My gym friend told me how to make healthy are ragi ladoo at home. As I want to include more finger millet in my diet as it is rich in calcium, I thought of making it too. It is an excellent pre-workout and post-workout snack.
I took the recipe from her who in turn had followed recipe from a popular Indian food website. I have followed more or less her recipe except a few changes. So, this is how you make ragi ladoo with jaggery at home.

How to make healthy ragi ladoos at home?
Ingredients for ragi ladoos. The best part is all these ingredients you can easily get at your local provision store.
- 2 cups finger millet (ragi/nachni) flour
- 1 cup skinless, saltless peanuts (it’s called mauli shing)
- 1 cup sesame seeds
- 1 cup dessciated dry coconut
- 1 tbsp cardamom seed powder
- 2 cup desi jaggery (cut into small pieces or grated)
- 1-2 tbsp ghee
- 3 cup water

Healthy Nachni Ragi Ladoo – Nutrition Facts
How to prepare ragi laddu with jaggery? Nachni laddu recipe
- In a thick bottom pan, add water. When it comes to a boil, put the gas flame to slow. Add jaggary and stir lightly once in a while.
- In a wok, roast dry coconut for 3 mins on light flame. Empty the contents on to a plate and place it under a fan to cool.
- Now, roast peanuts for 3 mins. Empty the contents onto another plate and leave it to cool down.
- Thirdly, roast sesame seeds for 3 mins. And take it onto a plate and let it cool down.
- Now, take millet flour and roast it for 5 mins. Allow it too cool.
- In a blender jar, add roasted coconut, peanut and sesame seeds. Blend in such a way that peanuts remain in chunks and not fine flour. I turn the mixer in the opposite way to get the result.
- Crush cardamom seeds into a fine powder.
- Now, mix the peanut-coconut-sesame seeds powder with millet flour and cardamom powder.
- Check if your jaggery mixture is ready by taking a little of it in a spoon and adding it to a bowl of water. If the jaggery dissolves, it is still not ready. Once it is ready, you will see that it starts thickening. After sometime, again add a few drops to a bowl of water, if it solidifies and when you fish the jaggery out of water, it rolls into a ball, it means your jaggery solution is ready.
- Turn off the gas.
- Now, add the flour mixture into the jaggery pan little by little all the while stirring it.
- Once you have poured all the flour mixture, mix it well.
- Now take some ghee in your palms and rub it.
- Take a little mixture in your hands and roll it into a ball. It will be hot, so take care. The rolling has to be done while the mixture is still hot, or it will not form into balls.
- Store it in air tight container. If it’s not too humid, you can keep it outside or else in the fridge it goes.
Tips to remember while making ragi laddus:
- Take little mixture only and make small balls, this way, you won’t feel very hot.
- You can replace peanut, coconut and sesame with grounded dry fruits.
- You can use a little water so that your palms don’t burn, but it will reduce the shelf life of the ragi ladoos.
- If you have a help at home, do engage her. It’s faster that way.
- If you don’t want to roll it into balls, you can even spread the mixture onto a plate. Let it set and then cut into diamond pieces in the form of barfi.
Now, I can understand rolling ladoos can be little time consuming not to mention boring. So, instead, you can make ragi barfi out of it. I made this the Sukhdi or gol papdi style.

How to make healthy nachni ragi barfi at home?
- Roast peanuts, dessicated coconut and sesame seeds separately.
- Now, in a pan, take ghee – 2 cups (yes, we need a lot), add nachni flour and roast it. Once the flour roasts, you will get a nice toasted smell.
- Add all the ingredients except jaggery and mix well.
- Turn off the gas (this is very important).
- Now, add grated or finely cut jaggery into the flour mixture and mix well.
- Grease a deep plate with ghee.
- Pour the flour contents with jaggery onto the plate.
- With a steel bowl, spread the mixture evenly – barfi should be 1 cm thick.
- Let it cool. Using a knife, cut into diamond shape.
- Store in airtight container.
This version of recipe consumes a lot of ghee, so this barfi is ideal for the winter season when your body can digest ghee well.
Hope you try these ragi laddus or nachni barfi at home and do let me know how they turned out.
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Varsh
Loved this recipe! These laddus are nutritious, easy to make and have no sugar. I’ll surely try this out.
mammaspeaks
Thank you Varsha! You will definitely like them!
