Are you craving something sweet, buttery, and aromatic with your evening tea?
Try this Nankhatai recipe- a traditional Indian shortbread cookie that gives a delicious mouth feel and fills our kitchen with the comforting aroma of cardamom and ghee.
Originating during the Mughal era, Nankhatai remains a beloved Indian bakery-style cookie across households. It is made with basic ingredients like all-purpose flour (maida), besan (gram flour), ghee, and sugar. These cookies are eggless, flavour-filled, and crumbly.
The word ‘nankhatai’ comes from the Persian words ‘naan’ (bread) and ‘khatai’ (biscuit). These cookies are usually baked in old-school ovens or tandoors. But, you can easily bake them in your regular oven or an air fryer.
Beginner-friendly and can be prepared using simple, everyday ingredients
Eggless
Perfect festive treat or gifting idea
No electric mixer is required
Can be customised with nuts and flavors
All-Purpose Flour (Maida): 1 Cup
Besan (Gram Flour): 1/2 Cup
Rava/Sooji (Semolina): 2 tbsp
Ghee (Clarified Butter): ½ Cup (melted but not hot)
Powdered Sugar: ¾ Cup
Baking Powder: ½ tsp
Cardamom Powder (Elaichi): ½ tsp
Chopped Pistachios or Almonds: For Garnish (Optional)
A Pinch of Salt: For Flavor (Optional )
For a healthier version, use whole wheat flour instead of maida.
Use coconut sugar or jaggery powder as natural sweeteners
For a Western twist, use butter instead of ghee
Take a large bowl and mix maida, besan, rava, baking powder, cardamom powder, and salt.
In another bowl, with the help of whisker, whisk powdered sugar and ghee until smooth and creamy.
Now, add the dry ingredients slowly to the ghee mixture and blend it into a soft dough.
Do not knead. Just bring the dough together until smooth.
Let it rest for 10-15 minutes if the dough feels too sticky.
Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F).
Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Divide the dough into small balls (about 1.5 inches)
Flatten slightly and place on the tray. Make sure you leave space in between.
Press chopped pistachios or almonds on top (optional).
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
When hot, the cookies will remain soft. They will become firm upon cooling.
Cool completely on a wire rack before storing.
Do not overbake as the cookies will become firm after they cool down.
Do not use melted hot ghee. Room temperature ghee is advisable.
Besan gives the cookies their signature texture.
If the dough feels greasy or crumbly, let it rest for some time.
Add a pinch of nutmeg or saffron strands for extra flavor.
Serve with masala tea or filter coffee.
It is great as a festive treat.
Pack in airtight jars and store for up to 2 weeks.
Wrap in gift boxes for homemade edible gifting.
Homemade Nankhatai is better than store-bought alternatives because:
It is made with ghee instead of hydrogenated oils.
Has gram flour- a source of protein and fiber.
No preservatives or artificial colors are used in the preparation.
Whether you are a novice baker or a professional, this easy eggless Nankhatai recipe adds the warmth of Indian tradition to your kitchen. These cookies are more than just treats, they are a memory, a feeling, a celebration of simplicity.
Yes, you can bake it in a pressure cooker or on a gas stove. Use a thick-bottomed pan and salt as the base.
Overbaking or less use of fat makes the cookie hard. Hence, bake only until the edges are light golden and use ghee in the correct quantity.
Yes. You can garnish the cookies with finely chopped nuts or a hint of chocolate chips.
Since the traditional recipe for making Nankhatai includes using maida (gluten), it is not gluten-free. However, you can substitute with gluten-free flour blends or a mix of almond and besan flour.
