Nankhatai is a popular Indian shortbread cookie. These delicious cookies are a huge hit with kids as well as adults. Nankhatai cookies are traditional indian shortbread cookies. These biscuits are called Kulcha-e-Khataye in Iran and Afghanistan. What cakes are to English tea, these eggless cookies, khara biscuits and jeera biscuits are to Indian tea time. This perfect tea-time snack is a crumbly cookie with a nutty flavor and flaky texture. Kids can nibble a biscuit or two with a glass of milk. There were not many branded biscuits in the earlier days. Hence, this Indian butter cookies came to rescue of those who loved to snack along with a hot cup of tea. Nowadays, they are easily available in bakery shops at home and Indian grocery stores abroad.
what is nankhatai made of?
Nankhatai ingredients are pretty simple and commonly found in the pantry of Indian homes. Hence, it becomes easy to make them at home. You can also make it various flavors like chocolate nankhatai, pista, butterscotch, rasmalai flavor, peanut butter etc. Some people also make nankhatai recipe in microwave. However, I stopped using microwave since 2 years or so. It is very easy to make it in oven or cast iron pan. Although, many biscuits are available in the market these days. Some people nibble it at teatime without realizing how much sugar is in it. Hence, the weight loss programs have a slower success although you may be regular. So, you either let go of cookies or add extra workout schedules. Making cookie recipes at home will help you eat better in festive season too.
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Kids and advertising
Kids today are at a greater risk of sugar related problems. Diabetes in kids is probably the fastest growing concern. They are an easy target too. Add some cartoon characters eating their biscuits and VOILA! All kids want is this, sugar loaded biscuits. That is their choice for their snacks. It becomes their favorite overnight.
Most industry produced biscuits are probably just plain flour and almost 30% sugar. Furthermore, adding of food colors, additional preservatives and commercial essence. This makes it worrisome in the long run. Here, is a healthy homemade Nankhatai which you will love. It also gives a personal touch to all your kitty and tea parties.
Air fryer has been a game changer for making snacks like these . Other air fryer snacks include air fryer spiral potatoes, air fryer pomegranate , air fryer peas, air fryer falafel and air fryer Christmas potatoes .
Equipment
- oven or air fryer
- mixing bowl
- parchment paper
- baking tray
Ingredients
Refer to recipe card below for details.
For nankhatai dough:
- atta/wholemeal flour
- sooji/semolina
- besan/chickpea flour
- butter/ghee (at room tempreture)
- powdered sugar
- cardamom powder
- milk
- baking soda
Garnish:
- coarsely powdered pistachios or almond slices
how Indian cookies are prepared?
- Take the flour in a bowl and add all other dry ingredients.
- Add ghee/butter.
- Knead into a dough with little milk. Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes
- Shape them at small flat discs
- Garnish with nuts on top of the cookie.
- Pre heat the air fryer at 160C for 5 minutes ,Place the raw cookies in an air fryer basket, cook at 160 degrees C/320 deg F for 13-15 mins.
- Once done, allow them to cool down and place in an air tight container.
- Alternatively bake in a pre-heated oven for 13-15 minutes at 180 deg C/355F, until golden brown. Let them cool on a cooling rack before you store them in a sealed jar.
- Note: Nankhatai will harden after it cools down. It is slightly soft when you cook for 13 minutes. You can cook for 2 mins more as per your texture preference.
Storage
Store at room temperature in an air-tight container.
Related links
Air fryer has been a game changer for making snacks like these . Other air fryer snacks include air fryer spiral potatoes, air fryer pomegranate , air fryer peas, air fryer falafel and air fryer Christmas potatoes .
Substitutions
You can make this recipe with all purpose flour(maida) also.
Variations
You can add some cocoa powder to make chocolate nankhatai recipe.
Nankhatai recipe
Equipment
- baking sheet
- baking tray
- large bowl
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Cup wholemeal flour / atta
- ¼ cup gram flour /chickpea flour / besan
- 2 tablespoon semolina sooji
- ⅓ cup ghee
- ½ cup sugar powdered
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- 3-4 tablespoon cold milk to knead the flour
Garnish:
- 7-8 Almonds sliced
Instructions
- Take the flour in a bowl,All other dry ingredients.
- Add ghee/butter.Knead into a dough with little milk. Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes
- Shape them at small flat discs and make incisions. Garnish with nuts.
In air fryer
- Pre heat the air fryer at 160C for 5 minutes. Place the raw cookies in an air fryer basket, cook at 160C/320F 13-15 mins.
In oven
- Cook them in a pre-heated oven for 13-15 minutes at 180 deg C/355F.
- Once done, allow them to cool down on a wire rack and store them in an airtight container.
Notes
You may use any nuts like almonds, macadamia, walnuts, pine nuts for garnish. Nankhatai will harden after it cools down. It is slightly soft when you cook for 13 minutes. You can cook for 2 mins more as per your texture preference.
Top tip: Always preheat your oven or air fryer.
FAQ
If you remove your biscuit immediately, from a hot oven to plate. Let it cool in oven only.
Too much sugar in it.
Travel tip: You can find nankhatai being made in stovetop aluminum ovens in Rishikesh even on street carts. Both rajbhog foods and Karachi bakery, in Hyderabad even sell them online nowadays.
Food safety
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always use mittens to remove food from oven.
- Always reheat your food left overs before consumption.
If you are looking to choose a safe air fryer , read our detailed article on choosing a safe air fryer.
Conclusion: easy recipes like Nankhatai are god-send for hunger pangs of growing kids. These eggless indian biscuit is very popular across Indian subcontinent.
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