These Indian Oat Balls are guilt-free, delicious and healthy! Made with rolled oats, jaggery, nuts, seeds and ghee (optional), they are easy to make under 25 mins.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 5 minutes
  • Total time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 10 · 10 to 12
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • ¼ cup peanuts ((skinned if possible or almonds, walnuts or cashews))
  • ¼ cup pumpkin seeds ((or sesame seeds))
  • 125 grams jaggery ((grated or crushed))
  • ½ inch Ceylon cinnamon pieces ((optional or ¼ tsp ground cinnamon))
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom ((Elaichi powder))
  • 2 tablespoons ghee ((optional, read notes))
  • 10 cashews ((or 2 tbsps roasted peanuts crushed))
  • 2 tablespoons raisins

Method

How to Make Indian Oat Balls

  1. Add the peanuts to a heavy bottom pan and toast them on a medium heat until golden and aromatic. Transfer to a tray to cool down.
  2. Add rolled oats & toast until aromatic, for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to another tray, (separate from the peanuts) and cool.
  3. To the same pan, add pumpkin seeds and toast until they turn crisp and aromatic. Transfer to a tray to cool down. Optionally, rub off the peanuts to peel and separate the skins.
  4. Add the rolled oats to a grinder or a food processor and grind/process to a fine powder.
  5. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, roasted peanuts and pumpkin seeds, process until fine. Next add the grated jaggery and process/grind until well blended. Taste test and add more jaggery if you want. If it is too sweet you may add more nuts, seeds or oats.

To make without ghee

  1. You just need to process a little longer until the peanuts and seeds begin to release enough oil so the mixture can bind. To test, take a few tbsps of this to your palm and try to bind it, pressing down hard with your fingers.
  2. If the mixture does not bind, process a little longer or add more jaggery. Bind to 10 to 12 balls. For a crunch I add 2 tbsps crushed skinned roasted peanuts before binding.

To make with ghee

  1. Heat ghee in a pan and fry the cashews until light golden. Add the raisins and fry until they turn plump.
  2. Turn off and take the pan down from the stove. Let cool down for 2 mins and stir in the ground oats nut seed jaggery mixture.
  3. It will all bind together. Take equal small portions to your palm and press down with your fingers to bind. You will be able to make 10 to 12 oat balls.
  4. Store the oat balls in a air tight jar at room temperature and use within 3 weeks. These can also be refrigerated for longer.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.