Nankhatai Recipe

7 nankhatai biscuits placed on a black round wire rack

Nankhatai biscuits are an Indian version of shortbread cookies. They are crispy and crumbly, light and flaky, with a tender crumb, and absolutely moreish!

Course Cookies

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 16

Total Time 1 1

Servings cookies

Calories 153kcal

Author Freda Dias

Ingredients

1/2 cup ghee 115 grams
3/4 cup powdered sugar 90 grams
1 cup all purpose flour 143 grams
1/4 cup besan (gram flour) 30 grams
2 tablespoons fine rava (semolina) 25 grams
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
1 to 2 teaspoons slivered pistachios t

Instructions

Cookie Dough

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add ghee. Place a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl, and sift powdered sugar.
Cream the ghee and sugar using a whisk.
Scrape the mixture off the sides and the bottom of the bowl occasionally using a spatula.
Whisk until the mixture turns light, pale, and creamy.
Place the fine-mesh sieve over the creamed mixture (make sure the sieve is not touching the mixture) and sift together all-purpose flour, besan, rava, salt, and cardamom powder.
Combine everything using a spatula, then use your hands to bring the dough together. Do not knead.
If the dough looks dry, add a teaspoon of ghee and gently work the dough until it comes together.
Pinch a small portion of the dough, and roll it between your palms to form a smooth ball. Flatten it slightly and check if there are any cracks on the edges. If it appears smooth, the dough is ready and does not need more ghee.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

Shape the dough

Pinch a lime-sized portion of the dough. Roll it between your palms to form a smooth round shape. Flatten them slightly.
Place it on the baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Repeat with the rest of the cookie dough. Place them 1 inch apart since they will expand on baking.
Using a knife, make a criss-cross pattern in the middle.
You can also make an indentation in the middle of the cookie using your thumb or the back of a small measuring spoon. This helps the cookie expand during baking.
Cover loosely and refrigerate for another 15-20 minutes.
In the meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190°C (375° F).

Bake (oven)

Bake at 190°C (375° F) for about 15 to 18 minutes or until the edges begin to turn a light golden in color.
The baking time may vary depending on the oven and the size of the cookies. So please keep an eye out. I baked them for 16 minutes and they were perfect.
Sprinkle some slivered pistachios.
The cookies will be soft in the middle but will firm upon cooling.
Let the cookies rest on the baking tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Bake (without oven)

Shape the cookies as instructed above. Place them on a small aluminum, stainless steel, or nonstick baking pan greased and lined with parchment paper. You may use aluminum foil too. Refrigerate while the cooker preheats.
Add 1 to 1.5 cups of salt to the bottom of a pressure cooker or kadai. Place a trivet or stand over the layer of salt.
Make sure you remove the gasket and the whistle. Cover the cooker with the lid. Preheat on medium-high heat for 10 minutes.
Place the plate with the cookies carefully.
Close the lid, and let the cookies cook on medium-low heat for about 25 minutes or until done.
Switch off the heat and transfer the plate onto a stand very carefully using tongs or silicon mitts and allow it to cool down for 5 to 10 minutes.

Video

Notes

Nutrition Disclaimer: The nutrition info listed are approximate values that are calculated using an online nutrition calculator. It does not include the calories for the toppings. If you rely on them for your diet, please use your preferred nutrition calculator.

Kindly refer to the storage instructions, recipe tips, variations, and FAQs for more info related to this post!

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