Sunnundalu Recipe (Andhra Urad Dal Laddu)

Quick answer: Sunnundalu are Andhra laddus made from split urad dal that is dry-roasted until golden, ground to a fine powder, mixed with powdered jaggery or sugar and bound with hot ghee. They are a Sankranti sweet in many Telugu homes and keep well. Allow about 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to roast and shape 12 to 14 laddus.

Kitchen note: This recipe is not yet kitchen-tested by a HinduTone cook. The quantities and timings follow common home methods; judge doneness by look and texture, and adjust for your stove and ingredients.

What are sunnundalu and when are they made?

Sunnundalu are a traditional sweet of Andhra Pradesh. The base is skinned split black gram (urad dal), the same lentil used for idli and garelu, roasted dry until it smells nutty and turns golden. Ground fine and mixed with jaggery and ghee, it becomes a rich, crumbly laddu.

Telugu families make sunnundalu as one of the Sankranti sweets, along with ariselu, bobbatlu, kajjikayalu and gavvalu. There is also a family custom tied to the sweet: newly married couples visiting their in-laws or relatives during Sankranti are served sunnundalu, and at Telugu weddings the mother-in-law traditionally prepares them for the new son-in-law. In Telangana some families make a version with ragi (finger millet). Read the Sankranti in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana guide for the full festival.

Whether sunnundalu are offered as naivedyam (food offered to the deity before it is eaten) depends on family custom. Follow your family practice or ask your priest.

Ingredients

Use whole split white urad dal, not urad flour from a packet: the roasting gives sunnundalu their flavour. Jaggery gives a deeper, caramel taste and a darker laddu; sugar gives a paler, sweeter one. Families use either.

How to make sunnundalu

1. Pick over the urad dal for stones. Do not wash it; it needs to be completely dry for roasting. If you do rinse it, dry it fully on a cloth first.
2. Heat a heavy pan on low to medium heat. Add the dal and roast, stirring all the time, for 10 to 12 minutes.
3. It is ready when every grain is an even light golden colour, it smells nutty and a cooled grain snaps cleanly when bitten. Pale dal tastes raw; dark brown dal tastes bitter.
4. Tip the dal onto a plate and let it cool completely, about 10 minutes.
5. Grind the cooled dal to a fine powder in a dry grinder or blender. Sieve it if you want very smooth laddus and re-grind any coarse bits.
6. Grind the jaggery (or sugar) and cardamom to a powder separately, then mix with the dal powder. Hard jaggery may have small bits of grit; pick them out as you grate it.
7. If using cashews, fry them in a teaspoon of the ghee until golden and add them to the powder.
8. Heat the ghee until hot but not smoking. Pour about three-quarters of it over the powder and mix with a spoon until it is cool enough to touch.
9. Take a handful and press it firmly into a round laddu. If it crumbles, add a little more hot ghee and mix again.
10. Shape all the laddus while the mixture is still warm. They firm up as they cool.

Pressure cooker, Instant Pot and rice cooker

Sunnundalu are a dry-roasted sweet, so a pressure cooker, Instant Pot or rice cooker is not used. A heavy-based pan on the stove gives the most even roasting. You can roast the dal in an oven at about 160 °C (325 °F) for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, if you are making a large batch; watch it closely.

Substitutions abroad

Vegan option

You can bind sunnundalu with melted coconut oil instead of ghee. The taste changes, and in a warm kitchen the laddus may soften; keep them in the fridge. If you are making them as an offering, naivedyam customs vary and many families use only ghee. Follow your family practice or ask your priest.

Common mistakes

• Under-roasted dal: pale dal tastes raw and floury. Roast until golden and a grain snaps.
• Burnt dal: high heat browns the outside before the inside cooks. Keep the heat low to medium and keep stirring.
• Grinding warm dal: warm dal turns pasty in the grinder. Let it cool fully.
• Laddus that will not hold: the ghee was not hot enough, or there was too little. Warm it again and add a spoonful at a time.
• Shaping too late: once the mixture cools, the ghee sets and it crumbles. Shape while warm, or warm the mixture gently in the pan.

Storage

Cool the laddus completely and store them in a dry, airtight jar. They keep for about two weeks at room temperature in a cool, dry kitchen. In hot or humid weather, keep them in the fridge and bring them to room temperature before serving. Always use a dry spoon or dry hands.

Allergens

Contains milk (ghee). Contains tree nuts only if you add cashews. Urad dal is a legume. Sunnundalu contain no gluten unless the cook adds wheat flour, and no sesame in this recipe; if you are buying ready-made sunnundalu, check the label, as shop recipes vary.

Frequently asked questions

Are sunnundalu made with jaggery or sugar?

Both are traditional. Jaggery gives a darker colour and caramel flavour; sugar gives a paler, sweeter laddu. Use what your family prefers.

Why are my sunnundalu crumbling?

They need more warm ghee, or the mixture cooled before shaping. Warm a little more ghee, mix it in and press the laddus firmly while the mixture is still warm.

Are sunnundalu made for Sankranti?

Yes, in many Telugu homes, along with ariselu and other sweets. In India, Sankranti falls on Friday 15 January 2027 per the panchang. Abroad, confirm your date with your local panchang or temple priest.

Can I use urad dal with skins (black urad)?

The classic laddu uses skinned white urad dal. Dal with skins gives a darker, earthier laddu with a coarser texture. Some families make it that way, but it is a variation.

How long do sunnundalu last?

About two weeks in an airtight jar in a cool, dry place. In hot or humid weather, keep them in the fridge.

Sources

• The News Minute, Rajeswari Parasa, "The taste of Sankranthi: Six dishes made in Telugu households", 7 January 2021: https://www.thenewsminute.com/andhra-pradesh/taste-sankranthi-six-dishes-made-telugu-households-140992 (accessed 12 November 2026)
• The News Minute, Balakrishna Ganeshan, "Bobbatlu, Ariselu and five other sweets from Telangana and AP you must try", 26 August 2020: https://www.thenewsminute.com/andhra-pradesh/bobbatlu-ariselu-and-five-other-sweets-telangana-and-ap-you-must-try-131642 (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Deccan Chronicle, "Sankranti: A harvest told through food, fire and memory in Telugu states": https://www.deccanchronicle.com/southern-states/telangana/sankranti-a-harvest-told-through-food-fire-and-memory-in-telugu-states-1929102 (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Drik Panchang, "Pedda Panduga 2027 date" (Hyderabad): https://www.drikpanchang.com/festivals/sankranti/pedda-panduga/pedda-panduga-date-time.html?year=2027&geoname-id=1269843 (accessed 12 November 2026)
• US Food and Drug Administration, "Food Allergies": https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-food-labeling-and-critical-foods/food-allergies (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Food Standards Agency (UK), "Food allergy and intolerance advice for consumers": https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/food-allergy-and-intolerance-advice-for-consumers (accessed 12 November 2026)

Last reviewed: 12 November 2026.

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