Eggless, crispy cookies spiced with Indian spices and flavored with pepper jack cheese. These Masala Cheese cookies make a perfect pairing with masala chai!

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: Not specified
  • Yield: 32 cookies
  • Category: Cookies
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups atta (whole wheat flour, 195 grams)
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1.5 teaspoons ajwain (carom seeds)
  • 1/4 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons kasuri methi (crushed, dried fenugreek leaves)
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 3/4 cup grated cheese (70 grams, I used pepper jack cheese)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (113 grams, at room temperature)
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (28 grams)
  • 1.5-2 tablespoons milk (22 ml-30 ml, as needed)

Method

  1. To a large bowl, add atta, baking powder and salt. Mix using a wire whisk. Then add to it ajwain, kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric, crushed kasuri methi, red chili powder. Mix well.
  2. Then add grated pepper jack cheese. Mix the cheese with your hands, breaking it and mixing it with the flour using your fingers. Now set this aside.
  3. To a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or use your hand mixer, add butter and sugar and mix them until creamy and well combined, around 1-2 minutes on medium speed.
  4. Add half of the flour mixture and mix.
  5. Then add remaining flour mix along with milk and mix.
  6. Dough should come together if using paddle attachment. Else you can use your hands to bring the dough together. Wrap the dough with a cling sheet and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes. Pre-heat oven to 350 F degrees.
  7. Then using a rolling pin, roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into cookies, I used square shape cookie cutter and cut 2 x 2, size square cookies. Cut cookies until all the dough is finished. I got 32 such cookies out of this dough.
  8. Arrange all cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving a little space between each. Prick them with a fork if you want so that they don't rise while baking and you get flat top cookies. Bake at 350 F degrees for 20 minutes for crispy cookies. Check at 18 minutes especially if your oven runs too hot. Transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely. Store these masala cheese cookies in an airtight container and enjoy with chai!

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.