Salty, slightly sweet, buttery, crispy, and bakery-style, Jeera Biscuits are just what you’ve been looking for! A delicious Indian cumin cookie made without eggs and flavored with roasted cumin seeds.
There is a big difference in texture between these cookies and the ones we get in the USA. In India, these are called biscuits instead of cookies. On the other hand, cookies in the USA are soft and chewy, whereas biscuits are supposed to be crunchy and crispy. I find it interesting how the same term means different things in different countries. Biscuits in UK/India are hard, crispy and dry whereas biscuits in USA are soft and flaky.
There is a huge difference in texture between these cookies and those we get in America.Indians generally refer to these as “biscuits” instead of cookies.A biscuit should have a crunchy, crisp exterior, while a cookie in the USA should have a soft, chewy exterior.Across countries, the same term has different meanings.
There are hard, crispy and dry biscuits in the UK and India, while soft, flaky biscuits are found in the USA.
Due to the fact that these cookies are great with tea, I made them crispy and baked them for a longer period of time. I baked the edges until they were nice and golden brown. When it comes to cookies, if you aren’t a fan of crispy ones and prefer softer ones, bake them for a shorter time.
Baking The Cookiese
Line the cookie sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
1. In a baking tray, take 1 tbsp of cumin seeds and roast them for 3-4 minutes at 350 F degrees or till you get a nice fragrance from them. Set aside.
2. In the steel bowl of your stand mixer or using your hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
3. Add the flour, salt and 3/4 tbsp of cumin seeds to the butter and sugar and mix. Reserve the remaining cumin seeds to sprinkle on top of the cookies. Mix at low speed till the mixture looks smooth and comes together in form of a dough. You may add 1-2 tablespoons of milk here if the dough doesn’t come together.
4. Sprinkle some flour on a flat surface or wooden floor and shape the dough like a flat disc.
5. Using a roller, roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into different shapes using cookie cutter. I cut them into small round cookies.
6. Place the cookies in a baking tray and bake at 350 F degrees for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, take them out and reduce the temperature to 325 F and bake the cookies again for 5-6 minutes or till light they are golden brown from sides and also from the bottom.
The reason I baked them for a longer time was because I wanted crispy cookies for my tea.
7. Place on wire rack to cool completely.
8. Store the cookies in an airtight container.
Enjoy the sweet and salty cumin cookies with tea!
Storing Suggestions
- These cookies are great as cookie jar cookies.
- They can stay at room temperature for two weeks, stored in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Calories: 74kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 12mg, Sodium: 30mg, Potassium: 12mg, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 145IU, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 0.5mg
It is important to note that nutritional information is automatically calculated, so it should only be considered approximations.
Notes
- If you don’t prefer salty cookies, use only 1/4 tsp salt or up to 1 tsp of salt if you prefer saltier cookies. I’ve used 3/4 tsp of salt.
- You can use whole wheat flour in place of all-purpose flour for whole wheat jeera biscuits. Simply adjust the consistency of the dough with milk by adding 1 tbsp milk at a time. With all-purpose flour, I didn’t need to add any milk.
- It is possible to roll out the dough thinner if you prefer chunkier cookies. The baking time will increase, so keep an eye on it.
- Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are approximate values calculated using an online nutrition calculator. If you rely on them for your diet, please use your preferred nutrition calculator.
