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Nankhatai, is a popular Indian eggless shortbread cookie flavored with cardamom and topped with nuts like Almonds, Cashew, and Pistachios. It is a very popular cookie in Indian Subcontinent.

The unique aroma and taste of these traditional Indian cookies comes with the addition of ghee and cardamom powder.

Table of Contents

About the recipe
Why you should try these flaky Nankhatai
Ingredients used in Nankhatai
How to make Nankhatai Biscuits
Shelf Life of Nankhatai
Can I make Nankhatai without oven
How to make Nankhatai in Air fryer
Recipe Card for Nankhatai

About the recipe

Soft and melt in mouth Nankhatai is a cardamom flavoured cooke from Indian subcontinent. It is commonly made with All purpose flour/Maida but now you can make it with whole wheat flour and combination of other flours like chickpeas and semolina/sooji.

Nankhatai is very famous around the Meerut region of Western U.P and there is not a single person there who has not tasted Nankhatai Indian biscuits with ghee.

Every home in the region make it with their own flour combinations. Some like to make with only All purpose flour and semolina/sooji and some like to add chickpea flour. You can see so many carts on roadside making fresh nankhatai in their small makeshift tandoors or ovens where you can enjoy the freshly baked Nankhatai biscuits.

Checkout another version of Nan Khatai made with only Chickpea Flour(Besan Nankhatai)

My family and friends love the Nankhatai that I bake but those still can't beat the aroma, texture and melt in the mouth flavor of those freshly baked Nankhatai.

Why you should try these flaky Nankhatai

This is a must try my version of Nankhatai biscuits as:

It is a one bowl recipe
It is eggless
You will need basic ingredients from your kitchen
Made with health friendly ingredients
Perfect cookie recipe for everyday snacking and for festivals like Diwali, Holi, Christmas or Thanksgiving.
Yields flaky, melt in mouth Nankhatai.
Can be baked in oven, air fryer or on stovetop in a kadhai or pressure cooker(without oven).

Ingredients used in Nankhatai

Flour- Mostly it is made with All purpose flour but, I like to make it with a combination of Whole Wheat, Chickpea Flour/Gram flour(Besan) and Semolina. You can use only Whole Wheat Flour or only Chickpea flour or in a combination of besan and sooji. You can also use Almond Flour or Oats flour and that will also give you the same melt in mouth texture.

In this recipe use a total 1 cup of flour, in any combination as per your preference.

Ghee - It is a must add on here, as it lends a unique aroma to cookies. You can also use unsalted butter but, I highly recommend using desi ghee.

In USA you can find it at Indian Groceries stores and Trader Joe's.

Leavening Agents- Baking soda along with yogurt/curd acts as a leavening agent which makes the cookies rise.

How to make Nankhatai Biscuits

Mix all the flours, salt and baking soda and keep aside.
Beat together sugar, cardamom powder and ghee till light and fluffy. Add yogurt and beat again for few seconds.
Add flour mixture and fold in lightly. Do not knead the dough. just gather it together nicely.
Cover the dough bowl and refrigerate it for at least 30 mins.

When ready to bake preheat the oven to 160°C or 325°F.
Make small lemon sized balls of dough and arrange on baking tray lined with parchment paper/butter paper.
Add chopped nuts.
Bake for 12-15 mins at 325°F or 160°C.
In Convection Microwave ovens, bake at oven/convection mode. In OTG bake on middle rack. Check your oven temp. settings.
When Nankhatais start just turning brown, take out from the oven. After 2 mins, carefully transfer to cooling rack. Once completely cool, store in an airtight container or cookie box.

Shelf Life of Nankhatai

These stay good for about 2-3 weeks. Store in an airtight glass jar or steel container. Do not refrigerate.

Enjoy it with tea, coffee, hot chocolate or simply a glass of milk.

Can I make Nankhatai without oven

You can make Nankhatai on stove top in makeshift oven.
Take a kadhai, add some salt in it. Cover it and keep it on stove top on low flame. Let the kadhai heat up for 10-15 mins.
Arrange Nankhatai on a plate and when the kadha is heated keep the plate on a stand placed inside the kadhai. This is our makeshift oven.
Cover again and let the nankhatai bake for 10-12 mins on low flame.

How to make Nankhatai in Air fryer

You can make Nankhatai in Air fryer also.

Preheat the airfryer if you have an option in it. Line the air fryer basket with a parchment paper.

Arrange the Nankhatai dough balls and air fryer at 160 C or 325 F for 10-12 mins.

Some more Eggless Cookie Recipes from the blog

Healthy Sattu and Oats Cookies,Chocolate Garam Masala Cookies, Hazelnut Cookies, Eggless Gluten-free Cookies, Spitzbuben Cookies, Chocolate Garam Masala Cookies, Ragi Chocolate Cookies and many more HERE

Check this 1 00 + HOLI recipe collection for planning Holi party

Recipe Card for Nankhatai

Nankhatai Recipe

Swati

Homemade Nankhatai Recipe | Eggless, Nankhatai Biscuit Recipe. Indian Shortbread Cookies flavored with Cardamom and goodness of Desi Ghee, Chickpea Flour and Whole Wheat flour.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Dough Chilling Time 15

Course cookies, snacks

Cuisine Indian

Servings cookies

Equipment

Oven/OTG
Mixing Bowls

Ingredients

Flours

½ cup Whole Wheat Flour
¼ cup Chickpea Flour/ Gram Flour Besan
¼ cup Semolina/Sooji

Common Ingredients

¼ Cup Desi Ghee or Unsalted Butter
½ Cup Powdered Raw Cane Sugar or Powdered Castor Sugar/Icing Sugar
½ tsp Baking Soda
¼ tsp Cardamom Powder
¼ tsp Salt
¼ cup Yogurt/Curd or milk use as required
1-2 tbsp Handful of Slivered Almonds or Pistachios for garnish

Instructions

Mix together all the dry ingredients including baking powder and salt.
½ cup Whole Wheat Flour, ¼ cup Chickpea Flour/ Gram Flour, ¼ cup Semolina/Sooji, ½ tsp Baking Soda, ¼ tsp Salt
In a mixing bowl take desi ghee, powdered sugar, cardamom powder.
¼ Cup Desi Ghee, ½ Cup Powdered Raw Cane Sugar, ¼ tsp Cardamom Powder
Beat till light creamy and fluffy.
Add yogurt and beat the mixture again for few seconds.
Add flour and mix lightly using a spatula.
Bind the dough using your hands. Do not knead the dough, just lightly gather it together.
Keep the dough to refrigerate for at least 15 mins.
Preheat oven to 325°F or 160°C just before starting to bake cookies.
Make small lemon sized dough balls, bake in preheated oven for about 15 mins at 325°F or 160°C.
Check the bottom to see if cookies are baked. Edges will turn light brown, and small cracks will appear on the surface.
Cool completely before storing in airtight jar/box.
1-2 tbsp Handful of Slivered Almonds or Pistachios

Video

Notes

You can use only whole wheat/all purpose or a combination with Semolina/Sooji in the recipe.

Total amount of 1 cup flour to be used in the recipe in any combination.

I have powdered the raw cane sugar and used in the recipe. You can use powdered castor sugar.

Keyword eggless cookies, Nankhatai

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Enjoy with hot cup of Chai/Tea. My kids love to have these with their favorite chocolate milk.

I hope you and your loved ones will love these eggless Nankhatai Biscuit Recipe.

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