Paan Masala Cookies Biscuits

I remember feeling incredibly grown up the first time I was asked if I wanted sweet aan from the paan shop.

What is Paan Masala?

Paan Masala is an Indian after-dinner mouth freshener consisting of peppery betel leaf wrapped around a filling of rose petal jam, candied fennel seeds, salted sesame seeds and sweet betel nut (areca) flakes. You can get it in many different varieties, some containing chewing tobacco and some colourful, fun to eat and delightfully sweet. Each specialist paan wala will have their own secret blend of ingredients.

Why Paan Masala Cookies?

I want to take my love of sweet paan to the next level by sharing a fun take on it that doesn’t require a visit to a specialist paan maker. These sweet little cookies are such a great after-dinner sweet to pair with coffee or tea. As paan masala or mukhwas is usually an after-dinner treat, these cookies take that classic ritual to the next level.

How to make Paan Masala Cookies in 4 easy steps

1. Make the dough

Beat together butter, condensed milk and icing sugar until light and fluffy. Add your dry ingredients and use a spatula to form a soft dough. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for a couple of hours.

2. Add the paan masala

Break the dough up and add the paan masala. Bring everything together using your hands to press the paan masala into the dough. The reason we add it as this stage and not earlier is because the colours often run and we don’t want them streaking through or discolouring the cookie dough.

3. Roll and stamp out your cookies

Lightly dust a clean surface with flour and roll the dough out to around 3-4mm in thickness. Use cookie cutters of your choice to stamp out your cookies. Gather up any dough scraps and repeat the rolling and stamping process until all of it is used up. Tip: Try to work quickly so the dough doesn’t soften too much. If it does become very soft, wrap it up again and chill in the fridge until firm before continuing. The warmer the dough is, the more likely it is that the paan masala colours will bleed.

4. Bake the cookies

Place the cookies on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Bake in your oven preheated at 175°C/350°F for 12-14 minutes. The cookies will not brown a great deal so the colours of the paan masala stand out beautifully.

Where can I buy Paan Masala?

You can pick up a packet paan masala (sometimes labelled mukhwas) in most Indian shops or buy it online. The other ingredients in this recipe are things you’ll probably already have a home.