Gluten-free Bajra ladoo is a winter favorite healthy sweet or energy bite. Made using gluten-free Pearl millet flour, processed free sugar, and a few more healthy ingredients. These ladoos are good for your evening snacks or your post-workout meal.

I like to make different types of ladoos for my family. My son loves them. Especially this aate aur gond ke ladoo and this besan ladoo. Today I made this Bajra ladoo. One can shape them in the form of ladoos, or consume them as is in the form of Panjiri.
Ingredients used in Bajra Ladoo
Bajra Flour
The main ingredient in this recipe is Bajra or Pearl millet flour. Try to use fresh bajra flour and not one which is very old.
What is Bajra?
Bajra or pearl millet is a type of millet that is best suited for harsh winters. It is a gluten-free grain rich in carbs, proteins, and fiber. It helps to keep the body warm during winter. Bajra is generally consumed along with ghee and jaggery for better absorption by the body. Another two essential ingredients of this recipe and again good during winter.
Jaggery
For the sweetener, I have used jaggery. One can replace it with white or brown sugar or desi khand/muscovado sugar.
Ghee
Ghee is added as the essential fat. It is used in the roasting of flour and even helps in the absorption of the bajra by your body. Ghee is another important ingredient and a must during winter for your bone health.

One can simply make the ladoos from the above 3 ingredients, that is bajra flour, ghee, and jaggery. However, I have added a few more winter favorite ingredients. They are optional and one can skip them completely. However, they help your body keep warm.

Gond or Edible Gum
So the next ingredient I have added is gond or edible gum. Gaund is again believed to provide heat to your body during the harsh winters. One of the most common recipes is this Gond Atta Ladoo made by North Indians. I even like to add this edible gum due to the crunch it adds to the food.
Sesame Seeds, Dry Ginger powder and Nuts
Next, I added sesame seeds, dry ginger powder, and nuts. All best to be consumed in winter for essential fats. Dry ginger powder also helps in digestion and prevents bloating.
Did you try Gul Poli or Tilgul Poli or Jaggery and Sesame seeds stuffed Indian flatbread, which is a flatbread stuffed with jaggery and sesame seeds and is good to be consumed during winter.
And before I move on to the recipe, if you are looking for more recipes with Bajra, try this Stuffed Bajra Paratha which is eaten with some ghee and jaggery. One of my best winter foods, which I never liked as a kid, but now wish to have always.

I also like to make this Bajre ka Bhaat a one-pot gluten-free meal best during winter. Served piping hot, goes well with some ghee and papad. Another recipe that I make using Bajra is this cupboard snack bajre ki tikki. Typically fried, I have baked this in an oven to make it guilt-free

I decided to share this recipe with our Shhhhh Cooking Secretly Challenge where the theme of this month is Festive Recipes suggested by Priya Vijaykrishnan from Sweet Spicy Tasty. My partner for this month was Anu Kollon from Ente Thattukada who gave me Edible gum and Sesame seeds as the secret ingredients and I made these Gluten-Free Pearl millet ladoos.
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Gluten-free Bajra ladoo
Ingredients
- Bajra – 1 cup
- Jaggery – ¾ Cup
- Ghee – ½ Cup
- 1.5 tablespoon Gond
- 1.5 tablespoon Sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon Sonth Dry ginger powder
- Chopped almonds and cashews ¼ Cup
- ½ teaspoon Elaichi powder
Instructions
- Powder the jaggery in a blender.Jaggery – ¾ Cup
- If you have a big jaggery lump, first break it into pieces and then do a fine powder in a blender.
- In a heavy bottom pot/pan/wok dry roast sesame seeds.1.5 tablespoon Sesame seeds
- Once it starts changing color remove it in a bowl.
- Dry roast the nuts (Optional, but I always do this)Chopped almonds and cashews
- Keep the roasted sesame seeds and nuts aside.
- In the same pot/pan/wok add ghee.Ghee – ½ Cup
- Once warm, add 1-2 gond and check if it bubbles up.1.5 tablespoon Gond
- If yes add the remaining and let it all puff up.
- Once done remove it in a bowl.
- In the same pan with ghee added add the bajra flour.Bajra – 1 cup
- On a slow roast, the bajra, stirring frequently.
- The bajra needs to be roasted properly.
- Cook it until the raw flavor goes and you get a nice aroma and it starts changing color slightly.
- It should take around 20-25 minutes on slow. Do not do it fast or else you might burn the flour.
- Add Dry ginger powder and mix everything.
- Let it sit for 2-3 minutes.
- Now add the powdered jaggery and mix.Jaggery – ¾ Cup
- The jaggery will eventually melt in the mixture.
- Add cardamom powder.½ teaspoon Elaichi powder, 1 teaspoon Sonth
- Now add the remaining ingredients or transfer the jaggery and flour mixture in a bowl.
- Add the remaining ingredients.
- Mix everything uniformly. One can lightly crush the edible gum with the back of the spoon.
- Form ladoos while the mixture is still warm.
- Take a lime size of mixture in your hand and press it between to form ladoos.
- If you find that the ladoos are not able to bind, add some warm ghee and try to bind again.
Video
Notes
- The ghee amount varies at times depending on the flour quality. Some flour absorbs more and some less.
- One can make the same ladoo using jowar or ragi or any millet flour. Jowar flour is however best consumed during summer.
- Jaggery can be replaced with other sweeteners. Read above.
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Balvinder
Monday 6th of November 2023
It is cold around here and I know I need to make some kind of panjiri ladoos and using bajra flour would be a great idea.
Renu Agrawal Dongre
Monday 6th of November 2023
Hope you like it Balvinder.
Sasmita Sahoo
Friday 27th of January 2023
These bajra laddoos are the perfect winter warmers. Looks irresistible and perfect for the festivities
Anu
Wednesday 25th of January 2023
I have heard people talking about this bajra ladoo with goondh, but I never tried to make myself. This detailed is very helpful and I am going to give it a try.
Priya Vj
Tuesday 24th of January 2023
Healthy and nutritious winter recipe using bajra.I have some bajra flour with me at home and the weather is also pretty chill here ,so I must definitely gear up myself and roll some lipsmacking bajra ladus
Jayashree T Rao
Tuesday 24th of January 2023
Bajra is a good winter treat and these ladoos are awesome. Loved this recipe, have a pack of flour. I will make it soon.