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Cashew cookies / Kaju biscuits are very similar to Karachi biscuits with a distinct flavor of cashews to them. Cashews impart a rich texture and flavor to the cookies and need no other flavor enhancers. These are eggless cashew cookies that are crisp, crunchy, and very tempting.
I love baking, it relaxes me and the aroma of baking that comes from the oven is absolutely divine.
One of the other reasons I love baking is because my son loves to bake. So it is our special mom and son times that I cherish.
Normally in any of my cooking adventures my son is my sidekick or a sous-chef. So whatever recipes I cook he is there to assist and encourage me and of course to ask me thousands of questions.
However, this recipe is special, because this time it was the other way round. He was the head chef and I was the sous-chef.
He did his research, asked me hundreds of questions when I baked it earlier. He likes to have all the information on hand before venturing into my food lab.
So let me share the recipe of cashew cookies that is delicious, easy, and very special.
Why do you add baking powder to cashew cookies?
Well, it is possible to bake cookies without baking powder or baking soda, but then you will get dense cookies. So for lighter cookies, you need to add these ingredients.
As when you add baking powder or baking soda a chemical reaction takes place releasing carbon dioxide making the cookies light.
Why do we use white sugar while baking these cashew cookies?
Another ingredient that decides the texture of the cookies is the sugar. Adding powdered white sugar makes the cookies crisper as compared to brown sugar or any other sweetener.
The reason white sugar leads to crisper cookies is that white sugar lets out a lot of water while baking which evaporates leading to crisper cookies.
Why do we use cornstarch in cookies?
Cornstarch or custard powder is one of the important ingredients in Karachi Biscuits/cookies. Cornstarch or custard powder when combined with flour softens the harsh proteins of flour and makes more tender baked goods.
The reason I did not add custard powder to my cookies is that I wanted crisp, crunchy cookies and not soft-baked ones.
If you like baking you could also try some of my other cookies recipes like Nankhatai, Karachi biscuits, Butter cookies, Meringue cookies, Cream cheese cookies.
IF YOU LIKE THE RECIPE AND HAVE TRIED IT DO DROP A COMMENT BELOW. I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES. ALSO, DROP A COMMENT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO HELP.
Importance of ratios while baking cashew cookies.
- Too much baking powder in a recipe leads to a bitter tasting cookies.
- Adding too much sugar makes your cookies brittle will too less affects the taste and texture.
- Butter acts as an emulsifier in the cookies. It makes the cookies tender and adds a crispness around the edge. Adding too much butter makes the cookies flat and greasy while adding too little makes them tough and crumbly.
Cashew Cookies / Kaju Biscuit / Kaju Cookies
Equipment
- Oven / OTG / Convection Microwave
- Whisk / Hand Mixer
- Bowl
- Measuring Spoon / Cups
- Sifter
- Cling wrap
- Knife
- baking tray
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 + ¼ cups All purpose flour / Maida Sifted
- ½ cup Butter Room temperature
- ½ cup Sugar Extra fine / Powdered
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Baking powder
- ¼ cup Cashew powder
- ¼ cup cashew pieces
Instructions
- Ingredients
- Take butter, sugar, salt and baking powder in a big bowl.
- Whisk it with a hand mixer or a regular whisk for about 3-4 mins or thill it becomes light in color.
- Now add cashew powder and all purpose flour in 3 parts and fold it in.
- After adding the last past of flour and cashew powder, use your had to make a dough ball. Dough should be soft but not sticky.
- Dust the work surface with a little all purpose flour. Put the dough on it and roll it to make a cylinder roll.
- Wrap the dough roll tightly in a cling wrap and refrigerate it for about 40 to 50 mins till the roll firms up a little.
- Pre-heat the oven at 350 F / 180 C.
- Take a baking tray and line it with parchment paper.
- Get the dough roll out of fridge and take it out of cling wrap onto cutting board.
- Cut cookies about ¼th inch thick and put it on the baking tray.
- Press some broken cashews on the top of the cookies so that they stick in a bit and do not fall off after baking.
- Do not take a lot of time to do this or the dough will start to soften.
- Put the tray in the oven and bake for about 15 - 18 mins on a middle rack. till the cookies have a very light browning at the bottom. As the heating of all ovens vary, I would recommend to check the cookies at 12 mins and cook ahead depending upon requirement.
- If you like soft cookies take the cookies out at 15 mins otherwise for crisper cookies bake till 18 mins.
- Let them cool before storing them in a dry air tight container. They stay good for about 3 weeks.
Notes
- Do not forget to refrigerate the dough roll before baking.
- Chilling the cookie dough before baking solidifies the fats thus the cookie dough takes longer to melt and the cookies doesn't spread thin and rises well.
- Sift the flour before using.
- Don't cut the cookies to thin.
- Do not roll the dough into a fat cylinder. Make it slender as the cookie will spread and expand while baking.
- If after cutting the cookies and adding cashews on top you feel the dough has softened a lot then put it in refrigerator for another 10 mins before baking.
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Taba
Looks delicious! Egg free baked good recipes can be so hard to find!
prajakta.palkar
Thanks
Pradeep Chitre
More tempting than Karachi wala cookies which we had in their shapat Hyderabad.
Very well and detailed explained.
Wonderful
prajakta.palkar
Thank you
Puja Kumari
This is looking delicious, I have a sweet tooth..this is going to be in my try-to list. Thanks for sharing!
Mandy
These look delicious. I love to bake too, but just do not make it a priority like ai should!
prajakta.palkar
Thanks
Georgia Alzapiedi
I’ve just started baking, so bookmarked this to try next week. It looks like a really straightforward recipe, and I’m excited to give it a try.
Thanks!
prajakta.palkar
Yes it's an easy recipe and the cookies are delicious.
Shiela
eggless cookies? for real? I didn't know it's possible! This is really amazing! I would definitely try this at home. Thanks for sharing your recipes!
sumit walia
very well explained. it looks like your son is very meticulous and thorough in whatever he does. The post has been explained very well and in a lucid manner.
Anosa
These cookies look absolutely delicious and I can not wait to give them a try.
prajakta.palkar
Thank you. Would love to hear back from you.
Nkem
The recipe looks delicious, and thanks for the detail in explanation!
prajakta.palkar
Thank you
My Kitchen
These cookies look really delicious. You have given me an idea on what to make on Saturday.
prajakta.palkar
Thank you.