Name: Thandai Shortbread Cookies
Yield: Makes about 30
Ingredients: ½ star anise pod; 1 ½" cinnamon stick; 5 green cardamom pods; 2 whole cloves; 1 Tbsp. dried rose petals; 1½ tsp. fennel seeds; ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg; ⅛ tsp. black peppercorns; ⅛ tsp. saffron threads; 1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. raw almonds; 1 Tbsp. poppy seeds; 1 Tbsp. raw cashews; 1 Tbsp. raw pistachios, preferably Persian or Sicilian; 10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature; ½ cup (100 g) sugar; 1½ tsp. vanilla extract; 1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour; ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt; 1 cup (170 g) high-quality white chocolate chips; 1 tsp. refined coconut oil; ¼ cup (30 g) raw pistachios, preferably Persian or Sicilian, chopped; 1 Tbsp. dried rose petals, crushed; A spice mill; a plain or fluted 2"-diameter cookie cutter

Thandai Shortbread Cookies easy cookie recipe

Photograph by Emma Fishman. Food styling by Pearl Jones.

Think of thandai—a popular drink at Holi celebrations in northern India—as a lightly floral spiced milk punch. In this recipe from her book Mumbai Modern, author Amisha Dodhia Gurbani mixes some of the rosy, nutty masala used for thandai into tender-crisp butter cookies, where its flavor blooms in the heat of the oven. Use leftover thandai masala to flavor hot chocolate, eggnog, or apple pie, or to sprinkle over your morning oatmeal or yogurt.

What you’ll need

Electric Mixer
$50 At Amazon
Round Cookie Cutter Set, 12-Pack
$13 $10 At Amazon
Spice Mill
$60 $50 At Kitchen Aid
Rolling Pin
$13 $12 At Amazon
Heatproof Measuring Cup
$26 At Amazon

Recipe notes

Super Seedy Power Cookies

As energizing as an energy bar, with a much simpler ingredient list.

Dark Chocolate Flax Bark

Crunchy, seedy flax crackers get topped with dark chocolate and a showering of sea salt for the ultimate sweet and salty snack.

Almond-Apricot Crostata

This laid-back Italian tart is made with a tender, buttery shortbread crust, filled with apricot jam, and blanketed in a layer of sliced almonds.

Hot Chocolate Cookies

A swirl of marshmallow fluff melts into the tops of these hot chocolate cookies while a pinch of cinnamon imparts the taste of a wintry mug of warm Nesquik.

Babka French Toast Bake

This breakfast-for-a-crowd crams everything good about babka into a hearty casserole: sweet custard, cinnamon, chocolate, and tender slices of bread.

Hummingbird Cake

Our spin on the beloved classic, featuring pineapple jam and cream cheese frosting.

Pecan Cream Pie

Bake something unforgettable this Thanksgiving: Pecan cream pie layers a buttery nut-filled base with brown sugar custard, a flaky crust, and whipped cream.

Pumpkin Flan de Queso

This seasonal take on a Puerto Rican favorite adds pumpkin purée and a touch of warm spice for an autumnal flair.