These Eggless Chickpea Flour Cookies (Besan Nankhatai) are melt-in-the-mouth gluten-free treats. Made with just 4 key ingredients, they are the perfect dunking partners to a hot cup of masala chai.
Nankhatais are Indian Shortbread Cookies and are very popular in India due to a large vegetarian population. These are also similar to Persian cookies.
WHY YOU SHOULD TRY THESE EGGLESS COOKIES
- Just four key ingredients
- Ready in 25 minutes, including baking time
- Gluten-free
- Egg free
- Ingredients easily found in most supermarkets
- Low GI treat if you replace sugar with a sweetener like Erythritol.
At Caramel and Spice, we are always looking for easy, lazy, and delicious ways to make our favorite meals. If there’s a shortcut or a substitute, we will try and include it. So keep browsing for simple, yet creative ways to whip up your favorite takeaway-style weeknight dinners, and cafe-style treats.
List of Ingredients
Chickpea Flour: You can find this in all major supermarkets in Australia. Besan is made from brown chickpeas and is a very commonly found ingredient in Indian and Iranian grocery stores. It is different from white chickpeas which is garbanzo flour. Besan is thought to have a lower glycemic index than wheat flour. It also contains higher protein compared to wheat flour. It is gluten-free and has about 10 grams of fiber per 100 g or 3.5 oz. When raw, both brown and white chickpea flours are bitter to taste and taste wonderfully nutty after roasting or baking.
Ghee: Ghee is clarified butter, and is also available in most supermarkets. Since there are barely any milk solids left, it is low in lactose and casein. It also contains Omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin A. You can also substitute ghee with coconut oil, or softened butter. To make ghee from butter, heat butter till it melts. Keep cooking till the milk solids separate – for about 8-10 minutes, and become brown at the bottom of your pan. Then slowly separate the top clear liquid and use it as ghee.
Sugar: This recipe calls for granulated sugar. Since this recipe does not contain gluten or eggs, or granulated sugar, when whisked with fat, gives a good structure to your cookies. It also helps incorporate air into the batter making them lighter in texture.
Cardamom: This fragrant spice has a beautiful aroma that pairs perfectly with ghee and chickpea flour. You can also use vanilla essence.
Salt: Just a sprinkle!
Baking Powder: Use a gluten-free version to keep this recipe gluten-free.
The step-by-step process with photos to make Eggless Chickpea Flour Cookies (Besan Nankhatai)
Watch how to make Eggless Chickpea Flour Cookies (Besan Nankhatai)
Some useful tips and FAQs about Eggless Chickpea Flour Cookies
Can I use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar?
Granulated sugar, when whisked well with fat, will incorporate air and give your cookies a better structure, and crispness. Powdered sugar will tend to make them softer, and melt more easily in your mouth.
These cookies can be made vegan and dairy free by replacing the ghee with coconut oil, or light olive oil. Just whisk till creamy before adding flour.
What are some alternatives to nuts for the garnish?
Following are some nut-free suggestions that will pair well with nankhatai.
- Dried fruits like cranberry, raisins, berries
- Seeds like sunflower, pumpkin, and sesame seeds
- Coconut flakes
- Sprinkles
- Chocolate chips
…..or just leave out the toppings, and enjoy them plain and delicious!
How do I make these Eggless Chickpea Flour Cookies?
Erythritol makes a great substitute for sugar without compromising on the texture. Since Erythritol is not as sweet as sugar, for this recipe, substitute 1 cup of sugar with 1 1/2 cups of erythritol. 1/2 cup sugar can be replaced by 3/4 cup erythritol.
This is for things that are bigger than a FAQ, that the reader needs to know to be successful.
This is for things that are bigger than a FAQ, that the reader needs to know to be successful.
Storage suggestions:
Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 2-3 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.
What can I make with leftover besan?
Here are a couple of savory dishes made with besan you might enjoy.
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Eggless Chickpea Cookies (Besan Nankhatai)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup ghee
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup chickpea flour gram flour/besan
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 F or 180 C
- In a big bowl, add ghee and sugar.
- Whisk till creamy and light in color
- Add cardamon, salt, and baking powder.
- Add chickpea flour and mix well till the mixture looks crumbly.
- With your hands, make dough balls and place them on a lined baking tray.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes till cookies look light golden brown.
- Cool on a wire rack, and and store in an air-tight container.
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Nutritional Panel: Our nutritional values are calculated by Spooncular API. While we try our best to ensure these values are correct, please confirm these independently.
We are not medical professionals. Please consult your doctor if a diet, particular foods, or way of eating is suitable for you.
These cookies were so good and so easy to make!!
Thank you for this eggless cookie recipe! They were delish and easy to make!
Chickpea flours are delish… who knew! Thanks for sharing.
Yum! The cardamom was such a wonderful and warming addition to these cookies. Loved them!
Hi I need help my cookies dough is too soft, I added more flour and baked it’s not holding shape. What did I do wrong? I went according to the recipe
The dough tends to get soft if the ghee is more. Please measure ghee, and whisk well till creamy with sugar. Also if the weather is warm, try keeping the dough in the refrigerator before making dough balls for baking. To make it drier, you could also try adding a cup of gluten-free oats powder, but it should not be necessary, if ghee is the correct amount, whisked well till fluffy and creamy, and kept in the fridge. Hope this helps.