Love dunking biscuits in chai? Osmania biscuits are the perfect buttery, sweet and salty treat, just like those from Hyderabad's best bakeries! If you've struggled to get that signature crumbly-yet-melt-in-your-mouth texture, my tried-and-tested recipe will show you exactly how to nail it in your home kitchen. Did I mention that this is an egg-free recipe? 🙂
Jump to:
- 📝What are Osmania Biscuits?
- 💭Why did I want to make this?
- ❤️Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 🍪Ingredients
- 🥣Types of Equipment Required
- 💡Expert Tips
- 🥄How to Cream Butter with a Wooden Spoon?
- 🔪Steps to make Osmania Biscuits
- ☝️Recipe FAQs
- 💡Serving Ideas
- ❄️Storage
- 🥚More Egg-Free Recipes
- More Related Recipes
- 📖 Recipe Card
- 💬 Comments
📝What are Osmania Biscuits?
Osmania biscuits are a true Hyderabadi classic tea time treat. These crumbly cardamom and saffron-scented shortbread cookies are enjoyed with a cup of Irani chai. Their rich, buttery texture and hint of saltiness perfectly complement the tea. This combo isn't just a snack-it's a tea-time tradition locals and visitors love!
💭Why did I want to make this?
I first tasted this biscuit during my final-year college tour to Hyderabad, and the memory came rushing back when my folks recently visited that city. Hitting 40 certainly brings a wave of nostalgia, with me? While I felt a tinge of sadness about losing touch with my college friends, reminiscing about Karachi Fruit Biscuits and Osmania Biscuits had me doom-scrolling late into the night!
I wanted to recreate Osmania Biscuits, which are widely loved in Hyderabad yet less known to the world.
Test Bake Results
After testing a few batches to find the perfect thickness, oven temperature and baking time, I finally perfected the recipe this year.
The three biscuits you see here are all baked from the same dough!
The topmost is how Osmania Biscuits look, feel and taste! So, follow my recipe with all the tips to get it right the first time.
My parents were here to when I got it right, and they loved it! I wish they had the same reaction to my chewy chocolate chip cookies! It seems our Indian parents have a soft spot for bakery-style biscuits to enjoy with their chai. 🙂
❤️Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Egg-free: You don't need any eggs for this recipe!
- Handmade: No electric equipment is used to make the dough!
- Beginner-Friendly: The recipe is simple, with easy-to-follow instructions suitable for beginners!
- Make-Ahead Option: These biscuits have a long shelf life, so you can easily bake them in advance!
- Plus, they make a perfect homemade gift for any occasion!
What more reasons do you need? Get Baking!
🍪Ingredients
Most Osmania biscuit recipes that you'll find online are egg-free since they rely on egg-free custard powder-often labeled as vanilla pudding mix or Bird's custard. This recipe has two key components: a rich, buttery shortbread dough and a milk custard coating that gives the biscuits their signature golden hue and subtle flavour.
For the Milk Custard:
- Water: You can substitute it with full-fat regular milk while reducing or omitting the milk powder as needed.
- Milk Powder: Adds richness. You can replace this with a splash of cream if using fresh milk.
- Custard Powder: Vanilla pudding powder or Cornstarch with vanilla sugar can be used as an alternative.
- Saffron: This is optional but highly recommended. You may skip and use a pinch of turmeric or food-grade colour for the hue. If nothing, vanilla always wins.
For the dough:
- Unsalted Butter: Do not use salted butter.
- Ghee: If your ghee is melted, refrigerate it for a few minutes or replace it with butter.
- Powdered Sugar: You may know it as icing sugar. You can also make your own by processing white sugar to a fine powder.
- All-purpose flour (maida)
- Milk Powder: Use full-fat milk powder. It is NOT the same as dairy whitener.
- Custard Powder: Again, vanilla pudding powder or Cornstarch with vanilla sugar can be used as an alternative.
- Cardamom Powder
- Salt
Refer to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this page for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.
🥣Types of Equipment Required
- Mixing bowls: Use one large bowl for the flour mixture and another wide bowl or dough-making plate for preparing the dough.
- Wooden spoon: Skip the balloon whisk (I've learned the hard way!) and opt for a wooden spoon or rubber spatula instead for easier mixing.
- Rolling pin
- Bench scraper or offset spatula: Highly recommended to help transfer the cookies.
