Thai Lotus Flower Cookies Recipe (Kanom Dok Jok)
This Thai lotus flower cookies recipe delivers the crispiest kanom dok jok you’ll ever try. In Thailand, you typically find this crunchy dessert at street food stalls, but now you can easily recreate it at home!
On weekends, my niece and nephew often come over to make Thai desserts and snacks to sell at the local shop in the village.
These include Thai cookies, fried banana chips, and khao taen. They’re all perfect to prepare ahead of time and can be stored in airtight containers or sealed plastic bags to keep them fresh for days.
It’s a fun family activity, and honestly, they’re a piece of cake after some practicing!
What are Thai lotus flower cookies
Thai lotus flower cookies, also known as kanom dok jok, are a traditional Thai dessert with a lotus shape and crispy texture. Made from coconut milk, tapioca and rice flour, and sugar, they can be found at many festivals and food markets across Thailand.
In Laos, they’re known as “kanom dok bua.” Sometimes people confuse them with “kanom fak bua,” which are green pancakes from Thailand. Their names are similar, but they’re totally different in taste and texture!
Kanom dok jok
You’ll want to make these Thai lotus cookies again and again because they’re irresistibly sweet and crispy with a hint of coconut. And hey, the more you make them, the easier it gets!
First, we make a smooth batter from rice and tapioca flour, coconut milk, sugar, and salt. This mix is the base of our unique cookies.
Next, we dip a preheated special brass mold that looks like a lotus flower into the batter. Then, the mold with batter is dipped into hot oil.
The batter fries up into a golden, crispy cookie in the shape of a lotus. After that, just take them out of the oil to let them cool off, and drip off any extra oil on a cooling rack or some paper towels.
That’s all, really! They’re super popular in Thailand, and once you try them, you’ll see why.
Lotus flower cookie mold
You need a lotus flower cookie mold for this kanom dok jok recipe. It’s easy to order it online from Amazon, and I’m pretty sure you can also find it at some Asian grocery stores.
I opted for a mold measuring 2.75 inches/7 cm. Any size will work, simply choose based on whether you prefer your crispy cookies small or large.
Ingredients
Ingredients can be sourced at Asian grocery stores and Asian markets.
The exact measurements are in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Lime water or ice-cold water – Lime water ensures your batter is crisp and airy, giving the cookies their signature crunch. Ice-cold water can be used as an alternative, but using lime water gives you the crispiest cookies.
- Black sesame seeds – These add a slightly nutty flavor and texture.
- Coconut milk – Full-fat coconut milk infuses your cookies with a creamy richness. My go-to brand is Aroy-D, which is commonly used in Thai restaurants.
- Duck egg – Using duck eggs add a richer texture and color to the batter compared to chicken eggs.
- Pandan leaves – Pandan leaves are typically used in Thai cooking for their unique aroma and flavor.
- Tapioca starch – Tapioca starch, or tapioca flour, is a vegan and gluten-free type of flour that helps to bind the ingredients together for a uniform and smooth batter. It’s a key ingredient in many Thai dessert recipes, and it’s readily available at Asian grocery stores and Asian markets.
- Rice flour – Rice flour gives the cookies a light texture.
- White sugar – You can choose to add more or less sugar to sweeten the Thai cookies to your taste.
- Salt – A pinch of salt enhances all the other flavors and balance out the sweetness.
- Oil for deep-frying – The cookies are deep-fried, so it’s important to choose an oil suited for deep-frying, like canola oil or vegetable oil. Make sure you use clean oil.
- Oil for making batter
How to make lotus blossom cookies
Step 1: Begin by placing rice flour, tapioca starch, white sugar, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Create a well in the center and add the egg, oil, lime water, and coconut milk. Start stirring in the center, gradually incorporating the dry ingredients from the sides until everything is well mixed. Allow the batter to rest for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Next, strain the batter through a sieve into another deep bowl to ensure it’s smooth without any lumps.
Step 3: Stir in 1 tablespoon of black sesame seeds into the batter. Add the second tablespoon of sesame seeds when you have used half of the batter.
Step 4: Heat oil in a large wok or deep frying pan and fry the chopped pandan leaves over low to medium heat until they become aromatic and then remove them.
Step 5: Before you start making the cookies, preheat the lotus flower mold in the oil.
Step 6: After heating, tap the mold gently on paper towels to shake off excess oil, and rest it on the towels for 2 counts.
Step 8: Dip the heated mold into the batter for 3 counts. You should hear a sizzle that tells you the mold is hot enough. Be careful not to cover the top of the mold with batter. Shake off any excess and then immediately return the mold to the hot oil.
Step 9: Submerge the mold in the hot oil, holding it just above the bottom of the pan, for about 5 counts. Then, lift and shake the mold slightly to release the batter into the oil.
Step 10: Allow the cookie to fry for about 20 seconds, flip it, and fry for another 20 seconds or until it turns golden. Remove it from the oil with tongs.
Step 11: Shape the fried cookie over a small bowl to give it the lotus flower form. Continue with the remaining batter, starting again from dipping the mold.
Step 12: Once each cookie is fried and shaped, transfer it to a colander to drain any extra oil. Serve the cookies fresh and warm, or store them for later consumption. Enjoy your homemade Thai cookies!