Amarjeet Soniamadaan
Nice recipe. Thnx for sharing
mammaspeaks
Thank you Sonia 🙂
TheMomSagas
I am surely going to try this. Bookmarking it.
mammaspeaks
Thank you Charu! 🙂
Anmol Rawat
These look delicious! Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
mammaspeaks
Thank you Anmol! 🙂
Gleefulblogger
Thank you, Anshu for sharing the yummy and super healthy recipe. Will mark it for future to make yummy laddoos for daughter.
mammaspeaks
Thank you Dipika! Glad you liked it. Have updated the barfi recipe too, it’s easier than the ladoos.
Hema
The recipe looks fab. I would love to add ragi to my diet this way for sure. Thanks for explaining everything in detail
#MyFriendAlexa #zenithbuzzreads
mammaspeaks
Thanks Hema!! It’s a good way to include ragi to your diet! 🙂
sujatatawde
Hi Anshu , WE usually make Methi ladoos, and after reading your nutritious recipe , we will try this. With coconut , peanuts, sesame , and other dry fruits I am sure this Raagi ( we call it Nachni ) ladoos must be tasting better than other desserts . #MyFriendAlexa #SujatawdeReads
mammaspeaks
Hi Sujata, I had eaten methi ladoos during my 7th month of pregnancy, but didn’t take to them too well. Or maybe it was just the pregnancy thing but still can’t get the smell out of my head if you know what I mean. 😉 But I have soaked methi dana every morning. Please try these ladoos, I am sure you will like them.
tinacharya
I am not a good cook and not all interested in cooking things. However I love Ladoos and try to make them at home. Will try this too. Will let you know…how it turns out to be. 🙂
mammaspeaks
I am not a good cook either. But certain things like baking and old Indian recipes, I try and surprisingly they turn out well! 🙂
Paresh Godhwani
I love ladoos. All types of ladoos and one is never enough for me and these ladoos look yum. Send some here.
mammaspeaks
You stay in Mumbai right? Let’s do a Mumbai bloggers meet over potluck!! Will bring these ladoos for sure! 🙂
JayanthyGovindarajan (@JayanthyG)
Lovely recipe. I have loved making ragi ladoos for my little girl. I like this variation. I would try this for sure. Thanks Anshu!
mammaspeaks
Thanks Jayanthy! I would like to know your recipe too! Would like to make another variation of it! 🙂
alpanadeo
Incorporating these super food in daily food options needs recipes like this. Recently I had Millet Puri at one of my friends place. And now seeing your ladoo recipe. I will try these ladoo soon.
#MothersGurukulreads #MyFriendAlexa
mammaspeaks
I agree Alpana! I have switched to clean and homemade eating, and things like these help us in sustaining our lifestyle! 🙂
Varad
My grandma used to make these laddus. They are very tasty and also very healthy, especially for kids.
mammaspeaks
OH Wow!!! I am sure your grandma’s laddus would be more authentic too!
Ramya
That’s a healthy recipe. I will try. I am planning to do ragi dosa but never tried ragi laddoos.
mammaspeaks
Do let me know how it turned out, Ramya! Good luck!
Mayuri6
Thanks for sharing this recipe, Anshu. It has all my favorite ingredients in it and I will be able to satiate my sweet tooth and boost my health too. Lovely recipe and thanks for mentioning the calorie breakdown too.
mammaspeaks
Hey thanks Mayuri..anytime! Since I have made it, I have become a fan too, and will make again as soon as teh current batch gets over. 🙂
simi sp
cooking is on my fav top list , ty for the recipe
#MyFriendAlexa
# simireads
mammaspeaks
Oh Wow! I am not much of a cook, just like to cook simple and convenient recipes! 🙂
Mahak
I’ve always wanted to make ragi laddoos at home for my son but I was afraid they involve too much work. Your recipe does look simple enough. I will try and let you know how it goes!
mammaspeaks
It’s quite easy and doesn’t involve much work. All you need to do is keep the ingredients ready. We (my help and I) finished it in 30-35 mins.
Pooja Kawatra Gupta
Loved this recipe and I used to sprout and make ragi porridge/halwa for my kids.
mammaspeaks
Thank you Pooja. Never heard of ragi halwa, I guess you can make halwa with all sorts of flours and veggies. Would like to try your recipe of ragi halwa if you could share it please. 🙂
Disha
Raagi ladoos look like complete dose of health in one gulp.Thanks for sharing recipe. 🙂
mammaspeaks
Agree Disha, even after one ladoo, you will so full and good about yourself! It has carbs, protein, fiber, fat – a complete meal!
