Around this time of year (or any time of the year, for that matter), everyone is looking for cookie recipes. Here is a Nan Khatai (Indian Tea or Coffee biscuits) recipe that is so simple that you’ll want to whip up a batch right now! With no frills, no fancy ingredients and no eggs, even the kids can take part in this yummy baking experience!
Prep Time: 5 minutes (plus 15-20 mins dough resting time)
Bake Time: 22 – 25 minutes
Makes: approx 12 cookies
Ingredients:
Unsalted Butter – 1 stick (1/2 cup, 4 oz) at room temperature
Powdered Sugar – 1/2 cup
Nutmeg Powder – 1/4 tsp
Cardamom Powder – 1/4 tsp
All Purpose Flour (Maida) – 1 cup
Baking Powder – 1/4 tsp
Salt – 1/8 tsp
Method:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F or 150 degress C.
1. In a mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar (little at a time) with the softened butter until mixture is light and creamy.
2. Add Nutmeg Powder and Cardamom Powder and mix well.
3. In a separate bowl, sift All Purpose Flour with Baking Powder and Salt.
4. Combine Flour mixture (little at a time) with Butter Mixture to form a soft dough.
5. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
6. Knead dough once again and divide into 12 equal portions.
7. Roll each portion into a smooth ball with no cracks and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax/parchment paper or lightly greased foil. Leave ample space between dough balls.
7. Bake on the middle rack for 22-25 minutes (keep a close eye – nan khatai should remain white).
8. Remove from oven and let the nan khatai cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely before eating.
9. Store in an air tight container at room temperature.
Hi,
Thankyou for sharing this yummy recipe. I have one question. Can we add suji or semolina to this recipe ?
Hey Hetal and Anuja aunty,
Can I substitute Baking soda and vinegar instead of Baking powder?
hi hetal and anuja for nankhatai for 250g ghee I put how much sugar, yeast, flour and cardamom please?
hello
i want to make your recipe of nan khatai but i don’t have a oven
how can i make it in Panasonic microwave
my microwave doesn’t have preheat options
how many minutes should i keep the nan khatai in microwave
Is it possible to make nan khatai in microwave
Hi Bansari,
Sorry, but we have not tried using a microwave for this recipe.
Hello,
I made these for the first time yesterday. They taste excellent 🙂
Only one thing, when i grated the nutmeg my eyes started watering badly, i hd to splash water and rest for a while before i could continue further. I am not allergic to nutmeg, or atleast i hope so. not sure if there is a trick to grate nutmeg.
Thanks once again for an easy and excellent recipe 🙂
Shiks
Hi Shiks,
I have never had such a reaction as what you are describing. Nutmeg is a bit pungent, but not enough to cause eyes to water. You may be allergic.
Hi, I tried it 2 times but the cookies were very flat. I even chilled the dough after rolling (into balls) to make it firm before baking. Could you enlighten me why? Thanks!
Hi Guys,
Just Love Your show
Yesterday I Tried Nan Khatai after watching the video.
wen i put my khatai in OTG after 5- 7 mins it started getting melted & turn out flat.Could u pls suggest wats the problem ANd pls tell me the temp also.
Regards
Sheena
Hi Sheena,
We have not tried this recipe in an OTG so don’t know the exact temperature. One way to keep the shape is to refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour before baking.
hi, i love the recipe…i made it the day i read the recipe…my hubby went nuts..infact he took a few in his tiffin n had it for chai… thumbs up guys… 🙂
Hello hetal and Abuja,
Just loved ur nankhatai’s.. Would love to try this weekend.. I have a doubt.. U have mentioned 1 cup for APF.. Can you tell me how much 1 cup Holds in ml? Mine is 236 ml..looking Forward for ur reply:)
Hi Maadhu,
Though we have never weighed it, the conversion chart says 236 ml. There will always be some variation based on how the cup is filled.
Hi Girls,
Thanks for posting this recipe, it turns out really good. I was wondering if we can do similar recipe with besan, instead of maida. Will it taste like besan ladoo? will the besan dough rise like maida? We can dry roast besan before and then follow the recipe as yours?
Trying to see quick way tp dp besan burfi/ladoo?
-Devyani
Hello ladies,
Thank you for sharing the recipe which i tried with my 9 years old daughter.Here is was we got:very hard nankatai, did not rise at all and after 15 mins in the oven at 350F the nankatais were brown in colour. Please help us from Toronto. I feel so bad that they did not turned to be good.
Thanks,
Anu
Hi Anu,
Our recipe says 300F, not 350F. They have to bake at a lower temperature so that the outside does not brown too fast.
I made this recipe twice already and it’s awesome! I made a few changes, and blogged about it. Here is my take on it: http://myninjanaan.wordpress.com/2012/08/30/pakistani-sugar-cookies-nan-khatai/
Thanks!
