Savour These Types Of Cookies From India For A Sweet Treat

India's love for baked goodies is undeniable. According to reports, the biscuits and cookies industry makes up nearly 72 per cent of the Indian bakery market, placing us as the third-largest biscuit manufacturer after the US and China. However, this popularity is not new. The history of biscuits in India goes way back in time. The earliest reference to biscuits in Bengal comes from Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, a French traveller who noted in the 1660s that Hooghly's port was ideal for stocking up on biscuits for long journeys.

Surprisingly, a nation that now loves biscuits once shunned them. In the 19th century, orthodox Hindus, bound by caste rules, rejected biscuits as not "desi" enough. But suppression was met with defiance.

Young Rajnarayan Bose, a famous intellectual and Sri Aurobindo's grandfather, joined the Brahmo Samaj in the 1840s. To celebrate, he and his friends shared biscuits and sherry. But we have come a long way from the time when owning a bakery wasn't permitted in a feudal and caste-driven India. Even more interesting is the sheer variety of biscuits available across the country.

Achappam, Kerala

Achappam (derived from the Malayalam words "acch," meaning mould and "appam," meaning bread) is a popular snack in Kerala. While growing up in Jharkhand, I always enjoyed these biscuits that my neighbours would bring from Kerala. Eventually, my mother decided to learn how to make them. After a few trials and errors we finally perfected the achappam or rose cookies. First, the mould is dipped into a thin batter of rice flour, eggs, whole milk and sugar. The excess batter is lightly shaken off before the mould is dipped in the hot oil. The result is a crisp, paper-thin snack.

Thekua, Bihar and Jharkhand

Thekua, a beloved treat from Bihar and Jharkhand, holds a special place in Chhath Puja festivities. Simple ingredients like wheat flour, jaggery, peanuts, and dried coconut make up this traditional offering to the Sun God.

The name "thekua" comes from "thokna," meaning "to hammer," reflecting the process of pressing the dough into wooden moulds. I learned how to make these from my mother and neighbour aunty, who always insisted on the use of jaggery instead of sugar to achieve that deep, caramelised flavour.

Kulcha Biscuit, Kashmir

Don't mistake Kashmiri kulcha for the popular bread. These crumbly and crunchy kulchas are a type of biscuit that is a delicacy in itself. Traditionally, the dough is prepared using ghee instead of water, which gives it a unique texture. Forming the dough into biscuits and placing them on the tray is also difficult. However, once baked, the kulchas are best enjoyed with nun-chai or kahwa.

Projapoti, West Bengal

One of the most popular biscuits in Kolkata is the projapoti, a version of the palmier that came to Bengal with the French. Bengalis loved it so much that they called it "projapoti," the Bengali name for butterfly, and started selling it in tea shops. For many Bengalis, the best accompaniment to chai is this flaky, buttery, and sweet projapoti that can be found at roadside shacks and tea stalls all over the city.

Puli, Ladakh

Puli or Tagi Puli is a popular biscuit from Ladakh. "Puli" means small pieces, and locals prepare these fresh at home for breakfast. You can pair them with jam and butter and eat them with hearty Ladakhi butter tea.

The Ladakhis carry puli in their baskets when they visit friends and family. You can prepare these biscuits in sweet and savoury variations, but the essential ingredients are always whole wheat flour and baking soda. I call this a no-fuss cookie because you knead the dough as you would for roti or puri.

Surti Batasa, Maharashtra and Gujarat

Batasa, a cherished butter biscuit, has a legacy that spans generations. The story begins at Surat's Dotivala Bakery, established in 1616 under Dutch rule. When the Dutch left, Faramji Dotivala, one of the original bakers, continued his craft. Facing a decline in bread sales, the bakery noticed an unexpected demand for dry, day-old bread, which evolved into the rusk-like Irani biscuit. From this tradition, the flaky batasa and sweet nankhatai emerged. In Parsi homes, the batasa is dunked into steaming, sweet Parsi choi—strong, milky, and infused with mint and lemongrass. Interestingly, these hard, crumbly biscuits absorb the tea's flavour without disintegrating like other biscuits.