Coconut Laddu Recipe with Jaggery (Kobbari Laddu, Nariyal Ladoo)

Quick answer: Coconut laddu is grated coconut cooked with jaggery (or sugar) and cardamom until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan, then shaped into balls while warm. It is made all over India: kobbari laddu in Telugu homes, thengai laddu in Tamil, nariyal ladoo in Hindi and narkel naru in Bengal. It is a quick naivedyam for Ganesh Chaturthi, Varalakshmi Vratam, Navaratri and Diwali.

What is coconut laddu?

It is the simplest of the cooked laddus: coconut and a sweetener, nothing more essential. With jaggery the laddus are brown and soft with a deep flavour; with sugar they are white and sweeter. Bengali narkel naru, made with jaggery (often date-palm nolen gur) and served at Bijoya Dashami, is a close relative.

This page gives one common way with jaggery and a sugar variation. Families vary: some add milk or khoya, some roll the laddus in more coconut. Follow your elders where they do it differently.

Ingredients

• Fresh grated coconut, white part only: 200 g (about 2 US cups, loosely packed)
• Jaggery, grated: 150 g (about 3/4 US cup, lightly packed)
• Water: 2 tablespoons
• Ghee: 1 tablespoon
• Green cardamom, ground: 1/2 teaspoon
• Edible camphor (pacha karpuram, optional): a very small pinch
• Chopped cashews (optional): 1 tablespoon

Method

1. Melt the jaggery with the water in a heavy pan on low heat. Strain it if it has grit, and return it to the pan.
2. Add the grated coconut and the ghee. Mix well.
3. Cook on low-medium heat, stirring all the time, for 12 to 15 minutes. The mixture will first look wet, then thicken, and finally come together and start to leave the sides of the pan.
4. Add the cardamom, edible camphor and cashews. Mix and turn off the heat.
5. Let it cool for 3 to 5 minutes, until you can handle it.
6. Grease your palms with a drop of ghee. Take about 30 g and roll it firmly into a ball. Work while the mixture is warm; it sets as it cools.
7. Set aside the naivedyam laddus before anyone tastes.

Tips and variations

• With sugar: use 120 g (about 2/3 cup) sugar and 3 tablespoons of milk instead of jaggery and water. Cook the same way; the laddus will be white.
• With condensed milk: many quick versions use 200 g desiccated coconut and 200 g sweetened condensed milk, cooked 8 to 10 minutes.
• Too soft to shape: cook a few minutes more. Too dry and crumbly: sprinkle a spoon of warm milk and press.
• Desiccated coconut: soak 150 g unsweetened desiccated coconut in 4 tablespoons of warm milk for 10 minutes, then use it in place of fresh.

There is no pressure-cooker or Instant Pot version; coconut laddus are cooked in an open pan.

Naivedyam notes

• Coconut laddus are among the quickest sweets for a festival morning, and they need no frying.
• For Ganesha, they are offered with modak and other sweets; see Ganesh Chaturthi naivedyam.
• Offer before tasting; see how to offer naivedyam at home.

Swaps for cooks abroad

Do not use sweetened flaked coconut from the baking aisle with the full amount of jaggery; it will be too sweet and soft.

Allergens and dietary notes

• Coconut: most people with tree-nut allergies can eat coconut, but a few react to it.
• Milk: ghee, and milk in the sugar version.
• Tree nuts: cashews, if added.
• The basic jaggery version is gluten-free.

Storage

Fresh-coconut laddus keep for 2 to 3 days at room temperature in a cool place, or up to a week in the fridge in an airtight box. Desiccated-coconut laddus keep a few days longer.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make coconut laddu without sugar or jaggery?

Not really; the sweetener is what binds the coconut. Jaggery is the traditional choice.

Why are my coconut laddus not holding shape?

The mixture was not cooked long enough. Return it to the pan and cook until it leaves the sides.

Are coconut laddu and narkel naru the same?

They are close relatives. Narkel naru is the Bengali version, usually made with jaggery and often with date-palm jaggery in winter.

How long before a festival can I make them?

One or two days with fresh coconut, kept cool. Many families prefer to make naivedyam on the day.

Can I use frozen coconut?

Yes. Thaw it fully and squeeze out excess water before cooking.

Related recipes and guides

• Recipes hub
• Besan laddu recipe
• Boondi laddu recipe
• Bijoya Dashami sweets: narkel naru and nimki
• North Indian Diwali sweets
• Naivedyam by festival

Sources

• US Food and Drug Administration, Food Allergies, for the major allergens.
• US Food and Drug Administration, Safe Food Handling.

Quantities are typical home proportions. Last reviewed: 12 November 2026.