Indian Naan Khatai Inspired Cinnamon Cookies

This cookie recipe was adapted from Indian naan khatai recipes. It was very appealing that there were no eggs and the rest of the ingredients have long shelf lives. It answered the question of what kind of cookie could a person make if they couldn’t get eggs or if eggs were just too expensive. Of course, how the cookies tasted was of paramount importance (great by the way).

The cookies are slightly sweet, with a crumbly texture like shortbread cookies. Chickpea flour serves as the binder rather than eggs. Cinnamon is substituted for cardamom because cinnamon was in the pantry. Cinnamon is also less expensive than cardamom. And, I admit, I have never tasted cardamom by itself.

Ingredients are given in volume and weight (grams). I prefer using weight because of repeatability. And, I don’t mind the comments regarding my “latest science experiment” when I am weighing out ingredients. If you are thinking of buying a scale, the OXO 11 lb scale I bought as a replacement is a very capable scale. The display pulls out from the scale so even a cookie sheet can’t obscure it and it has an 11 pound capacity.

Naan khatai itself is an Indian adaptation of the Dutch shortbread “koekje”. The story goes that a Dutch 16th-century bakery in Gujarat, India closed and an employee took over. Because of local dietary preferences, he eliminated eggs and wine (leavening) from the koekje (little cake) and it became naan khatai (bread biscuit). The 17th-century koekje of New Netherland (now Manhattan, New York) is also thought to be the origin of the American English word “cookie”.

EDIT - 01-02-2026: Gluten free and FODMAP information has been added at the end of this Ible.There are minimal ingredient changes and the process used to make the cookies is the same. In my opinion, the differences between the AP flour (wheat) and FODMAP cookies are negligible. I expect that the same holds true for the gluten free recipe.

Ingredients

1/4 cup almond flour (60 grams)

3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour (375 grams)

3/4 cup sugar (150 grams)

2 tablespoons chickpea flour (30 grams)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon*

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter

3/4 cup canola or other neutral oil (170 grams)

1/4 cup sliced almonds can be used to dress up the cookies

Powdered sugar if dusting the cookies

*If you want to use cardamom instead, it is 1 tsp cardamom

Equipment

Large mixing bowl

Flexible spatula

Measuring Spoons

Measuring cup

Scale (it needs to accommodate at least 3000 grams)

Parchment paper

Cookie sheets

Wire cooling rack

Silicone mat

Knife or dough cutter if cutting portions (see directions)

1. Preheat to 350 degrees F (175 C).
2. Mix the dry ingredients; almond flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, chickpea flour, cinnamon, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl.

1. Melt the butter.
2. Add and mix the vanilla.

I like to use a glass measure and microwave the butter on medium (5) until it melts (about 55 seconds). Cover the measure (I use paper plate) and be careful not to heat the butter to where it “pops”. It can be a burn hazard and a pain to clean up.

Microwave times may vary due to the wattage of your microwave.

1. Pour the butter mix over the dry ingredients.
2. Pour the oil over the dry ingredients.

1. Mix until the dough comes together. You can use a spatula or your hands. It will look similar to fudge.
2. Knead the dough using your hands about 3 to 5 minutes. The dough will have a gritty texture that holds together when kneaded. Adjust the consistency with small amounts of oil or AP flour if necessary.

1. Separate the dough into two halves.
2. Squeeze the dough in your hands to form a ball about the size of a golf ball. It is ready when the ball does not crumble. Place on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Continue with the remaining dough.

If consistency doesn’t matter, pinch off about 2 tablespoons of dough.

If consistency does matter, form the dough into two squares and cut each square into nine equal squares.

The unbaked cookies can be fairly close together because they don’t spread much.

1. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 C) for 24 minutes (smaller cookies for 20 to 22 minutes), Move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Bake times may vary due to your oven.

OPTIONAL – I like the plain cookies there are times when variety is needed. From 12 oclock:

1. Plain ball with powdered sugar.
2. Flattened plain ball. Flatten the ball with the base of a glass before baking. A bit more dainty to eat.
3. Flattened plain ball with powdered sugar. Flatten the ball with the base of a glass before baking. Nothing with powdered sugar is dainty to eat.
4. Plain ball with sliced almonds (this has a classic look).Press a few sliced almonds into the top of the cookie without squashing it.
5. Plain ball with sliced almonds and powdered sugar (the classic look is lost under the sugar)
6. Plain ball.
7. Use less dough to make smaller balls like sandies and have more cookies

Ingredients

1/4 cup almond flour (60 grams)

3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour (375 grams)

3/4 cup sugar (150 grams)

2 tablespoons chickpea flour (30 grams)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon*

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter

3/4 cup canola or other neutral oil (170 grams)

1/4 cup sliced almonds can be used to dress up the cookies

Powdered sugar if dusting the cookies

If you want to use cardamom instead, it is 1 tsp cardamom

Directions

Preheat to 350 degrees F (175 C).

Mix the dry ingredients; almond flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, chickpea flour, cinnamon, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl.

