Cashew Walnut Ladoo Recipe: Premium Festival Mithai at Home

Ep. 01

Cashew Walnut Ladoo Recipe: Premium Festival Mithai at Home

Make cashew walnut ladoo at home — premium kaju, akhrot and cardamom in every bite. Ready in 30 minutes. Shop fresh nuts at Sindhi Dry Fruits.

30 Min
16 Servings
Easy

What You'll Need

Ingredients for This Recipe

Premium Cashew Nuts – Large Whole Kaju, Fresh for Cooking & Snacking

Premium Cashew Nuts – Large Whole Kaju, Fresh for Cooking & Snacking

Premium Walnut Kernels – Clean White Akhrot Giri, Fresh & Brain-Healthy

Premium Walnut Kernels – Clean White Akhrot Giri, Fresh & Brain-Healthy

Elaichi - Jumbo Size Natural Green Cardamom

Elaichi - Jumbo Size Natural Green Cardamom

Premium Kishmish – Soft Seedless Raisins, Naturally Sweet & Chewy

Premium Kishmish – Soft Seedless Raisins, Naturally Sweet & Chewy

Desi Khand 500g

Desi Khand 500g

Shop All Ingredients →

Interactive

The Scale Lab

Adjust quantities for your serving size

Adjust for 16 servings
Premium Cashew Nuts – Large Whole Kaju, Fresh for Cooking & Snacking 1.5 cups Buy →
Lightly dry-roasted; use Premium Whole Kaju for the cleanest flavour
Premium Walnut Kernels – Clean White Akhrot Giri, Fresh & Brain-Healthy 0.75 cup Buy →
White Akhrot Giri preferred; check freshness by smell before using
Desi Khand 500g 0.5 cup Buy →
Pulse to a fine powder in grinder before adding
Ghee (Clarified Butter) 3.0 tbsp
Fresh A2 cow ghee preferred — do not substitute with oil
Elaichi - Jumbo Size Natural Green Cardamom 6.0 pods Buy →
Peel and pound seeds fresh — pre-ground elaichi loses potency quickly
Premium Kishmish – Soft Seedless Raisins, Naturally Sweet & Chewy 2.0 tbsp Buy →
Soak in warm water 10 min for a softer garnish
Rose Water (optional) 1.0 tsp
Optional — adds a subtle floral note without additional sweetness

Step by Step

How to Make It

Step 1 of 3

Dry-Roast the Nuts

⏱ 0–10 min

Heat a heavy-bottomed kadhai or pan over medium-low flame — no ghee, no oil yet.

Add the cashews first. Stir continuously for 3–4 minutes until faintly golden and fragrant. Tip onto a plate.

In the same pan, add the walnut pieces. They roast faster than cashews — 2–3 minutes is enough. Watch for the first wisps of nutty aroma; that is the sign to remove them immediately. Over-roasted walnuts turn bitter and will ruin the ladoo.

Let both nuts cool completely to room temperature before the next step. Warm nuts release oil when ground and will produce a paste rather than a coarse flour. Patience here pays off in texture.
💡 Pro Tip For a deeper Eid flavour: add 2 strands of saffron to the dry pan in the last 30 seconds of roasting the cashews. The heat blooms the kesar instantly and perfumes the entire mixture — a Sindhi festival tradition.

Step 2 of 3

Grind, Sweeten and Bind

⏱ 10–22 min

Pulse the cooled cashews in a dry grinder for 3–4 short bursts — the goal is a coarse, slightly uneven flour, not a smooth paste. Some larger pieces give the finished ladoo a pleasant bite.

Repeat for the walnuts: 2–3 short pulses only. Combine both in a wide mixing bowl.

In a separate small grinder, pulse the desi khand into a fine powder. Add to the nut mixture along with the freshly pounded elaichi seeds. Mix well.

In your kadhai, warm the ghee over the lowest flame until just melted. Pour it slowly over the nut-sugar mixture, folding as you go. Within 30 seconds the mixture will come together into a soft, pliable dough that holds its shape when pressed.

