Thandai Powder (Easy and Instant)

This Thandai Powder is a mix of nuts, spices, and rose petals. It is an easy and instant blend that instantly makes a refreshing, aromatic, and flavorful Thandai for festivals or refreshments!

This easy Thandai Powder is quick to make within ten minutes and is versatile. It can be used to make from a cooling milkshake to various desserts.

Jump to:

• What is Thandai Powder?
• About Thandai Powder
• Why You Will Love This Blend
• Ingredients
• How To Make Thandai Powder
• How To Make Thandai
• Helpful Tips
• More Homemade Spice Blends
• Recipe Card

What is Thandai Powder?

Thandai Powder is a blend of nuts, seeds, spices, and rose petals. It is super easy and quick to prepare in ten minutes! Thandai Powder is aromatic and flavorful, and when mixed with milk, it makes an excellent cold drink. However, this spice blend is versatile and can be mixed in warm milk, nut milk, or some desserts. This powder can make Thandai for Holi, Maha Shivratri, or refreshment on hot days.

About Thandai Powder

Thandai is a spiced, cold milk served during the Holi festival in India, indicating the onset of spring. The drink is rich, creamy, luxurious, and very delicious. Thandai is made with nuts, spices, and dried rose petals steeped in warm milk and then made cold before serving.

But to make the Thandai quickly and without soaking the nuts and spices, this Thandai Powder comes in handy. This versatile powder provides a beautiful aroma to any dish you make!

I have used mixed nuts, almonds, cashews, and pistachios. But you can only use almonds if you want or change the ratio of nuts. Also, feel free to add more spices of your choice, and similarly, you can skip the spice you do not like or do not have it.

This instant Thandai Powder can be used to make Thandai, Thandai Kheer or Rabri, Thandai Kulfi, and many other desserts. It is excellent for hot days as it provides cooling and soothing effects.

Ingredients

1. Nuts: I have used equal amounts of almonds, cashews, and unsalted pistachios. There is no need to roast the nuts; use them raw. However, you can choose the ratio of nuts according to your taste preference. Also, you can use only almonds to make this Thandai Powder.
2. Melon Seeds and Poppy Seeds: These seeds are full of health benefits. I have used one tablespoon of each seed, but you can add more or less as per your preference. Also, you can skip poppy seeds if you can not find them.
3. Rose Petals: Use edible and dried rose petals for this recipe. They add a fantastic flavor and soothing and cooling taste to the Thandai. If you do not have edible rose petals, you can skip them. Instead, add a teaspoon of rose water to the milk while making Thandai. Or, when you blend Thandai powder with milk, you can add a little Gulkand to the blender for a delicious taste and flavor.
4. Fennel Seeds: Fennel seeds add absolutely fantastic flavor and taste to Thandai. These seeds are highly beneficial to our health and provide a cooling effect to our bodies. I have added 3 tablespoon of fennel seeds, but you can add more or less as per your taste preference.
5. Green Cardamoms: Use green cardamom pods for this powder. Remove the skin and use only seeds for the recipe. If you already have green cardamom seeds, add ½ teaspoon of seeds.
6. Black Peppercorns: Peppercorns provide a slight heat to this Thandai, which tastes delicious. They are full of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. If you do not want heat in your Thandai, skip this spice. Or you can add more if you prefer.
7. Cinnamon: It adds a sweet flavor to this blend. Instead of a cinnamon stick, you can also add ground cinnamon.
8. Nutmeg: Add freshly grated or ground nutmeg for the best flavor.
9. Saffron: Saffron provides flavor and hue to the Thandai. But it is optional, and you can skip adding saffron.

How To Make Thandai Powder

• Add almonds, pistachios, cashews, and melon seeds in a blender or grinder jar.

• Blend the nuts into a fine powder.
• Do not grind the nuts in one go; otherwise, the oil will separate from the nuts. Instead, grind them in pulses of five seconds until they turn into powder.
• If you want a fine consistency of Thandai Powder, sieve the ground nuts.

• Transfer the nut powder to a mixing bowl.

• Add rose petals, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, cardamoms, black peppercorns, cinnamon, nutmeg powder, and saffron into the blender or grinder jar.

• Blend everything into a fine powder.
• For a fine consistency, sieve the ground spices through the fine strainer.

• Add the spice blend to the nut powder and stir until everything is well combined. 

• The Thandai powder is ready.
• Store it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three months.

How To Make Thandai

• Take ½ cup of hot milk in a bowl or cup.
• Add 2 tablespoon of prepared Thandai Powder and stir well. 

• Let this mixture stand for at least 15 minutes or until it reaches room temperature.
• The soaking will bring a beautiful saffron color, and milk will absorb all the flavors of Thandai powder.
• Then transfer it to a blender jar.

• To this, add cold milk, sugar, and ice cubes.
• Blend until everything is mixed well and frothy.

• Serve the Thandai immediately or let it chill in the fridge until the time of serving.
• If you do not have time, you can skip this step of soaking the Thandai powder in the milk.
• Instead, blend 2 cups of cold milk, Thandai powder, sugar, and ice until well-mixed.

Helpful Tips

• Nuts: You can change the ratio of nuts according to your preference. My mom used to make this powder using only almonds, while I like to use mixed nuts. So go with your choice and change the ratio of nuts if you want. Also, grind the nuts separately, as they will release oil and clump upon grinding for longer.
• Rose Petals: You can skip them if you can not find the rose petals. And when you make Thandai milk, add rose water for the flavor.
• Poppy Seeds: If you do not have or can not find the poppy seeds, you can skip adding them.
• Cardamoms: I have removed the skin and used only seeds. With 15 cardamom pods, you will get approximately ½ teaspoon of cardamom seeds.
• Saffron: You can skip saffron or add more or less to your preference.
• Spices: Feel free to change the ratio of spices according to your taste preference. If you do not prefer the taste of any particular spice in this recipe, you can skip it. Or if you want to add other spices, like cloves or star anise, you can add them.
• Cinnamon: Instead of a cinnamon stick, add ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
• Nutmeg: Use freshly made nutmeg powder for the best taste and flavor.
• Consistency: For the fine consistency of the Thandai Powder, pass it through the fine strainer. 
• Milk: To make Thandai, you can use whole or low-fat milk. However, Thandai will taste better with full-fat or whole milk. 
• Cream: To make the Thandai creamier and more decadent, add ¼ cup of half and half or heavy cream per two cups of milk.

More Homemade Spice Blends

Recipe Card