Motichoor ladoo recipe, Motichur Laddu

Updated on August 30, 2026 by Raks Anand 44 Comments

Motichoor ladoo is the Indian sweet made from tiny fried besan pearls (chickpea flour) soaked in sugar syrup with cardamom flavor, rolled into soft round balls (laddu). It's different from regular Boondi ladoo because this is extra fine & tiny, giving the ladoo its signature looks and melt in mouth soft texture. In this post, you can learn how to make these tiny boondi with step by step pictures and video.

Motichoor laddu is prepared during festivals like Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, Janmashtami.

Check out Ganesh chaturthi recipes and Diwali sweets in my website.

Jump to:

About Motichoor Ladoo
Motichoor ladoo Ingredients
The technique
Stepwise photos
Sugar syrup
Top tip
FAQs
Recipe card

I always wondered how they manage to get so much small boondi. Have searched a lot in blogs, websites but, found nothing which explains the trick of getting it fine boondi. In another method, they grind the regular boondi and make motichur ladoo (chur meaning crushed). Been postponing to try this motichoor ladoo recipe as I did not want to try that way. I know there should be some technique to make it.

Once I was making plain salt boondi for raita, the batter became watery and I got really tiny boondis. But it was more like a mess, half of it were like sev. This ladle comes with different size of holes. You can ask for it in the shop and buy. Sadly I forgot to notice the number/ size. It is available in all vessels shop in T Nagar Chennai.

My mom in law got this from Saravana stores. You can also Google and buy in Amazon. I wanted to make video for my boondi ladoo post this year and also I am a big fan of it, but never get to eat. Know only if I can make myself I can eat it. So, when I went to Chennai this year, asked my MIL to buy and keep the ladle . She too was sweet, thoughtful, bought & kept for me. Without this ladle I don't think this recipe is possible. I remember my mom had two or three varieties of this boondi ladle which we call as Jalli karandi.

One made of brass and other two made of iron. one of them is used to drain from oil. Other one to make it. When she used to make, my grandma will help or vise versa. I too have helped her when as I grew up. As she makes large quantity, another helping hand is a must to finish it fast.

About Motichoor Ladoo

Motichoor ladoo is an Indian sweet made from tiny fried boondi (fried besan pearls) soaked in cardamom flavor syrup, then shaped to soft laddus. Its different from regular boondi because the boondi in this ladoo is extra fine, made using a special small holed ladle (jhara).

The name comes from Hindi: 'Moti' means pearl and 'choor' means crushed or crumbled, hence the name. This popular Indian sweet is originated from north India. It is fried with desi ghee usually and prepared for festivals, special occasions and celebrations.

Motichoor ladoo Ingredients

Besan - Gram flour - Coarse besan works best here, though fine flour works too.
Orange food color - Gives the typical orange hue
White sugar - For sweetening
Rose water - Helps with flavour
Lemon juice - To balance the taste as well as to prevent sugar syrup blooming
Cardamom - Adds sweet flavor
Ghee or oil - For deep frying
Pistachios - Adds a great contrast both lookwise, texture wise.

Check my Recipe card below for measurements.

The technique

Using the Jhara ladle, we have to tap the besan batter gently over the oil as you see in the steps and video.

Luckily saw few videos like cooking shooking video in which they show the technique and thankful for the same. But was in doubt if it will turn out good, will it be possible for me and so on.

It looked bit complicated, but somehow I was determined to try. I had plan to grind and do if it doesn't turn out tiny, but wow, I pulled it off!🤗

I know many of you have been wanting to know how they make motichoor ladoo with tiny boondi, just like me. Finally the search has come to an end here! 😁 Impress everyone with this ladoo for this Diwali. No one will first believe that you made it, but make them believe, take a bow!

Stepwise photos

1. Take 1 cup besan (chickpea flour) in a mixing bowl firstly.

2. Add salt and whisk well or you can sieve too. Add milk, food color and required water to make a thick batter. Refer video for consistency.

2. Heat a broad kadai with enough oil. Keep a heavy, taller (than the kadai using) box/ dabba near the kadai, without touching the flame or the kadai.

Place a kitchen cloth or towel, folded over the container. This is for tapping the ladle over the oil.

3. Once the oil is hot, put flame to low or medium and hold the boondi ladle in slanting way, above the oil, so that the handle rests over the dabba.

Pour batter all over the ladle rather than at one place. Quickly start tapping the handle of the ladle over the dabba, so that the batter gets sprinkled in the oil.

tapping ladle to get motichoor laddu tiny boondi

4. Once the bubbles reduces and you could see boondis, remove it from oil using a wire mesh ladle.

Never let it for more time, otherwise it will get crispy and brown and you cannot shape it. Drain in paper towel. Repeat in batch by batch to finish.

Sugar syrup

5. To make sugar syrup, boil ¾ cup sugar and 1 cup water until one string consistency.

That is, if you swipe the back of the ladle with your forefinger and check between your thumb, a string should form.

6. Switch off the flame, add lemon juice, cardamom and rose essence. It should be atleast warm when you add boondi to it.

7. Add the prepared boondi, mix well and keep it closed for minimum 20 mins or until all the syrup is absorbed by the boondi.

8. Chop finely and fry the pistachios in ghee. Add to the soaked boondi mixture, stir well to get rid of lumps if any.

9. Grease you hand with ghee. Take palm full of the boondi and make ladoos. Repeat to finsish and arrange motichoor ladoo in serving plate.

I arranged in muffin liners. But can keep as such too! Store in airtight containers. Aren't they gorgeous and pretty? 🙂

Top tip

Make sure to not buy ladle with too large holes.
The dabba/ box we use for tapping should be heavy so that it stays in place and taller than kadai.
Quickly act and drain from oil as if it gets crisp, you may not be able to shape it.
If you tap the boondi in hot oil, it will become crisp instantly. If crisp, it will be again hard to shape, as it will not absorb the syrup.
If oil temperature is low, the boondi will stick together (gather) in middle. So make sure it is hot each time.
Let the syrup be hot or atleast warm when you add boondi to let it get absorbed.
You can add melon seeds, few saffron strands to the syrup.

FAQs

Adding salt, lemon juice in a sweet will affect the taste?

No, actually in contrast it will enhance the taste when added in small amount instead of flat taste of sweet.

Why I am not able to shape the motichoor ladoo, my ladoo does not hold it's shape?

If you let the boondi cook for long time, then it happens. Make sure boondi is soft.

Boondi has not absorbed the syrup

Boondi is too crisp to absorb
Syrup is cold, not warm enough
Syrup is too thick (past the stage)

Why to add milk?

It ensures softness of boondi, prevents from becoming crisp.

Coarse besan or regular fine besan?

Coarse powder besan works best for ladoos. Because it takes time to get cooked which in turn keep it soft. This ensures you can shape the ladoo, it will hold it's shape.

Do check out my other Diwali Sweets Recipes.

Recipe card

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