• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Spice Up The Curry
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
    • By Category
    • By Ingredients
    • Festivals
    • Collections
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Ingredients
  • Festivals
  • Collections
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Ingredients
    • Festivals
    • Collections
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Beverages » Indian Drinks

    Thandai Recipe

    Published: Feb 27, 2023 · Last Modified: Feb 6, 2023 by Kanan Patel / Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    Thandai drink garnished with rose and saffron with a bottle of syrup in the back.

    This cooling, refreshing homemade thandai recipe is super easy to make. This traditional Indian cold drink is made with various nuts and spices mixed with milk. It’s perfect for festivals like Holi and Maha Shivratri.  

    Here I’m sharing 2 methods: how to make a thandai drink instantly as well as a thandai syrup recipe. 

    Thandai drink garnished with rose and saffron with a bottle of syrup in the back.
    Jump to:
    • ❤️About This Recipe
    • 🧾Ingredient Notes
    • 👩‍🍳Step By Step Photo Instructions 
    • 💭Expert Tips
    • 🥣 Storage Instructions
    • 📋 Recipe Card

    ❤️About This Recipe

    What Is Thandai?

    Thandai is a popular North Indian drink and is originally prepared during Maha Shivratri along with another drink bhaang (a potent version of thandai). 

    Thandai drink is also prepared during the Holi festival (which falls a few weeks after Maha Shivratri) along with many other Holi recipes.

    These two festivals fall in a season where it’s late winter and the arrival of summer in India. This thandai drink will prepare your body to transition from winter to summer. E.g. black peppercorn in this beverage warms your body for that little bit of cold left for late winter. On other hand, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, and gulkand in this beverage will cool your body against the rising temperature of summer. 

    The Hindi word ‘Thand’ from the name thandai translates to cool/cold. As the name says, this drink has a cooling effect on your body. 

    Apart from cooling down your body, it has many other great benefits like giving you energy, boosting immunity, and promoting easy digestion.

    You’ll Love This Thandai Recipe 

    • Super easy: It requires some pre-planning and looks time-consuming but active time is very less. You’ll need to just soak, grind and prepare the drink.
    • Save for later: I have shown a step further to prepare a thandai syrup that can be stored for months in the refrigerator. So you can make the thandai recipe instantly as needed throughout the summer. 
    • Make a large batch for parties: This recipe is easily scalable to prepare for a crowd without taking too much of your time. 

    🧾Ingredient Notes

    Here is the pic of the ingredients you’ll need to make thandai recipe and/or thandai syrup. 

    Thandai paste ingredients in bowls and spoons with labels.
    • Nuts: you’ll need almonds, cashews and pistachios. Instead of pistachios, you can add more cashews.
    • Seeds: Melon seeds (aka magaj tari or char magaz) and poppy seeds (Indian khas-khas) are used.
    • Spices: Fennel seeds (cooling & aromatic), cardamoms (aromatic) and peppercorns (warming) are used.
    • Saffron: It adds a nice flavor and color.
    • Gulkand (Rose petal jam): It adds a unique fresh flavor with a nice aroma. Gulkand has cooling properties.
    • Sugar: It adds sweetness to this cold drink.
    • Milk: I recommend using whole milk (full-fat). But for some reason, if you need to then you can use low-fat or fat-free milk as well.  

    👩‍🍳Step By Step Photo Instructions 

    1) Take almonds and pistachios in one bowl, add ½ cup of water and soak for 6-8 hours or overnight.

    2) Take the rest ingredients (cashews, melon seeds, khaskhas, fennel seeds, green cardamoms, black peppercorns) in another bowl along with ½ cup of water. Soak for 6-8 hours or overnight.

    Collage of 4 steps showing soaking nuts, spices.

    3) After the soaking time, drain the soaking water from the almond, and pistachio bowl, and remove and discard the skin of the almonds and pistachios.

    4) Add those to the blender jar along with soaked cashews, and spices. Also, add gulkand, another ½ cup of water to help in the grinding process. (NOTE: If making a drink right away from the paste then add saffron here in the grinder.)

    5) Make a smooth paste out of it. 

    Collage of 3 steps showing peeling almonds, pistachios and grinding into paste.

