- This recipe yields about 24 cookies, but the actual number will depend on the size and thickness of the cookies, as well as the type of cookie cutters you use.
- Baking time will vary based on the size and thickness of your cookies. Smaller cookies, like the Rudolph shapes, will bake faster, so it’s important to monitor them carefully to avoid over-baking. Always keep an eye on the oven towards the end of the baking time.
- Feel free to customize the shapes and flavors to match your preferences or the festive season—experiment with different cookie cutters and flavorings like cardamom, rose, or orange zest.
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Nankhatai Cookie Box - 1 dough many variations
This Nankhatai Cookie Box recipe uses one versatile dough to create a variety of delicious and festive cookies in different shapes and flavors, perfect for the holiday season.
Servings 24 cookies
Calories 72kcal
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 gms) Clarified Butter/Ghee
- 1/2 tbsp Cocoa Powder
- Few tutti fruti for decorations
Instructions
- Sift all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
- Add semi-solid ghee to the dry ingredients and mix it well with your hands, binding everything into a smooth dough. The warmth from your hands should bring the dough together without adding any additional water.
- Once the dough is ready, divide it into portions depending on how many different cookie flavors or shapes you want to make.
- For example, to make cocoa-flavored dough, take half of the dough and knead in cocoa powder to create a smooth, colored dough.
- Plain Round Cookies: Roll the dough into small balls and place them on the baking tray. Gently flatten them to form a round shape. Bake as is for simple, traditional Nankhatai.
- Thumbprint Cookies: For thumbprint cookies, use your forefinger to create an impression in the center of each cookie. Once baked and cooled, fill the impression with cranberry sauce or any jam of your choice.
- Roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. You can either use a rolling pin or shape it directly with your hands for a rustic look.
- For checkerboard star cookies: Cut out star shapes from the dough and, using a smaller star-shaped cutter, remove the center. Replace the center with cocoa dough to create a contrasting color pattern.
- For Rudolph-shaped cookies, roll out the cocoa dough and use a gingerbread man or similar cutter. Bake these smaller-sized cookies for a shorter amount of time compared to larger cookies.
- Teddy bear-shaped cookies: Using the cocoa dough, decorating them with festive details once they’ve cooled.
- Use a Christmas tree cookie cutter to shape the dough, and once baked and cooled, decorate with icing.
- Once you’ve shaped the cookies, place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and chill them in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This will help the cookies maintain their shape during baking.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Bake the cookies for about 8-10 minutes or until they are golden around the edges. However, the baking time will depend on the thickness of the dough and the size of the cookie cutters. Smaller cookies like Rudolph will bake faster, so keep an eye on them to prevent over-baking.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating with icing or any toppings of your choice. I have used my eggless royal icing recipe to do the icing on top.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Calories: 72kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.4mg
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