It's a popular tea time cookie and is easily available in most bakery shops in India. Super easy fail proof recipe that has been tested and tried in my kitchen. It is light and flaky cookies. Make them in bulk and store in air tight container to enjoy them for next few days.
What is Nankhatai?
Nankhatai biscuits are light, flaky, crumbly, and literally will melt in your mouth. It is flavored with cardamom and nutmeg. An eggless shortbread cookies aren’t too sweet and are perfect for any occasion!
These cookies are made with lots of ghee. Ghee makes it crumbly and Khasta. So those who are diet conscious, so this recipe is not for you.😕😕
Khasta is a term used for ‘light and flaky shortbread cookies,’ and this nankhatai/ shortbread or biscuits are –
buttery,
rich,
crisp and
incredibly yummy!
Diwali is around the corner, I am all started making handmade sweets and snacks at home. Diwali is all about lights, new clothes😍, shopping and yummy food. I have planned many recipes, traditional and fusion, to share with you all. Stay tuned!!
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). But I have used all purpose flour with semolina(sooji)
I have another recipe of Nankhatai on my blog where I have used it with maida, some besan (gram flour), and sooji (rava or semolina) spiced with cardamom.
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) and semolina (sooji or rawa)
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.
I have not used any baking agent- but those who want they can used 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
The less the liquid in the cookies it easier for the liquid to evaporate during baking, hence producing crispier Nankhatai.
I make it with maida, and some sooji (rava or semolina). The sooji adds to the crispiness and crunchiness to the cookies.
WHY CHILL THE COOKIE DOUGH?
Chilling the dough solidifies the fat (butter) in the cookies. So when we bake these chilled cookies, the solidified fat/butter 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.
Super easy fail proof recipe that has been tested and tried in my kitchen. It is light and flaky cookies. Make them in bulk and store in air tight container to enjoy them for next few days.
Course : Dessert, Sides
Cuisine : Indian
Prep Time : 10 minutes
Baking Time : 16 minutes
Total Time : 26 minutes
Author : Jolly Makkar
INGREDIENTS
All purpose flour/Maida - 1and ¼ cup
Sooji (Semolina) - ¼ cup
Powdered Sugar - ¾ cup
Cardamom powder - ½ teaspoon
Ground Nutmeg powder - 1 pinch
A pinch of salt
Semi-solid Ghee or you can use softened unsalted butter - ½ cup
Baking powder -1/2 teaspoon (i didn't used anything)
Tools And Equipment
Hand Mixer
Baking Tray
Butter paper
Cookie Cutter(optional)
PREPARATION METHOD
1. Preheat oven at 350 degree F or 180 C.
2. In a bowl, sieve maida, besan, sooji, salt, and mix well. Keep it aside.
3. In another bowl whisk ghee and sugar with a spoon until creamy.
4. Add ghee-sugar mixture into the sieved ingredients, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and mix and form into a dough.
5. Knead until it forms a soft pliable dough. Wrap the dough, place the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour.
6. After the chill time, shape nankhatai’s is to take a small dough ball in your hand. Flatten and shape them.
7. Place them on a baking tray. Using a knife, gently make a cross on all the nankhatai's.
8. Place them in the preheated oven. Bake for 14-16 minutes. See how the crosses will open up .
9. Remove from oven and 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
- Please do not cut back on fat (Ghee) for this recipe. Ghee is the main ingredient for this recipe.
- After the nankhatai's are shaped, put a cross or thumbprint on them. It helps the cookies to expand during baking.
- You can use unsalted butter instead of ghee too but preferred to use ghee only.
- Use room temperature ghee that is semi-solid and not completely melted.
