Instant Paneer Gujiya Shells

Gujiya and festivities go hand-in-hand! My instant version of this Indian dessert recipe is made with sweetened paneer, and puff pastry shells! It's one of the easiest, quickest, and most delicious dessert recipes on the blog!

What are Gujiyas

Gujiya, Gujia, or Ghughra is a popular festive dessert, similar to Empanadas or Karanji! Gujias are mainly prepared in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujrat, and Bihar regions of North India during Holi and Diwali festivities. 

The exterior is crispy and flaky thanks to the pastry dough while the inside has a sweet stuffing made from khoya/mawa, dry fruits/nuts, and sugar. It's then fried in ghee and dipped in sugar syrup. No wonder it's considered to be a rich, and decadent Indian dessert! There are many variations to this basic recipe and many have even made savory versions of it!

Holi special treat

It's one of the main desserts that's served during Holi (Indian Spring festival) in the North of India. Holi is a festival of colors that is celebrated across the globe now. We host a Holi party in our backyard every year and I eagerly look forward to it. It's just like how we used to celebrate back in India. So much fun!

BTW, if you are looking for some inspiration, then check out this awesome collection of desserts you can try for Holi! Being South Indians, we never made gujiya at home. Although, I have had the Maharashtrian version of it called Karanji, thanks to my neighbors. This is my quick version of the traditional recipe without compromising on the taste.

Why make this

• It's an almost no-cook recipe
• Very easy and instant dessert recipe
• Needs basic ingredients
• The recipe calls for paneer instead of khoya
• Looks appetizing and is a crowd favorite
• Is baked and not fried
• It is a puff pastry dessert

Paneer - you can use fresh homemade or store-bought paneer for this recipe. It is easily available at Indian grocery stores like Patel Brothers, Whole Foods, Costco, and Amazon. I love cooking with paneer because it is so versatile. You can use it in savory and sweet dishes like this one and Rose Sandesh.

Puff Pastry Shells - There are 6 shells in a pack. Buy as many as you need. Check the labels to ensure it's eggless.

Thandai Powder/Masala - While store-bought is fine, you can very easily make it at home by following this Thandai Milkshake recipe. You can also make Thandai Chocolate Bark with this Thandai Masala/Powder.

Powdered Sugar - Sugar in powdered form works best for this recipe since it's majorly a no-cook recipe. However, you can also use cane sugar, brown sugar, or jaggery powder.

Cardamom powder, saffron, and milk - This gives an earthy, and aromatic flavor to this instant puff pastry dessert and accentuates the taste!

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the frozen Puff Pastry Shells on it and bake until they puff and become golden brown. It should take around 20 minutes - but follow the instructions on the package. Warm milk in a bowl and add saffron strands to it. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing. For that, grate the paneer.
3. Transfer the paneer to a mixing bowl. There is no need to cook the paneer first.
4. You can also brush them with cooking spray or milk before baking if you want a deep golden brown color.

5. Add the cardamom powder.
6. Then add the powdered sugar.
7. Add thandai powder to the bowl.
8. Pour the saffron milk into the bowl.

9. Mix it all together until everything is well combined.
10. Remove the pastry shells from the oven and allow them to stand for 5 minutes.
11. You can either scoop out the center or press the center part down using the back of the spoon as shown in the picture above.
12. Generously scoop the paneer mixture into these puff pastry cups. Put it in the oven and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Serving Suggestions 🍽

Garnish with chopped almonds, and pistachios. You can also garnish it with some dried edible rose petals, and/or varak (silver leaf) or sprinkle powdered sugar on it. It tastes the best when served straight out of the oven. You can enjoy this with your evening tea or coffee.

But mainly it's prepared during festivals like Holi, and Diwali. However, you can serve them on any occasion (Thanksgiving, or Christmas) festival, family brunches, or even potluck. Since this is an instant paneer gujiya recipe, you can make them whenever a sugar craving hits!

Top recipe tips 💭

You can swap paneer with khoya or mawa and make Mawa Gujiya instead. If using mawa, you will have to saute it a bit to remove the raw smell. Mix in some desiccated coconut with the paneer filling to give it a coconut flavor and slight crunch. You can also add raisins.

If you can't find Puff Pastry Shells, use any other kind of puff pastry sheets to make this dessert. If using sheets, you can wrap them as samosas. To make it sweeter, brush some kewra water or simple syrup over the pastry shells before adding the stuffing.

Recipe FAQs 📖