Nankhatai is an eggless Indian shortbread cookie. Follow my foolproof nankhatai recipe to make them from scratch at home.
- What is Nankhatai?
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- Two-Step Process
- Watch Nankhatai Video
- How To Store
- Nankhatai Recipe
What is Nankhatai?
Nankhatai comes from two words – ‘naan’ meaning bread and ‘khatai’, meaning biscuit or cookie. It is a traditional baked biscuit that uses a basic unleavened bread recipe and depends on adding dry fruits and spices to flavor it.
This traditional Indian cookies are crumbly, buttery, and quite addictive (in the right way). Eggless and easy to bake, these Indian cookies are ready in 30 minutes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Flour: All-purpose flour (maida),
- Gram flour (besan) has a naturally nutty flavor that works well with the saffron to produce an inherently Indian flavor to the dish. Roasting the besan heightens the nutty taste.
- Semolina (sooji/rava) to build a better texture in the cookies. Adding semolina makes the cookies less ‘doughy’ and more crunchy.
- Powdered White Sugar, Green Cardamom Powder , Saffron
- Baking Powder, Salt
- Ghee (clarified butter)
Many other variations to the Nankhatai recipe involve the addition of chocolate, pistachios, or other flavourings . If you love homemade cookies, try my almond cookies , they are delicious too!
Two-Step Process
Unlike other cookies, this one requires no addition of milk or water.
Make Cookie Dough: Combine all the ingredients and form a smooth dough similar to a shortcrust pastry. No need to knead the dough. As soon it comes together, set it aside for 3 – 5 minutes or store it in the fridge until you are ready to make cookies.
Shape Cookies: Grease a flat baking tray and place the cookie balls on it, leaving enough space between each ball to allow for expansion. Make a cross on top of each cookie using a sharp knife.
Add shaved almonds, pistachios, cashews, strands of saffron, sunflower seeds, or any other nuts on the cookie to decorate it.
Bake cookies in a preheated oven at 160 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes. Keep checking the cookies while baking to ensure they don’t get burnt. Smaller-sized cookies might cook faster.
Once the cookies are baked, cool them on a wiring rack for 15 minutes or until they reach room temperature.
Watch Nankhatai Video
How To Store
Store Nankhatai in a dry and clean air-tight jar. They keep well for 2 – 3 weeks when stored this way. Keep away from moisture/humidity as they might get stale and lose their crunch.
Would you like to explore a few more eggless bakes? Try this moist Chocolate Cake , gluten free Ragi Cake , or the forever favourite Vanilla Sponge Cake .
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 Cup all-purpose flour (maida)
- ▢ ½ Cup gram flour (besan)
- ▢ 2 ½ tablespoon semolina (sooji/rava)
- ▢ ⅓ Cup powdered white sugar
- ▢ 1 teaspoon green cardamom powder (elaichi powder)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
- ▢ ½ Cup melted ghee (clarified butter)
Ingredients For Topping:
- ▢ 1 tablespoon finely chopped pistachio
- ▢ ½ teaspoon saffron strands
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl combine, flour, semolina, baking powder, cardamom powder, salt, sugar and mix nicely using a wire whisk or spatula.
- Add the melted ghee and form a smooth dough. Do not use water or milk to bind the dough. If required, use a tablespoon or so of more ghee. The cookie dough should be non-sticky and soft like a shortcrust pastry.
- Let the dough rest in the fridge. Meanwhile, preheat the oven or OTG at 160-degree Celcius. Line a baking tray with a parchment paper or grease the tray with a teaspoon of ghee.
- Pinch a small lemon size portion of the dough and shape it into a round ball. Similarly, shape all the cookies. Arrange the cookies in the baking tray.
- Using the tip of a sharp knife or a toothpick, gently make a cross on top of each cookie. Sprinkle chopped pistachio and saffron strands inside the cross on top.
- Bake cookies in a preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes. Check and if cookies are still too soft, bake for 5 – 10 more minutes.
- Let Nankhatai cool on a wire rack before transferring to container.
- Serve Nankhatai with a cup of masala tea or milk.
Recipe Notes:
- Do not place the cookies too closely in a baking tray. Give each cookie some room to expand.
- To make sugar powder, grind white granulated sugar in a mixer. Or you can use castor sugar as well.
- Please note that the cookies turn little hard after cooling down. They are bit fragile when hot and just out of the oven.
- For extra flavor, you can add saffron in the dough as well.
- Nankhatai can be easily stored at room temperature in an airtight container for a month.
- You can prepare the cookie dough in advance and store in the fridge like a shortcrust pastry.
Nutrition
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Nankhatai Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Cup all-purpose flour (maida)
- ½ Cup gram flour (besan)
- 2 ½ tablespoon semolina (sooji/rava)
- ⅓ Cup powdered white sugar
- 1 teaspoon green cardamom powder (elaichi powder)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ Cup melted ghee (clarified butter)
Ingredients For Topping:
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped pistachio
- ½ teaspoon saffron strands
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl combine, flour, semolina, baking powder, cardamom powder, salt, sugar and mix nicely using a wire whisk or spatula.
- Add the melted ghee and form a smooth dough. Do not use water or milk to bind the dough. If required, use a tablespoon or so of more ghee. The cookie dough should be non-sticky and soft like a shortcrust pastry.
- Let the dough rest in the fridge. Meanwhile, preheat the oven or OTG at 160-degree Celcius. Line a baking tray with a parchment paper or grease the tray with a teaspoon of ghee.
- Pinch a small lemon size portion of the dough and shape it into a round ball. Similarly, shape all the cookies. Arrange the cookies in the baking tray.
- Using the tip of a sharp knife or a toothpick, gently make a cross on top of each cookie. Sprinkle chopped pistachio and saffron strands inside the cross on top.
