Eggless Kulkuls – Traditional Goan Christmas Sweet

Kulkuls Recipe – A Traditional Indian Sweet Recipe for Christmas! These are crispy, flaky, mild, flavorful, and delicious!

What are kulkuls?

Kulkuls or Kalkals are a classic Goan sweet snack. Traditionally, they are made during Christmas and are perfect for any occasion. The traditional kulkul dough contains eggs but we can also make kulkuls without eggs. These are similar to our Andhra sweet Gavvalu (sweet shells) but the taste and flavor are completely different. Kulkuls are crunchy, flaky, mild, flavorful, and delicious. You just can’t stop munching them.

Ingredints

Plain Flour – I have not made them with any other flour but you may use whole wheat flour.

Unsalted Butter – You will need to melt butter in order to make the dough. Do not skip the butter, it gives a nice and flaky texture to kulkus.

Sugar – You can use caster sugar or granulated sugar in this recipe. We will be mixing it into the dough.

Powdered Sugar / Icing Sugar – We need it to coat the fried kulkus.

Vanilla – It is optional. But I highly recommend it.

Oil for deep frying

Salt

Can I freeze the dough?

Yes, the dough can be stored in the freezer for a month or two.

How long can I store them for?

Store them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Can I bake them?

Yes! but you won’t get the same texture. If you would like to bake them instead of frying, bake at 180 degrees C for 15 minutes or until they are browned.

Tips & Notes:

The dough should not be sticky, add some flour if you feel it is sticky.

Always deep fry them over a medium-low flame. If oil is too hot, you won’t get the crispy and flaky texture.

Make sure you roll the fried kulkuls in the powdered sugar when they are still warm. They should be just warm, not hot.

Step by step instructions

Melt butter in a pan and turn off the flame.

Add the sugar to the melted butter and let it cool.

In a mixing bowl, add flour, salt, vanilla, and melted butter mixture and combine well.

Sprinkle water little by little and make a soft dough.

Let the dough rest for 15 – 20 minutes.

Add a little more flour if the dough is sticky.

Knead again for a minute and divide the dough into small round balls.

Place the dough ball on the backside of the fork and flatten the dough ball. Roll it to make a shell shape.

Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. Do not let the oil become too hot.

Deep fry them on medium-low until golden brown color. Drain them on paper towels.

When they are still warm, roll them in powdered sugar.

Let them cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Few more christmas recipes on the blog:

• Condensed Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Chocolate Snowballs
• Orange Tutti Frutti Cake
• Eggless Fruitcake Cookies
• Saffron Cookies
• Tutti Frutti Cookies
• Chestnut Chocolate Truffles

How to make kulkuls recipe video below