Kaju Kookies

Rakshabandhan is just around the corner, and I am sure everyone is getting creative to make something special for their loving brothers. Kaju kalti, thandai, bhakharwadi, batata wada, pani puri, shrikhand and many more are our family traditions. We would have such an amazing get together on the day of rakhi and enjoy so many delicacies made at home. There are so many online services that deliver beautiful Rakhis (a decorative band tied by a sister) and sweets to loving brothers anywhere in the world. But, it is always exciting to send homemade sweets. Most of my brothers (cousins) are in India and I am going to miss them a lot on Sunday, but I made sure to mail my Rakhi and some goodies to one of my cousins in Florida well in advance so that it is delivered in time for the festival. Instead of making regular Nankhatai or sugar cookies, I thought of adding some ground cashews to make delicious Cashew Cookies or Kaju Kookies (KKs) :)

This recipe will make 40-50 KKs

Whisk 2+1/2 stick or 1+1/4 cup or 20 tbsps. of unsalted softened butter till it is light and fluffy. The color of the butter becomes lighter as it gets whisked well. I like to use electric whisk to ease the process. You can use an electric mixer to do the same.

Add 1+1/2 cup fine sugar. You don't need powdered sugar but if your sugar crystals are large, just grind it to form fine crystals.

Whisk again to form light and fluffy paste. This is an important stage. Sugar and butter will trap in air to make cookies soft and porous.

Grind few cashews.

Add 1 tsp. vanilla extract and 1 cup ground cashews to butter and sugar mixture. Mix well.

Sieve 2+1/2 cups maida and 1/3 cup semolina/fine rawa.

Add 1 spoon a time and fold dry ingredients in butter sugar mixture till it forms a soft dough.

Take around 1 tbsp. KK dough to form a smooth ball and top with halved cashew piece.

Place in a cookie sheet leaving enough space in between each of these cookies.

Bake in a 325F preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. 

Cookie baking depends on your oven temperature, size of the cookies, type of pan, oven type.

Please keep a watch on your cookies. It might take anywhere from 20-45 minutes to reach your desired color.

I couldn't believe this. They almost tripled in size without adding any baking powder or baking soda.
 I did not expect them to touch each other. Anyways, it is the taste that is important! 

Look at the perfect texture.The large porous texture ensures crisp and melt in the mouth cookies.

As you bite in, you will see beautiful holes in the cookie.

These cookies are crisp, airy, melt in the mouth.

Hope you have a wonderful Rakhi Celebration!