    Make Thandai Drink Instantly Using Paste:

    1. Heat up around 6 cups of milk until it starts boiling. 
    2. Add around ½ cup of sugar and prepared paste.
    3. Mix well and taste test for sweetness. If needed add more.
    4. Let the milk cool down to room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator.
    5. At the time of serving, strain the milk and press down the solids into the strainer to extract all the flavorful milk. Serve thandai chilled. 
    Thandai served in clay glass and garnished with rose petals and saffron.

    Make Thandai Syrup:

    1) Take sugar, saffron and water in a large pan.

    2) Let the mixture come to a simmer on medium heat.

    3) Add prepared paste.

    4) Mix really well and bring the mixture to a simmer.

    Collage of 3 steps showing making sugar syrup, adding and mixing thandai paste.

    5) As soon as it starts simmering, lower the heat to low-medium.

    6) Keep stirring so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. As it keeps simmering, the mixture starts to froth up a lot.

    7) Keep simmering for around 20 minutes. It starts to get darker in color. During the simmering process if the mixture becomes too thick then add some hot water and continue cooking.

    8) After around 20 minutes if your drizzle the syrup back from the spoon, you will find its sticky and syrup consistency. That time thandai syrup is ready, turn off the stove.

    Collage of 4 steps showing simmering thandai paste and cooking until darkens and thickens.

    Let the syrup cool down to room temperature. Then store in an airtight container.

    Thandai syrup with label on the jar with thandai glasses in the back.

    Make Thandai Drink Using Thandai Syrup:

    1) Mix around 2-3 tablespoons of syrup in cold milk.

    2) Whisk it until well combined, and serve with a garnish of rose petals and saffron strands.

    Collage of 2 steps showing adding thandai syrup to milk and mixing.

    💭Expert Tips

    • Skip adding black peppercorns if making this drink for the summer season.
    • Don’t find gulkand? Add some rose water and dried rose petals.
    • Pre-plan: Keep in mind that this recipe requires soaking time (6 hours or overnight), and milk chilling time (at least 3-4 hours). So If making for a party then soak the nuts 2 days before. Keep the milk ready in the fridge a day before.
    • You can make thandai powder instead and keep it in the refrigerator to make an instant thandai drink.

    🥣 Storage Instructions

    • The prepared paste can be stored in the fridge for 2 days in an airtight container or glass jar.
    • The prepared thandai drink can be made a day before and kept overnight in the fridge. Actually, it is recommended to make it a day before as the flavor from the paste has time to infuse the milk.
    • Thandai syrup can be stored in an airtight glass jar or container for 3-4 months. Use a clean and dry spoon to take the required syrup out of it to maintain the shelf-life.
    2 glasses of thandai with syrup in the back and rose petals around.

    Check Out Other Indian Beverages

    • Lassi
    • Nimbu pani
    • Chaas
    • Aam panna
    • Mango mastani

    Did you try this thandai recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a review in the comment section below.

    📋 Recipe Card

    Step by Step Photos AboveWant to make it perfect first time? Don't forget to check out Step-by-Step photo instructions and helpful Tips & Tricks !!
    2 glasses of thandai with syrup in the back and rose petals around.
    Print Pin Save Saved!

    Thandai Recipe

    5 from 1 vote
    Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and/or give ★ ratings
    This cooling, refreshing homemade thandai recipe is super easy to make. This traditional Indian cold drink is made with various nuts and spices mixed with milk. It’s perfect for festivals like Holi and Maha Shivratri.
    Author: Kanan
    Course: Beverage
    Cuisine: Indian
    Calories: 275kcal
    Servings 8
    Prep Time 6 hours 10 minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes
    Total Time 6 hours 35 minutes
    US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml) See details

    Ingredients  

    • ¼ cup Almonds
    • 2 tablespoons Pistachios
    • 2 tablespoons Cashew nuts
    • 2 tablespoons Melon seeds (magajtari, char magaz)
    • 2 tablespoons Khas khas (White poppy seeds)
    • 1 tablespoons Fennel seeds
    • 1 teaspoon Black peppercorns
    • 8 Green cardamoms
    • ½ + ½ cup Water for soaking
    • 2 tablespoons Gulkand
    • 18-20 strands Saffron
    • 6 cups Milk and sugar to make drink

