These Kesar Badam Ladoo are one of the simplest festive sweets you can make. With just six ingredients and about 20 minutes, you can prepare a batch that’s easy to customize—vegan or refined sugar-free variations work well too.
Almond flour is a dependable base for Diwali sweets. It’s versatile, widely available, and saves the time of peeling and soaking whole almonds. For this recipe, store-bought fine almond flour is ideal and keeps the process quick and clean.
A couple of years ago I shared an almond-flour Badam Burfi that readers loved for its convenience. These ladoos follow the same idea but are even easier: minimal cooking and minimal fuss.
The name says it all: “Kesar” means saffron and “Badam” means almonds. These ladoos combine almond flour with saffron for a delicate aroma and beautiful golden hue.
Easy Ladoo With Almost No Cooking
The only cooking step here is lightly sautéing the almond flour in a little ghee. This short step—about 3 to 4 minutes—removes the raw aroma of the flour without browning it. That’s all the heat these ladoos need, which makes them quick and forgiving.
- Only 6 ingredients
- Ready in around 20 minutes
- Very little cooking involved
- Easily made vegan or refined sugar-free
- No sugar syrup and minimal prep work
Convinced yet? Here are the ingredients and method so you can make them at home.
Ingredients
Only six ingredients are required for Kesar Badam Ladoo.
Almond flour: Use fine almond flour for a smooth texture. Almond meal is coarser and contains skins; it will work but won’t give as silky a result.
Powdered sugar: Also called icing or confectioners’ sugar, it blends seamlessly with almond flour. If you prefer, powdered jaggery can replace it for a refined-sugar-free version (see notes).
Ghee: A little ghee adds flavor and helps roast the flour. For a vegan version, replace with coconut oil.
Milk: Used to infuse saffron and to bind the mixture. Any milk—dairy or plant-based—works.
Flavorings: Saffron and cardamom give the classic aroma; rose water can be used as an alternative or addition.
Step by Step Instructions
Begin by preparing saffron milk. Warm 1 tablespoon of milk in a small pan—just until warm, not boiling. Remove from heat, crush a few saffron strands between your palms, add them to the warm milk, and let sit for about 5 minutes to release color and flavor.
1. Heat 1 teaspoon ghee in a pan over medium heat. Add the almond flour and stir continuously for 3 to 4 minutes until fragrant. Do not brown it—just remove the raw smell. Remove the pan from the heat.
2. Transfer the roasted almond flour to a blender or food processor.
3. Add powdered sugar and the saffron-infused milk to the blender.
4. Add 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder and 1 tablespoon ghee. Blend until the mixture is uniform. A high-speed blender, food processor, or even mixing by hand will work.
5. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Test whether it binds when pressed between your palms. If it feels too dry, add the remaining 1 tablespoon milk to help it come together; adjust amount as needed depending on your almond flour.
6. Mix thoroughly with your hands, then shape the mixture into small portions. Press and roll each into a smooth round ladoo.
Make all the ladoos the same way and place them in an airtight container.
Storage
Store the ladoos in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They will keep at room temperature for about a day.
Vegan Variation
To make these ladoos vegan:
- Replace ghee with coconut oil.
- Use non-dairy milk instead of dairy milk.
These simple swaps keep the flavor and texture while making the recipe dairy-free.
Refined-Sugar Free Option
To avoid refined sugar, replace powdered sugar with an equal amount of powdered jaggery. Note that jaggery will darken the color to brown instead of the bright saffron yellow, but the flavor remains delicious.
Adding Nuts
For added texture, fold in finely chopped cashews or almonds. Pulse them in a food processor so they’re finely chopped, then mix into the dough before shaping the ladoos.
Tips & Notes
- Use fine almond flour for a smoother texture. Coarser almond meal will yield a grainier ladoo.
- Swap powdered sugar for powdered jaggery to make these refined-sugar-free; expect a darker color if you do.
- Adjust sweetness to taste—the recipe makes lightly sweet ladoos.
- Yield: about 10–12 ladoos, depending on size; smaller ladoos will increase the count.
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Kesar Badam Ladoo (with Almond Flour)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon milk, 30 ml, divided, use non-dairy milk for vegan version
- pinch saffron strands
- 1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon ghee, melted, divided, use coconut oil for vegan version
- 2 cups almond flour, 200 grams, use fine almond flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 60 grams, adjust to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
Instructions
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Make saffron milk: warm 1 tablespoon milk, add crushed saffron, and rest 5 minutes.
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Heat 1 teaspoon ghee, add almond flour and cook while stirring for 3–4 minutes until fragrant. Do not brown. Remove from heat.
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Combine roasted almond flour, powdered sugar, and saffron milk in a blender or food processor.
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Add 1/2 teaspoon cardamom and 1 tablespoon ghee. Blend until uniform, then transfer to a bowl.
If the mixture doesn’t bind, add the remaining 1 tablespoon milk and mix well.
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Shape into small portions, press, and roll into smooth ladoos. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Use fine almond flour for a smooth texture; almond meal is coarser and includes skins.
- Swap powdered sugar with powdered jaggery to make the recipe refined-sugar-free; the color will darken.
- Adjust sweetness to your preference; the recipe is lightly sweet.
- Yield: about 10–12 ladoos, depending on size.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.