Whole Wheat Jaggery Cookies
Jan 24, 2019, Updated May 07, 2023
Whole Wheat/Atta Cookies sweetened with jaggery and flavored with cardamom. These crispy eggless cookies are refined sugar free and great with coffee or chai!
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Eggless and free of refined sugar, these crispy Whole Wheat Jaggery Cookies are my new favorite cookies to enjoy with my morning chai. They are easy to make at home with basic pantry ingredients.
I never follow diets. I always believe in eating everything in moderation and then working out. But at the beginning of this year, I got into this idea of doing sugar free January.
It had to do with the fact that I had way too many desserts in December and I wanted to cut down on the sugar overdose. Since it was a new year, it just seemed like the right time to do it.
My rules weren’t very strict. I was only cutting down on refined sugar. The unprocessed and natural sugars like jaggery, honey, dates were all okay for me. Of course, I was not having these everyday but they were okay to have when the sweet cravings kicked it.
I made my own set of rules. I know a lot of people are way more strict on this when doing sugar free challenge but for me I chose to go for something which I could sustain and this seemed to work for me.
It’s all been okay actually, we are almost towards the end of the month and I have refrained from processed sugar so far. The biggest challenge that I faced was with cookies.
So I need a rusk or a crispy cookie (Indian style biscuit) with my morning chai. And no matter what brand I looked at the Indian store, I couldn’t find a biscuit without some processed sugar in it.
I wasn’t trying to find something super healthy but just a cookie made with simple ingredients and no refined sugar. But I couldn’t find any!
Can you guys guess what I did to fix that? Of course, bake some refined sugar free cookies at home! These Whole Wheat Jaggery Cookies turned out really crispy and yummy and went so well with my chai.
The best part? They are so easy to make with only few simple ingredients like ghee and atta!
Whole Wheat Jaggery Cookies
✓ crispy, crunchy cookies ideal for chai time
✓ eggless and easy to make
✓ made with atta (durum whole wheat flour)
✓ free of refined sugar, sweetened with jaggery
✓ stay well in an airtight container for weeks
Some of you might not be aware of jaggery. It is unrefined sugar obtained from raw, concentrated sugarcane juice. Its widely popular in India and other Asian countries and used in number of desserts.
It is also known as “gur” in Hindi.
I tested this whole wheat jaggery cookies recipe twice to get them perfect. I was looking for a simple cookie, sweetened with jaggery and crispy enough for my chai. The first batch that I made didn’t turn out crispy.
It needed more fat. So for the next round, I added more ghee and these turned out perfect. Also, it was important to sift the jaggery powder. It made a big difference to the final texture of the cookies.
How Long to Bake These Cookies?
It will depend on how crispy you want them!
I bake them for 18 minutes at 350 F degrees because I like them really crispy.
Bake for 15 to 16 minutes for a less crispy cookie.
How to Store These Cookies
Let these whole wheat jaggery cookies cool down completely once they are out of the oven.
Once cooled, store in an airtight container. They should be good for 3 weeks at least. I usually finish these before that time.
Substitute for Jaggery
If you want to make these cookies and can’t get hold of jaggery, use brown sugar in place. It should work. Even coconut sugar should be okay.
Again, these are not some super healthy cookies. But these are better than the store bought ones. They have simple ingredients and no refined sugar. I know I will be making another batch very soon!
Method
1- In a large bowl mix together atta (whole wheat flour), baking powder, cardamom powder, cinnamon powder and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
2- In another large bowl, sift the jaggery powder. Get rid of any large particles.
3- Add ghee to the sifted jaggery powder and mix using a whisk until combined and fluffy.
4- Add the milk and mix. You can also do these steps using a stand mixer.
5- Transfer the jaggery-ghee-milk mixture to the flour mix and using your hands or stand mixer, mix it all together until it forms a dough. If the dough isn’t coming together, you may need to add 1/2 tablespoon milk or so.
6- Cover and let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
7- Then roll the dough using a roller. Cut into circles of 2 inch diameter, around 1/4 inch thick. I got 28 such cookies.
8- Transfer cookies to baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pierce with a fork and make a design on top.
Bake at 350 F for 16-18 minutes or until crisp and dark golden brown in color. I bake for 18 mins for super crispy cookies.
Let cool completely on a wire rack and then store in an airtight container. Enjoy these whole wheat jaggery cookies with chai!
If you’ve tried this Whole Wheat Jaggery Cookies Recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram to see what’s latest in my kitchen!
