NANKHATAI - Indian Shortbread Cookies

My mother used to make this often when we were kids. . Somehow it's popularity got lost in the midst of  cakes. I don't make cookies and my daughter always insists that I make them. Recently my friend offered nankhattais for tea ,at her house. She makes them often . I got this recipe from her. My daughter was really impressed with these cookies. She calls them ,"Indian Cookies".This is the only cookie recipe you will need.

INGREDIENTS 

1. 1-1/2 cup atta(I used chappathi flour)
2. 1/4 cup besan ( helps to bind the dough , if not using besan use the same amount of atta)
3. 3/4 cup butter
4. 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar, powdered sugar(1/2 cup if you want less sweetness, but sugar cannot be reduced more), measure the sugar first and powder it
5. 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

METHOD 

• Mix the different flours together and keep aside. 
• Melt the butter in a microwave. The butter just needs to be soft.  Microwave on power 2 for 2 minutes. (In a 1000 W oven). The time also depends on the type of butter used. Some butters need less time to soften. Also, weather has a lot of impact on the melting time for butter. Less time during summers and more during winters. 
• Add the powdered sugar, cardamom powder to the softened butter. Swirl the beaters around without turning them on so that the powdered sugar is lightly mixed into the butter. Then, beat the butter-sugar mixture on high speed for at least 2 minutes until you get a buttercream consistency. 

             

              

                         

• After that, add the flour in batches and beat until the dough comes together. Don't overmix it. It just needs to come together; after that, it can be done by hand.

                                           

        

        

       

• The dough will be sticky and cannot be rolled. Put it in the fridge for 15 minutes. The dough should be manageable now. 
• Pre-heat the oven to 375℉ for 15 minutes.
• Place a tray on the table. Sit down with the bowl of dough and roll it into a ball using your hand. The dough will be sticky, but when rolled, it will become a smooth ball. 

• Bake at 375 degree F for 15 minutes. You will also get the cardamom aroma when the cookies are done. The balls will flatten into round discs. It will be soft in the center but will harden as it sits. Makes 20-24 nankhattais.

                                          

 

• The store-bought nankhatttais are powderier. I think they get that texture as they sit for a number of days in the package or in the jar in the bakery. So, to mimic that, I powdered 2 nankhattais and mixed a few of the cookies with the powder. I didn't get the exact texture as the store-bought ones, but it was good enough.
  
  
  
  

NOTES

• Just roll the nankhattais into balls. No need to flatten it. It will slightly flatten out after baking.
• Add 1/2 tsp salt to the butter if you want to add salt. The salt won't dissolve when added to the flour as we do in a cake batter.