Mawa Gujiya (Air Fryer, Oven Baked and Fried method)

This Air Fryer Mawa Gujiya has the perfect flaky outer crust with a soft and sweet filling of milk solids, nuts, and desiccated coconut.

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Resting Time: 45

Servings: Gujiya

500 grams - All-purpose flour/Plain Flour/ Maida
10 tablespoon of Ghee/Clarified butter - Melted and cooled - More or less may be required.
1 pinch Salt
½-¾ cup Room temperature water as needed

In a large bowl, sift the flour and salt.
500 grams - All-purpose flour/Plain Flour/ Maida
Mix it evenly.
1 pinch Salt
Add half of the ghee and rub the ghee into the flour with your hand.
10 tablespoon of Ghee/Clarified butter - Melted and cooled - More or less may be required.
Now slowly add the ghee a tablespoon at a time rubbing the ghee in the flour.
Check if you are able to bind the dough.
If you are then you have sufficient ghee in the dough, if not add more and repeat the process.
I had to add 10 tablespoons to 500 grams of flour. It may be more or less depending on the texture of the flour.
Now slowly add water a little at a time.
½-¾ cup Room temperature water as needed
Start with ¼ cup and start kneading the dough.
If you add all the water or too much water you might end up with a wet or loose dough.
We want to make a semi-stiff dough.
The dough might not be very smooth when it is kneaded.
Once done, cover it with a damp muslin cloth or cover it with a cloth and sprinkle a few drops of water on the top.
Let the dough rest for 35-45 minutes.

In the meantime start making the filling.
In a heavy bottom pan or a pot, add the ghee.
1 tablespoon Ghee/Clarified butter
Once the ghee is melted and is warm, add the chopped nuts.
4-5 tablespoon or 30-40 grams of chopped nuts
Slowly roast them until they are golden brown.
To this add the desiccated coconut and roast it until lightly golden brown.
40 grams Desiccated coconut
We do not want to overcook the coconut.
Once done remove the nuts and desiccated coconut mixture in a bowl.
In the same pan add mawa.
200 grams Mawa/Khoya
Roast it until it starts releasing ghee or is lightly golden brown.
Once done remove it and keep it aside.
Once the mawa mixture, nuts, and coconut mixture is cooled down completely add sugar and cardamom powder and mix it evenly.
½ teaspoon cardamom powder
Do not add the sugar while the mawa is hot, or the sugar will melt.
80 grams Sugar

Divide the dough into equal small lime-size portions. Around 1 inch in diameter.
Smoothen out each ball in between your palms.
Roll each ball into a circular disc around 3-4 inches in diameter or as desired. Do not go too big.
If using a mold to shape the gujiyas, you need a disc size according to the mold size.
One can make a small individual disc or roll it into one big disc and use a cookie cutter to cut it into smaller discs.
Keep the rolled disc covered with a damp muslin cloth all the times.

Grab a rolled portion of dough in between your palms.
Add 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of filling in the center.
Do not add too little or too much. Too little stuffing will just give you just the pastry and too much might ooze out the filling.
Apply some water or milk on the edges
Grab one side and place it over the other covering the edges from one end to the other.
Seal it properly by pressing it all along. Use your finger and thumb to press and seal it.
With the help of a toothpick, prick the gujiyas at a couple of places on the top.
Shape the remaining similarly.
Keep the shaped gujiyas on a damp muslin cloth covered always.

Place the rolled dough on the mold
Add 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of filling in the center.
Do not add too little or too much. Too little stuffing will just give you just the pastry and too much might ooze out the filling.
Apply some water or milk on the edges
2-3 tablespoon water for sealing the dough
Close the mold and seal it properly.
Seal it properly.
With the help of a toothpick, prick the gujiyas at a couple of places on the top.
Shape the remaining similarly.
Keep the shaped gujiyas on a damp muslin cloth covered always.

Preheat the air fryer to 180 Deg C.
Spray or brush the air fryer basket with oil/ghee. I am using ghee.
Brush the gujiyas with ghee or oil all over.
3-4 tablespoon Ghee/Clarified butter for brushing while baking
Once the air fryer is preheated, add the gujiyas and air fry for 8-10 minutes.
Open, apply ghee on the top, flip and apply ghee/oil on the back and let it air fry again for 8-10 minutes after you have turned.
Check after 16-20 minutes in total, if required you can bake it more but a minute at a time.
The gujiya are done when it is golden brown all over on both sides.
The time required for an air fryer might be more or less depending on the size of your air fryer.
For me, it took a total of 21 minutes in air fryer.

Preheat the oven to 180 Deg C.
Spray or brush a tray with oil/ghee or use parchment paper.
Brush the gujiyas with ghee or oil all over.
Place it on the baking tray and bake for 8-10 minutes.
After 8-10 minutes, apply ghee on the top, flip and apply ghee/oil on the back and let it bake again for 8-10 minutes after you have turned.
Check after 16-20 minutes in total, if required you can bake it a minute at a time.
The gujiya are done when it is golden brown all over on both sides.
The time required for baking might be more or less depending on your oven.

I have summarized all the tips and tricks above, but still adding some here in points.
One can make the filling with only mawa and sugar.
Desiccated coconut is optional.
Soaking in sugar syrup is optional.
The dough need not be too hard or soft or too soft. We need pliable dough.
Sufficient ghee should be added or else you will not get a flaky pastry.
The dough and the shaped gujiyas should be kept covered with a damp cloth at all times or else it will dry out.
Do chop the nuts finely.
The stuffing should not be less or more.
If frying, do it on slow to the medium stove, or else it would not be cooked properly.
Air fryers and ovens are different. Baking temperature and time vary depending on the size.
If you have a small fryer, the baking time might be less.
There might be more or less stuffing. If more you can either consume it as is, or use it in other recipes. If less stuffing, you can make matri from the remaining dough.
Do not add the sugar while the mawa is hot, or the sugar will melt. Poking the shaped gujiyas with a toothpick helps in the gujiya not exploding and also in even cooking the gujiyas.
Cooking Time mentioned above is for 1 batch of Air Fryer.
For Frying it will take 1 hour for the whole batch.