JAGGERY AND SESAME COOKIES

“A small piece of jaggery after your heavy lunch helps in digesting the food”, Mom said this often when we were growing up. Ironically we often took such advices lightly in younger years. Other days I was reading the benefits of jaggery and it amazed me.  So I decided to bake cookies with wheat flour, oats along with organic jaggery powder and sesame seeds.

Jaggery is not only sweet with low calories but it is whole package of nutrients.

 It activates the digestive enzymes thus helping with the digestion of food.  It acts as a detox, helps cleansing the liver of nasty toxins.  It is full of anti oxidants and minerals like zinc and selenium. It helps build immunity against infections.

Other healthy ingredient in these cookies is sesame seeds.  Sesame seeds have innumerable benefits. They help with healthy bones, lowering blood pressure, Cholesterol and Triglycerides. They are a good source of B vitamins and help reduce inflammation.

I baked these cookies and gave to some friends . All of them loved them and were surprised to know that cookies were home made.  These cookies are ideal for coffee or tea time.  They are made of wheat flour and oats and are eggless. They are free of refined sugar as jaggery powder is the only sweetener in these.  So what is not to like in these crispy and healthy cookies.

Here is my recipes of jaggery and sesame seeds cookies:   

Ingredients:

1 cup wheat flour, 1/2 cup ground oats, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp cardamom powder, 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder, a pinch of salt, 1/2 cup ghee(clarified butter), 1/2 cup jaggery powder, 3 tbsp milk, 2 tbsp sesame seeds.

Method:

Pre heat oven to 350 degree F or 180 degree C.

In a large bowl mix together flours, baking powder, cardamom powder, cinnamon powder and salt and keep it aside.

In another bowl sift jaggery powder. Get rid of any large lumps or break them with hand ,sift them and mix with the sifted jaggery powder.

Add ghee to the sifted jaggery powder and mx using a whisk or hand mixer 

until well blended and fluffy.  Add the milk and mix well.

Now add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix well till it forms a dough. If dough is not forming well even with your hands, you may add 1 tsp of milk.

Add sesame seeds to the dough and knead well. Cover the dough and leave it for 10-15 minutes.

Then roll the dough using the roller pin. Cut into any shape you like. Make sure cookies are 1/4 inch thick.

Transfer cookies to baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes depending on the heat  of your oven. Once they are golden brown in colour, take them out.

Cool them on a wire rack and then store them in an airtight container.

Enjoy at tea time with family and friends.