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The word nankhatai comes from Persian - 'naan' for bread and 'khatai' for biscuit - and these cardamom-scented shortbread cookies have been a fixture of South Asian bakeries since the Mughal era. Besan (gram flour) blended in alongside regular flour is what gives them their distinctly crumbly, melt-in-the-mouth texture that pure wheat flour alone can't replicate, and using ghee rather than butter keeps them free of any water content that would toughen the dough.
Per serving
150kcal
Calories
2g
Protein
16g
Carbs
9
Prep Time
45 min
Cook Time
20 min
Servings
20 people
Difficulty
medium
Fat
1g
Fiber
7g
Sugar
Follow step-by-step with voice guidance.
In a large bowl, beat the ghee and powdered sugar together for 3-4 minutes, using an electric mixer, until light, smooth, and creamy.
Sift together the flour, besan, baking powder, baking soda, and cardamom powder in a separate bowl.
Add the sifted dry ingredients to the ghee mixture, mixing gently until a soft dough forms. Do not overwork - if the dough feels too dry, add a tablespoon of milk.
Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Pinch off equal-sized portions of dough and roll into balls, about 3cm in diameter. Flatten each slightly with your palm and place on the baking sheet, spacing them apart.
Using a knife, gently score a criss-cross pattern on top of each cookie, or press a whole almond into the center.
Brush the tops lightly with the beaten egg yolk for a golden finish.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly golden but the tops remain pale.
Let cool completely on the baking sheet before serving, as nankhatai firm up as they cool.
Use Ghee, Not Butter: Ghee has no water content, unlike butter, which is essential for achieving nankhatai's signature melt-in-the-mouth crumbliness rather than a chewier, more cake-like texture. Don't Overwork the Dough: Mix just until it comes together - overworking develops gluten in the flour and can make the cookies tough rather than tender. Let Them Cool Fully Before Handling: Nankhatai are quite soft and fragile straight out of the oven, and firm up properly only once completely cooled - moving them too early can cause them to crumble.
Ghee is strongly preferred since it has no water content, which is key to nankhatai's crumbly texture - butter contains water and milk solids that can make the cookies slightly less crumbly and more prone to spreading.
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