Whole Wheat Jaggery Cookies
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups atta 195 grams, also know as durum whole wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup ghee/clarified butter 100 grams, in semi-solid form (not melted)
- 1/2 cup jaggery powder 64 grams, measured after sifting the jaggery powder
- 3 tablespoons milk 45 ml
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl mix together atta (whole wheat flour), baking powder, cardamom powder, cinnamon powder and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- In another large bowl, sift the jaggery powder. Get rid of any large particles.
- Add ghee to the sifted jaggery powder and mix using a whisk until combined and fluffy.Add the milk and mix. You can also do these steps using a stand mixer.
- Transfer the jaggery-ghee-milk mixture to the flour mix and using your hands or stand mixer, mix it all together until it forms a dough. If the dough isn’t coming together, you may need to add 1/2 tablespoon milk or so.
- Cover and let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Then roll the dough using a roller. Cut into circles of 2 inch diameter, around 1/4 inch thick. I got 28 such cookies.
- Transfer cookies to baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pierce with a fork and make a design on top.
- Bake at 350 F for 16-18 minutes or until crisp and dark golden brown in color. I bake for 18 mins for super crispy cookies.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack and then store in an airtight container. Enjoy these whole wheat jaggery cookies with chai!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! Usually one cup weighs approximately 240gms, that is the standard measurement. You have mentioned 1.5 cups atta / 194 grams, can you please clarify on the same?
I do use a US standard size cup (8 oz/240 ml). weight and volume are different things. Weight is determined by the heaviness, or mass, of the particular item, and is measured with the use of a scale. Volume is the amount of space that an item you are measuring takes up. 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar will not be the same by weight. Makes sense? 1 cup flour= 130 grams by weight, 1 cup sugar=200 grams by weight (even though both are 1 cup by volume).
Thank you for amazing recipe, i made some in shape of Fire Truck and Ambulance. My son loves emergency vehicles. Unfortunately can’t add pic.
Although, i noticed that you mentioned 3 tbsps milk (45ml) but 1 tbsp is 20ml so it should be 60ml.
Glad you liked these. I am not sure where you live but I live in the US and use US standard measuring cups and spoons. 1 tablespoon in US is 15 ml, you can google and confirm so 45 ml is just right.
I have a block of jaggery which I tried to shred and combine with the ghee, but maybe my house is too warm because the ghee turned to liquid and keeps separating from the jaggery. I end up with jaggery lumps and ghee soup, not mixing together at all. Any suggestions?? Should I put it in the fridge to help it firm up and try again? Thanks
I have always made this recipe with store bought jaggery powder. The consistency of grate jaggery from a block of jaggery will be different and that will end up changing the ratios in the recipe. Try putting it on a stove-top, stir until jaggery melts and combines with ghee. Then let it cool down a bit and then proceed with the recipe. I can’t say how it will work but worth trying.
Thank you! I do not have jaggery in powder form available to me, so I have made what I can with the block. It helped to make the ghee solid form again, and I was able to cream it together. The end result cookie was snappy and delicious. Very good with Chai. Normally I don’t like things with whole wheat, but this was good. Thank you for the recipe and kind reply! 🙂
Hello
Made these biscuits. But was a bit disappointed as microwave a ghee aftertaste
Maybe not for me
yup maybe not for you then. These are quite popular and liked cookies on the blog but everyone has their own taste and preferences! Sorry you didn’t like them, thanks for trying.
Hi tell me how to do in microwave oven pls
I don’t have a microwave, sorry
Recipe looks absolutely great. While browsing I was looking for heart healthy Indian cookies.. Wondering if these or any of your other cookies can be made without fat/ghee/oil. I plan to make it for my someone who is both diabetic n heart patients. Will appreciate your suggestion
Hi Manvi, since I haven’t tested these recipes without fat I cannot comment on that. Those will be different recipes and I will have to test them before sharing here. You can try changing things on your own though but I can’t say how they will turn out.
Hi Manali, this recipe is simple to follow for a beginner like me. I would like to know if baking powder is just in this recipe and if there is any other alternative in the place of baking powder. Thanks!
there’s no alternative for baking powder here, just skip!
Thanks a lot Manali for the quick response. Will check next time.
Hi Manali,
I tried the cookies. It came out good.
But one concern was I couldn’t give cookies a good shape. When I try to use cookie cutter, the dough was breaking, so couldn’t get shape. So I had to just take small ball of dough and make party of it and placed in oven.
