Baked Thekua (Traditional sweet All Purpose flour Cookies)

Hello People,

How is everybody doing today? Myself doing great... And I am very happy as well... While growing up, few snacks and dishes, my mother use to cook very regularly... My Mom is  a great cook, and I love to make dishes, in her way.... It has those typical taste, which I really love it... I try my best, but never able to reach perfection in those recipes... Some of them, are Nimki (Salty Biscuits), Thekua, Gujia (A sweet dessert made of All purpose flour and Milk Fat), Eggplant curry.. Well, she is the mom, and may be the taste of food changes, because of the love she adds in her cooking.... Some of those dishes are my favorite... and Thekua is among them... It's a wheat flour cookie, which is deep fried... We basically, belong to that part of India, which loves "Thekua", and can eat any time of year as a Snack... Now, regular or you can say traditional "Thekua", is deep fried on low temperature.... Normally, it takes me about an hour and half to make these Thekuas....

Well, these traditional recipes, has reached us after travelling few generations.... No doubt, they are very yummy to eat.... But, Now since I am trying to implement healthy food in my diet, then this is just not perfect for me to eat.... I am a sweet toothed girl... Not, everytime I want to eat sweets, but whenever I crave for sweet, I cannot stop myself...And "Thekua" is my childhood favorite snack, how am I suppose to stop myself.... And after eating, there comes a heavy weight of guilt.... So, after some experiments, I discovered this yummilicious "Baked Thekua", which is equivalent yummy but not deep fried... Yayyyyyy, I have done it.....

I wont say, it is completely healthy, but yes no more guilt feeling of consuming deep fried food.....

I have learnt lot about blogging, through my fellow bloggers... I follow few of them religiously... My friend, Anshie Dhar's blog "Spice Roots" is one of them... I love all her stories, and the way she present them.... I got the inspiration to join this group of "Creative Cookie Exchange" through her...

I became the member of Creative Cookie Exchange, and I was surprised that how much variety of Cookies can be made from these innovative Ideas.....

The theme this month is Comfort Food Cookies! What cookie says comfort food to you?  If you are a blogger and want to join in the fun, contact Laura at thespicedlife AT gmail DOT com and she will get you added to our Facebook group, where we discuss our cookies and share links.

You can also just use us as a great resource for cookie recipes--be sure to check out our Pinterest Board and our monthly posts (you can find all of them here at The Spiced Life). You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month! Also, if you are looking for inspiration to get in the kitchen and start baking, check out what all of the hosting bloggers have made:

• Butterscotch Cookies from A Baker's House
• Chocolate Cappuccino Toffee Chip Cookies from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Chocolate Chip Cookies Made with an Assortment of Chocolate from The Spiced Life
• Quadruple Chocolate Shortbread Cookies from Magnolia Days
• Dark Chocolate Chunk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies from Food Lust People Love
• Roth (The Sacred Cookies from Kashmir) from Spiceroots
• Crispy Potato Chip Cookies from Rhubarb and Honey
• Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies from Made with Love
• Triple Chocolate Cookies from It’s Yummi
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies from Noshing with the Nolands
• Thekua (Sweet Wheat Cookies from Bihar) from Indian Curries/Stew
• Peanut Butter & Damson Jam Bars from Baking in Pyjamas
• Momma's Bran Chocolate Chip Cookies from Sweet Cinnamon Honey
• Nut Cookies from Basic N Delicious
• Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies from What Smells So Good?

So, here I am presenting you our healthier version of traditional Cookies, which is a Comfort Food for everyone in my family, " Thekua"....The name of this Cookie, is followed from few generations, so did not wanted to change it, and it is very well known, as "Thekua" in the eastern part of India....

Ingredients you need to make 10 Cookies- 

1. All Purpose flour - 2 cups
2. Sugar (powdered) - 3/4 cup
3. Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp
4. Olive oil - 1/2 cup
5. Warm water - 1 cup

Directions - 

• Mix all dry items..... 

• Add Olive oil, and mix... 
• Add warm water in small portions, to this mixture, and knead.. Add water as required, and make a tight dough...

• Cover the dough, and let it sit for an hour...

• Now, divide the dough in equal 10 portions...
• Roll the dough in a ball, press it by palm to 1/2 inch of thickness and place it in a greased baking tray...
• Do same for all the dough...

• Place this baking tray in a preheated oven at 375 degrees, for 20 minutes, or till the cookies start turning golden brown...

• Take it out, and let it cool for 5 minutes before transferring it to the airtight container...
• When kept in airtight container, remains fresh for 10-15 days...