Easy Besan Almond Cookies
A delightful and easy-to-make cookie recipe combining gram flour, all-purpose flour, and almonds for a unique nutty flavor and crumbly texture, inspired by Indian Nankhatai.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup Maida (all-purpose flour)
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup Vegetable Oil or melted ghee
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 6 tbsp Besan (gram flour)
- 6 Almonds whole
- 1 Egg Yolk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together the maida (all-purpose flour), besan (gram flour), and baking powder. Sift them together to ensure no lumps.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the granulated sugar and vegetable oil (or melted ghee) until well combined and slightly creamy.
- Add the egg yolk to the wet mixture and whisk until fully incorporated.
- Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Take small portions of the dough and roll them into smooth, round balls. Gently flatten each ball slightly and place them on the prepared baking tray.
- Press one whole almond onto the center of each cookie for garnish, if desired.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown. The cookies will be soft when hot but will firm up as they cool.
- Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking tray for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
For an extra fragrant touch, add 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom powder to the dry ingredients. You can also press a whole almond or a few slivered almonds onto each cookie before baking for garnish. Store in an airtight container for up to a week. For a richer flavor, you can use ghee (clarified butter) instead of oil.