With this Nankhatai cookie box recipe you can make a variety of cookies from a single versatile dough—classic rounds, thumbprints, checkerboard stars, gingerbread-style cocoa cookies, Rudolph shapes and a teddy bear—baked together for a beautiful, flavorful gift or festive treat.
What is Nankhatai?
Nankhatai is a traditional Indian shortbread cookie celebrated for its buttery, khasta (crumbly) texture and melt-in-the-mouth crumb. It is a popular festive sweet during Diwali and other celebrations.
This basic Nankhatai dough is highly adaptable. You can flavor portions with spices like cardamom or add cocoa, coffee, rose or nutella. In this recipe the same dough is split and shaped in different ways to create a festive cookie box with varied textures and looks.
What’s in My Nankhatai Cookie Box?
- 3 Round Plain Cookies – Classic Nankhatai, simple and buttery.
- 3 Thumbprint Cookies – Indented centers filled after baking with cranberry sauce or any jam for a sweet-tart contrast.
- 3 Checkerboard Star Cookies – Star-shaped cookies with swapped centers for a two-tone checkerboard effect.
- 3 Gingerbread Shaped Cookies – Cocoa-flavored cut-outs that mimic gingerbread men for a cozy holiday feel.
- 3 Rudolph Shaped Cookies – Small cocoa cookies shaped like Rudolph for a playful touch.
- 1 Teddy Bear Cookie – A cocoa teddy cut-out decorated after baking.
- Several Star and Round Shapes – Made from leftover dough to add variety to the box.
Ingredients needed
- All-purpose flour (maida) and chickpea flour (besan): A mix gives the cookies their signature crumbly texture and gentle nutty flavor.
- Semi-solid ghee: Use ghee at semi-solid consistency (not melted) to bind the dough and keep cookies from spreading too much.
- Powdered sugar: Blends smoothly into the dough for an even texture and balanced sweetness.
- Flavorings: Cardamom powder, nutmeg, cocoa powder, coffee, rose essence or citrus zest—choose what you like for different dough portions.
- Decorative additions: Jam or fruit sauce for thumbprints, tutti frutti, nuts, edible colors or icing for decorating shapes.
Step by Step Instructions
Sift together all-purpose flour, chickpea flour, powdered sugar, cardamom (or other spices) and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl.
Add semi-solid ghee and rub it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Then bring it together into a smooth dough using the warmth of your hands—do not add water.
Shaping the cookies:
Round cookies: Roll portions of dough into small balls, place on a lined baking tray and gently flatten. Optionally press a piece of tutti frutti into the top while warm.
Thumbprint cookies: Flatten a small ball slightly and press an impression with your forefinger. After baking and cooling, fill with cranberry sauce or jam.
Divide the remaining dough into portions depending on how many variations you want.
Add cocoa powder to one portion and knead until smooth to make a cocoa dough for darker shapes.
Roll both plain and cocoa doughs to about 1/4-inch thickness.
Gingerbread and Rudolph shapes: Cut cocoa dough with gingerbread or character cutters. Smaller shapes will bake faster.
Teddy bear: Use a bear cutter on cocoa dough; after baking decorate with icing or small edible bits.
Checkerboard stars: Cut stars from one dough, remove a smaller star-shaped center and swap in the contrasting dough center to create a two-tone star.
Christmas trees: Cut tree shapes and, once cooled, decorate with royal icing or colored icing.
Chill: Arrange shaped cookies on a tray lined with parchment and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to prevent spreading.
Bake: Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake for 8–10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden and the cookies feel slightly firm. Monitor smaller or thinner cookies as they will finish sooner.
Icing and decoration: Allow cookies to cool completely before decorating. An eggless royal icing works well for gingerbread, Rudolph and tree decorations; jam or fruit sauce is ideal for thumbprints.
Transfer cooled cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling before storing or packing.
Storage Instructions
- Cool completely on a wire rack to avoid condensation before storage.
- Airtight container: Store cookies in an airtight container layered with parchment paper if they have icing or jam.
- Room temperature: Cookies keep well for 1–2 weeks at room temperature in a cool, dry place.
- Freezing: Freeze fully cooled cookies in a single layer for 2 hours, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. They keep up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature before serving.
Best Tips
- Use semi-solid ghee, not melted, to achieve the proper crumbly texture without excess spreading.
- Chill shaped cookies for 30 minutes before baking to help them retain their shape.
- Roll dough evenly to around 1/4 inch so cookies bake uniformly—crispy at the edges and tender inside.
- Adjust baking time to cookie size and thickness. Smaller shapes like Rudolph will finish earlier; watch the oven closely.
- Get creative: divide the dough to experiment with cocoa, cardamom, rose or citrus flavors and cut into festive shapes like stars, trees and bears.
- Wait until cookies are completely cool before applying icings or jams to prevent melting or smudging.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Unsalted butter can be used if you don’t have ghee, but the cookies may be slightly less rich and the texture may differ from traditional Nankhatai.
Roll to about 1/4 inch thickness for even baking and the ideal balance of crisp edges and a tender center.
Bake at 180°C (350°F) for roughly 8–10 minutes. Exact time depends on size and thickness; smaller shapes bake faster, so check them early.
Related recipes include classic Indian Nankhatai, flavored Nankhatai variations and cranberry sauce for thumbprint cookies. Try different flavors and shapes to make a memorable cookie box for gifting or holiday sharing.
Nankhatai Cookie Box – 1 dough many variations
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour / Maida
- 1/4 cup Chickpea Flour / Besan
- 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp Cardamom Powder
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup (115 g) Clarified Butter / Ghee (semi-solid)
- 1/2 tbsp Cocoa Powder (for cocoa dough)
- Few tutti frutti for decorations (optional)
Instructions
- Sift all dry ingredients together in a bowl.
- Add semi-solid ghee and mix with your hands until the mixture comes together into a smooth dough. Do not add water—the warmth from your hands will bind the dough.
- Divide the dough into portions according to how many flavors or shapes you want to make.
- To make cocoa dough, knead cocoa powder into one portion until smooth.
- Plain round cookies: roll dough into small balls, flatten slightly and place on a lined tray.
- Thumbprint cookies: make a small impression in each cookie before baking. After cooling, fill with cranberry sauce or jam.
- Roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness for cut-outs or use hands for a rustic look.
- Checkerboard stars: cut a star, remove the smaller star center and swap in the contrasting dough.
- Rudolph and gingerbread shapes: cut from cocoa dough. Bake smaller shapes a little less time than larger ones.
- Teddy bear shapes: cut from cocoa dough and decorate after baking.
- Use a tree cutter for Christmas trees and decorate with icing once cool.
- Chill shaped cookies on a tray for about 30 minutes to help them keep their shape.
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Bake for about 8–10 minutes or until edges are golden. Adjust time based on size and thickness.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before decorating or storing.
Notes
- This recipe yields around 24 cookies; exact count depends on cutter sizes and thickness.
- Smaller shapes bake faster—check the oven early to avoid over-baking.
- Experiment with flavors and cutters to match the occasion: cardamom, rose, orange zest or cocoa work well.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 8 g |
Protein: 1 g |
Fat: 4 g