Eggless Thandai Cookies make a special treat for Holi. These are easy to make at home with basic pantry ingredients and packed with so much flavor from the spices and nuts!
1sticksalted butter113 grams (1/2 cup), at room temperature
1/2cupgranulated white sugar100 grams
1tablespoonrose water
Instructions
In a large bowl whisk together flour, thandai powder, crushed dried rose petals and baking powder. Also add 1/4 teaspoon of salt if using unsalted butter in the recipe. Set aside.
Warm 1.5 tablespoons milk in a pan. Once it's little warm, add crushed saffron to it and turn off the heat. Let it sit while you make the cookie dough.
Using the paddle attachment of your stand mixer (or use your mixer), beat together butter and sugar until creamy.
Add in the saffron milk and the rose water. You might need not add the whole saffron milk at this point, add 1 tablespoon and after adding the dry ingredients (see next step below) see if the dough is coming together. If it isn't, then only add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon.
Add the dry ingredients and mix using the paddle attachment, it will all come together as a dough. You can also use your hands to bring the dough together.
Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Then roll each part to form a log, 7 inch long. Roll each log into crushed dried rose petals. This is optional. Cover the dough logs with a cling sheet and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Once chilled, take out the logs and using a knife cut them into cookies, around 1/2 inch thick. Also, pre-heat the oven to 350 F degrees.
Arrange the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 F degrees for 20 to 23 minutes or until crispy and lightly browned from the bottom. Since I like really crispy cookies, I baked these for around 23 minutes.If you cut thinner cookies (1/4 inch thick), then bake for 18 minutes.
Let the cookies cool and then store these thandai cookies in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy.
Notes
You can roll the cookies into crushed nuts before slicing. You can even add some crushed nuts on top of the cookies before baking.
I recommend using salted butter for this recipe. If using unsalted butter, make sure to add 1/4 teaspoon of salt in the recipe.