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Nankhatai (Indian Shortbread Cookies)
Nankhatai—have you come across it? It’s this amazing eggless shortbread cookie that actually has a bit of a backstory. You can trace its roots all the way back to Indian, Persian, and even some European baking traditions. The name? It’s pretty interesting, if you ask me. It comes from the Persian words “naan,” meaning bread, and “khatai,” which means biscuit or cookie. So, it’s like a little tip of the hat to where it all began. Over the years, though, Indian kitchens really added their own flair, packing it with ghee, a medley of spices, and, of course, a whole lot of love. But what really makes Nankhatai stand out isn’t just the flavor, it’s all about that texture. You know that moment when you take a bite?
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 20 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup All-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup Gram flour
  • 2 tbsp Semolina
  • ½ cup Ghee or unsalted butter, at room temperature (Homemade Ghee Recipe Below)
  • ½ cup Powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp milk, – at room temperature
  • ⅛ tsp nutmeg powder
  • ½ tsp Cardamom powder
  • ¼ tsp Baking soda
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • ⅛ tsp Salt
  • Chopped pistachios or almonds (optional) for garnish

Instructions
 

  1. Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  2. In a bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, gram flour, semolina, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In another mixing bowl, cream the ghee and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
  4. Combine the dry ingredients with the creamed mixture. Add cardamom and nutmeg powder and mix into a soft dough. (Add 1–2 tsp milk if needed.)
  5. Divide dough into 20 equal balls, slightly flatten them, and place on the tray. Top with chopped nuts if using.
  6. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The cookies will firm up as they cool.
  7. Cool completely on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container.

Notes

Use Fresh Ghee or Butter: Ghee is the star of the show here. Make sure it’s fresh and aromatic. If using butter, go for unsalted and let it soften slightly before mixing. Ghee gives a deeper, more traditional flavor, while butter adds a subtle richness. You can even mix both!
Don’t Overwork the Dough: Once everything is combined into a soft dough, stop mixing. Overworking can make the cookies tough instead of crumbly.
Test the Dough’s Texture: The dough should feel soft but not sticky. If it’s too dry, add a teaspoon of ghee at a time. If too wet, sprinkle in a little flour or semolina.
Chill the Dough (Optional but Recommended): Resting the dough in the fridge for 15–20 minutes helps solidify the fat and keeps the cookies from spreading too much. This also enhances flavor and improves the final texture.
Shape Evenly: Make sure all cookies are similar in size, so they bake evenly. Flatten them slightly. Nankhatai doesn’t spread much.
Low and Slow Baking: Bake at a moderate temperature (around 160–170°C / 320–340°F) until the bottoms are golden and the tops have small cracks. Don’t wait for them to turn fully golden on top—they’ll firm up as they cool.
Let Them Cool Completely: Nankhatai is delicate when warm. Let them cool on the tray for 10–15 minutes before transferring to a rack or container. They firm up beautifully once cool and stay fresh for up to 2 weeks in an airtight jar.