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Freshly baked jowar thandai nankhatai cookies garnished with pistachios and rose petals on a modern tray

Jowar Thandai Nankhatai (Sorghum Thandai Cookies)

A lighter, melt-in-your-mouth Indian shortbread made with jowar flour and thandai masala. Gluten-free, lower in calories, and easily made vegan.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 14 cookies
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: gluten free, Indian, Indian fusion, vegan

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients
  • 1 cup jowar (sorghum) flour
  • 2 tbsp besan (chickpea flour) helps with the traditional crunch
  • 3 tbsp thandai powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 pinch salt
Wet Ingredients
  • 1/3 cup solid ghee or semi-solid coconut oil for vegan
  • 1/2 cup jaggery powder or powdered raw sugar
  • 1 to 2 tbsp milk (dairy or almond) only if needed to bind
Garnish
  • 1 tbsp chopped pistachios
  • a few dried rose petals

Method
 

Prep the Oven
  1. Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Cream the Fat and Sugar
  1. In a wide mixing bowl, add the solid ghee (or coconut oil) and jaggery powder.
  2. Whisk vigorously for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture turns pale, light, and fluffy. This step is crucial for that melt-in-the-mouth texture.
Make the Dough
  1. Sift the jowar flour, besan, baking powder, and salt directly into the creamed mixture. Add the thandai powder.
  2. Gently bring the mixture together with your hands to form a dough. Do not over-knead. If the dough feels too crumbly and won't hold a ball shape, sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk and gently bind it.
Shape and Bake
  1. Pinch off small lemon-sized portions of the dough and roll them into smooth balls between your palms. Slightly flatten the tops.
  2. Place them on the baking tray, leaving a little space between each.
  3. Gently press a few chopped pistachios and a rose petal onto the center of each cookie.
  4. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes until the edges just start to turn golden.
  5. The cookies will be very soft when hot. Let them cool completely on the tray for 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. They will crisp up as they cool.

Notes

Fat consistency: Your ghee or coconut oil must be semi-solid (like soft butter). If it is completely melted into liquid, the cookies will spread out flat and lose their shape.
Vegan Swap: Coconut oil works beautifully here and naturally complements the floral notes of the thandai powder.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days.
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