Kitchenware
- Cooling rack or colander for draining excess oil from the cookies after frying
- Brass or stainless steel lotus flower mold (Amazon)
- Deep mixing bowl for making the batter
- Fine mesh strainer for straining batter
- Tongs for handling the fried cookies
- Small bowl for shaping cookies
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Deep frying pan or wok
- Paper towels
Perfecting your Thai flower cookies
Oil Temperature: Keep the heat on a low to medium setting. If it’s too high, your cookies could burn and form too many air bubbles. If it’s too low, they won’t cook right.
Mix the batter: Occasionally, give the batter a mix during frying.
Dipping: Warm up your mold first, then dip it into the batter. Cover just the bottom and sides, but not the top. This way, the cookie will come off easily while frying.
Frying: While frying, give the mold a little shake to help the cookie come loose.
If you’re using a new mold, here’s how to get it ready:
- Wash the mold well with soap and dry it.
- Heat a pan with preferably old oil (new oil is fine too) on low-medium heat. Using old oil helps the mold soak up the oil better.
- Turn off the heat and leave the mold in the oil overnight.
- The next day, rinse the mold by dipping and shaking it in a bowl of water a few times, changing the water after each rinse.
Thai cookies serving ideas
These crispy lotus flower cookies are great with a refreshing green Thai tea. Enjoy them as a quick snack, a sweet dessert, or anytime you want something delicious.
Make ahead & storing tips
Make ahead: You can make the batter up to a day in advance. Simply store it in your fridge, wrapped with plastic wrapper, to keep it fresh. Before using, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes and give it a good stir to ensure consistency.
Storing: Allow your fried lotus flower cookies to cool completely on paper towels or a drying rack. Store them in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag at room temperature. They’ll stay crisp and delicious for several days.
Frequently asked questions
Is kanom dok jok gluten-free?
Yes, it’s usually gluten-free because it’s made with rice and tapioca flour. However, it’s always important to double-check the labeling of your store-bought ingredients.
Can I freeze them?
No, freezing isn’t recommended.
Can I use a different type of flour?
I haven’t tested this, and I advise using rice and tapioca flour to ensure a crispy and light texture.
Authentic Thai dessert recipes
- Ruam mit (water chestnuts and tapioca pearls in coconut milk)
- Tub tim krob (Thai red rubies dessert)
- Thai luk chup (mung bean dessert)
- Bua loy (rice balls in coconut milk)
- Khao lam (sticky rice in bamboo)
- Khanom chan (Thai layer cake)
- Thai fried bananas
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Thai Lotus Flower Cookies Recipe (Kanom Dok Jok)
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup rice flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca starch
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 duck egg
- 1/2 cup lime water see notes
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
- 2 pandan leaves roughly chopped
- 34 fluid ounces oil for deep-frying
Instructions
- Begin by placing rice flour, tapioca starch, white sugar, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Create a well in the center and add the egg, oil, lime water, and coconut milk. Start stirring in the center, gradually incorporating the dry ingredients from the sides until everything is well mixed. Allow the batter to rest for 10 minutes.
- Next, strain the batter through a sieve into another deep bowl to ensure it’s smooth without any lumps.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon of black sesame seeds into the batter. Add the second tablespoon of sesame seeds when you have used half of the batter.
- Heat oil in a large wok or deep frying pan and fry the chopped pandan leaves over low to medium heat until they become aromatic and then remove them.
- Before you start making the cookies, preheat the lotus flower mold in the oil.
- After heating, tap the mold gently on paper towels to shake off excess oil, and rest it on the towels for 2 counts.
- Dip the heated mold into the batter for 3 counts. You should hear a sizzle that tells you the mold is hot enough. Be careful not to cover the top of the mold with batter. Shake off any excess and then immediately return the mold to the hot oil.
- Submerge the mold in the hot oil, holding it just above the bottom of the pan, for about 5 counts. Then, lift and shake the mold slightly to release the batter into the oil.
- Allow the cookie to fry for about 20 seconds, flip it, and fry for another 20 seconds or until it turns golden. Remove it from the oil with tongs.
- Shape the fried cookie over a small bowl to give it the lotus flower form. Continue with the remaining batter, starting again from dipping the mold.
- Once each cookie is fried and shaped, transfer it to a colander to drain any extra oil. Serve the cookies fresh and warm, or store them for later consumption. Enjoy your homemade Thai cookies!
Notes
- Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
- Lime water: Lime water ensures your batter is crisp and airy, giving the cookies their signature crunch. Ice-cold water can be used as an alternative, but using lime water gives you the crispiest cookies.
- Oil: The cookies are deep-fried, so it's important to choose an oil suited for deep-frying, like canola oil or vegetable oil. Make sure you use clean oil.
As soon as I saw your new post I absolutely HAD to try these. Let me tell you, these were absolutely delicious and reminded me of my trips to Thailand.
Thank you so much
I’m excited to try your recipes. How do I constitute lime water. Thanks
Hey Kim! You can make limewater by stirring a teaspoon of calcium hydroxide into water until it dissolves. Let it sit for 3 hours and then pour the clearer solution through a filter.