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Nankhatai is a very popular snack in Northern India . The word Naan means bread and Khatai means Biscuits and that is why Nankhatai is also known as shortbread biscuits

These cookies can be made using wheat flour, rice flour, chickpea flour or all purpose flour. Other main ingredients used to make these cookies are milk, ghee, butter and baking powder

Basically it is popular tea-time snack and is liked by kids and adults both and is easily available in market. It is also made in many homes at the time of Diwali

The recipe shared here will give you crisp and melt in mouth nankhatai and that too made in no time. Baking these beauties will fill your home with pleasant aroma

Ingredients(makes 16-18 pieces)

3/4 cup chickpea flour/ besan

3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 spoon semolina

1/2 cup ghee(not melted but at room temperature)

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 tea spoon baking powder

1/4 spoon salt

Dry fruits like elaichi powder, crushed cashews/almonds/pistachio and saffron

Preparation

In a big bowl sieve all dry ingredients except powdered sugar and keep aside

In another bowl, take ghee(room temperature), add powdered sugar to it and mix it till it becomes frothy or creamy You can use spoon/whisker to do the same (as shown in pic)

Now mix this creamy mixture to dry ingredients mixture and make a soft dough . Do it with light hands just need to mix all ingredients together, else the nankhatai will be chewy. If you find the dough little dry, you can add milk or water to make a dough

Divide the dough into small parts as we do for rotis or pooris and roll it like a ball Keep the balls in fridge for half an hour, this will not let the cookies to spread and stick to each other while baking

In a baking tray, put a parchment paper or grease it properly and place the balls with distance between each other

Now press in center of balls using thumb or finger so as to put dry fruits on it

Put the crushed/ whole dryfruit( as per your choice)

Bake the nankhatai at preheated oven @ 160 degree for 12/15 minutes till they are baked completely

Let them cool completely then can be stored in airtight container

Important Notes:-

The cup size taken here are normal kitchen cups, you an take any cup but take care all the ingredients are measured from same cup

Proportion of besan and apf can be changed as per your taste buds like- you can take more of apf and less of besan or vice versa as per your choice

For better results, before baking the nankhatai keep them in fridge for half an hour This will help nankhatai’s to not spread and stick to each other

Keep good distance between them while placing them on baking tray