Add the rose water if using and fold once more.
💡 Pro Tip The binding ratio is critical: too little ghee and the ladoos crack when shaped; too much and they turn greasy. Three tablespoons is the tested amount for this volume. If your nuts are particularly oily (fresh batch), reduce to 2.5 tbsp.

Step 3 of 3

Shape, Garnish and Rest

⏱ 22–30 min

Divide the mixture into 16 equal portions — a kitchen scale keeps the size consistent. Each portion should weigh approximately 28–30g.

Roll each portion between your palms in a smooth, circular motion, applying even pressure from all sides. The finished ladoo should have no cracks.

Press one soaked kishmish gently into the top of each ladoo. For an Eid platter, alternate with a small piece of dried apricot (khurmani) for warm colour contrast against the pale gold of the nut base.

Arrange on a tray lined with parchment and allow to rest at room temperature for 15–20 minutes. During this time the ghee re-sets, firming the exterior into a lightly glossy shell.

Transfer to a presentation box or steel tin layered with tissue paper. These ladoos hold their shape beautifully in transit — ideal for gift hampers this Eid.
💡 Pro Tip For a traditional silver finish: press a single sheet of edible silver varq over the top of each ladoo while still slightly warm. The varq adheres instantly and gives the mithai a classic Indian sweets-shop presentation.

Nutrition

Health Benefits of Dry Fruits & Nuts

✦ AI-Assisted Content
Protein (per 100g cashews) 18.2 g 36% Daily Value
Magnesium (per 100g cashews) 292 mg 73% Daily Value
Omega-3 ALA (per 100g walnuts) 9.08 g
Copper (per 100g cashews) 2.2 mg

Nutritional values are approximate. Source: NIN/ICMR. AI-assisted content — verify with a registered nutritionist before acting on this information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make cashew walnut ladoo without ghee?

Yes — replace the 3 tablespoons of ghee with an equal amount of coconut oil for a dairy-free version. The binding is slightly looser so refrigerate shaped ladoos for 20 minutes before serving. The healthy fat content of cashews and walnuts naturally aids binding when chilled, which is one of the practical dry fruits benefits you can count on in no-dairy mithai.

What are the dry fruits benefits of eating cashew walnut ladoo daily?

Eating these ladoos in moderation may support your daily nutrient needs. The dry fruits benefits are significant: cashews contribute magnesium (292mg per 100g — about 73% of adult RDA per ICMR-NIN 2020) and plant-based protein (18.2g/100g), while walnuts provide Omega-3 ALA (9.08g/100g per USDA FDC #170187), associated with heart and brain health. One or two ladoos as a snack is a more nutritious choice than refined-flour mithai.

Can I swap cashews with almonds in this recipe?

Absolutely. Premium almonds (badam) produce a denser, earthier ladoo. Use the same quantity and roast them 1–2 minutes longer than cashews before grinding. The flavour shifts from buttery to warmly nutty, and the colour lightens slightly. From a nutrition standpoint, both are excellent choices — the dry fruits benefits differ only in micronutrient profile: almonds contribute more vitamin E, cashews more magnesium.

Which dry fruits work best as sweetener alternatives in this recipe?

Medjoul dates or Kimia dates are the best natural sweeteners in this recipe — blend 8–10 pitted dates smooth and fold into the nut mixture in place of khand. Kimia dates add a deep caramel note; Medjoul adds fruity lightness. Dried figs (anjeer) and black raisins can also contribute sweetness when blended in smaller amounts alongside dates. All of these are available at Sindhi Dry Fruits.

Are these ladoos suitable for diabetics?

These ladoos contain natural sugars from khand and nuts, and are not specifically formulated for diabetic diets. However, cashews and walnuts have a relatively low glycaemic impact compared to flour-based sweets — a recognised dry fruits benefit. We recommend consulting your doctor or nutritionist for personalised guidance before including mithai in a diabetic meal plan.

Where to Find Premium Dry Fruits Near You

Since 1939, Sindhi Dry Fruits has been supplying premium cashews, almonds, walnuts, pistachios and seasonal dry fruits to homes across Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and beyond. Order online with same-day dispatch to Delhi NCR and 2-day delivery pan-India.

Shop Premium Dry Fruits →

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