Go Back
Round golden nan khatai cookies topped with whole almonds, arranged on a metallic platter with cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, rose petals, and gold Christmas ornaments on a dark background.
S. Claus

Indian Nan Khatai Cookies

5 from 2 votes
Eggless shortbread cookies made with ghee (clarified butter), flour, sugar, and aromatic spices such as cardamom
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Cooling Time 15 minutes
Total Time 44 minutes
Servings: 36 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Calories: 151

Ingredients
  

  • 300 g flour
  • 150 g chickpea flour
  • 75 g fine semolina flour
  • .25 tsp salt
  • 200 g powdered sugar
  • 287 g ghee/butter room temperature
  • .25 tsp cardamom powder ground
  • 36 almonds

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to a baking temperature 375 °F.
  2. Sift together the dry ingredients: flour, chickpea flour, cardamon, semolina, salt, and powdered sugar into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
  3. Add in the butter or ghee and combine until you’ve created a soft dough. Even though the dough will seem dry at first, don’t add in any water; it will all come together at a later stage. Nan khatai cookie doughs are often a little dry, but in reality, they are very rich cookies.
  4. Roll the cookie dough into 28g balls. Roll them into smooth balls that are crack-free.
  5. Place the balls into a baking tray lined with parchment paper and press them down in their center, using your thumb. Pop an almond onto the cookie dough.
  6. Chill the cookies for 20 minutes before baking them in your preheated oven.
  7. Bake cookies for 11 -14 minutes cooking time, depending on your oven. Once they have baked perfectly and are light golden brown, they are ready!
  8. The cookies will be soft when they come out of the oven. Let them cool on their baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to cool on a drying rack.
  9. Garnish the cookies with gold leaf or any edible jewels of your choice. You can choose to sprinkle a little powdered sugar onto the cookies although this isn't traditional.