Jaggery Gond Laddu Healthy Winter Ladoo Carve Your Craving

The quintessential Gond laddus.

When cold weather sets in, many homes all over India make Gond ke laddu. It is a winter special healthy dessert to enjoy all season long. Every home has its own version of laddus and so does mine. In Northern India, Pinni ladoos are very popular and are made with whole wheat flour. Being a Rajasthani, we make Urad dal laddus. These are gluten-free as well. My mom-in-law makes these immune boosters Urad dal laddus every year and sends them here in the United States. Now that she is visiting us, how could I miss a chance to learn this recipe from her?

A healthy and better version.

However, instead of just using Urad dal I swapped some for oat and quinoa to increase the nutritional value of the overall laddus. My mom-in-law makes the laddus by adding sugar. I substituted it with jaggery and she was super impressed with the taste. Hope you like this healthy hearty version and try them soon.

Ingredients to make winter laddus.

Gond – This is the main ingredient to make these laddus. Gond is a magical ingredient that is an edible gum from the Acacia plant. It is also known as gondh, dink, goond, gaund, Indian gum, gum Arabic, Acacia gum, or Babool gum. They are tiny clear crystal-like pieces that have no flavor or taste. Gond has a high nutritional value and impressive benefits. It is an ingredient that is widely consumed all over India, especially during winter. Don’t confuse it with gond katira. It is good but has cooling properties that is not recommended in cold weather. Gond Katira won’t work to make these laddus.

What are the benefits of Gond?

The main benefit to consume gond during winter is that it keeps you warm from the inside out. Gond is very effective to prevent cold, and Flu hence consumed throughout the winters. Gond heals sore throat and stomach inflammation as well. It has anti-aging properties and is great for overall skin health. Gond is dietary fiber and makes you feel full. Hence it aids in weight loss. It even reduces cholesterol and promotes good digestion.

You can read more about its benefits here. Ghee – I use Organic desi Cow ghee to make these gond laddus. Ghee is filled with healthy fats and is known to strengthen the immune system. It also promotes good digestion and keeps you warm from the inside. Ghee is anti-inflammatory as well. Urad dal flour – Urad Dal contains a high amount of calcium, iron, and, magnesium. This lentil is excellent for maintaining good bone health. Urad dal has been proven effective to reduce joint and muscle pain. It is a great energy booster and helps digestion. I am using Urad dal in flour form to make these laddus. Organic Quinoa flour – This flour is easily available in all departmental grocery stores. Quinoa is known as a great superfood with high protein and nutritional value. It is gluten-free as well. Oat flour – It is nothing but ground oats in a blender. Oats are full of fiber and essential nutrients. Dried Ginger – Benefits of ginger are known all over the world. Dried ginger also known as saunth in Hindi, helps accelerate digestion and aids weight loss. It also keeps you warm from the inside which is much needed in this cold weather. Ginger is filled with anti-inflammatory properties and helps the body combat cough and cold. Ginger has been proven to reduce cholesterol and blood sugar as well. Dried coconut – I have grated pieces of dried coconut. You can use desiccated coconut instead. Desiccated or dried coconut is an ideal source of healthy fat that contains no cholesterol and contains selenium, fiber, copper, and manganese. Read more here. It strengthens your connective tissues. Your skin, ligaments, and bones. It also prevents anemia and lowers your blood cholesterol levels. Flavoring – I have used nutmeg and cardamom to flavor the laddus. These aid digestion. If you like a little kick in your laddus, do add some black pepper. it is filled with antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. It also aids to lower cholesterol levels. Almonds – I have pulsed almonds a couple of times in my blender to make a coarse powder. Jaggery – Instead of adding sugar, I bind these ladoos with desi pure dark gud. Jaggery is rich in iron and a better option than refined sugar.

Very important tip!

Use Indian gond i.e gond from Acacia plant. DO NOT confuse it with Gond Katira or Tragacanth Gum. Gond Katira has cooling properties which are excellent for consumption during summer.

Possible substitutes

You can swap oats and quinoa flour with an equal amount of urad dal flour. You can add 3 tablespoons of roasted sesame seeds (til), and poppy seeds (khuskhus) to the mix. Swap quinoa or oat flour with roasted crushed makhanas. Substitute dal with whole wheat flour to make attar laddus.

Shelf life and storage tips.

These laddus will stay well in cold weather at room temperature for 2 months. Store them in airtight containers For maximum freshness, divide the quantities into 3-4 small containers. Finish one off and then open the next one.

Make ahead-of-time tips.

You can process or grate the coconut and nuts days ahead of time. Chop the jaggery into small pieces in advance and store them in a container. Ground oats to make oat flour well in advance too.

Best time to eat gond laddu.

I prefer eating one every day for breakfast. I mean why not! It keeps me full for a longer time. And such an easy breakfast throughout the winter. Swap your sweet cravings with a couple of bites of these healthy laddus. You can eat it as a mid-day snack too. Make sure to drink lots of water whenever you eat gond.

Who can consume Gond laddus?

The beauty of these homemade laddus is that kids and adults can enjoy them equally. If you don’t have any dietary restrictions, I recommend you consume one laddu a day throughout the cold and flu season. These laddus are very beneficial for new mothers just after delivery. It helps to strengthen their bones and helps to heal internally. KEEP IN TOUCH – Are we friends yet? Let’s connect on Facebook| Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter. Never miss a recipe. Please subscribe to my blog. It is free! Check out easy recipe videos on my YouTube channel now! Pin this photo for future reference.