There are various types of Nankhatai available in India. But this recipe is about simple, eggless, basic, and truly delicious Indian shortbread cookies. The recipe is straightforward and quick with only a few ingredients. Jump to:About NankhataiWhy You Will Love This NankhataiIngredientsStep by Step DirectionsStoring SuggestionsHelpful TipsMore Delicious CookiesRecipe Card
About Nankhatai
Making Nankhatai at home is thrilling and pure joy. I have loved these cookies so much and have been a massive fan of them since childhood. My parents often bought Nankhatai for me, which is still a tradition whenever I go to India. If you search about Nankhatai, you might find different stories about the history of Nankhatai and how it became popular in India. Even though it is available in most of the bakeries in India, there are still only a few bakeries that are exclusively famous for Nankhatai. The recipe I am sharing is the most popular and the basic version of Nankhatai. It does not require baking powder or baking soda and is made with only a few ingredients. Believe me, making Nankhatai at home is super easy, and you will have these baked goodies within 30 minutes. The only thing is the correct ratio of ingredients and the proper technique.
Why You Will Love This Nankhatai
Crispy Outside and Soft Inside Delicious and Melt in the Mouth Easy and Quick Recipe Prepared Under 30 Minutes Perfect with Tea or Coffee
Ingredients
Step by Step Directions
Making The Dough
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside. Sift all-purpose flour, chickpea flour, semolina, and salt together, whisk well, and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, take Ghee and icing sugar, whisk well until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. Make sure to use Ghee in semi-solid form and not melted. If your Ghee is melted, keep it in the fridge for a few minutes until it comes to a semi-solid form.
Add cardamom powder and vanilla, and whisk until well combined. You can skip vanilla if you don’t like it in your Nankhatai.
To the wet mixture, add dry ingredients, and mix gently, initially with a spatula and then with your hands, until a very soft and smooth dough is formed.
Do not over mix or do not knead the dough. The dough will easily be formed and should be very soft, but it should not be sticky. However, if your dough is too soft and sticky, you can keep it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes until it becomes a little firm and easy to handle. Then remove it from the fridge and continue with the next steps.
Baking Nankhatai
Spoon the dough, and make an equal size of balls. I used a very small ice cream scoop to make approximately 1 & ½ tablespoon dough balls. I could make 18 balls. Flatten each ball slightly and place them on a baking sheet. Keep a good distance between each ball as the Nan Khatai will spread during baking. Make an indent in the center of each ball with your finger or thumb, and place chopped pistachio on it.
Bake NanKhatai for 14-16 minutes or until the bottom is lightly golden. Keep an eye on Nan Khatai after 10 minutes of baking, as each oven is different. Remove NanKhatai from the oven, let it cool in the baking tray for 5 minutes, and then transfer it to the cooling rack.
Storing Suggestions
Allow NanKhatai to cool completely before storing. Store these cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 10-12 days.
Helpful Tips
Use Ghee in semi-solid form and not melted. Use powdered sugar rather than granulated sugar. Make sure to cream Ghee and sugar until very light and pale. Measure the dry ingredients correctly. Keep an eye on the oven after 10 minutes of baking time; Nankhatai should be lightly golden at the bottom.
More Delicious Cookies
You May Like More Eggless Cookies
Orange Crinkle Cookies (Eggless) Eggless Chocolate Cookies / Double Chocolate Cookies Jeera Biscuits / Indian Cumin Cookies Eggless Snickerdoodle Cookies Eggless Coconut Cookies (Indian Style)
