Sattvic Dry Fruit and Nut Ladoos

By Smt. Sangeetha Gopalan

These sattvic dry fruit and nut ladoos are a wholesome blend of nuts, seeds and naturally sweet dried fruits, bound together with a touch of ghee and flavoured with cardamom. Unlike processed sweets, this recipe is free from refined sugar, flour, and artificial additives, making it the ideal guilt-free treat for your sweet tooth. It draws its sweetness entirely from dates and raisins, making it both nourishing and energising.

Roasting the nuts in ghee enhances their aroma and digestibility, which the sticky dried fruits naturally bind for shaping ladoos. The recipe is rooted in sattvic principles of Ayurveda, focusing on purity, clarity, and balance, making these ladoos ideal not only as a healthy snack but also as an offering to deities or during festivals and spiritual practices.

The Benefits of the Ladoos

Ingredient	Identity	Key Benefits
Walnuts	Brain Nut	Rich in omega-3s and antioxidants; supports brain health, focus, and reduces inflammation
Almonds	Memory Nut	High in vitamin E and healthy fats; boosts memory, vitality, and promotes healthy skin
Cashews	Mood Nut	Contains tryptophan for serotonin support; uplifts mood and provides energy
Hazulnuts	Heart Nut	Packed with monounsaturated fats and vitamin E; supports heart health and skin vitality
Pumpkin Seeds	Strength Seeds	High in zinc and magnesium; boosts immunity, supports muscle strength and recovery
Dates	Nature’s Sweetener	Provides natural energy, iron, and fiber; helps with digestion
Raisins	Little Antioxidant Gems	Rich in antioxidants, aids in digestion, and supports blood health
Ghee	Clarified Nourisher	Rich in essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and butyric acid; benefits gut health, nutrient absorption, brain health, skin and hair health, and the immune system
Cardamom	Aromatic Healer	High in antioxidants and diuretic properties; stimulates digestion, boosts the immune system and benefits heart health while providing a cooling flavour

In short, these ladoos are naturally nutrient-dense and they support the brain, heart, digestion, mood, energy, and even hormonal balance. If you are doing seed cycling, which is consuming different nuts and seeds as per your menstrual cycle, you could even tweak the seeds slightly to match the phase of your cycle.

The Recipe

The Ingredients

The nuts will be of similar portions

• Blanched sliced almonds
• Chopped blanched hazelnuts
• Cashew nuts
• Pumpkin seeds
• Chopped walnuts
• 2 cups of pitted chopped dates
• 1 cup of golden raisins
• 1 tablespoon of ghee
• 1 teaspoon of cardamom powder

The Method

Heat the ghee and roast all of the nuts. Start with the cashews and start adding the other nuts slowly until they become golden brown and aromatic. Add one teaspoon of cardamom powder and roast for another 2 minutes. Ensure that the powder does not burn. When the tawa is hot, add the raisins and dates and mix well until the entire mixture starts sticking together. Switch off the heat and start rolling the mixture into ladoos. Store in a container and enjoy for 2 weeks.