Classic Indian Bakery style, these Jeera Biscuits have the balance of perfect flavour in terms of sweet and savoury combined with a kick of roasted cumin seeds.
Start by roasting the jeera or cumin seeds until fragrant and slightly darker in colour in a fry pan over the stove top. Keep aside to cool until needed.
Alternatively you can also microwave the cumin seeds for 2 mins until dark, remember to stir it once in an interval of 30 seconds.
Step 2 - Cookie Dough Instructions
Using a spatula, beat together the butter and sugar until the sugar is dissolved and combined with the butter. (Takes about 2 to 3 mins)
Add the dry ingredients (flour + salt) in two stages until combined.
Finally, add in the jeera and combine it into a cookie dough using your hands.
Never knead a cookie dough, just combine till it comes together as a dough. If you beat the butter and sugar well there won't be any need to add milk. IF at this stage you find that the dough is a bit dry and not forming into a dough then add milk a tsp at a time until combined.
Transfer it to your worktop. Flatten it out to form a circular disc. Cling wrap and let it refrigerate for 15-30 mins.
Roll out the chilled dough to even thickness of 1/4 inches. Cut out desired shapes using your favourite cookie cutter. Transfer to a baking tray that has been lined with parchment paper.
Bake in a pre-heated oven of 180°C for 10-12 mins until golden on the sides and pale in the centre.
You can always re-roll the scraps, cut using a cookie cutter and bake too.
Once baked let it stand in the baking tray itself for another 3 mins and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
I have used unsalted butter here but if you want to use Salted Butter then in that case just reduce the amount of salt to 1/2 tsp.
It is important that you use softened butter so that it easily mixes with the sugar without incorporating too much air into the batter which causes the cookie to spread. So try to avoid that. This video on troubleshooting common baking problems explains it in much detail.
Do not beat the butter and sugar for long. Just mix until sugar is dissolved and combined and it looks homogenous and creamy.
If you do not have icing sugar, please powder your regular sugar and then use.
Using freshly roasted and crushed cumin seeds brings in so much flavour. So I highly recommend using it fresh rather than buying roasted cumin seeds from the shop.
Never knead a cookie dough, it causes gluten to develop which changes the texture of the baked cookie.
Milk mentioned in the recipe is just optional. If you find that the dough is dry and crumbly and not coming together only then add milk a tsp at a time till you form a dough
Roll the dough evenly so that the cookie bakes evenly.
If you find that the base of your cookie always bakes faster than the top or it turns brown quickly you can follow the double pan method to avoid that.
Follow the basic baking principles - preheating the oven, lining the tray with parchment paper and always bake in the middle rack to make perfect cookies.
Storage (Make-Ahead) Instructions.The baked Jeera Biscuits stays fresh for upto 10 days in an air tight container at counter top.You can make the cookie dough ahead of time and freeze it for upto 3 months.Whenever you need it, just thaw the dough a bit and then roll and cut out and follow the steps mentioned in the recipe.