Do you know, why the dough was breaking when I tried to cut with some shape?
try to roll in one to length wise and then one go horizontally, dough won’t break. If it’s still breaking, it means dough needs little moisture. Sprinkle some water/milk, knead and try again.
Just made the cookies. They are amazing. Added a little soonth powder, gave it a nice taste. Thank you for the recipe.
welcome!
Tried simpler variation of this today by leaving out cinnamon and cardamom powder. Came out well, correct level of sweet and crispiness. Everyone at my home, from kids to grandparents, all loved it! 🙂 And I love that it has no refined sugar, and no maida…too good!
Hi
Can we use brown sugar instead of gur as summers are approaching.
yes brown sugar should be okay
Hey Manali, making these today. But the dough is quite soft, cannot roll. Kept it aside for 15 minutes, keeping my fingers crossed that they come out nice after banking. The dough tastes heavenly though 🙂
hope it turned out fine. the dough shouldn’t be so soft , maybe you measured something incorrectly
We don’t like the smell of cinnamon,kind of allergic to it.Can we replace cinnamon with any thing else such vanilla essence or cocoa powder or omit it totally?
cardamom or remove it
Lovedd it ..tried it today
I tried them and found quite heard compare to maida and sugar cookies. That’s how they are supposed to be ? Did I go wrong any where ?
Hi Rupa, they are crispy but not hard. And texture will obviously be different than maida and sugar cookies since those are made with all purpose flour. Whole wheat flour is dense compared to maida.
Can i use Refined oil instead of ghee?
butter would be better
The cookies came out very well, tasty and crisp. I baked them for 18 mins too. Thank you.
Thanks for this wonderful recipe. I baked two batches one after the other. Tried a tiny variation in the second one. Added half cup of grated coconut and 1 tbsp of freshly grated ginger to the mix. Both the batches turned out great and I promise to be making this regularly, since they have been a hit with everyone who sampled them.
I have melted or rather liquefied jaggery.. What quantity should I use?
hmm that would change the ratio of dry to wet ingredients in the recipe and so I don’t know..best would be to use sugar in place (brown/coconut sugar)
Thank you for the recipe! The cookies came out amazing and the kids LOVE them! Wish I could attach a picture here.
Hi Manali
Would it work if I threw in some chocolate chips in it ?
Or Do you have any chocolate chip cookies recipes with gur and whole wheat flour
Thanks
Made it and turned out excellent !
Thanks a lot for this healthy option !
We propose to make this our regular tea time cookies now onwards !
31st October 2019
Can I use honey instead of jaggery? Thank you.
you can try. I have not tested this recipe with honey so I can’t say it will work or not.
Hi
Love these cookies , I bake them for my little one but they become soft within 3 -4 days .How can I prevent this
if you store in an airtight container it shouldn’t happen
Hello Manali,
Thank you for this recipe. I tried my 1st attempt at wheat jaggery biscuits…rather biscuits as such at home. They are really yummy and homely. Highly recommended to everyone to blindly follow this as base for making them …one can modify them as per ur taste and liking….Thanks once again and wish you best ?????
you are welcome! glad you all enjoyed it!
Can I substitute cooking butter for ghee?
ghee is what is used in the recipe
These sound great,have been looking for a healthy biscuit i can make for me and my baby to use up my giant jar of atta!plus,i am having little morning sickness too,do you think I can add 1/4 tsp powdered ginger to the mix?
yes you may!
Have been trying various biscuit recipes ever since I realized that all top brand of biscuits I checked had palm oil as an ingredient. Also I have stopped using maida for a long time now.
These are truly very simple to make and the proportions are perfect. Ofcourse I have been using jaggery in place of white sugar in various dishes including my morning tea for quite some time now, so this has been a plus .
Thank you Manali.
You are welcome! so glad you enjoyed these 🙂
These cookies are awesome. I had been trying various whole wheat and jaggery cookies for a while now but nothing clicked. Made a batch of these yesterday and husband tasted it today and said they were perfect. I made a few variations to adjust the sweetness and the spices as per our taste and the result was just delicious!
Awesome, I love them too 🙂
Is this butter biscuit like?
I am not aware of butter biscuit. You mean crispy buttery cookies? This does have a strong taste of ghee and they are crispy
Hi
My oven is an older one and has 250 F maximum.so what can be done in that case please guide.
You probably have 250 C as the maximum of on your oven which is almost 500F. For this recipe you need to bake the cookies at 180 C (350 F) so in your oven use 180 C.