- Bake cookies in a preheated oven for 20 - 25 minutes. Check and if cookies are still too soft, bake for 5 - 10 more minutes.
- Let Nankhatai cool on a wire rack before transferring to container.
- Serve Nankhatai with a cup of masala tea or milk.
Video
Notes
- Do not place the cookies too closely in a baking tray. Give each cookie some room to expand.
- To make sugar powder, grind white granulated sugar in a mixer. Or you can use castor sugar as well.
- Please note that the cookies turn little hard after cooling down. They are bit fragile when hot and just out of the oven.
- For extra flavor, you can add saffron in the dough as well.
- Nankhatai can be easily stored at room temperature in an airtight container for a month.
- You can prepare the cookie dough in advance and store in the fridge like a shortcrust pastry.
Nutrition
Mushroom Spinach Soup – a clean, earthy, and nutrient-dense recipe that proves you don’t need dairy or flour to make a comforting, satisfying soup.
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How To Make Mushroom Spinach Soup
- Hina’s Tried and True Tips
- Mushroom Spinach Soup Recipe
This mushroom spinach soup relies on chickpea flour and the natural thickness of vegetables to deliver a silky-smooth experience that is completely plant-based and gluten-free.
This soup recipe is built on four core pillars:
- Mushrooms (The Earthy Base) provide the deep, umami flavour and a wonderful, meaty texture.
- Spinach (The Nutrient Powerhouse) adds brilliant colour, and a boost of vitamins.
- Chickpea Flour (The Dairy-Free Creaminess): A secret weapon! Creating a naturally creamy and starchy base that perfectly mimics the richness of heavy cream.
- Aromatic Spices: Simple garlic, onion, and celery are all you need to elevate the natural flavours of the vegetables.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Mushrooms like white button or cremini works well for this soup recipe.
- Fresh Baby Spinach or the regular one (finely chopped).
- Gram Flour to thicken the soup and give it a nutty flavour.
- Aromatics: Garlic, Celery, Onion, Star Anise
- Liquid: Low Sodium Vegetable Stock or the bouillion powder.
- Light Olive Oil or coconut oil for sauteeing.
- Seasoning: Salt, Black Pepper
How To Make Mushroom Spinach Soup
1. Chop Mushrooms
- Finely mince the mushrooms along with stem or use the food processor for the task.
2.Sauté the Aromatics:
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the garlic , onion , star anise, and celery . Sauté for 3-4 minutes until garlic starts turning brown.
- Add the minced mushrooms to the pot. Sauté for 4 – 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they have released their liquid. This concentrates their flavour.
- Stir in the chickpea flour (besan) and cook for 1 minute. This acts as a gluten-free binder, helping to thicken the soup later.
3. Build the Base:
- Pour in the vegetable stock and water . Stir in the salt and pepper .
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer for 10 minutes .
4. Add the Spinach:
- Stir in the chopped spinach . Simmer for just 1-2 minutes , or until the spinach has completely wilted. Overcooking the spinach will dull its vibrant green colour.
5. Blend to Creaminess:
- Carefully transfer the hot soup mixture to a high-speed blender, or use an immersion blender directly in the pot. Blend until the soup is perfectly smooth and creamy .
Ladle the hot soup into bowls.
Garnish with a drizzle of good olive oil , a sprinkle of fresh herbs (chives or parsley), or a few toasted nuts/seeds (like pine nuts or pumpkin seeds) for crunch.
Serve mushroom spinach soup with a crusty bread and sides like roasted carrots , smashed potatoes , or grilled meat.
Hina’s Tried and True Tips
- Roast the Mushrooms: For a deeper umami flavour, it is important to mince and then saute the mushrooms.
- Nutritional Yeast: Stir in a tablespoon of nutritional yeast at the end for a slightly cheesy note without any dairy.
- Cashew Cream Boost: If you want extra richness, soak ¼ cup of raw cashews in hot water for 30 minutes, drain, and blend them into the soup along with the vegetables like I do for my skinny spinach soup .
- Chunky Soup: If you love a rustic soup, no need to blend. After cooking spinach, you can enjoy the soup as it is.
Do you love vegetable soups? Then try this flavoursome Roasted Tomato Soup , comforting Gnocchi Soup , or a low calorie Potato Leek Soup .
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Ingredients
- ▢ 200 gram button mushrooms
- ▢ 1 tablespoon light olive oil
- ▢ 1 small onion, finely chopped
- ▢ ½ tablespoon minced garlic
- ▢ 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- ▢ 1 star anise
- ▢ 1 tablespoon gram flour (besan)
- ▢ 2 Cup vegetable stock ( get recipe )
- ▢ 2 Cup fine chopped spinach
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- Finely mince the mushrooms along with stem or use the food processor for the task.
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic , onion , star anise, and celery . Sauté for 3-4 minutes until garlic starts turning brown.
- Add the minced mushrooms to the pot. Sauté for 4 – 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they have released their liquid. This concentrates their flavour.
- Stir in the chickpea flour (besan) and cook for 1 minute. This acts as a gluten-free binder, helping to thicken the soup later.
- Pour in the vegetable stock and water . Stir in the salt and pepper . Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer for 10 minutes .
- Stir in the chopped spinach . Simmer for just 1-2 minutes , or until the spinach has completely wilted. Overcooking the spinach will dull its vibrant green colour.
- Carefully transfer the hot soup mixture to a high-speed blender, or use an immersion blender directly in the pot. Blend until the soup is perfectly smooth and creamy .
- Garnish with a drizzle of good olive oil , a sprinkle of fresh herbs (chives or parsley), or a few toasted nuts/seeds. Serve Mushroom Spinach Soup warm.
Nutrition
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