Melt the butter

Add and mix the vanilla.

Pour the butter mix over the dry ingredients.

I like to use a glass measure and microwave the butter on medium (5) until it melts (about 55 seconds). Cover the measure (I use paper plate) and be careful not to heat the butter to where it “pops”. It can be a burn hazard and a pain to clean up.

Microwave times may vary due to the wattage of your microwave.

Pour the oil over the dry ingredients.

Mix until the dough comes together. You can use a spatula or your hands. It will look similar to fudge.

Knead the dough using your hands about 3 to 5 minutes. The dough will have a gritty texture that holds together when kneaded. Adjust the consistency with small amounts of oil or AP flour if necessary.

Separate the dough into two halves.

Squeeze the dough in your hands to form a ball about the size of a golf ball. It is ready when the ball does not crumble. Place on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Continue with the remaining dough.

If consistency doesn’t matter, pinch off about 2 tablespoons of dough.

If consistency does matter, form the dough into two squares and cut each square into nine equal squares.

The unbaked cookies can be fairly close together because they don’t spread much.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 C) for 24 minutes (smaller cookies for 20 to 22 minutes), Move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Bake times may vary due to your oven.

OPTIONAL – I like the plain cookies there are times when variety is needed. From 12 oclock:

Plain ball with powdered sugar.

Flattened plain ball. Flatten the ball with the base of a glass before baking. A bit more dainty to eat.

Flattened plain ball with powdered sugar. Flatten the ball with the base of a glass before baking. Nothing with powdered sugar is dainty to eat.

Plain ball with sliced almonds (this has a classic look).Press a few sliced almonds into the top of the cookie without squashing it.

Plain ball with sliced almonds and powdered sugar (the classic look is lost under the sugar)

Plain ball.

Use less dough to make smaller balls like sandies and have more cookies

Looking at this recipe from a gluten elimination or FODMAP reduction viewpoint, there are changes that can be made to reduce exposure. However, only you know your tolerances for your own well being. Also, read the ingredient labels and know what the ingredients represent. Here is my sense of what changes will work with this recipe.

I chose the FODMAP recipe to make because it included both the gluten free flour and an egg. The process for making the recipes is the same regardless of the ingredients. The only differences that I could identify between the wheat flour and FODMAP cookies were that FODMAP cookies didn’t brown quite as much, were slightly less dense, and didn’t linger on the tongue quite as long. However, no worries, the cinnamon lingers with both recipes. I will happily eat cookies from any of the recipes.

The good news is that cinnamon, and cardamom, are recognized as “suitable” for both gluten elimination and FODMAP reduction diets. Still, the recommendations say to test your tolerance limit for the spice.

Changing to gluten free flour will benefit either group but for differing reasons. Wheat flour contains both gluten (a protein) and fructans (fructose carbohydrate polymers). Of course using gluten free flour eliminates the gluten. Gluten free flour lowers the fructans for FODMAP reduction. Several of the “1 for 1 baking flour” brands state they are gluten free and low FODMAP.

Chickpea flour does not have gluten. However, chickpea flour is considered high FODMAP, depending on the serving size, with oligosaccharides (GOS). The amount of chickpea flour in this recipe may not be enough to bother you but you may want to substitute an egg as the binder.

Almond flour does not have gluten and reduces the overall gluten level in the original recipe. Almond flour does have oligosaccharides (GOS) but is considered “suitable” for FODMAP diets in the amount in the recipe.

Butter does not have gluten.It does have small amounts of lactose, the “D” in FODMAP. However, butter is generally “suitable” for the lactose intolerant. Ghee (clarified butter) is even lower in lactose than butter and lower in casein (another potential allergen).

So the condensed story is:

Cinnamon – no change

AP flour – replace with gluten free flour blend

Chickpea – change to egg if desired

Almond flour – no change

Butter – no change

FODMAP is Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, And Polyols and they are poorly absorbed short-chain carbohydrates that can get up to mischief in your gut.

Gluten is a protein that can trigger an autoimmune or intolerance reaction.

Gluten Free Ingredients

1/4 cup almond flour (60 grams)

3-1/4 cups gluten free “1 for 1” flour blend (375 grams)

3/4 cup sugar (150 grams)

2 tablespoons chickpea flour (30 grams)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup canola or other neutral oil (170 grams)

Reduced FODMAP Ingredients

1/4 cup almond flour (60 grams)

3-1/4 cups gluten free “1 for 1” flour blend (375 grams)

3/4 cup sugar (150 grams)

1 egg

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted *

3/4 cup canola or other neutral oil (170 grams)

*Ghee further reduces lactose and casein but it tends to be pricey compared to butter. I have read that you can clarify butter yourself. You melt butter and then put it in the refrigerator overnight. The butter will solidify on the top and the milk solids will settle to the bottom of the water layer.

Since American butter is normally 18% water, if you clarify it, you may need to add up to 3 tablespoons of water to get the recipe to work. If you need to add it, add it a small amount at a time. If you try it, let me know how it works out.