Hi ladies,
I have your nan Khatai recipe before and they are delicious. I have made some today using a little bit of cocoa powder because I wanted something chocolate. Pure heaven.
Thanks for sharing the recipe.
🙂
Also, these cookies taste like Tamil bakery butter biscuits….those square ones..when made without cardamom n nutmeg so I always leave out those spices. 🙂 stil tastes yummy.
U gals rock. I really don’t know what I would have done without u.
Hi hetal n Anuja di..
Try making this recipe with ur homemade butter recipe…I mean the plain butter. It’s yummy!! I already baked two batches (one with store bought n one with homemade butter ) …now making the third with one with homemade butter. The whipping cream bottle from Costco makes enough butter for almost three bAtches of these cookies.
Thanks a bunch for the awesome recipe..it has become very very popular in my house. My in laws loved it when they visited us. 🙂
Priya
hiee,, wat is nutmeg?
Hi Irum,
Nutmeg is a spice. It comes in small ovals but you have to grate it to use it in recipes.
Hi hetal !
Can i use melted ghee instead of butter ??
Hi Hetal and Anuja,
I tried these Nankhatais with wheat flour…. Needed to add little more butter to bind the dough…. just WOW….
thanks so very much
Regards,
Geetu
Hi Hetal and Anjuja,
I tried out this recipe and it turned out wonderful….thanks a million for it…The only thing i noticed is that my nan-katai has some taste of salt in it. is it because the salt and baking powder did not mix well with the flour?. But anyways, it turned out so good , Thanks a million once again!!
I made these last night and they came out perfect like in the picture. The taste was absolutely yummy. By the next day, all the cookies were gone. Thank you for this recipe.
Hi Hetal and Anuja,
I tried this recipe today and it turned out so well! Thanks a ton for sharing this recipe! I also added a little ghee to it and it added to the flavor. 😉
Keep up the good work!
Regards,
Kiara.
i loved it
it was awesome
i tried it and it came out perfect
thanks hetal for your prompt response, i will surely try this recipe.
hi guys just wondering what else can we use instead of nutmeg ??is it unnecessary to use
thanks
Hi Sneha,
Nutmeg provides a subtle flavor but if you don’t have it or don’t like it, you can definitely leave it out.
Oh girls !!!!
U make my day!!! i made it today n my husband loved it…its turned out gr8 !!!
Thanks for such a wonderful receipe!!!
For choclate lovers, I add choclate and made choclate nankhatais. it turn out gr8..
Hi Hetal n Anuja, thanks for a nice recipe….but I had a trouble with the nankhatais, as the ones I made were not as firm as yours look and also they were little powdery from the top…where did I go wrong? Thank you….
hi,
you are using unslated butter and add salt later in it…
Can I use salted butter and skip adding salit later??? sounds good????
Yup, that should work 🙂
And my cookies were not soft as they should be..Can you please tell where I made mistake..
Regards
Hi
I tried the above cookies…My only problem was that they got flattened in the oven…I put round balls in the oven…Can you please tell me why it happened?
Hi Eenu,
Did you refrigerate the dough?
hi hetal and anuja,
Can i use Dalda instead of butter to make nan khatais. Further can you suggest any sweets that can be made with Dalda.
thanks
tj
Hi tj,
We are sure you could but we have never tried it. Dalda is not recommended in large quantities because it is hydrogenated and not good for your health.
Hi. I too tried this recipe and though the flavor was good the consistency was not at all like the naan khatai I’m used to. Next time perhpas I will let it rest in the refrigerator and hope that will make a difference. I love your recipe’s and have had good luck with most of them. Thanks for this website
Hi Hetal/Anuja !
Hope to find you in good spirits … i m avid follower of your all videos 🙂
Appreciate all efforts in making amazing and easy to understand presentations for all Dishes.
I need to try this recipe but m not having nutmeg powder (which i tried in several american grocery stores as indian store is very far from my place). Request you to let me know if i do not add nutmeg powder will my recipe turn out good ??
Also please confirm that nutmeg powder is added just for flavouring cookies right ?
Thanks in advance 🙂
Regards
Akshays
Hi Akshaya,
Glad you hear that you are finding SMTC useful! You can definitely leave out the nutmeg powder…it is used purely for subtle flavoring.
Thanks Hetal !!
I tried this recipe without nutmeg powder and it turned out good. 🙂
Dear Hetal and Anuja,
Both of you are looking Gorgeous in this video 🙂
I tried this recipe of Naan Khatai. I had read all the comments before starting the process, inspite of following all the steps minutely…the end result was not what I expected. I did let the dough mix sit in the fridge for 20 minutes to ensure that it does not fall flat while baking…It was soft after 25 min of baking, had to bake it for 60 min and it was not swollen up as yours seen in the picture. It tasted great though but not like a Nan khatai 🙁
This is one of those rare recipes from your list which do not come out beautifully…otherwise most of your recipes are instant hits. Anyways, thanks for your efforts.
