Nankhatai is a pure Indian shortbread recipe that is made with either butter, ghee, or margarine along with all-purpose flour. Sometimes cardamom and nutmeg are added to the recipe for flavoring. Nankhtai is basically an eggless cookies recipe. This nankhatai recipe is a classic recipe made with just 4 ingredients. No spices and dry fruits are added to this recipe.
My mother must be very proud today because her signature recipe is on the blog finally. I and my younger bro love my mother’s nankhatai a lot. You know, in my childhood days, whenever nankhatai was made, My mother used to sit all the time near the oven to make sure that I and my brother don’t meet any accident đ
What is nankhatai?
As I told you earlier, nankhatai is an Indian shortbread biscuit. Nankhatai is a very popular recipe in India as well as in Pakistan. Nankhatai is one cookie that people used to bake at home using those traditional ovens. I guess my aunt still has that stovetop oven in her storage area.
Ingredients to make nankhatai
Nankhatai contains a lot of ghee. So this recipe is not probably for you if you are conscious about diet ;).
This recipe is made with all-purpose flour, semolina, ghee, and sugar. Yeah, that’s it!
Quick tip – I used granulated sugar here. If you have regular sugar then crush sugar to a smooth powder before using it in this recipe.
Shelf-life
These cookies can stay fresh for 15 to 20 days without any doubt. Always store these cookies in an air-tight container.
How to make nankhatai?
make sure your ghee is at room temperature. If not then wait for some time. DO NOT MELT ghee. preheat your oven at 180C for 10 mins.
transfer ghee in a mixing bowl.
cream/mix/whisk until smooth. If you have an electric mixer/blender then cream the clarified butter on low to medium speed.
add sugar and mix well.
mix the mixture until smooth.
At this stage, your ghee and sugar mixture should be light, smooth and little-bit fluffy.
now, add all purpose flour and semolina.
mix the ingredients well. Gently bring together the whole mixture to form a dough. “Never afraid to use your hands” as Julia Child says. If your mixture is still crumbly, add 1 to 2 tablespoon milk. Do not knead as we do for chapati atta or bread. Just gather the mixture to form a dough.
once the dough is ready, prepare your baking pan. spread some butter/ghee and place a parchment paper.
prepare medium size balls from the dough and place it on baking tray. Do not crowd the tray as they expand while baking.
Bake the nankhatai in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C/356 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 mins till light golden or golden. Keep checking after 20 minutes. My cookies were done in 23 minutes.
Enjoy.
nankhatai recipe
Equipment
- baking tray
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour (maida)
- 1 tbsp semolina (rava), optional
- ½ cup ghee / clarified butter, room temparature
- ½ cup sugar, grantulanted or powdered
Instructions
- make sure your ghee is at room temperature. If not then wait for some time. DO NOT MELT ghee. preheat your oven at 180C for 10 mins.
- transfer ghee in a mixing bowl.
- cream/mix/whisk until smooth. If you have an electric mixer/blender then cream the clarified butter on low to medium speed.
- add sugar and mix well.
- mix the mixture until smooth.
- At this stage, your ghee and sugar mixture should be light, smooth and little-bit fluffy.
- now, add all purpose flour and semolina.
- mix the ingredients well. Gently bring together the whole mixture to form a dough. âNever afraid to use your handsâ as Julia Child says. If your mixture is still crumbly, add 1 to 2 tablespoon milk. Do not knead as we do for chapati atta or bread. Just gather the mixture to form a dough.
- once the dough is ready, prepare your baking pan. spread some butter/ghee and place a parchment paper.
- prepare medium size balls from the dough and place it on baking tray. Do not crowd the tray as they expand while baking.
- Bake the nankhatai in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C/356 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 mins till light golden or golden. Keep checking after 20 minutes. My cookies were done in 23 minutes.
- Enjoy.
Notes
- If you don’t have granulated sugar available then you can use regular sugar too. take the same amount of regular sugar and make a powder. Use that powder in this recipe.
We have been baking up a storm these last few weeks. Have to keep the boy on the front line happy with work lunches. I bet he will love enjoying a few of your cookies in his packed lunch sack.
đ ohh yesssss. le me know how it turns for you guys.
I really love nankhatai – they go so perfectly with my morning cocoa! I look forward to trying your recipe, Priya!
Thanks a lot david.
I’m not familiar with nankhatai, but we’ve been baking a ton here lately. It’s been a fun activity and outlet since we have so much time at home. I think I should put these on the list…after all, I’ve never met a cookie that I didn’t like! đ
Thank you David đ you will surely love this.