Eggless Diwali Cookies (Mehendi Cookies)

These colourful Diwali Cookies with delicate and ethnic designs are truly drop dead gorgeous and it would elevate your festive spirit to a different level.

Isn't it that time of the year when giving and receiving gifts brings us so much joy.. That time of the year when our spirits are at all time high!!

And that's the reason why I am here.. To share an unique edible gift idea that would be just perfect for this festive season..

What are Diwali Cookies?

Diwali cookies are basically simple sugar cookies that are dressed up to look festive using royal icing. In this version we are going to work with eggless cookies and eggless icing making it ideal for everyone to try.

Why try this recipe?

• The colours, the designs and the biscuits looks so festive.. Isn't it screaming Diwali already?
• Sharing with you all eggless biscuit recipes for Diwali, making it perfect for everyone to try.
• You do not need to invest in any diwali cookie cutter. I am sharing DIY Cookie Cutter method to make the diya cookies and also the paisley cookies.
• Would make an amazing edible gifting idea. Handmade gifts are always special, aren't they?
• If you are a homebaker you can literally sell them for 7-10 USD each that is 500 - 800 INR each. It is that profitable. Check out our Cake Pricing Guide post to understand how to price your products the right way.

Things needed:

Since this post is about techniques and how to make your own cookie cutter and decorate the cookies I am skipping the recipe part.

However detailed recipes for all the components has already been shared on the blog. So will link them in relevant places.

1. Sugar cookies: You can use any of your favourite cookie base. I have used Eggless Sugar Cookies as the base for these.
2. Royal Icing: Either royal icing or buttercream can be used to decorate these cookies. I have used Eggless Royal Icing to decorate the cookies.
3. Skewer: You would need a pointed object to smoothen as well as remove any air bubbles once you flood the cookies with icing. A simple cake tester or a wooden skewer would also work.
4. Food Colours of choice.
5. Piping Bags
6. Wilton nozzle 1 and Wilton nozzle 2 (optional)
7. Gold Lustre Dust
8. Stencils

How to make your own Diwali Cookie Cutters?

Paisley cookie cutter

This is such a versatile design be it in Cookies, Garments or Henna just anything Indian.

I have DIY-ed this cookie cutter using Plastic Bottle.

The detailed instructions for the same can be found on our Instagram Reels. Click here for the instructions on Paisley cookie cutter.

• Clean the plastic bottle well and cut the centre portion out. (images 1-2)
• Pinch one end to form a tear drop shape (image 3).
• Then bend the end to form the paisley shape. (image 4).
• Use it as a normal cookie cutter
• Decorate as per choice.

How to make Peacock cookies?

• I used the paisley shaped cookie to make peacocks.
• You would primarily need two colours to make peacock - one that forms the head and the other body.
• Use a third shade to create the outline. Follow along the shape of the cookie to make a peacock outline with beak and feathers on top of the head. (image 5)
• Then fill the head portion with one colour (I used royal blue and violet) and body with other (I used green). (image 6-7)
• Use a skewer to remove any air bubbles. Then tap the cookie gently to smoothen the top.
• Let it dry overnight.
• Next day choose any design to fill the body to make it more attractive.(image 8)

How to make Diya Cookies?

Diwali to me is incomplete without diyas. I love making food that looks and resembles diya. Have previously shared a Chocolate Diya Peda and now this diya cookie..

Let us see how to make diya cookies without diya cookie cutter

• Cut your cookie dough using a round cookie cutter. (image 9)
• Then cut out the sides using the edge of the cookie cutter to form an inverted "V shape" (image 10-13)
• Take the side that you cut out first and then place on centre to form the diya shape. (image 14)
• While baking the two parts will stick to each other and become a diya cookie.

I used cookie cutters to make the elephant cookies and round cookies.

Now that you have all the diwali cookies cut, baked and cooled. Let us decorate it.

How to decorate Eggless Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

These steps remains the same for any shape of cookies that you intend to make.

• Colour your royal icing with a base colour. Fill the piping bag with the same.
• Make a very small cut in your piping bag. If you wish to use a nozzle then use Wilton Nozzle No.2 here.
• Start by creating a border around the edge of the cookie. (image 15)
• Now fill it completely with the same colour. (image 16)
• Using a skewer remove any air bubbles. Tap the cookie gently to spread and smoothen the icing on top. (image 17)
• Lay the cookies on top of a baking tray lined with parchment paper and allow it to dry overnight uncovered. I simply place the tray in my oven and leave it overnight there. Just make sure the oven is switched off. (image 18)

• Next day once the icing is dried out completely make any designs of choice.
• I stuck to mehendi theme and made mehendi designs using a complimentary colour to that of the base colour. (image 19)
• Please note the thinner the flow of the icing the better the design turns out to be. If you like to use a nozzle here then Wilton Nozzle Number 1 works well for the decorations.
• Or place a stencil on top of the cookie. Hold it tight and dust the top with gold lustre dust using a painting brush.
• Gently remove the stencil to reveal the design underneath. (image 20)

Storage Instructions:

Ensure that the designs on top are dried completely before storing.

Store the cookies in an air tight container for 7 days.

Baker's Tips:

1. I highly recommend trying a sugar cookie that is not sweet and sturdy enough to hold the icing on top. My eggless sugar cookie and eggless royal icing recipe works together well.
2. Before filling the piping bag for flooding the cookie ensure that it passes the 15 second Consistency Test.
3. While flooding the cookie do not be tempted to make a bigger cut on the piping bag. That way you would have a thick layer of frosting on top of the cookie making it unpleasant to eat.
4. I believe the thinner the flow of icing the thinner your piping designs on the cookie will be which makes it look pretty.
5. In place of mehendi designs you can consider making rangoli designs to make Rangoli Cookies instead of Mehendi Cookies.
6. Doing a uniform design on the cookies makes it look neat and tidy.
7. Consider checking the cake pricing guide to understand the pricing of these cookies.

Recipe FAQ's

Related Recipes:

1. Eggless Sugar Cookies
2. Eggless Royal Icing
3. Diya Peda

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