Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
Nankhatai is a lightly sweet, beautifully flaky, crispy yet slightly tender, and absolutely flavorful eggless Indian cookies or biscuits. Made with a handful of ingredients like flour, ghee, and sugar and flavored with saffron and cardamom they are absolutely irresistible tea-time accompaniment.
They are eggless and very easy to make. As they are not very sweet they are a great accompaniment for tea or coffee.
Origin of Nankhatai
Nankhatai originated from the Indian subcontinent, popular in Northern India and Pakistan. The word Nankhatai is derived from the Persian word Naan meaning bread and "Khatai" from a Dari Persian word meaning Biscuit.
Everyone has a different version of Nankhatai. Some make it with a combination of flours like All-purpose flour/maida and besan (gram flour), while some make it with just besan, and of course, the current trend to avoid all-purpose flour has led to making them from Atta or whole wheat flour.
Each version is equally delicious as the flavors when combined with ghee and cardamom are heavenly. I have tried making them using other artificial flavors like mango, pineapple, and more. They do add a zing to the recipe but the authentic aroma and flavors that you get from just some good cardamom are irreplaceable.
Also what I have found the most essential supporting ingredient in Nankhatai is the Sooji. It gives the cookie a nice texture and a much-needed crunch. It gives a nice bite to the cookie.
Ingredients for Nankhatai
All-purpose flour - You will need regular maida or all-purpose flour for this recipe.
Gram flour/ besan - Use the regular fine besan for this recipe and not the thick or grainy variety of it.
Rava/Sooji/Semolina - Jada Rava or coarse Sooji is what you will need to make the perfect Nankhatai. Using fine Sooji will yield a different texture and so it's recommended to use the coarse consistency of Rava/Sooji/Semolina.
Ghee/clarified butter - room temperature ghee or clarified butter gives the cookies a beautiful rustic flavor and also maintains the shape of the cookies so that they do not spread and become flat and brittle.
Powdered/fine granulated sugar - Do not use the thick crystal sugar in this recipe. You will need regular powdered sugar without any additives or the regular granulated sugar that you get in the USA.
Cardamom powder - Fresh good quality cardamom powder.
Chopped or sliced nuts for garnishing.
Salt - Regular or kosher salt to enhance the flavors of the Nankhatai.
Saffron - This is an optional ingredient and is only added for fragrance and color.
How to make Nankhatai
Pre-heat the oven at 320F / 160C and for convection oven set it at 150C / 305F.
In a bowl sift together the maida/all-purpose flour, besan, sooji, powdered sugar, cardamom powder, and salt.
To the sifted ingredients add the ghee at room temperature and saffron for fragrance and flavor.
Now mix all the ingredients together to form a dough. Knead it properly till all comes together. Do not use water or milk to bind the dough. Instead if needed you can add a tablespoon of ghee at a time to mix it all together.
The dough consistency should not be sticky and be more like a shortbread cookie dough.
To test if the dough is of the right consistency scoop it and make a small ball out of it and press the center down slightly using your thumb. If the dough cracks when you do that either at the top or at the bottom then the dough is dry and needs more ghee to bind.
If such a case add a little more ghee and mix it together to get a smooth dough ball. Be careful not to add too much ghee at once. Add a teaspoon at a time and keep testing. The texture of the dough decides the final result of the cookies or Nankhatai. The drier the dough more cracked the biscuits will be.
Take a baking pan and line it with parchment paper or a silicone mat. The lining is just to provide even heating and not because the cookies would stick to the pan. These cookies can be directly placed on the baking tray to bake without worrying about them sticking to the bottom.
Divide the dough into 15 to 18 equal size balls. Roll them in your palm and make them into round pedha's.
Place them onto the baking tray 1 inch apart providing them room to expand and do not stick together once baked. Press them lightly in the center using your thumb and garnish them with some chopped nuts.
Bake the Nankhatai in a preheated oven for 20 to 23 minutes and in the convection oven for 18 to 23 minutes. Check the cookies at 18 minutes to see if they are soft. Continue cooking till you see some cracks at the top and very little browning at the bottom.
