Jeera Biscuits – A Delicious Shortbread Recipe

If you are looking for a new cookie recipe that is super simple but something different, then let me show you how to make these jeera biscuits! These Indian cookies are a nice change from the regular shortbread. These are so quick to make and taste really good with tea or coffee.

Check out the video recipe below to see how easy these jeera biscuits are to make! Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more yummy cookie recipes that I post every week.

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What Are Jeera Biscuits?

Jeera biscuits are basically Indian cookies with cumin seeds mixed into a buttery shortbread. They’re crumbly and not too sweet. The first time my friend Saanvi suggested I try them, I thought the cumin seeds sounded strange in a cookie, but they’re actually really good.

Why You’ll Love This Cookie Recipe

I love this recipe because it’s simple but has such a unique flavor. You can throw the dough together in minutes with stuff you probably already have in your kitchen, except maybe the spices, which you can grab at any Indian grocery store.

The cumin seeds give these cookies a totally different taste than regular shortbread. They’re not too sweet, so you can really taste the spices. The texture is perfectly crumbly – you can dip them in your tea without them falling apart right away, but they still sort of melt in your mouth.

Jeera Biscuits Ingredients

Here’s what I use to make these jeera biscuits:

Jeera seeds, like the ones below, are simply the Indian name for cumin – those small, aromatic brownish seeds that add a warm, earthy flavor to both savory dishes and, surprisingly, these delicious cookies!

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• 1/3 cup (75g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup (70g) granulated sugar
• 1 and 1/3 cups (170g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon (10g) cumin seeds (jeera seeds)
• 1 teaspoon (5g) kalonji seeds (nigella seeds)

Equipment Needed

You don’t need any fancy equipment for these cookies. Here’s what I use:

• Medium mixing bowl
• Electric mixer (though a wooden spoon works too if you’ve got some arm strength!)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Rolling pin (though I often just use my hands)
• Cookie-cutter or a drinking glass
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper

How To Make Jeera Biscuits

These cookies take me less than an hour to make from start to finish. Here’s how I do it.

Preparing The Dough

First, we need to make a simple shortbread dough and add our spices.

Step 1: In a bowl, beat the soft butter and sugar together until it’s light and fluffy. This takes about 3 minutes with my electric mixer. The butter changes color a bit and gets really creamy.

Step 2: Add the flour to the butter-sugar mixture. I use a spatula and gently mix everything together until it forms a dough. I try not to mix too much because I learned the hard way that overmixing makes the cookies tough.

Note: The first time I made these, I mixed the dough like crazy and ended up with cookies that weren’t crumbly at all! Now I just mix until the flour is incorporated.

Shaping And Cutting The Cookies

Now that the dough is ready, let’s make it into cookies.

Step 3: I put the dough on my counter and flatten it with my hands to about 1/4-inch thick. Sometimes I use a rolling pin if I want them really even.

Step 4: Next, I sprinkle the cumin seeds and kalonji seeds all over the flattened dough. I press them in gently with my palm so they stick when I cut the cookies.

Top Tip: I found out that if you toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan for a minute before adding them to the dough, they taste way better! I always do this now.

Step 5: I use a round cookie cutter (though honestly, a drinking glass works just fine too) to cut shapes from the dough. Just press down and give a little twist to make sure it cuts all the way through. I usually get about 9-12 cookies from this recipe, depending on the size of my cutter.

Top Tip: If the dough sticks to your cutter, dip the edge in a little flour between cuts.

Baking The Cookies

Last step – let’s get these in the oven!

Step 6: I place the cut cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving some space between each one.

Step 7: I bake them in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for about 15 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown at the edges.

My favorite part is when the kitchen starts smelling like butter and toasted cumin – that’s how I know they’re almost done. They might seem a bit soft when you first take them out, but don’t worry, they’ll firm up as they cool down.

Related Recipe: If you enjoyed these cumin-spiced treats, don’t miss this Karachi Biscuits recipe here – they’re bursting with colorful tutti-frutti bits and make the perfect partner to these jeera cookies!

Storage Tips

These jeera biscuits actually taste even better the next day! The flavors have time to develop.

I store mine in an old cookie tin, but any airtight container works. They stay fresh for up to 2 weeks at room temperature. The nice thing is they stay crisp pretty well.

Top Tip: One time, I stored these before they were completely cool, and they got soft. Now I always make sure they’re totally cool before putting them away.

Variations To Try

The basic recipe is great, but I’ve played around with some variations that turned out really tasty:

• Whole Wheat Version: Last month, I tried using half white flour and half whole wheat flour, and they had this nice nutty flavor. Plus, I felt a little healthier eating them!
• Extra Spices: Sometimes I add a pinch of cardamom or ginger when I’m in the mood for something different.
• Savory Version: When I’m having friends over for wine night, I make these with less sugar and add some salt and black pepper. They’re more like crackers than and go great with cheese.

Serving Suggestions

In my house, these cookies disappear fastest when served with tea, especially masala chai. Here are some ways I like to serve them:

• With afternoon tea or coffee (my personal favorite)
• Packed in my kid’s lunchbox for a different kind of treat
• Put out on a cheese board when friends come over (they always ask what they are!)
• Once I crumbled some over this homemade vanilla ice cream, and it was surprisingly good

Troubleshooting Tips

Even though this recipe is pretty simple, here are some problems I’ve run into and how I fixed them:

• Dough Too Crumbly: If your dough won’t stay together, add a little milk, just a teaspoon at a time. I had to do this once when I measured my flour a bit too generously.
• Dough Too Soft: If the dough feels too sticky, pop it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes. That usually firms it up enough to work with.
• Uneven Baking: My oven has a hot spot in the back left corner, so I always turn the baking sheet around halfway through baking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these cookies ahead of time?
Definitely! I actually think they taste better after a day or two. I’ve kept them for up to two weeks (though they rarely last that long in my house).

Can I freeze the dough?
Yes! I’ve frozen the dough for up to 3 months. Just wrap it well and thaw it in the fridge overnight before rolling and cutting.

What if I don’t have kalonji seeds?
No worries – you can make these with just cumin seeds. That’s how I made them the first few times before I found kalonji at the Indian grocery store.

Can I make these gluten-free?
Yes, my sister-in-law has celiac, and I’ve made these for her using a gluten-free flour blend. They turn out a bit more crumbly but still delicious.

More Simple And Delicious Cookie Recipes!

If you made these jeera biscuits, drop a comment and tell me how they turned out! And hey, if you’re now on a cookie-baking kick, head over to my YouTube channel for more recipes (below) that’ll keep your cookie jar full!

• Crumbly Nankhatai Shortbread Cookies – this fun recipe that literally melts in your mouth!
• Buttery Keto Shortbread Cookies – created during my low-carb journey, but stayed for the amazing flavor
• Brown Rice Flour Cookies – a happy accident that turned into my gluten-free friends’ favorite treat