Eggless Indian Shortbread Cookies – Nankhatai are very popular during the festive season. These are flavored with ghee, cardamom and saffron and will melt in your mouth!
In India, we do not associate our sweets and cookies with eggs. The crispy biscuits (that’s what we call cookies usually!) which are dipped in chai every morning are always eggless. Now a lot of new products have come up and cookies do have eggs in them but I remember growing up no biscuit ever had egg in it. Same goes with our sweets, always without eggs.
What Is Nankhatai?
Now let me tell you something about Nankhatai. It is a very popular Indian biscuit (cookie). It’s made with ghee (clarified butter) and flavored with cardamom and saffron and is obviously eggless.
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). I have used these 2 plus also little sooji (semolina). The addition of sooji makes the cookies crispy and gives them a nice texture.
Nankhatai is one cookie which was made in India even when ovens were not all that common. In fact this is the only cookie that I can remember from my childhood that people used to bake at home using those traditional ovens with glass top.
It’s one popular cookie during the festive season back home. And the good news is that it’s so easy to make at home. If you love nankhatai then I have got the perfect recipe for you. With only handful of ingredients, you will able to get the perfect nankhatai to gift your friends and family this festive season.
These cookies are made with lots of ghee, yes not for you if you are watching your diet. That’s why I make it during the festive season because that’s one time when we all like to indulge and I thought there couldn’t be a better time to share this recipe with you guys than Diwali!
Nankhatai is like a shortbread in texture. My version will just melt in your mouth! There can’t be a better cookie to celebrate Diwali!
Some other variations that you can make!
Nankhatai using maida (all purpose flour) only: use the same recipe and use 2 cups all purpose flour
Besan Nankhatai: same recipe and use 1 cup flour and 1 cup besan
Method
In a bowl sieve together flour, besan, sooji and cardamom powder. Add salt and mix till well combined.
Using your stand or hand mixer, mix/cream together ghee with powdered sugar and crushed saffron strands till fluffy.
Add the flour mix (the dry ingredients) and mix.
Mix until it forms a soft and smooth dough. If the dough is not coming together, you may add a tablespoon of milk at this point.
Cling wrap the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes take the dough out and pinch equal size balls from the dough. Flatten each balls slightly with your hands and if you want make a criss-cross design on top with a knife. Press some chopped nuts in the center. Place the baking tray lined with the cookies back in the refrigerator again for 20 minutes. Meanwhile pre-heat the oven to 375 F degrees.
After 20 minutes, take out the baking tray and bake at 375 F degrees for 16-18 minutes or till the bottom of the cookies starts turning light brown in color.
Remove nankhatai from oven and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container and enjoy!
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Nankhatai
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour or maida
- 3/4 cup besan or chickpea flour
- 1/4 cup sooji or semolina
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup +2-3 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter in semi-solid state, should not be melted
- 3/4 cup confectioners sugar or powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder from 7-8 cardamom pods
- ½ teaspoon saffron strands crushed
- chopped pistachios to garnish
- chopped almonds to garnish
- 1 tablespoon milk optional, only use if dough isn't coming together
Instructions
- In a bowl sieve together flour, besan, sooji and cardamom powder. Add salt and mix till well combined.
- Using your stand or hand mixer, mix/cream together ghee with powdered sugar and crushed saffron strands until fuffy.
- Add the flour mix (the dry ingredients) and mix.
- Mix until it forms a soft and smooth dough. If the dough is not coming together, you may add a tablespoon of milk at this point.
- Cling wrap the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes take the dough out and pinch equal size balls from the dough.
- Flatten each balls slightly with your hands and if you want make a criss-cross design on top with a knife. Press some chopped nuts in the center.
- Place the baking tray lined with the cookies back in the refrigerator again for 20 minutes. Meanwhile pre-heat the oven to 375 F degrees.
- After 20 minutes, take out the baking tray and bake at 375 F degrees for 16-18 minutes or till the bottom of the cookies starts turning light brown in color.
- Remove nankhatai from oven and let cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nankhatai
Hi Manali,
Any idea why my dough wouldn’t form? The mix was very crumbly and had to use atleast 3 tablespoons of milk.
hmm could be the quality of flour, it is a crumbly flour but dough should come together.