Submitted by Jessica Burke

About the cook: Hi! My name is Jessica and Burke, a home cook from Arizona. I have been cooking ever since I could remember, it has always been my passion. I run an online food science blog called Otium where I answer questions relating to the science behind food and I also write about the culture of the food industry. I love embracing my Indian heritage in my dishes, and making healthy recipes.

About the dish: Growing up in an Indian-American household, shakarparas are a staple cookie for the holidays. My family makes traditional shakarparas every year, and I wanted to give my own twist on it for the fall season. I used the original recipe and adapted it for the fall season by adding pumpkin and different spices.

National Origin: Indian

Serves: 10

Estimated Time: 30 to 60 Minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sooj/semolina flour
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
1 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup warmed whole milk
1 tablespoon melted, unsalted butter
1 egg
3/4 cup pumpkin puree

Preparation:

In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients: flour, sooj, baking powder, pumpkin spice, and cloves.

Mix wet ingredients into the dry, besides the milk. The milk will help form the dough.

Add the warmed milk slowly into the dough, and keep mixing to form a slightly firm yet smooth dough. Knead batter for 10-15 minutes. The dough is wet, so don’t be afraid that it is sticky.

Dust your working surface with flour. Divide the kneaded dough into four portions. Roll each portion of the dough into a large thick circle with a rolling pin. Roll until the circle is 1/8″ thick.

Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to cut into 1/2″ width long horizontal strips. Cut these strips vertically so that you achieve diamond cuts.

Fry shakarparas in an air-fryer at 375 degrees F for 5-6 minutes depending on size of cookie.
Once fried, cool shakarparas for 5 minutes and enjoy.

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