These homemade Ghee Biscuits are wonderfully buttery, delicate, and tender, with a melt-in-your-mouth texture! Also known as Indian-style Nankhatai cookies, these simple treats require just three everyday ingredients. Perfect for afternoon tea, holiday cookie trays, or a quick homemade dessert!
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Table des matières
The Science Behind 3-Ingredient Ghee Biscuits
- Clarified Lipid Hydrophobicity & Anhydrous Shortening: Ghee is 99% to 100% pure anhydrous butterfat with water and milk solids removed. Because there is no water content in clarified butter, adding all-purpose flour to ghee yields zero gluten hydration ($\text{gliadin} + \text{glutenin}$ cross-linking requires liquid water). This results in an extraordinarily delicate, short, melt-in-your-mouth crumb.
- Semi-Solid Plastic Crystal Aeration: Using semi-solid ghee at room temperature (around 65°F–68°F / 18°C–20°C) allows high-melting saturated triglyceride fat crystals to trap micro-bubbles of atmospheric air during the 3-minute creaming step with powdered sugar. These air pockets expand in a 325°F (163°C) oven, yielding a light, sandy texture.
- Sucrose Dissolution & Cryo-Rest Structure Setting: Powdered sugar dissolves rapidly into pure butterfat. Refrigerating shaped biscuit discs for 20 minutes before baking solidifies the saturated fat crystals. This cryo-rest period prevents low-temperature fat runoff and excessive spreading in the oven, preserving thick, neatly shaped biscuits.
| Prep Time | Chill Time | Bake Time | Yield | Category |
| 15 mins | 20 mins | 15–18 mins | ~16 biscuits | Eggless / Shortbread & Nankhatai |
Ingredients
For the Ghee Biscuits:
- 1/2 cup (112 g) ghee, soft and semi-solid (room temperature, not hot or liquid)
- 1/4 cup (30 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour (maida)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1.Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet:Line sheet pan and set oven to 325°F (163°C).
Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.Cream Soft Ghee and Powdered Sugar:Beat 2 to 3 minutes until smooth and pale.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the soft semi-solid ghee and sifted powdered sugar. Beat with a whisk or electric hand mixer for 2–3 minutes until light, smooth, and creamy.
3.Incorporate All-Purpose Flour:Add flour gradually and stir with spatula.
Gradually add the all-purpose flour to the creamed ghee mixture. Stir gently with a spatula until a soft, crumbly dough starts to take shape.
4.Form Smooth Biscuit Dough:Gather gently with hands without kneading.
Use clean hands to gently press the crumbly mixture together into a soft, cohesive dough. Avoid overworking or kneading excessively to maintain a tender texture.
5.Shape Biscuits and Chill:Portion 16 round balls (~15g each).
Divide dough into 16 equal portions. Roll each portion into a smooth ball between your palms, then press down lightly to form a thick, round biscuit disc. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
6.Bake Until Set and Pale:Bake 15 to 18 minutes at 325°F.
Bake at 325°F for 15–18 minutes until the edges are firm and the bottoms are lightly golden. Keep the tops pale for a delicate, traditional Nankhatai appearance.
7.Cool Completely and Serve:Rest 10 minutes on warm pan, then cool.
Remove from the oven and let the biscuits rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes (they are extremely fragile when hot). Transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely into a crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth bite!
Pro Tips for Baking Success
- Use Soft Semi-Solid Ghee: Never use hot melted liquid ghee! Liquid fat cannot trap air during creaming, which will cause dough to flatten and become greasy.
- Do Not Knead the Dough: Gently press ingredients together just until dough comes together. Excessive kneading warms the fat and compresses the delicate starch matrix.
- Keep Oven Temperature Low (325°F): Low-heat baking cooks the flour starches gently while keeping the tops pale and the interior tender.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the ingredients for ghee biscuits?
Authentic 3-ingredient ghee biscuits require:
- Soft Semi-Solid Ghee (Clarified Butter)
- Powdered Sugar (Sifted)
- All-Purpose Flour (Maida)
What ingredient makes biscuits soft?
The primary ingredient that makes biscuits tender and melt-in-your-mouth soft is pure fat (ghee or butter) paired with waterless formulation. Because clarified ghee contains zero liquid water, wheat gluten cannot form, yielding an eggless, tender shortbread crumb.
Why is ghee not used for baking?
