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    Rajgira Indian Cookies

    Updated: Jun 7, 2023 · Published: Mar 5, 2019 by Olya · 9 Comments

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    Rajgira Indian Cookies are healthy treats packed with pistachios and cashews. Made with Amaranth flour, these traditional Indian treats are 100% gluten free and have a divine nutty taste! We’ve perfected this amaranth flour recipe over the past 3 months and it makes the best gluten free shortbread we’ve ever tasted!

    Rajgira Indian Cookies

    Rajgira are traditional Indian shortbread cookies made with Amaranth flour, and are naturally gluten free. There are so many variations of Amaranth flour cookies that can be made with different combinations of spices and proportions.

    In the earlier days Rajgira cookies were baked on stove tops, since most Indian homes did not have an oven. I made them with Indian-spiced and sweet flavor of lemon zest, ginger and nutmeg!

    Rajgira Indian Cookies

    What is Rajgira Flour?

    Rajgira flour (Ramdana in Hindu) comes from the seeds of the amaranth plant and is used extensively during religious festivals for fasting. Actually, the tiny Amaranth seeds are botanically fruits and not seeds! While the seed itself is used in many forms, the flour of the dried seeds is most popularly used.

    Originally a staple of the Aztec diet, Amaranth or Rajgira means “immortal” or “everlasting” in Greek. This amazing gluten free grain contains more than three times the average amount of calcium. It is also high in iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium. Additionally, it is the only grain which contains Vitamin C.

    Amaranth Shortbread

    Amaranth Flour basics

    Amaranth is a less popular cousin of quinoa super-grain favored by the ancient Incas. These crops have similar nutritional profiles. Amaranth is high in protein and it has the optimal amino acid ratios set by the World Health Organization.

    How to make traditional Rajgira Indian cookies

    • First thing first, you will chop your nuts. Chop the nuts with a knife or use a food processor.
    Rajgira Cookies
    • Then you will whisk butter and sugar together.
    • Next let’s mix ginger powder, nutmeg, salt, lemon zest, lemon juice in the bowl. Mix well.
    • You will now add Rajgira flour (Amaranth flour).
    Amaranth Shortbread Cookies are healthy treats

    Once the flour is mixed in, you will add chopped nuts and knead soft cookie dough. Divide the dough in two parts and make cylinder shape roll using Saran Wrap.

    Amaranth Shortbread Cookies
    • You will refrigerate this dough for at least 3 hours.
    • Once the dough is cold, preheat the oven 350 degree F.
    • Take out the cookie dough rolls from fridge and cut the half inch round cookies from each roll. You will arrange the cookies on the cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
    Amaranth Shortbread Cookies

    Now pop these amaranth flour cookies in the oven for about 12 mins. Once they are golden brown in color, take them out them out of the oven and let them cool down for 10 minutes.

    Dairy free option for gluten free shortbread

    You can also make Rajgira cookies dairy free by using ⅓ cup of olive oil, ⅓ cup dark brown sugar and ⅔ cup of Amaranth flour.

    Amaranth Shortbread Cookies

    Enjoy cooking with rajgira? How about these delicious Amaranth Spice Cookies?

    And if you like baking with other alternative flours, you also might enjoy best gluten free chocolate chip cookies and quinoa flour cookies.

    Indian Cookies on a plate
    Print Recipe
    4.13 from 8 votes

    Amaranth Shortbread Rajgira Cookies

    Perfect gluten free shortbread!
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Cook Time12 minutes mins
    Total Time32 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Indian
    Keyword: amaranth flour, rajgira cookie
    Servings: 14
    Author: Olya

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup butter, (or ⅓ cup olive oil)
    • ¾ cup dark brown sugar
    • 2 tsps ginger
    • ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, (optional)
    • 1 teaspoon lemon zest, (optional)
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, (fresh optional)
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1.5 cup Amaranth flour
    • ½ cup pistachios and cashews, (finely chopped)

    Instructions

    • In a mixing bowl, whisk butter and sugar together. Next add ginger powder, nutmeg, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and mix well.
    • Add amaranth flour to the bowl with butter and sugar. Next add chopped nuts and knead soft cookie dough. 
    • Divide the dough in two parts and make cylinder shape roll. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
    • Once the dough is cold, preheat the oven 350 degree F.
      Take out the cookie dough rolls from fridge and cut the half inch round cookies from each roll. You will arrange the cookies on the cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
    • Bake at 350 F for 12 to 14 minutes until brown around the bottom edge. Cool for 10 minutes.
    Nutrition Facts
    Amaranth Shortbread Rajgira Cookies
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 173 Calories from Fat 81
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 9g14%
    Saturated Fat 4g25%
    Cholesterol 17mg6%
    Sodium 105mg5%
    Potassium 60mg2%
    Carbohydrates 21g7%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 11g12%
    Protein 2g4%
    Vitamin A 220IU4%
    Vitamin C 1.3mg2%
    Calcium 33mg3%
    Iron 1.2mg7%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only. This information comes from online calculators. Although whatsinthepan.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Deborah Smith says

      June 18, 2025 at 4:46 pm

      Hi,
      I would like to make this recipe but don’t have cashews. I do have pistachios, walnuts, pecans and pine nuts along with sunflower and pumpkin seeds. What do you think?
      Much thanks,
      Deborah

      Reply
      • Olya says

        June 18, 2025 at 7:49 pm

        Pistachios would be perfect and I can imagine that so would be pine nuts, but they are so expensive!

        Reply
    2. Ioana says

      April 27, 2022 at 2:11 am

      Hi. Should I melt the butter to have 1/2 cup? Thanks

      Reply
      • Olya says

        April 28, 2022 at 6:57 pm

        I used 1/2 cup from a solid butter – 1 stick of American butter, or 8 tablespoons.

        Reply
    3. c says

      September 24, 2020 at 10:23 am

      thank you

      Reply
    4. Neha says

      September 21, 2020 at 11:43 am

      Hello, The recipe sounds amazing. Can I use ghee instead of butter or olive oil in the recipe?

      Thanks,
      Neha.

      Reply
    5. Iayana Rael says

      March 25, 2020 at 4:15 pm

      Hi again, thank you so much for this recipe. Can you advise me on how to adjust it to have no sugar? I can’t eat sugar; could use a bit of honey if necessary, but would prefer to not. And in terms of taste i just want a grain taste to perform the function of bread or chapatti foods. (I don’t understand what function the sugar has in the whole baking system so don’t know how to adjust the recipe. Well in fact i don’t understand baking period. ) THANKS!!

      Reply
    6. Theresa Pickford says

      March 10, 2020 at 2:30 pm

      I have a question. Is it 1/2 cup of pistachios and 1/2 cup of cashews? or is it 1/2 cup in total of a combination of both. that might seem like a dumb question, but I don’t want to get it wrong. thanks.

      Reply
      • Olga says

        March 10, 2020 at 2:36 pm

        Good question. It’s a total of 1/2 cup of nuts (so do not use more than 1/2 cup for this recipe).

        Reply
    4.13 from 8 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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