Whole Wheat Ragi Cookies: Baking With Whole Grains

ragi cookies

I am a big fan of oatmeal digestives. This was the time to experiment with finger millet. This batch of ragi digestives gets inspiration from Padhu's Kitchen. I have always wanted to try out healthy cookies with whole grains. This recipe is exactly what I have always dreamed of - sweet, subtle flavors that are almost certain to make you nostalgic.

Tea and cookies are a match made in haven. Undoubtedly, this is a delectable combination. If you are a tea lover like me, you have got to be in love with cookies. When you can bake healthy whole grain cookies at home, you already know you have got a perfect accompaniment with your hot cup of tea.

Biscuits are usually made with white flour,  fats, and white sugar, besides a long list of additives and preservatives. Perhaps you know that these do no good to you body. Indeed these are harmful.

ragi digestives

Additives and flavoring agents ensure a longer shelf life, while the latter add flavors to the biscuit recipe. Since cookies are baked on high heat, this could inhibit their crispiness. Bakeries add raising agents and dough conditioners to maintain crispness. This isn't still the end. To mask the taste of  additives, flavoring agents are used.

This homemade ragi cookie recipe tells you all about how easy baking with whole grains is.

Ingredients
1/2 Cup ragi or finger millet Flour or nachini
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar or jaggery powder (please add sugar as per your taste preferences)
1/2 Cup Ghee/ clarified butter (cold/refrigerated)
1 tsp Baking powder
1-2 tbsp Milk

baking with whole grains

Procedure

1. Ragi gives a raw taste so it should be dry roasted first. I love it in raw form as well - reminds me of that unforgettable natural scent of sand. Dry roast ragi. I tasted ragi while dry roasting it. OMG! I am simply in love with the aroma and taste. 
2. Let it cook down.
3. Mix ragi with whole wheat flour and baking powder.
4. Even mixing is important here.
5. Throw in sugar powder. You may use jaggery powder as well.
6. Add cold ghee. Cut it into pieces or grate it using a grater. I usually refrigerate ghee for cookies. This gives me flaky, crispy cookies.
7. Now it's time to bind the dough. So we will need some amount of milk. Make sure you add 1 tbsp at a time. Of course, we do not want to end up with a sticky dough. Cookie dough has to be just perfect.
8. No need to knead the dough.
9. Cover the cookie dough in a cling film or aluminum foil, whatever you have at your counter.
10. Refrigerate the log for 30 minutes.
11. Preheat oven or microwave convection at 180 degrees for 10mts.
12. Meanwhile, remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut it into desired shapes.
13. I rolled it out like a thick chapati and then used a bangle to give shapes.
14. Place on a baking tray at an even distance so cookies have some space for expansion.
15. Bake at 180 degrees for 18 minutes or until done.
16. Congratulations, you have successfully baked a delicious, healthy batch of ragi digestives.