Masala Cookies

 

The aroma of chai isn't just a smell—it's a warm, liquid embrace. But the magic truly happens when you pair it with the perfect companion: a masala cookie. Crispy at the edges and dissolving into a satisfying blend of spicy sweetness on the tongue, that single bite instantly takes you back into that memory lane. You can almost feel the aroma of the baked items in the evening air and smell the yeast from the old, familiar bakery where these very cookies were sold. You wait for that small little brown bag with cookies to be opened and take a bite into it. Hope some of you can connect to this.

Here I am recreating the memories with these cookies.  These cookies are on the spicier side.  Feel free to adjust the amount of green chilis per your liking.  I avoid garlic from these cookies as they seem to reduce the crispiness of the cookies.  They pair very well with coffee or tea.

They are crispy inside out and has the perfect crunch to munch as a tea time snack.

Yields - 12 cookies

Ingredients

Dry ingredients

1 cup - all purpose flour

1/3 tsp - baking powder

1/4 tsp - baking soda

1/4 tsp - salt

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5 tbsp - soft butter

1/3 cup - powdered sugar

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To grind

1 dry - red chili

3 - green chili

1 tsp - ginger chopped

1 - big shallot (4 small shallots)

1/2 tsp - pepper powder

2 sprigs - fresh curry leaves

2 tbsp - desiccated coconut flakes

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Masala Mix

1/2 tsp - turmeric powder

1/2 tsp - Kashmiri Chili powder

1/2 tsp - ground fennel seeds

1 tbsp - black sesame seeds

1 tbsp - chopped cashew

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Topping

1 tbsp - White sesame seeds

1 - beaten egg white 

Directions:

• Pre-heat the oven to 325 F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Beat the soft butter and powdered sugar till fluffy.
• Pulse the ingredients under 'To Grind' in a chopper to get a coarse paste.
• Sift the dry ingredients into the butter mix.  Add the ground mix and the ingredients under Masala Mix and knead for a minute to form the dough.
• Divide the dough into 12 equal parts.  Roll each part into a ball and place in between a parchment paper.  Press it with the bottom of a measuring cup to form the cookie or use a rolling pin to roll as a cookie.  Shape the edges using fingers to get even sides.  Place the rolled cookies on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Brush the top of the cookies with egg wash and sprinkle the white sesame seeds on it.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, till the edges are light golden.  
• Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.  The cookies will get crispier as it cools down.
• These cookies can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for a week.