Nankhatai Recipe

Made with just a few ingredients, this Nankhatai recipe is light, flaky, tender, crumbly, and literally will melt in your mouth. It is flavored with cardamom and nutmeg.

These eggless Indian cookies pair perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea as they are not too sweet. This Indian cookie is a favorite in the family and they get over in no time.

Diwali is one month away and like I mentioned in Balushahi recipe post, I am all pumped up to share various sweets and snacks recipes with you all.

Diwali is all about lights, colors, and yummy food. I have planned many recipes, traditional and fusion, to share with you all.

Out of them, today I am sharing age old Diwali special snack recipe – Nankhatai.

What is Nankhatai?

The word “Nankhatai” is derived from the Persian word “Naan” which means “Bread” and “Khatai” means “Biscuit”. It can be called as Indian shortbread cookies or biscuits.

Basically, Nankhatai is an eggless shortbread from the Indian subcontinent which would melt-in-your-mouth,  These cookies are hugely popular in India.

It is a traditional Indian cookie recipe that doesn’t require eggs, baking powder, or baking soda. It is equally liked by kids as well as elders.

In India, Nankhatais are easily available in the bakery. Making it at home is a really easy process.

If you love nankhatai then I have got the perfect recipe for you.

With only a handful of ingredients, you will able to get the perfect nankhatai to gift your friends and family this festive season.

Make them in bulk and store in an airtight container to enjoy them for the next few days.

These cookies do not require any special equipment and baking tools. If you are a beginner or have never baked in your life you will be able to easily make this nankhatai.

There are many different ways of making this recipe. Everyone has their own way of making nankhatai. Some make it using all-purpose flour only, while others use a combination of flour and besan (chickpea flour).

If you are looking for a healthier version, I have shared a healthy nankhatai recipe with oats and atta here.

I make it with maida, some besan (gram flour), and sooji (rava or semolina). The besan gives a slightly nutty and earthy taste and flavor while the sooji adds to the crispiness and crunchiness.

This combination is perfect and works fine every single time. This combination gives the perfect “Khasta” result.

What do you mean by Khasta?

Khasta is a term used for ‘light and flaky texture. And this nankhatai recipe is khasta.

Meaning it is

• rich
• crumbly
• buttery
• crisp
• heavenly delicious!

What is the secret behind the perfect Khasta texture?

These cookies are made with lots of ghee. Ghee makes it crumbly and khasta. (Yes not for you if you are watching your diet).

In this recipe, we haven’t added any milk or water. This is the second secret behind the khasta texture.

The less the liquid in the cookies it easier for the liquid to evaporate during baking, hence producing crispier Nankhatai.

Ingredients required

Nankhatai can be made of a handful of Ingredients and these should be easy to find in your pantry and Indian store.

Flours – Regular plain flour (aka all-purpose flour or maida) gram flour (besan) and semolina (sooji or rawa) Do not use self-raising flour.

Fat – Here I have used ghee as a fat. Ghee is a must, don’t skip it.

Salt – Salt has the ability to enhance flavors and balance its richness and sweetness. Salt also improves texture.

Sugar – Caster sugar or ground regular sugar in a grinder at home.

Spices – A good quality cardamom and nutmeg powder will make all the difference.

Nuts – Crushed Pistachio and almonds. You may use crushed cashew, walnut or pecans.

How to make this recipe? Step by step process –

In a bowl, sieve maida, besan, suji, salt, cardamom powder, and nutmeg powder and mix well. Keep it aside.

In a bowl whisk ghee and sugar with a spoon until creamy.

Add ghee-sugar mixture into the sieved ingredients, mix and form into a dough.

Rest the dough covered in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Pre-heat your oven at 350 degree F or 180 degree C.

Divide into 20 portions.

Shape into round peda like shape and make a little indentation in the center

Place in a baking tray, and top with crushed almonds and pistachios.

Bake in a preheated oven for 18 minutes. It might take little less or more time for you. Keep an eye after 15 minutes.

Let the cookies cool down in the tray for at least 15 minutes. Then slowly take them out with help of a spatula.

Let it completely cool before storing.

Notes and pro-tips

• Please do not cut back on fat (Ghee) for this recipe. Ghee is the main ingredient for this recipe.
• After the nankhatais are shaped, put a cross or thumbprint on them. It helps the cookies to expand during baking.
• You can use butter instead of ghee too.
• Use room temperature ghee that is semi-solid and not completely melted.
• Make sure the dough is formed and has a consistency as shown in the video, you can add more ghee if required.
• Milk powder can be used to enhance the richness.
• Please use ONLY powdered sugar and not granulated sugar.
• After baking, let the cookies cool for 15 minutes on the baking tray itself before attempting to take it out.

Quick FAQs

Is it compulsory to place the dough in the fridge?

Yes! Chilling the dough solidifies the fat in the cookies. So when we bake cookies, the solidified fat takes time to melt, and during baking whatever steam is released it puffs up the dough, and the cookie spreads out less and becomes flaky.

And if we start baking the dough without chilling, the fat (ghee) will melt right away resulting in spread out flat and greasy cookies.

Baking time

Bake these goodies for 15 to 17 minutes. Depending on the oven and size of cookies, cooking time may vary.

Below are different timings –

• 15 minutes at 150 Degree C in convection mode
• 18 minutes @ 160 C in OTG with both rods on
• low flame in idli cooker for 17-18 minutes.

Unlike other cookies, nankhatais will not brown up, and when taken out of the oven, they will still be soft and gooey.

No worries, allow them to sit for 5-10 minutes on the counter and they will become firm. When completely cooled, store in an airtight container.

Can we bake this without oven?

Yes, this can be baked without oven in an idli cooker, in idli plates. Preheat cooker with 1 1/2 cups of salt, once hot, place the idli plates and bake for 18 mins.

Make it Vegan

Simply substitute ghee with vegan butter or vegetable shortening.

How to store Nankhatai cookies?

These butter cookies keep well in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks in a cool dry place.

Texture and sign of perfectly baked nankhatai

Perfect Nankhatai should be light but with rich flavors, slightly crispy inside but delicate enough that it just crumbles and melts in your mouth.

Sign of a perfectly baked Nankhatai, find three to four cracks over the surface, the texture should give you the impression that any moment the Nankhatai will crumble.

Can we add other flavorings?

Of course you can!

You can add, chocolate (powder or chips), cinnamon powder, saffron, vanilla extract, or any other extract.

More Diwali recipes

Masala Methi Mathri

Shakarpara

Instant chakli

Sev masoor

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Warm Regards,

Dhwani.