make Ragi Ladoo |Nachni Laddu Recipe
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed pan
- Mixing Bowl
- Spatula or wooden spoon
- Plate for shaping ladoos
Materials
- 1 cups Ragi nachni / Finger millet flour
- 1 tablespoon Nuts chopped(optional) As per choice
- 1/2 cup sugar powder or Jaggery Powder As per your choice
- 1/2 cup Ghee
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom optional
- 1/2 cup coconut powder optional
Instructions
- Lightly crush or chop the dry fruits as per your choice.
- Heat the ghee in a pan over medium heat.
- Add Ragi flour and roast the Ragi flour in a pan until it gives out a nice aroma.
- Add dry fruit mixture to the roasted Ragi flour.
- Mix well and cook for 5-8 minutes over a low flame or till ghee starts to float over Ragi flour.
- Turn off the gas heat and allow the mixture to cool down slightly.
- Add Sugar powder and cardamom powder.
- Mix well.
- Shape the mixture into small round laddu’s and serve.
Notes
- Use jaggery for a healthier alternative to sugar.
- Adjust sweetness as per taste.
- Ghee helps bind the ladoos but can be substituted with coconut oil for a vegan version.
- Add nuts for extra crunch and nutrition.
- Store ladoos in a cool, dry place.
- The mixture should be like forming ladoos. If it is too dry add more ghee.
You can store this ladoo for a week or even more in an air-tight container. - You can toss them in coconut powder.
Always store in an airtight container.
Final Thoughts
These three-ingredient Ragi Ladoos are a perfect blend of taste and nutrition—a guilt-free indulgence for both kids and adults. Whether trying to eat healthier, explore traditional Indian sweets, or simply enjoy a quick homemade treat, this Nachni Laddu recipe is a must-try!
If you try this recipe and love it, Don’t forget to share your feedback in the comments below
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delicious ladoo recipe and ragi, coconut and dry nuts is a very good combo for ladoos… I love this…