Jeera Biscuits / Indian Cumin Cookies
Jeera Biscuits are salty, slightly sweet, buttery, crispy, and bakery-style! These Indian Cumin Cookies are eggless and flavored with roasted cumin seeds.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Kitchen Scale
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cups (160g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ - 1 teaspoon salt (add to taste)
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- ½ cup (114g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup (30g) icing sugar (add ⅓ cup for sweeter cookies)
Instructions
Roasting The Cumin Seeds
- Dry roast the cumin seeds in the skillet on low-medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until fragrant.
- Transfer the roasted cumin seeds to the plate and let them cool completely.
- Then transfer the cumin seeds to the work surface and crush them lightly with a rolling pin. Take out ¼ teaspoon roasted and crushed cumin seeds from this and keep them aside to sprinkle on the cookie dough.
Making The Cookie Dough
- Whisk flour, salt, and roasted cumin seeds together in the medium mixing bowl.
- Place butter and icing sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer. Cream the butter and sugar using a paddle attachment, initially at low speed and then at medium to high speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Turn the mixer to low, add flour in two parts, and mix until combined. Then using a spatula or your clean hands, gently bring the dough together. Do not knead the dough.
- The dough should be soft and hold its shape but not sticky. If it is dry, crumbly, and not coming together, you can add 1-2 teaspoon of milk or as required to bring the dough together.
- Shape the dough into a disc, wrap it with a cling wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Baking The Cookies
- Line the cookie sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Place the chilled dough on a clean and lightly floured work surface. Or you can place the dough between two parchment papers.
- Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to ¼ inch thickness. Sprinkle the reserved roasted cumin seeds on the dough and gently press.
- Then using a circular cookie cutter, cut out the cookie dough into circles. But, of course, instead of a circular cookie cutter, you can use your favorite one to shape the cookies.
- Gather the scraps, roll them again in a ¼ inch thick disc, and make more cookie dough circles.
- Carefully transfer the cookie dough circles to the prepared cookie sheet and place them about at least 2-inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for 13-14 minutes for a little softer texture or 16-18 minutes for the crispier cookies. The cookies will be lightly golden around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for five minutes, and then transfer on the wire rack to cool completely.
Storing Suggestions
- These cookies are great as cookie jar cookies. They can stay at room temperature for two weeks, stored in an airtight container.
Notes
- Measurements: For the perfect cookies, make sure to measure the flour and other ingredients correctly. Use the kitchen scale for the best result. If using the cup method, fluff your flour with the spoon and then spoon it into a measuring cup. Then level it off with the knife.
- Cumin Seeds: It is essential to roast the cumin seeds as roasting will bring in so much flavor.
- Icing Sugar: If you do not have icing or powdered sugar on hand, grind the regular sugar into the powder and then measure and use it in the recipe. With ¼ cup of icing sugar, these cookies are mildly sweet. So if you want your cookies on the sweeter side, add a little more (a couple of tbsp) sugar.
- Salt: Salt pairs beautifully with roasted cumin seeds and enhances the flavors. I have added 1 teaspoon of salt, making these cookies so delicious and flavorful. But if you like less salty cookies, add ¾ teaspoon of salt.
- Dough: Do not overmix the dough. Once everything is just combined, stop mixing and bring the dough together using a spatula or your hands. Overmixing the dough will result in stiff and crumbly cookies. If your dough is crumbly and not coming together, add a teaspoon of milk to bring it together. However, make sure not to add too much milk.
- Make-Ahead: You can make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Before rolling and cutting the cookie dough, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for a few minutes.
- Cookie Cutter: You can use your favorite cookie cutters to cut the dough.
Nutrition (Approximate Values)
Calories : 96kcalCarbohydrates : 10gProtein : 1gFat : 6gSaturated Fat : 4gPolyunsaturated Fat : 1gMonounsaturated Fat : 2gTrans Fat : 1gCholesterol : 15mgSodium : 2mgPotassium : 19mgFiber : 1gSugar : 2gVitamin A : 183IUVitamin C : 1mgCalcium : 7mgIron : 1mg
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