Learn how to make Nankhatai Recipe a classic traditional Indian biscuit made during Diwali festival! Soft, crumbly, and delicious are these cute Nankhatai Biscuit. The texture is somewhat like a shortbread. It’s eggless biscuit and made mostly during Diwali. But these biscuits are always available in Indian Bakeries. Right from baby to adult these are everyone’s favorite.

Nankhatai is a desi indian biscuit. Generally it’s wrapped in butter paper Or served in mithai box. I love nankhatai as it’s been my favorite since childhood. While you make these goodies your house will smell of lovely aroma. With the aroma you will get tempted to eat more.
Best thing is you can make a lot of batches of these biscuits. Later store them into an airtight container. These lasts for more than 10-12 days if stored properly and placed into fridge. You could make your own version of these biscuits.
Mostly these are white in color. A dash of gram flour is added to flour. Some even add semolina too. There are lot of versions to make these. I have stuck to basics while making these traditional biscuit. Also check some Diwali Sweets here. This month would be posting a lot of recipes for Diwali. So stay tuned for more festive sweets and savories 🙂
Check some more Diwali Recipes like gulab jamun, mohanthal, boondi ladoo, spicy shankarpali ,phirni, basundi and nankhatai.
Nankhatai Recipe cart below:
- 150 gms refined flour (maida)
- 1.5 tbsp gram flour (besan)
- ½ t/s baking powder
- a pinch of salt
- ¼th t/s cardamom powder
- ¼ t/s dry ginger powder (soonth) optional
- 80 gms powdered sugar
- 75 gms butter / ghee/ dalda (I used butter)
- 40 gms pistachio flakes + some more for garnishing
- 1 tbsp milk if required
- Preheat the oven for 12 mins exactly before baking. Grease the pans Or tray with some butter.
- Sift flour, salt, besan and baking powder. Add cardamom, ginger powder and pistachio flakes. Mix all nicely.
- Cream butter and sugar manually Or with a beater until it's light and fluffy.
- Make small well in the sifted flour. Add the butter-sugar mixture in the center.
- Mix all until appear like bread crumbs. Now knead into a smooth dough add little milk if the dough is too dry.
- Cover and keep the dough aside for ten mins. Shape into lemon sized balls and slightly flatten it. Ensure there are no cracks.
- Top the biscuit with some pistachio flakes.
- Place the biscuit over greased tray, muffin pans etc.
- Bake at 180°C for 15 mins. Later reduce the temperature to 150°C for 5 mins Or until cookies are baked.
- Please don't over bake Or under bake these cookies. Allow them to cool. Once cool store biscuits into an airtight jar Or container.
- Serve them as Diwali sweet Or as a tea time snack.
2. I have added sugar as per my preference. You could add more if you wish.
3. Instead of pistachio add any nut of your choice.
4. You could chill the dough into freezer. Thaw for 30 mins then read to use.
simran says
Amazing recipe… Why don’t you sell your delicious nankhatai or give others a cooking class teaching
vanita says
Good day Maria. I always love to go through your recipes, Love all of them. You make them with so much of Love. You are a very Good Cook & warm person. Chaats, sweets etc.. not to forget the Chai. As I was born in Mumbai (Now in Bangalore). so home sick. If I can”t reply to you or there are likes missing, then you have all my likes now. Thks so much Maria. Take care. God Bless. 🙂
maria says
Thankyou Vanita you made my day as everything is going topsyturvy today 🙂 you are welcome. I am pleased to know you could predict so many things about me 😉 yeah love all about food from chat to sweet to savories and also cutting chai. You too take care see you soon.
Dina says
they look yummy!
maria says
Thanks Dina 🙂