Tilgul Ladoo | Til Gud Ladoo | Til ke Laddu

Tilgul ladoo or Til gud ladoo or Til ke laddu are traditional crunchy Maharashtrian sweets made on the special occasion of Makarsankranti. These sesame seeds and jaggery balls are healthy and a winter month favorite!

Tilgul laddo are usually made during a Hindu festival celebrated in India called Makar Sankranti (also known as harvest festival) which falls on 14th January every year.

As kids, my sis and I would join Mom in making them as we really enjoyed being part of this process.

Til ke Ladoo is a personal favorite and I look forward to this festival mainly due to these sweet treats.

What is tilgul

Til means sesame seeds and Gul means jaggery in Marathi so Tilgul is a mixture of these two which is usually shaped as Ladoo (balls) and hence the name.

They are also known as Tilache Ladoo in Marathi or Til ke Ladoo in Hindi or sesame seed and jaggery ladoo in English.

They sweet, crunchy, nutty, and totally delicious!

In Maharashtra during the Makarsankranti festival, these Til ladoo along with multicolored sugar-coated granules are exchanged with friends and family with a saying "Tilgul ghya, god god bola!"

It means, take these sweets (tilgul ladoo) and always talk sweetly.

How to make tilgul

The most basic recipe for tilgul calls for roasted sesame seeds and peanuts mixed into melted jaggery and then rolled into balls while this mixture is still hot.

You can also add some nuts, and roasted dry coconut flakes for additional flavor and crunch.

The recipe for this Til ladoo is really simple. The tricky part is making/rolling them which requires some practice and patience.

You need to make them when the jaggery is hot as once it cools it will solidify making it difficult to roll them. Believe me, the mixture turns cold super fast.

If you think the mixture is turning cold and you won't be able to roll them just spread an even layer on a plate, cut it in squares and let them set.

There you have some Tilgul Vadi (brittles) instead of ladoos. Either way, they are delicious!!

Tilgul health benefits

Tilgul is considered a winter special food since it not just delicious, sweet, and nutty but also loaded with great health benefits like

• Rich source of antioxidant and have anti-aging properties
• Good source of fiber, iron, calcium, and other minerals and thus promotes hair growth, bone health, and great for the skin too.
• These Til ladoo are perfect for winters since sesame seeds and jaggery have heat-inducing properties that help keep the body warm against the harsh cold. 
• Winters can make you feel dull and sluggish, but one tilgul can provide that much-needed burst of energy. 

Like everything, eat in moderation as anything in excess can be bad for health.

Recipe Ingredients

Til - also known as sesame seeds. I've used white sesame for this recipe as that is what is used traditionally but you can also use black sesame seeds or a mix of both.

Sweetener - Gul, also known as Gud in Hindi and jaggery in English. It's healthier than processed sugar and is made from cane juice or date or palm sap. It's usually golden to dark brown in color. Easily available in Indian or Asian stores.

Nuts - peanuts, cashews, and roasted split chickpeas or Dalia. These are optional but I love the crunch and texture they offer I always add these and highly recommend them.

Ghee - Gives a nice sheen and makes the mixture non-sticky.

Cardamom powder - last but not least cardamom powder for flavor and warmth. Again optional but recommend it.

Step by Step Method

Roasting

1 - In a pan, dry roast the sesame seeds on medium heat until slightly golden and start to splutter (around 5-7 mins).

2 - Remove in a clean dry vessel and keep aside.

3 - In the same pan dry roast, peanuts (skip if using roasted), cashews and dalia one after other until slightly golden. Remove in the same bowl as sesame seeds.

4 - To this mixture, add cardamom powder and give it a mix. Keep aside.

Jaggery Syrup

5 and 6 - Now in the same pan melt the ghee and add the jaggery to it.

7 - Keep mixing on medium-low heat until the jaggery has completely melted and is bubbling. Cook it for additional 2-3 mins until it reaches a softball stage.

To test the softball stage, drop a small portion of the melted jaggery in the bowl of cold water. Touch with fingers and see if it forms a softball. This indicates jaggery is ready. If not, continue to cook.

8 - Turn the heat to low and start adding the sesame seeds mixture slowly, mixing simultaneously.

Once all have been well-incorporated, turn off the heat.

To make tilgul ladoo

Apply some ghee or water to your palms and then start rolling this mixture into small balls while it's still hot or warm enough to handle.

Caution the jaggery is hot so be careful not to hurt/burn your self. 

Take small portions at a time and shape them into round smooth balls and keep aside on a clean and dry plate.

Continue rolling the remaining balls until for the remaining mixture.

If by the end of it, the mixture is getting hard to roll, warm it slightly just enough to loosen it a bit and then roll again. Overheating will make the ladoos hard so just warm it slightly.

Allow to cool completely and then store air right at room temperature.

That's it, our crunchy Sesame seeds and Jaggery Ladoo  - Til Gul are ready.  Exchange these with your friends and family with a greeting "Til Gul Ghya, God God Bola". Enjoy!! 

Recipe Tips

• Recommend using a nonstick pan, makes it easier to handle melted jaggery.
• Roast the sesame seeds as it helps bring out their nutty flavor even more. Be cautious not to burn them though.
• You can use white sesame seeds or black sesame seeds or a mix of both.
• Don't cook jaggery on high heat it will stick to the pan and burn. Always cook on medium heat stirring continuously 
• Use good quality jaggery.
• Along with cashews, you can also add other dry fruits like crushed almonds, pistachios, seeds, etc. 
• You can also add dry coconut flakes too. Just make sure to roast the coconut before adding it to the mixture. 
• The Til and Gul mixture has to be rolled into ladoos when the jaggery is warm. The mixture hardens very fast and will make rolling difficult.
• If for some reason you cannot roll it into a ball, spread an even layer on a flat plate, cut in squares or triangles, and allow it to set/solidify.

More Makar Sankranti Recipes

• Til Chikki
• Crushed Peanut Chikki
• Puran Poli
• Rice Kheer

Hope you enjoy this TilGul Ladoo Recipe!! If you give this recipe a try, please rate by clicking stars ⭐️ in the recipe card. Thank you ❤️ ! You can also follow me on Facebook | Instagram to see what's cooking in my kitchen!!

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