Holi, the joyous Hindu festival of colors, is here! This season, as summer peaks slowly so are the Thandai and Malpuas. I love the variety of sweets and snacks in Indian cuisine. Thandai or shardai is perfect for a delicious nutty milk based drink. However, if you want to avoid dairy, you can still enjoy thandai masala in a delicious cookie. Here is a great way to celebrate Holi in a way even children can enjoy it in school boxes. Yummy and delicious Holi thandai cookies. Best part you can even make it as an air fryer recipe. This recipe can be made both vegan or vegetarian by using milk instead of plant-based milk.
There are many traditional recipes like gujiya,malpua, peda, thandai and barfi which mark the festive occasion. I love making DIY colors at home as they are organic and safe for my little one. Refer to our top holi recipes for a delicious celebration!
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Ingredients
- Dry fruits Nuts ( almonds,pistachio,cashews)
- spices (cardamom,fennel,poppy seeds,cinnamon,nutmeg,white peppercorn,rose petals,saffron)
- plain flour / all purpose flour
- coconut oil
- baking powder
- baking soda
- sugar
- plant based milk / or dairy
Refer to recipe card for exact quantities.
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Instructions
1.In a preheated airfryer, roast the nuts for 5 mins at 170 deg C | 340 deg F.
2. Add spices, and cook for 4-5 mins.Allow the mix to cool down
3. Grind nuts spices with saffron strands and rose petals until you get soft texture.
4. Add plain flour, thandai masala, coconut oil, baking powder, baking soda and mix well.powder sugar and then add to above mix. Mix well with milk.
5. Allow the dough to rest in fridge for 45 mins to 1 hr.
6. Take a small portion of the dough and place it between two sheets of baking paper. Gently flatten it using a rolling pin, then use a cookie cutter to cut out your desired shapes. The dough will feel slightly flaky due to the high amount of nuts—handle it carefully. You can garnish the cookies with more nuts.
For baking in air fryer:
- Place the cookies in an air fryer basket in a single layer. Bake cookies in a preheated air fryer at 165 deg C| 330 deg F for 10 mins. Store in an airtight jar once they are at room temperature.
Refer to recipe card for details.
Air fryer Thandai cookies recipe | easy thandai shortbread cookies
Equipment
- stand mixer / hand mixer
- Air fryer (For roasting nuts)
Ingredients
Thandai masala
- ½ cup almonds
- ½ cup cashews
- ¼ cup pistachios
- 5-6 saffron strands
- ¼ cup dried rose petals
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds saunf
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds khuskhus, optional
- 1 piece cinnamon dalchini
- ½ nutmeg jaiphal, use nutmeg powder if you do not have whole nutmeg
- 5-6 cardamoms
- 8-10 white peppercorns optional
Cookie dough
- 2 cups plain flour all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup coconut oil
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅓ cup milk use plant based or dairy milk
- ⅓ cup sugar powdered after measuring.
Instructions
Prepare Thandai Masala:
- Pre heat the airfryer to 170C | 340 for 5 minutes
- Spread nuts on a tray,Roast for 4 minutes.½ cup almonds, ¼ cup pistachios, ½ cup cashews
- Add the spices except the saffron and rose petals,roast for a further for 4 minutes1 tablespoon fennel seeds, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, 1 piece cinnamon, ½ nutmeg, 8-10 white peppercorns, 5-6 cardamoms, ¼ cup dried rose petals
- Allow the nuts to cool down, add saffron,rose petals to grind them into a smooth mixture.5-6 saffron strands, ¼ cup dried rose petals
- Grind until the mixture starts turning moist, i.e. the mixture starts becoming oily
Make the Cookie Dough:
- In a large bowl, mix plain flour, thandai masala, baking powder, and baking soda.Add melted coconut oil and combine.Sift in powdered sugar and mix well.2 cups plain flour, ⅓ cup coconut oil, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ⅓ cup sugar
- Gradually add milk until a soft dough forms.Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours⅓ cup milk
Shape the Cookies:
- Take a small portion of the dough and place it between two sheets of baking paper.
- Gently flatten it using a rolling pin, Roll to ¼ inch thickness , then use a cookie cutter to cut out your desired shapes. The dough will feel slightly flaky due to the high amount of nuts—handle it carefully.
Cooking in Air Fryer:
- Preheat to 165°C (330°F).Place cookies in a single layer in the basket.Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly golden.
Cooking in Oven
- .Preheat to 170°C (340°F).Arrange cookies on a lined baking tray.Bake for 13-14 minutes, until edges are golden.
Variations
You can even dip plain thandai cookies in white chocolate and decorate it with nuts and rose petals for a suave avatar.You can also make an eggless air fryer cookies with unsalted butter and plain flour instead of coconut oil.
FAQ
Yes it has the goodness of saffron strands, spices and nuts and better than the protein shake as its natural. It also helps cool the digestive system.
Lassi is a yogurt based drink which nowadays comes in flavors like rose, malai, mango lassi. Kesar thandai is a spiced almond milk enjoyed during Holi and shivratri.
Post workout or meal during lunchtime.
Conclusion: Thandai cookies are a great way to enjoy Holi and make a great option for healthier cookies too.
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