Homemade Nan Khatai

Nan Khatai is a traditional Indian shortbread cookie that is buttery, crumbly, and has a rich, nutty flavor. This recipe is very famous in Meerut. It is a perfect tea-time snack and can be enjoyed with family and friends. Here is a simple recipe for homemade Nan Khatai along with some tips and tricks to make it perfect every time.

Recipe Yield: 4 servings

Overall Cooking Time: Approximately 45- 50 minutes.

Time taken in different activity:

Activity	Time
Preparing Daugh	About 6 minutes
Making Balls	Around 10 minutes
Preheat Oven	Around 5 minutes
Baking in Oven	Around 15-20 minutes
Cooling Process	15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup besan (gram flour)
1 cup semolina (suji)
1 cup melted ghee (clarified butter)
¾ cup powdered sugar
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp cardamom powder
3-4 tsp milk
A pinch of salt
Chopped nuts for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

Preparing Dough:

• In a mixing bowl, mix together all-purpose flour, semolina, gram flour, baking powder, and cardamom powder.
• In a separate mixing bowl, cream together the butter (or pure ghee) and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until everything is well combined. The dough should be enough soft and pliable.

Making Nankhatai Balls:

• Shape the dough into small balls (around 1.5 inches in diameter) and place them on the baking sheet.
• Coat each ball by milk with the help of brush.
• Make sure to leave enough space between them as they will expand during baking.
• Flatten the balls slightly and sprinkle some chopped nuts (if using) on top.

Baking Process:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a prepared baking sheet.
• Bake the cookies for 15-20 minutes or until they turn golden brown on the edges. Keep an eye on them as they can quickly turn from golden to burnt.

Cooling at Room Temperature:

• Once done, remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storing:

• Once the cookies have cooled down, store them in an airtight container to increase shelf life.

Tips and Tricks for Perfect Recipe:

1. Make sure to use room temperature butter for this recipe. If your butter is too cold, it won't cream properly with the sugar, resulting in dense and hard cookies.
2. Use a sifter or a sieve to sift the dry ingredients. This will ensure that there are no lumps in the flour and that the cookies have a uniform texture.
3. Don't overmix the dough. Overmixing can result in tough and dense cookies. Mix the ingredients just until everything is well combined.
4. If you don't have a sufficient amount of butter or ghee, you can add milk gradually when making the dough.
5. Don't skip the cardamom powder as it gives the cookies their unique flavor and aroma.
6. Keep an eye on the cookies while baking. Different ovens have different temperatures, so adjust the baking time accordingly.
7. Let the cookies cool down completely before storing them in an airtight container. This will keep them fresh and crispy for a longer period of time.

Enjoy your homemade Nan Khatai with tea!