Thekua made with desi ghee stays fresh for 15 to 20 days, and thekua made with refined oil stays fresh for 45 to 60 days, when it is kept in an airtight container at room temperature. It does not need to be refrigerated. The difference comes from the fat the thekua is fried in; the dough is the same. If a thekua has to last longer than a few weeks, choose the refined oil version.
By [fill in]. Published . Updated .
The short answer, by type
We make thekua in two versions, and each has its own shelf life. Both numbers assume the thekua is stored the way we describe below.
- Desi ghee thekua: 15–20 days.
- Refined oil thekua: 45–60 days.
Why the two versions differ
The dough is the same in both: whole wheat flour, natural jaggery, green cardamom and water. The only change is the fat the thekua is fried in, desi ghee or refined oil, and that is what separates the two shelf lives.
We give the shorter window for desi ghee thekua so that you eat it while it is at its best. There are no preservatives in either version, so neither is meant to sit for months.
How to store thekua
Keep thekua in an airtight container at room temperature. That is all it needs: no refrigeration is required.
A steel or glass container with a tight lid works well. Keep the container away from heat and from damp places, and close it again straight after you take a piece out, so that the thekua stays crisp.
Does thekua need to go in the fridge?
No. Thekua keeps at room temperature, and it does not need refrigeration. This is one of the things that makes it easy to send to family in another city and easy to keep in the tin for guests.
How to tell when thekua is past its best
Thekua is at its best when it is firm and crisp, with the sweet smell of jaggery and cardamom. If it has gone soft, smells stale or oily, or tastes flat, it is past its best and should not be served. When in doubt, do not eat it.
Within the shelf life above, and stored as described, thekua should not reach that point.
Planning an order around the shelf life
Count back from the day you want to serve the thekua. If you want to serve desi ghee thekua at a festival, order it so that it arrives no more than a few days before and is still well inside its 15 to 20 days. If you want a large stock for weeks of tea-time, choose the refined oil version and its 45 to 60 days.
For Chhath, where the prasad should be as fresh as possible, read our page on Chhath prasad thekua, and tell us the date of the puja when you order, so that we can confirm the timing.
Sending thekua to someone far away
We deliver across India, and we confirm the delivery timing for each pincode on WhatsApp. Part of that journey counts against the shelf life, so for a parcel that has a long way to go, the refined oil version gives you more margin than the desi ghee version.
If you are sending thekua as a gift for a festival, tell us the date by which it needs to arrive, and we will tell you honestly whether that works.
What "fresh" means for thekua
Thekua is a dry, fried sweet, so it does not spoil the way a milk sweet does. What it loses over time is its crunch and its aroma. Fresh thekua is firm and crisp, and it smells of jaggery and cardamom. The shelf lives in this guide are the days in which we are happy for you to eat it in that condition.
That is also why we do not talk about "best before" months for thekua. It is made to be eaten within weeks, and enjoyed while it is at its best.
Serving thekua over several days
If you are hosting for a festival and the thekua will be eaten over several days, do not leave the whole stock out. Put a few pieces on a plate for the day, and keep the rest in the airtight container, so that it is only open for a short time and the pieces in the tin stay crisp.
The same is true at home on an ordinary week: a tin that is opened often is a tin that goes soft sooner.
Ordering the right amount
Thekua comes in 250gm and 500gm packs. Think about how many people will eat it and for how many days, and compare that with the shelf life of the type you have chosen. A small household is well served by one 250gm pack of desi ghee thekua, because it will be eaten well inside 15 to 20 days. A family that likes thekua with tea every evening may prefer a 500gm pack of the refined oil version, which has 45 to 60 days.
It is better to order a little more than you need and share it with neighbours than to keep a pack for longer than its shelf life.
How other festival foods compare
Thekua keeps longer than some of our other festival foods. Gujiya is best eaten within 7 to 10 days, so it is a food for the days around the festival itself. Namkeen stays fresh and crunchy for 40 to 50 days, close to refined oil thekua. The pickles last much longer: 10 to 12 months, with the oil layer kept on top.
If you are putting together a gift box that has to wait, put the longer-keeping foods in it, and tell us if you would like help choosing.
If you would like to try both versions, you can buy thekua online in desi ghee or refined oil and choose the size that suits you.
This post is from the kitchen at BihariPakwan Foods. Read more about us and how we cook.