5 from 15 votes
Khalifa Nan Khatai (Pakistani Cardamom Shortbread Cookies)
Khalifa Nan Khatai are Pakistani shortbread cookies flavored with freshly ground cardamom seeds and a combination of wheat and gram flours for a crumbly, tender texture. These buttery cookies incorporate ghee and almonds for richness and a subtle nutty taste. The dough is chilled before shaping into rounds, brushed with milk for a golden finish, then baked until lightly crisp on the outside while remaining soft inside. They are a traditional sweet snack often enjoyed with tea.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings:
24
Cookies
Calories:
178 kcal
Course:
Dessert
Cuisine:
Indian, Pakistani
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 4 tablespoon gram flour (see notes)
- 1 cup superfine sugar
- 1 cup almonds
- 1 cup ghee
- 20 pods cardamom (See notes)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ cup milk
Instructions
- Dry roast the almonds in a non stick frying pan.
- Cool and place the almonds in a ziplock bag and pound them with a rolling pin to chop them roughly.
- Dry roast the gram flour in a saucepan.
- Crush the cardamom pods using a mortar and pestle and remove the seeds. Throw away the green outer shells and grind the seeds to a powder.
- Mix all of your ingredients except the milk using a KitchenAid stand mixer or hand beaters (see notes).
- Cool the mixture in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Shape the cookie dough into 24 round balls and place them on 2 baking sheets, leaving some room in between for the cookies to expand.
- Flatten the top with your hand to create a round disc.
- Brush the top with the milk and bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove the cookies and cool completely on the tray before moving to a cooling rack. (see notes)
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Gram flour (besan) can be substituted with chickpea flour if needed.
- Grinding fresh cardamom seeds yields more aromatic flavor than using store-bought powder.
- If a mixer is unavailable, the dough can be mixed by hand.
- Proper cooling after baking allows ghee to solidify, ensuring cookies set with the right texture.
- One batch makes 24 cookies; adjust dough size accordingly.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1cookie
Calories
178kcal
(9%)
Carbohydrates
19g
(6%)
Protein
3g
(6%)
Fat
11g
(17%)
Saturated Fat
5g
(25%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
(6%)
Monounsaturated Fat
4g
(20%)
Trans Fat
0.001g
(0%)
Cholesterol
19mg
(6%)
Sodium
25mg
(1%)
Potassium
77mg
(2%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
9g
(18%)
Vitamin A
3IU
(0%)
Vitamin C
0.2mg
(0%)
Calcium
23mg
(2%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 24 Cookies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 178
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cookie | |
| Calories | 178kcal | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 19g | 6% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Trans Fat | 0.001g | 0% |
| Cholesterol | 19mg | 6% |
| Sodium | 25mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 77mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 3IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 0.2mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 23mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.