Take the tray out once the Nankhatai's are baked and let them cool down. When you get the cookies out of the oven they will be brittle and delicate so be careful before touching them.
They will become crisp once they have cooled down completely.
Do not over-bake them in an attempt to get the brown bottom. Over browned Nankhatai will become hard after cooling. Remember that the pan is still hot when you get the Nankhatai out of the oven and the cooking process is still going on. The bottom will turn brown more during this process too. Secondly, while the cookies are cooling they will develop some cracks so do not worry if that happens.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Cookies are some of my favorite tea-time snacks. My other favorite ones are Karachi biscuits, Butter cookies, Eggless cashew cookies, and more. You could try these too.
Nankhatai
Equipment
- Oven / Microwave
- Mixing bowl
- sieve
- baking tray
- Parchment paper / Silicon mat
Ingredients
- 1 cup All-purpose flour / Maida
- ½ cup Gram flour / Besan
- 2.5 tablespoon Semolina / Sooji / Rava
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar if you have very fine granular sugar as in USA you need not grind it. use it directly.
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder
- ½ cup Ghee / Clarified butter room temperature not melted.
- 2 tablespoon Nuts coarsely chopped.
Instructions
- Ingredients.
- In a bowl, sift the maida/all-purpose flour, besan, sooji, powdered sugar, salt and cardamom powder.
- In the sifted flour add the ghee (room temperature) (optional add saffron for color fragrance and flavor)
- Now mix all the ingredients to form a dough. Do not use water or milk to bind the dough. You can add a tablespoon or so of more ghee. The dough should be non-sticky and more like a shortbread cookie one. The test to see if the dough is right consistency is to form a small ball and press it down at the center with thumb. If the dough cracks at the top or at the bottom instead of smooth pedha then the dough is dry and needs Ghee. But be careful adding the ghee. I would recommend to add 1 teaspoon at a time and mix and check for the texture of pedhas. The texture of dough balls defines if you will have more cracked cookies or lightly cracked ones.
- Take a baking pan and line it with parchment paper or silicone mat. However you need not worry since the dough is not sticky and the only binding agent is ghee the cookies will not stick to the pan if you directly place them on pan.
- Preheat the oven at 160 C/ 320 F and for a microwave convection oven at 150 C/ 305 F
- Divide the dough into 15 to 18 equal size balls and shape it into round pedha shapes.
- Place them on the the baking tray 1 inch apart so that they do not stick together while baking
- Add some nuts on top (this is optional)
- Bake the Nankhatais in preheated oven for 20-25 mins and for convection microwave bake them for 18 - 23 mins. Check the cookies at about 18 mins to see if they are soft. Continue cooking till you see some cracks on top and very light browning at the bottom. (remember every oven has different heating and setting and it may take longer or shorter time)Also If you are using an OTG turn on both the rods for heating.I bake in regular gas oven and mine always take 23 mins.
- Take the tray out once they are done and let it cool down. The cookies with be delicate and brittle at this time so be careful. They will turn crisp after cooling down. If you over bake it in an attempt to get brown bottom they will turn hard after cooling. Remember the pan is still hot when you get the cookies out at that will help in the browning at the bottom too. Also as the cookies cool down they develop some light cracks on top.
- Transfer the cookies to wire rack and let them rest before storing them in the container. They stay good for 2 to 3 weeks.
Pallavi chitre
Congratulations for first post, well done, wish you success,god bless you.
prajakta.palkar
Thank you
Sudan Palkar
Congrats for the website and very tempting recipe.
prajakta.palkar
Thank you baba
Sangeetha
Have tried this version, and the representation is ditto to whats shown here. The measurements and techniques are so perfect that it can’t go wrong.
prajakta.palkar
Thank you very much dear.
Monisha
What is the temperature for the oven?? You've only mentioned time.
Prajakta
Hi Monisha, The temperature of the oven is mentioned in the recipe instructions. For traditional ovens, 320F, and for convection microwave ovens, 302F.
Ketan Palkar
Fantastic!! Very well written introduction and the recipe.
