Think Indian spices are just for curries? Think again. Fragrant spice blends added to Christmas cookie recipes are a fun twist, but not so strongly flavoured that they'll scare away kids or traditional grandmas. Arvinda's Indian Cooking Classes, based in Oakville, Ontario, provides the recipes, the kitchen, and the clean-up. Then, make the recipes (like the ladoo recipe, below) again at home.
Christmas Cookies with Indian Spices
Fusing (and infusing) non-Indian recipes with Indian spices is becoming a cuisine of its own. Cookies, desserts and sweets are common fusions, as are soups, dips and other dishes. Not that anyone is complaining. Cookies are just another way to enjoy spices that may find themselves relegated to the back of the shelf.
Arvinda’s Cookie Recipes
Arvinda’s cookie recipes update traditional gingerbread, biscotti, crescents and peanut butter “snowballs” (ladoos, recipe below) with Indian spices (ginger, curry, cinnamon) and spice blends (Chai Masala and Garam Masala). Topped off with a Garam Masala Hot Chocolate, these unique cookies are guaranteed to fly off the plate and into peoples’ mouths.
Merry Masala Cookie Exchange
Arvinda’s Indian Cooking Classes’ Merry Masala Cookie Exchange solves the time, space, and clean-up challenges of holiday baking with its three-hour marathon baking session in a professional kitchen. Preparation, baking and clean-up is taken care of. Designed to get the Indian spices “out of their tin”, each participant prepares and takes home a few dozen cookies of different varieties.
As an exchange rather than a cooking class, Merry Masala doesn’t offer much instruction for new bakers. Professional cooking instructor (and half of the mother-daughter team that makes up Arvinda’s) Preena Chauhan roams the class to help when help is needed. But this is not a learn-to-bake class. It’s best attended with a calm and patient friend to help delegate the work to members of each five-person team.
- For more information: Arvinda’s Cooking Ingredients for Indian Cuisine
Make Indian Spices Cookie Recipes at Home
With a little preparation and care, the recipes from the Merry Masala class can also be made at home. Or, trying adding about a tablespoon of spice blend (Arvinda’s uses their own Chai and Garam Masala blends) to cookie recipes that are already family favourites.
Vegan Recipe Variations
Indian spices can be added to vegan cookies too. They go especially well with nuts, dried fruit, and peanut butter.
Holiday Chai Coconut Ladoos (Snowballs) Recipe
Before preparing this no-bake holiday ladoo (snowballs) recipe, why not whip up a festive beverage to go with? Visit the Arvinda’s site for Garam Masala Hot Chocolate and Chai Tea for Two recipes.
- Tip: to makes these drinks vegan, simply swap out dairy milk for almond milk.
- Recipe is Copyright Arvinda’s Healthy Gourmet Indian Cooking, used with permission.
A “ladoo” is a popular Indian sweet rolled into balls and served during Indian festival times of the year. This is a modern holiday version of a ladoo which contains mixed peeled fruit, coconut, raisins and the spicy flavours of masala Chai.
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup organic peanut butter, crunchy
- ¾ cup coconut, dried and unsweetened + extra ½ cup for dusting
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup almonds, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup golden raisins
- ¼ cup candied mixed peel or red candied cherries, coarsely chopped*
- ¼ cup icing sugar
- ¼ cup raw honey**
- 2 tbsp. sherry or rum
- 2 tbsp. ginger powder
- 2 tsp. Arvinda’s Chai Masala
Method of Preparation:
- In a small bowl, soak raisins in sherry or rum. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add peanut butter and mix well. If consistency is stiff, slightly warm up peanut butter in microwave or on stovetop.
- Mix in remaining ingredients and combine. Chill in refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. Roll into balls (slightly smaller than walnut size).
- Place remaining coconut in a small bowl. Dust balls with coconut to garnish. Store in refrigerator.
Yield = 45 pieces.
*some red food colourings are derived from animal (insect) sources. Check the list of hidden animal-derived ingredients to ensure cherries are vegan-friendly.
**for a vegan recipe, substitute agave nectar for the honey.
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