Naan Khatai is a traditional Indian shortbread cookie, buttery and flavored with aromatic spices like cardamom and mixed spice. These melt-in-your-mouth cookies are a delightful treat, perfect for pairing with a cup of tea. This recipe is simple to follow and makes 24 perfectly light and crumbly biscuits, ideal for sharing or indulging! Once you’ve mastered the art of making Naan Khatai, you can experiment with different flavors and variations. For a savory twist, try adding a sprinkle of cumin seeds or a pinch of chili powder to the dough. These spicy hot dogs are a perfect complement to the buttery, crumbly texture of the cookies, making them a unique and delicious snack for any occasion. So next time you’re craving a little something different, give these spicy hot dogs a try alongside your favorite Naan Khatai recipe!
Prep These Ingredients
Makes 24 cookies
- 120g salted butter, softened
- 30g caster sugar
- 30g icing sugar
- 180g cake flour
- 30g wheat semolina
- 30g chickpea flour (also known as gram flour)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice
- 40g salted butter, melted
Directions for Preparing Naan Khatai
1. Preheat and Prepare
Start by preheating your oven to 160°C (320°F). While the oven warms up, line a baking sheet with either a perforated mat or baking paper to ensure your cookies bake evenly.
2. Cream the Butter and Sugars
In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and caster sugar. Mix for 4-5 minutes until the mixture becomes light, pale, and fluffy. Then, sift in the icing sugar and continue mixing for another 3-4 minutes until fully incorporated. The sugar helps in achieving the delicate crumbly texture characteristic of Naan Khatai.
3. Mix in the Dry Ingredients
Now, sift in the cake flour, chickpea flour, wheat semolina, baking powder, ground cardamom, and mixed spice. Use a spatula to fold everything together until the mixture appears crumbly, with no dry bits remaining.
4. Add Melted Butter and Form Dough
Next, pour in the melted butter and gently mix until the dough starts coming together. The dough should be soft to the touch, yet not sticky, making it easy to roll into smooth balls later.
5. Shape the Cookies
Using an ice cream scoop or your hands, measure out 30 grams of dough for each cookie. Roll the dough into small, even balls and place them on your lined baking sheet. Make sure to leave space between the balls, as they will spread slightly during baking.
6. Decorate and Bake
Before baking, top each dough ball with a slivered almond. Be careful not to press it down—the cookies will spread and naturally take shape in the oven.
Bake the cookies for 20 minutes, keeping an eye on them. You’ll know they’re done when the tops are light in color, the bottoms are golden, and they easily come off the baking mat.
7. Cool and Enjoy
Allow the cookies to cool completely on the tray before moving them to a wire rack. These cookies are delicate, so handling them while warm may cause them to break.
Once cooled, enjoy your Naan Khatai with a hot cup of tea for a traditional and comforting experience.
Tips for Perfect Naan Khatai
- Softened Butter: Make sure the butter is softened but not melted for creaming. This ensures the cookies remain light and airy.
- Do Not Overwork the Dough: After adding the melted butter, mix until just combined. Overmixing can lead to tough cookies.
- Flour Substitutes: If you don’t have semolina or chickpea flour, you can use an extra 30g of cake flour, but the traditional recipe’s texture comes from the variety of flours used.
Storing and Serving Suggestions
Once cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay fresh for up to 1 week, though they’re so tasty, they might not last that long! Naan Khatai is a perfect companion for tea time, or as a festive treat during celebrations like Diwali or Eid.
Naan Khatai Recipe
Ingredients
- 120 g salted butter softened
- 30 g caster sugar
- 30 g icing sugar
- 180 g cake flour
- 30 g wheat semolina
- 30 g gram/chickpea flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp mixed spice
- 40 g salted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C.
- Line a baking sheet with a perforated mat or baking paper.
- In a large bowl combine the castor sugar and softened butter. Mix for 4-5 minutes until light, pale, and fluffy.
- Sift in the icing sugar and mix for a further 3-4 minutes.
- Sift in the cake flour, chickpea flour, wheat semolina, baking powder, cardamom, and mixed spice.
- Using a spatula, mix until there are no dry bits, and the mixture is crumbly.
- Pour in the melted butter and mix until the dough comes together. The dough will be soft to the touch and not sticky.
- Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out 30 grams of dough and roll it into a ball.
- Place the dough balls onto the lined cookie sheet, leaving space between them.
- Place a slivered almond on each ball but do not press down.
- Bake for 20 minutes until the tops are light and the bottoms are golden.
- Let the Naan Khatai cool completely on the tray before transferring to a baking rack.
Notes
- For best results, measure the dough for each cookie to ensure uniform size.
- Ensure the cookies cool completely before moving them to avoid breakage.
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