Rohini.
HI Anuja and Hetal,
Great Recipe. The nankhatais turned out crispy and yummy. I whipped up a couple of batches (navratri special at my place)and the results were just perfect. Thank you so much..its always a delight to watch you two demonstarting the recipes. I have always looked up recipes on the internet but your “video” recipes make the job so much easier..when you look at someone cooking as against just reading a recipe it makes a world of difference in the outcome. Keep up the great work…
Take care,
Deepa
Thanks Deepa! Happy Navratri to you and your family 🙂
is caster sugar same as powder sugar,can we use caster sugar for this receipe
Hi Annam,
No, caster sugar is very fine sugar and powdered sugar is even more fine than caster sugar plus has added corn starch.
hi hetal n anuja..
just wanted to know if powdered sugar and icing sugar r the same thing..
and about the butter, 4 oz is how much grams??
i got the answer while reading the above comments
u ladies rock..keep up the great job.
ur recipes r so easy
thnx
Hi hetal n anuja,
Thanks for this lovely recipe. You ladies doing great job. Please kepp it up 🙂 I tried this recipe of nan khatai…the taste came out perfect, the cookies also puffed, but the cokkies got little hard after they cooled down completly and also their texture had little cracks. I used exact 20 mins in pre-heated oven at 300F. Please suggest what should I take care of next time? Thanks.
Hi Pooja,
You can try to refrigerate the dough 1 hour before baking and roll the balls out very smoothly.
Hi Hetal and Anuja,
My naan khatai dough was very soft,it was not as stiff as your’s it was sticking to my hands.I mixed everything exactly as you said.and after baking them they came out flat they were not puffed up .Did i go wrong any where please suggest me.
Thank you
Deepthi
Hi Deepthi,
Maybe you can try refrigerating the dough for about 1 hour before baking.
tanq for quick response….i have one more question…can i use salted butter instead of unsalted butter n skip d salt…?
hii…..just love ur recipes..most of them were success…whats that nutmug? where do i find it? plz help in getting tat….tanq
Hi Sushma,
Nutmeg is called Jaipha in Hindi and is available in most Indian grocery stores.
tanx for quick response….i have one more question…can i use salted butter instead of unsalted butter and skip d salt?
Hi Sushma,
We have not tried it but the salted butter may have a little more salt than what the recipe needs. If you try it, we suggest to try it on a small batch just to make sure.
Hi Hetal and Anuja,
I just made some nan khatai’s. The recipe came out very well. Oh, and I used regualar sugar :-). I added a spoon of corn starch to bind the dough. I know, silly me! 🙂 But, finally, the cookies taste great.
ok,happy summeR!
This was too good. Just a tip – for those who prefer soft cookies (like the ones you get in stores), bake for a lesser period of time, say 15-18 minutes.
I didn’t have powdered sugar, so used the regular one. It worked out well.
Overall, a super-duper easy recipe!!!!!
Can I keep this dough in freezer saved for future use and whipping up fresh batches as and when required?
I tried these cookies…,Thanks for the easy recipe…
They were delicious..
Thanks Samu!
Hi Ladies,
can i make this withour nutmeg powdwer?
Thanks,
Divya
Hi Divya,
The nutmeg provides a hint of flavor but if you don’t have it, you can just leave it out.
Thanks for quick response !!! i’ll try it soon.
I used margarine instead of butter and regular sugar with just a tsp of cornstarch…it came out perfect..thanks ladies.
Hi,
Can you teach me how to make chocolate eclairs properly i will be very obliged.
Thanks.
Sunshine
Hi Sunshine,
We will put eclairs on our list to do. Thanks!
Hello Hetal / Anuja
Thank you so much for such a good recipe. I tried and it turns out as good as you are. My husband just love it ….
once again thank you so much …
please keep posting good recipe ….
Hi Megha,
This Nan Khatai is easy and delicious, glad you enjoyed 🙂
Omg thanks for recipie great and easy and soo yummy mine turned out just likt urs and i am just 13 🙂
Hey Hetal & Anuja, I just am baking a set of these cookies. I have a doubt about the quantity of ingredients. What is the measure of a standard cup in grams. How much is a stick of butter. Since in India, we do not have the concept of butter in sticks- am confused. Kindly clarify. Maybe my next time will be a successful attempt. This time the khatais seem to be spreading a lot.
Hi Prathima,
Approximately:
All-Purpose Flour 1Cup = 110 gm
Butter 1/2 Cup = 113 gms
To avoid flattening, put the Nankhatai dough in the fridge for about 15-20 min (during the resting time) and them make the balls for the cookies. Sometimes in warmer places, the butter melts a lot faster.
Good Luck 🙂
The nankhatai’s came out really well… very soft and crispy too. Thanks a ton. I am just planning to bake a set with the multi grain atta so that I can give it to my daughter. Lot healthier option.