Churma Ladoo Recipe (Gujarati Diwali Sweet with Wheat Flour and Jaggery)

Churma ladoo is a Gujarati festival sweet made from crumbled wheat flour muthia, ghee and jaggery. It is rich, slightly grainy and fragrant with cardamom, and it is a Diwali and Ganesh Chaturthi favourite in Kathiyawadi homes. This recipe shows the classic method step by step, with tips so the ladoos bind well and stay soft.

Plate of golden churma ladoo Gujarati Diwali sweet with almonds and pistachios

Time: about 1 hour | Makes: 12 to 14 ladoos | Keeps: about 2 weeks in an airtight box

Ingredients for churma ladoo

  • 2 cups coarse whole wheat flour (or regular atta)
  • 3 tablespoons ghee for the dough
  • Water, to knead a firm dough
  • Ghee or oil for frying the muthia
  • 3/4 cup jaggery, grated or powdered
  • 1/2 cup ghee, warm, for roasting and binding
  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped almonds and pistachios
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (khus khus), optional

How to make churma ladoo, step by step

  1. Make the dough. Rub 3 tablespoons ghee into the flour until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add water a little at a time and knead a firm, stiff dough. Rest it for 15 minutes.
  2. Shape the muthia. Divide the dough and press into thick, short rolls, about the size of your finger.
  3. Fry on low heat. Fry the muthia in ghee or oil on low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, turning often, until deep golden and cooked through. Drain and cool completely.
  4. Make the churma. Break the cooled muthia and grind them in a mixer to a coarse crumb. Sieve if you like, and regrind the large pieces.
  5. Roast. In a pan, roast the churma on low heat for 3 to 4 minutes with a spoon of ghee. Switch off the heat and let it cool until just warm.
  6. Mix in the jaggery. Add the powdered jaggery, cardamom, nutmeg, nuts and poppy seeds. Pour in the warm ghee a little at a time and mix well.
  7. Shape. While the mixture is still warm, press and roll into ladoos. If it will not bind, add a spoon more warm ghee.
Bowl of churma mixture with ghee and jaggery next to shaped churma ladoos

Tips for soft churma ladoo

  • Let the churma cool before adding jaggery. If it is too hot, the jaggery melts and the ladoos turn hard once set.
  • Powder the jaggery fine so it mixes evenly.
  • Add ghee slowly. The mixture should bind when pressed in your palm but not feel oily.
  • Fry the muthia on low heat so they cook through without darkening.

More Gujarati Diwali sweets

FAQ

Why are my churma ladoo not binding? The mixture needs more warm ghee. Add a spoon at a time and press again. Also check that the churma is not too coarse.

Can I use sugar instead of jaggery? Yes. Use powdered sugar in the same amount, though jaggery gives the traditional deeper flavour.

Can I bake the muthia instead of frying? You can bake them until golden and crisp, but frying in ghee gives the classic taste.

How long do churma ladoo last? About 2 weeks in an airtight box at room temperature.

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