All the very best. Keep it up 👌👍
prajakta.palkar
Thank you very much
prajakta.palkar
Thank you kaka.😊
Pallavi chitre
Prajakta congratulations for your first yummy recipe,wish you all success,God bless you.
prajakta.palkar
Thank you very much mom
Mitali
Too good made it so simpler
prajakta.palkar
Thank you. Hope you try it.
Sushma
Hi congrats n all the best n looking for more yummy dishes from you😊
prajakta.palkar
Thank you sushma.
Sangeeta Bandal
Praj, right from the equipment to your notes, each and everything seems so precise and clear. From a novice to a pro, your foodlab will provide everyone with a decadent bite of food. The nankhatai we made was perfect! You are so talented and above all a gem of a person.Wish you much success always!
prajakta.palkar
Thank you so very much sangi for such beautiful words.
Pradeep Chitre
Good beginning
Don’t look back.Go with full vigour and confidence and post apetitising exceptional recipes.
Wish you success.
prajakta.palkar
Thank you very much dad.
Pradeep Chitre
Good beginning
Don’t look back.Go with full vigour and confidence and post apetitising exceptional recipes.
Wish you success.
Poonam Doshi
The first time I baked it, everyone loved it! So I baked it again !! Every time came out perfect!! Tastes mouth watering and delicious!! Easy to follow recipe and tastes perfect!! Thank you Prajakta!! Please keep more recipes coming in!!
prajakta.palkar
I am so glad it turned out well even second time. I will be posting new recipes soon, do try those too. You are welcome.
Ashli Ferguson
Yum this looks really good!!
prajakta.palkar
Thank you Ashli
Mary
A well written article to give a very good description of how to achieve this yummy looking recipe. Thank you.
prajakta.palkar
Thank you so much Mary.
Denisa
It looks delicious! We love shortbreads, I’m thinking to give them a try.
prajakta.palkar
Thank you Denisa. Do give it a try and let me know how it turned out.
Indu Indra
Wow nankhatai ! My favorite cookies. Will bake at home now as per your recipe.
prajakta.palkar
Thank you Indu. Do let me know how they turned out.
Polly
I’m not new to Indian food in fact one of my faves is chicken makhani but this is the first time that I’ve read about Nanlhatai. It looks yummy!
prajakta.palkar
Hi Polly, this is very similar to shortbread cookies with the influence of indian flavors.
Michele
These look so delicious. I can’t wait to try them.
prajakta.palkar
Thank you
Tracy Lee
Definitely five stars on your yummy post! We love butter cookies and I will definitely be trying this recipe. Great job on making it super easy to follow!
prajakta.palkar
Thank you very much Tracy. Do let me know how they turned out.
Eswari
Woww Nankhatai! It so simple and easy to make ..gonna try this recipe soon.. thanks for sharing!
prajakta.palkar
Thank you Eswari, yes it's very easy and yummy. Do try it.
Anshul
I love Nankhatai, but I Have never made it by myself. Thanks for such an elaborate blog, I guess it is not that tough
prajakta.palkar
Thanks Anshul, it's a easy recipe and yummy results. Do try it.
Adventures with Shelby
I cant wait to try this out
ASTROPHILE
Nicely written…now I’m tempted
prajakta.palkar
Thank you
Remington
Looks delicious!
prajakta.palkar
Thank ypu
Jagmohan singh
One of the best recipes blog
Keep up the good work
prajakta.palkar
Thank you so much
Stephanie Pick
I will have to try this, looks so delicious!
prajakta.palkar
Thanks
Priti Tamhane
Hi Praju,
Tried the Nankhatai today. Turned out excellent. Thank you very much
prajakta.palkar
I am so happy that they turned out good.
Khushbu
Great recipe!
prajakta.palkar
Thank you
Nina
Thanks for sharing this recipe and step-by-step procedure on how to prepare Nankhatai biscuits, which go great with tea or coffee. I would like to try them.
Friendly greeting,
Nina
Lyosha
omg! it looks so delicious! I want to try cooking it so much!
Roman Mosaics
These cookies OMG!!! I can’t wait to bake me some, they look so delicious, so delicious….
Fabiana
I am a huge fan of cardamom. your cookies look delicious, I’ll try to make them!