Ghee is less commonly used in Western baking because it lacks water (~16% water in regular butter) and milk solids, which means it cannot create steam for puffing or facilitate liquid-based gluten development. However, in shortbread, cardamoms, and Indian bakery items like Nankhatai, ghee is celebrated precisely because its waterless profile produces unmatched tenderness.
Is ghee good for biscuits?
Yes, ghee is exceptional for eggless biscuits, shortbreads, and cookies! It provides a rich butterscotch aroma, an extended shelf life (due to low moisture content), and a delicate texture that dissolves on the tongue.
Imprimer
3-Ingredient Ghee Biscuits (Nankhatai Cookies)
- Durée totale: 1 hour 3 minutes
- Produit: 16 biscuits 1x
- Régime alimentaire: Végétarien
Description
These 3-Ingredient Ghee Biscuits (Nankhatai Cookies) are irresistibly buttery, delicate, and wonderfully melt-in-your-mouth. Made with just soft ghee, powdered sugar, and all-purpose flour, these traditional Indian-inspired shortbread biscuits feature a tender, crumbly center, lightly golden bottoms, and beautifully pale tops. The rich, aromatic ghee gives each biscuit a deliciously smooth flavor, while the simple eggless dough makes this an easy homemade treat with minimal ingredients. Perfect for festive celebrations, Diwali sweet trays, afternoon tea, homemade gifts, or enjoying with a warm cup of chai or coffee!
Ingrédients
- For the Ghee Biscuits:
- 1/2 cup (112 g) ghee, soft and semi-solid (room temperature, not hot or liquid)
- 1/4 cup (30 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour (maida)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the delicate ghee biscuits from sticking during baking.
- Cream Soft Ghee and Powdered Sugar: In a medium mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup (112 g) of soft, semi-solid ghee and 1/4 cup (30 g) of sifted powdered sugar. Using a whisk or electric hand mixer, beat for 2–3 minutes until the mixture becomes light, smooth, pale, and creamy. Make sure the ghee is soft but not melted or hot.
- Incorporate All-Purpose Flour: Gradually add 1 cup (125 g) of all-purpose flour (maida) to the creamed ghee and powdered sugar mixture. Stir gently with a rubber spatula until the flour is incorporated and a soft, slightly crumbly biscuit dough begins to form.
- Form Smooth Biscuit Dough: Using clean hands, gently press the crumbly mixture together until it forms a soft, cohesive dough. Avoid excessive kneading or overworking, as this can warm the ghee and compromise the biscuits’ delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Shape Biscuits and Chill: Divide the prepared dough into 16 equal portions, approximately 15 g each. Roll each portion gently between your palms into a smooth ball, then press lightly to form a thick, round biscuit disc. Arrange the shaped biscuits on the parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm up the ghee before baking.
- Bake Until Set and Pale: Transfer the chilled biscuits to the preheated oven and bake at 325°F (163°C) for 15–18 minutes, or until the edges are firm and the bottoms are lightly golden. Keep the tops pale to preserve the delicate, traditional Nankhatai-style appearance and tender shortbread texture.
- Cool Completely and Serve: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the ghee biscuits to rest on the warm pan for 10 minutes. They are extremely fragile while hot and need time to firm up. Carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack and let them cool completely before serving. Enjoy their wonderfully crumbly, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture!
Notes
- Use Soft Semi-Solid Ghee: Never use hot, melted liquid ghee for this recipe. The ghee should be soft and semi-solid at room temperature so it can be creamed properly with powdered sugar. Liquid fat cannot trap air effectively and may produce flat, greasy biscuits.
- Do Not Knead the Dough: Gently press the ingredients together only until the dough becomes cohesive. Excessive kneading warms the ghee and compresses the delicate flour structure, resulting in biscuits that are less tender and crumbly.
- Keep Oven Temperature Low at 325°F: Bake the biscuits at 325°F (163°C) rather than a higher temperature. Gentle, low-temperature baking allows the flour to cook evenly while keeping the tops pale, the bottoms lightly golden, and the interiors wonderfully delicate.
- Temps de préparation: 15 minutes
- Temps de cuisson: 18 minutes
- Catégorie: Dessert
- Méthode: Baking
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Portion: 1 biscuit
- Calories: 140
- Sucre: 2g
- Sodium: 1mg
- Graisse: 9g
- Graisse saturée: 6g
- Graisses insaturées: 3g
- Gras trans: 0g
- Glucides: 14g
- Fibres: 0g
- Protéine: 1g
- Cholestérol: 22mg