Authentic Nan Khatai Recipe: Crisp, Buttery Indian Cookies (Easy & Delicious!)
Learn how to make perfect cookies; this Nan Khatai recipe is a traditional Indian recipe. These melt-in-mouth, buttery shortbread biscuits are flavoured with cardamom and garnished with pistachios. Great with tea or as festive treats!
Ingredients
- 1 pinch saffron
- 100 ml boiling/hot water
- 350 grams plain flour 2.25 cups
- 50 grams coarsely ground semolina or coarsely ground sooji 4 tbsp
- 0.5 tsp baking powder
- 0.75 tsp cardamom powder
- 150 grams ghee (softened, not melted. Heat in the microwave for 10 seconds and check consistency) 1 cup
- 175 grams icing sugar 1 cup
- 25 whole almonds
Instructions
- In a cup add the water and the saffron, leave this to sit.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, semolina, baking powder and cardamom.
- In a separate bowl, beat until light and fluffy. If the mixture is not coming together, the ghee is not soft enough. So give the bowl a quick blast in the microwave for 10 seconds.
- Add the ghee mixture to the flour bowl and gently mix together until it's fully combined. I use the electric whisk on the lowest setting to do this.
- Add the saffron water in small splashes to the dough mixture, mix through by hand. Check the dough holds a finger print when squished.You may not need to use all the saffron water, if you are happy the dough is holding together, there's no need to add any more saffron water.
- Roll into balls, flatten slightly, garnish with nuts, you may want to push the nuts into the balls gently.
- Bake at 160°C fan assisted oven for 16-18 minutes until lightly golden.
- Leave to cool fully before eating, the khatai biscuits will harden as they cool down.
