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Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy inside, these Goan coconut and semolina cookies are a beloved Christmas treat. A delightful tea-time snack infused with the warm aroma of cardamom, offering a unique texture and authentic coastal flavor.
Prepare the Dry Mixture
Form and Rest the Dough
Preheat Oven and Prepare for Baking
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Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy inside, these Goan coconut and semolina cookies are a beloved Christmas treat. A delightful tea-time snack infused with the warm aroma of cardamom, offering a unique texture and authentic coastal flavor.
This goan recipe takes 40 minutes to prepare and yields 6 servings. At 267.48 calories per serving with 5.74g of protein, it's a moderately challenging recipe perfect for dessert or snack.
Shape the Bolinhas
Bake to Perfection
Cool and Store
Add 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg powder along with the cardamom for a warmer spice profile.
Instead of cashews, you can use blanched almond halves or small pieces of candied fruit (tutti frutti).
For a slightly different texture, you can use desiccated coconut, but you may need to add an extra tablespoon of milk or coconut milk to compensate for the dryness.
To make it eggless, omit the egg and use 2-3 tablespoons of thick coconut milk or regular milk to bind the dough. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
The combination of semolina and sugar provides a quick source of carbohydrates, which the body uses for immediate energy, making it a satisfying treat.
Coconut provides medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a type of fat that is easily digested. Ghee is a source of fat-soluble vitamins like A, E, and D.
Ingredients like coconut and cashews contribute essential minerals such as manganese, copper, and magnesium, which are important for bone health and metabolic function.
This usually happens if the ghee was melted instead of softened, or if the dough was too wet. Ensure your ghee is at a soft, paste-like consistency and only add extra milk if absolutely necessary.
Yes, you can make an eggless version. Omit the egg and use 2-3 tablespoons of full-fat milk or coconut milk to bind the dough. The resulting cookie will be slightly less rich and a bit more crumbly, but still very tasty.
While a minimum of 6 hours is acceptable, resting the dough overnight is highly recommended. This extended time allows the semolina (rava) to fully absorb all the moisture from the other ingredients, resulting in a softer, chewier cookie and a more developed flavor.
They are quite different. Bolinhas are made with semolina and coconut, giving them a characteristic chewy and slightly coarse texture. Nankhatai are Indian shortbread cookies made primarily with flour (like all-purpose flour or gram flour), which gives them a melt-in-your-mouth, crumbly texture.
Goan Bolinhas are a traditional sweet treat and should be considered an indulgence. They are high in carbohydrates, sugar, and fats from ghee and coconut. While they contain some beneficial nutrients, they are best enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
A single serving of 4 Goan Bolinhas contains approximately 270-290 calories, depending on the exact size and ingredients used. This makes them a calorie-dense snack.