    To Make Thandai Syrup:

    • 1 cup Sugar
    • 2 cups Water
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions 

    Make Thandai Paste:

    • Take almonds and pistachios in one bowl, add ½ cup of water and soak for 6-8 hours or overnight.
    • Take the rest ingredients (cashews, melon seeds, khaskhas, fennel seeds, green cardamoms, black peppercorns) in another bowl along with ½ cup of water. Soak for 6-8 hours or overnight.
    • After the soaking time, drain the soaking water from almond, pistachio bowl, and remove and discard the skin of the almonds and pistachios.
    • Add those to the blender jar along with soaked cashews, and spices. Also, add gulkand, another ½ cup of water to help in the grinding process. (NOTE: If making a drink right away from the paste then add saffron here in the grinder.) Make a smooth paste out of it.

    Make Thandai Drink Instantly Using Paste:

    • Heat up around 6 cups of milk until it starts boiling.
    • Add around ½ cup of sugar and prepared paste.
    • Mix well and taste test for sweetness. If needed add more.
    • Let the milk cool down to room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator.
    • At the time of serving, strain the milk and press down the solids into the strainer to extract all the flavorful milk. Serve chilled.

    Make Thandai Syrup:

    • Take sugar, saffron and water in a large pan. Let the mixture come to a simmer on medium heat.
    • Add prepared paste. Mix well and bring the mixture to a simmer.
    • As soon as it starts simmering, lower the heat to low-medium.
    • Keep stirring so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. As it keeps simmering, the mixture starts to froth up a lot.
    • Keep simmering for around 20 minutes. It starts to get darker in color. During the simmering process if the mixture becomes too thick then add some hot water and continue cooking.
    • After around 20 minutes if your drizzle the syrup back from the spoon, you will find its sticky and syrup consistency. That time thandai syrup is ready, turn off the stove and let it cool down to room temperature. Then store in an airtight container.
    • To make a drink. mix around 2-3 tablespoons of syrup in cold milk. Whisk it until well combined, and serve with a garnish of rose petals and saffron strands.

    Notes

    • Skip adding black peppercorns if making this drink for the summer season.
    • Don’t find gulkand? Add some rose water and dried rose petals.
    • Pre-plan: Keep in mind that this recipe requires soaking time (6 hours or overnight), and milk chilling time (at least 3-4 hours). So If making for a party then soak the nuts 2 days before. Keep the milk ready in the fridge a day before.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 79mg | Potassium: 461mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 321IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 297mg | Iron: 2mg
    *Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 serving
    Did you make this recipe?Snap a pic, mention @spice.up.the.curry or tag #spiceupthecurry. I would love to see.

    Similar Recipes

    • Thandai powder in a glass jar garnished with rose petals.
      Thandai Powder
    • Cold coffee in a mason jar mug with coffee container in the back.
      Cold Coffee (Without Ice Cream)
    • Milk masala powder with a spoon in it with masala doodh glass and a container in the back.
      Milk Masala Powder (Masala Doodh)
    • 2 glasses of salted lassi on a wooden tray with napkin underneath.
      Salted Lassi
    0 shares
    • Facebook
    • WhatsApp

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Kanan

    Hi, I'm Kanan Patel. I share easy, delicious vegetarian recipes (mostly Indian) and Eggless baking recipes that you can sure count on!

    More about me →

    Indian Spice Box

    Indian Spice Box

    Top Recipes

    • A stack of eggless chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk.
      Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • eggless brownies on parchment paper.
      World’s BEST Eggless Brownies
    • close up top view of shahi paneer in a serving wok on a wooden board
      Punjabi Shahi Paneer (Restaurant Style)
    • Taking a spoonful of chipotle sauce from a bowl with taco plate in the back.
      Chipotle Sauce
    • eggless banana muffins in a basket with parchment paper liner
      Eggless Banana Muffins Recipe
    • Frankie Recipe (Bombay Veg Frankie Roll)
      Frankie Recipe (Bombay Veg Frankie Roll)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Kanan
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Nutrition Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates. Plus get a bonus cooking tips!

    Resources

    • Conversion Chart
    • Glossary
    • Recipe Index
    • Contact

    As Featured In

    Spice Up The Curry Featured in sites

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Spice Up The Curry