Hi, it’s a very simple yet awesome recipe. Just let me know one thing that is I want to replace it with butter, what should be quantity/weight. Waiting for your reply.
TIA
Hi Gauri, it should be same. Please note that I have not tried it with butter so can’t be 100% sure! but try with equal amount
They turned out nice! We are doing no sugar rest of the year! And these are nice substitute for other biscuits. Awesome! Actually we used to make shakkar paare with same recipe.. instead of baking, we fried. But I couldn’t get temperature setting correct before. Thanks for the recipe.
Welcome Neha, that’s the reason I made them at first because we were doing no refined sugar that month. Glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Another issue I faced is as I have a microwave. I used the minimum degree which is 180°. Baked for 4 mins first and the top was burning off. I turned over & baked for 8 more mins. The bottom was perfectly baked but top was burnt. Tasted great though. What’s the solution
This recipes was tested in an oven, sorry I have no idea of microwave baking and I am not sure how it works. I would suggest looking for some microwave whole wheat cookies baking time and follow the same for this recipe
I used exactly the same measurements. Ofcourse forgot to mix the ghee jaggery post sifting & mixed directly to the atta. The dough is not holding on together. Kindly suggest
I am not sure what went wrong, if you followed the exact measurements then the recipe should work. I have made it several times. If dough is not coming together, add some milk and try to bring it together, and then let it rest a bit before trying to roll. that might help
What is the shelf life of this cookie?
They are good for couple of weeks in an airtight container.
This is one of the best healthy and easy recipe to bake for everyone,
ys
sandeep
Thanks Sandeep!
My family and I absolutely loved these cute little cookies – I had used freshly milled whole wheat flour combined with freshly milled pastry flour … so delicious and healthy. Question: Would thinner versions of these cookies make a great base for appetizers? Any suggestions? Also love many of your other offerings too … thanks for sharing!
Glad you liked it Julie…yes why not, you can make this as a crust for other recipes..should work! you can also crumble the cookies in a food processor and make base for trifles etc.
Hii
Tried these cookies…they tasted amazing and are super healthy. For long I was looking for a wheat cookie recipe without using refined sugar.
Thank you so much!!!
glad you enjoyed these Shweta! We love them too!
Ok thank you for quick reply
Will try nd let u know
Hii
Can i use normal wheat flour i.e chakki atta which we get in India
Is durum wheat flour is different from that
its the same! regular atta
Hi Manali! Absolutely love all your recipes. I am trying these cookies today. Just put them in the oven so fingers crossed they turn out yummy as yours ! One problem I faced was with the dough. I did add a few tablespoons of milk but still it wasn’t workable. Kneaded for a Long time to make it work. Covered it for 15 mins and rolling it out was quite difficult with the crumbling happening. What could be the reason ? Thanks
So much ! Kriti
Hi Kriti, you can always add more milk to bring it all together. You have to roll in with a rolling pin with gentle pressure. It does roll, just roll it gently applying pressure in all directions. If you see my dough picture, it isn’t very smooth either. But gentle handling helps while rolling..roll as much as you can, cut cookies, then collect all the remaining dough and roll again…do until all dough is finished..Hope they turn out well!
These cookies looks interesting. Can i use wet jaggery as i do not have the powder one.
jaggery is usually sold in solid blocks…you can simply grate it to get powder and then use in the recipe..I am not sure what is wet jaggery..
Looking delicious! the baked version of these cookies is perfect for the morning with a cup of tea.
Thanks for sharing such a yumm! recipe.
Thanks!
Saw these cookies on your IG feed and found them so tempting!
I have been searching for a whole wheat cookie. Your recipe indeed has created a spark within me. Can I substitute ghee with butter? Thank you for sharing!
yes you may!
Can I use a baking tray and line it with butter paper and bake cookies in it?
yes!
Looks yum..can u tell me how to make these yummy cookies in cooker? I don’t have an oven.. how do I prepare it in cooker and for what time do I have to keep it in?
sorry I have no experience in baking in cooker..you can search online for making cookies in cooker and then follow the same steps for this recipe
Healthy cookies!! Perfect for the evening snack with a cup of tea
Looking superb, love this baked version of cookies. I make thekua with gur but deep fried and baked version. taste amazing.
I would love one for my tea now :-)) I love the aroma of jaggery.
so good with tea! 🙂
Can I exlcude Baking Sheet and Parchment Paper and place cookies on teflon tray?
Should tray be placed on high stand/rack or low stand/rack?
you can do that, bake on middle rack