Rashmi
Sounds a yummy and healthy recipe! Loved the in detail description of the whole process of making it. Will try it for sure Anshu.
mammaspeaks
Thank you Rashmi! Hope you like it too! 🙂
Anagha Yatin
Ragi, coconut, peanut, sesame and jaggery..wow thats a great power packed, healthy mix! Thanks for sharing this recipe Anshu.
mammaspeaks
Welcome Anagha! It’s a Maharashtrian/Mangalorean recipe, I guess, as I know people from this belt eat nachni a lot, which is quite good by the way. 🙂
Lavanya
Wah re Anshu! I didn’t know you can make ladoos outta ragi! Will definitely give it a try!
mammaspeaks
Ha ha, Lavanya, even I am learning this every new day. I guess, if you are a good cook (which I am not) you can make anything out of anything. 😉
Lavanya
I am a cook out of necessity 🙂
Shilpa Gupte
Hey, nachni is my favourite! I use it prepare thalipeeth (if you have heard this dish) and rotis. And, now when I saw nachni ladoos, I was thrilled! I love these! But, the ones I have eaten had powdered sugar in it. I prefer jaggery over sugar any day, so I have pinned this post and am going to make these some day. So,a BIG thank you Anshu. My MIL used to make wheat flour wadi (the marathi word for barfi) using the exact same ingredients except peanuts. She used to add gum ( dink) have you heard of it? This recipe is so similar to that one.
I will surely make these some day.
mammaspeaks
Hey Shilpa. I have eaten thalipeeth at Swati Snacks at Tardeo, but didn’t realise it had nachni. Wow! We add gum/gaund/dink in laddoos during winter, but no peanuts in it, only black pepper, musk melon seeds, roasted wheat flour, crushed almonds, sometimes makhana (fox nuts and grated dried coconut) lots of ghee and jaggery. I would love to know this wadi recipe, Shilpa, if you don’t mind sharing. I am a big fan of homemade things, and with winter approaching, it would be a good thing to make at home!! 🙂
lifewithmypenguin
I add ragi in our diet as porridge. and this would be another way as snack. bookmarking this.
mammaspeaks
That’s interesting, Pragyna! I remember mixing roasted ragi flour in water and giving it to my daughter when she was 6 months old. Can you share your recipe of ragi porridge? Would be interesting to add it to my diet as well.
lifewithmypenguin
Sure. I was planning to write a post about it will share with you.
lifewithmypenguin
Hey Anshu, I posted my ragi porridge recipe https://lifewithmypenguin.wordpress.com/2018/09/21/ragi-porridge-for-babies-and-toddlers/ do check it out whenever you get time.
mammaspeaks
Sure Pragnya..hopping to your blog post now!
myteenytot
That’s an awesome recipe. Would love to try for my kids.
mammaspeaks
Do let me know once you try, Deepali! 🙂
Storyteller
I am going to try these ladoos for Ganesh Chaturthi, though I am on zero diet from past couple of months but these healthy ladoos I can easily have without feeling that I am cheating. he he he
mammaspeaks
He he..I eat one laddoo daily guilt free. Do try them and let me know Nidhi how you found them! Happy festivities!
Storyteller
Sure Anshu dear
Preety Tiwari
#MyFriendAlexa #DelhibloggerReads Good Recipe, nicely explained in simple steps. would like to make ladoo with this one.
mammaspeaks
Thanks Preety! Let me know how they turned out and if your family received it well!
Bushra
The ragi is so rich in nutrients and good for Health no doubt. I’ve never tried these before but would love to try soon. #myfriendalexa #dewreads
mammaspeaks
Seriously, being a North Indian, we would mostly eat, buckwheat (kuttu), bajra and makai flours. But now as I stay in Maharashtra, I have learnt to eat and enjoy jowar and nachni. It’s full of nutrients.
Anchal
Ragi is a super food. Thank you for sharing this recipe
mammaspeaks
Thank you Anchal. 🙂
Nidhi Rawal Gautam
Seems tempting
Sejal Khanna
My son used to love ragi porridge. This will be with a try!
Varsha Gode
Ragi is a useful ingredient especially during winters 🙂
I love Ragi Bhakri’s, I never tried making ladoos but have bookmarked your post and will make it soon.
#vigorousreads #MyFriendAlexa
mylittleduniya
Thanks for the recipe. NAchni is very very healthy and I need to try this recipe as so far I have eaten and given the Raagi Porridge only.
mammaspeaks
Thank you, hope you enjoy it too! 🙂
faridascookbook
Healthy recipe. Thanks for sharing
mammaspeaks
Thank you Farida