Boros – East Indian Coconut Cookies

Borose is a delightfully sweet coconutty cookie made with semolina. This traditional East Indian cookie is perfect for tea or as a Christmas dessert!

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East Indian Boros or Borose is a delicious coconut cookie that is crispy outside and soft on the inside. Made with semolina also known as rava or sojee, rose essence, and coconut, this coconut cookie is simply mouth-watering. They are similar to the Bolings and the Goan Bolinhas, all thanks to the Portuguese who ruled parts of India for a bit. This biscuity treat adds to your Christmas sweet platter and makes it complete. Who does not love coconutty sweets?

One among many coconut desserts, this coconut cookie can be served for Christmas or as a tea-time snack year-round, just like so many more of our East Indian goodies. So let’s find out what goes into making these delicious cookies…

What Ingredients Do You Need To Make Boros?

All you need to make borose are powdered sugar, butter, sojee or semolina, eggs, ground coconut, and rose essence or rose water.

How To Make Boros (Coconut & Semolina Cookies)?

Beat the egg whites to a froth with a whisk or a fork. Add the egg yolk and whisk them again.

Add in the butter and then the powdered sugar and mix well.

Then add the semolina and rose essence and mix together.

To this mixture, add the grated coconut and mix. If you do not have freshly grated coconut, you can soak desiccated coconut in rose water and use this instead.

Form into a mound and allow to rest overnight or for a few hours, depending on the time you have in hand.

After a few hours or the next morning, line a tray with baking paper and sprinkle with flour. Make small balls of the mixture, flatten them, and place them on the tray. You can also make a design on them with the tines of a fork and even add color. Bake these in a pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes, and they will expand a bit.

Once the timer goes off, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool. And as always, you can taste to check how they have turned out 😉 Once cool, store in air-tight containers until Christmas or tea-time.

So whether you serve it after Christmas dinner or lunch or just for any regular day at tea, this coconut cookie will keep you happy.

Tips & Tricks For Baking the Yummiest Borose!

• If using desiccated coconut, soak it in rose water for a while.
• The weight of the coconut, should equal the weight of the sugar or the sojee.
• The butter should be at room temperature when mixing it.
• Use the tines of a fork to create the lines or hole design. You don’t need any fancy equipment for this.
• Add color using the same fork if you want to.
• Using powdered sugar helps, so you do not have to worry about it being grainy.
• If you do not have rose essence, use a little bit of rose water.
• If you want a veg cookie, try the Maltese kwarezimal or the East Indian nankhatai.

Questions about Coconut Cookies

What Is Boros?

Boros is an East Indian cookie made from coconut and semolina with rose essence. It is similar to the Goan Bolinhas.

Can I Use Desiccated Coconut?

Yes, if you do not have freshly ground coconut available, use desiccated coconut. But first soak the desiccated coconut in rose water to make it moist.

What Other Coconut-Based Desserts Can We Make?

Other East Indian coconut-based desserts include bol lucrecia, bol de coc, coconut cake, thalie sweet, and tartlets.

What Other Recipes Can I Make With Semolina/Rawa/Sojee?

Other East Indian recipes you can try are snow balls, chocolate honey balls, bolings, sojee sweet, thalie sweet, carambolas, bol de coc, and many of our cakes.

Other Recipes You Might Like

• East Indian Star Fruit Shaped Kulkuls
• Bhokache Varias
• Fries of watermelon skin
• Date And Walnut Cake For Christmas And Special Days
• Soft And Crispy Date Rolls