- 2-inch cookie cutter: You may use a similar-sized jar or tumbler.
- Greased or parchment-lined baking tray: Don't use a glass pan.
- Wire rack: To cool the baked osmania biscuits.
Please take some time to read the Expert Tips, Instructions and FAQs before you attempt the recipe.
💡Expert Tips
- No Traditional Creaming for This Recipe: Unlike cakes, where we cream butter and sugar to create a light and airy texture, Osmania biscuits require a different approach. Here, we simply mix the butter and powdered sugar until just combined-no vigorous beating or fluffing! This ensures a dense, crumbly, and melt-in-the-mouth shortbread texture.
- Dough Mixing bowl: Though you may use a large wide bowl, I would recommend using a dough kneading plate (paraat), which is a round wide platter to mix the dough. I found the mixing bowls are restrictive while bringing the dough together. If you have the real estate, the clean counter is the best option to finish off the dough-making.
- Don't Rush to Add Liquid: When you first mix the flour into the butter, the dough may seem too dry and crumbly-but resist the urge to add water! Keep mixing with your hands for at least 3 to 5 minutes. The warmth of your hands will help the flour absorb the butter and come together naturally. If it still feels too dry, add a spoonful of milk as a last resort.
- Best method to Transfer Cut Biscuits: When transferring the cut-out cookies, gently slide a bench scraper or offset spatula under each cookie and carefully lift it so you can hold the cookie with the other hand and place it on the lined baking sheet.
🥄How to Cream Butter with a Wooden Spoon?
Start with softened butter in a wide mixing bowl. Press and smear the butter against the sides of the bowl using the back of the wooden spoon, then stir in a circular motion to smooth it out. Once lump-free, add powdered sugar and continue mixing in a pressing and folding motion until well combined.
Unlike a whisk, a wooden spoon won't incorporate too much air, making it ideal for these shortbread Osmania biscuits.
🔪Steps to make Osmania Biscuits
Now that you have read the tips and dos and don'ts, let me show you the step-by-step instructions. Don't forget to share your results with me in the comments below-I'd love to hear how they turn out!
Prepare the milk custard
First off, in a small bowl, whisk together water, milk powder, custard powder, and saffron until smooth. Set aside.
Prepare the dough
In a large wide mixing bowl, smear the softened butter and ghee until smooth using a wooden spoon or spatula. Then add the powdered sugar and mix to combine. Avoid beating it to fluffy and airy. We are looking to make the mixture smooth without lumps.
In another bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, milk powder, custard powder, cardamom powder, and salt. Make sure you mix using a fork or small whisk to distribute the ingredients evenly.
Gradually fold the flour mixture into the wet mixture, mixing gently using a spatula until the dough looks crumbly.
Then, using both your hands, gently gather until all comes together. The counter is the best option to finish off the dough-making.
Divide the dough into two portions for easier handling. Lightly knead and shape into a round disc. This will help to roll out without cracking the sides too much.
Lightly dust your workspace and rolling pin with flour. Roll out the dough to ½ inch thickness. It may be tricky, but use your hands to patch it up as you go. Watch the video.
Avoid overmixing; the dough should have a soft texture. We don't need gluten development. We need easily breaking away but not overly crumbly dough.
Shape the biscuits
Use a 2-inch cookie cutter and cut out as many biscuits as you can. I like to start from the corners. Carefully lift each biscuit with a bench scraper or offset spatula and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Gather the remaining dough and knead lightly to form a smooth ball. Repeat rolling and cutting until used up. You can do this in batches- while one tray is baking, have the next ready in time.
Bake the biscuits
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350F) with Top/bottom heat setting. Brush over and then pour the prepared milk custard liquid over the biscuits on the baking sheet for an even coating.
Carefully lift the baking sheet and drain the excess liquid back into the bowl from one corner.
Bake in the middle rack for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Use the remaining dough to roll and cut the cookies. Noticed? I tried brushing each cookie generously with the milk custard. Repeat and bake.
☝️Recipe FAQs
My go to method to quickly soften the butter for this cookie recipe is to cut it into Small pieces. Slice the butter into small cubes and spread them out on a plate. This increases the surface area and softens it in about 10-15 minutes.
I never had to refrigerate the dough for this recipe, but if you are living in hot or humid weather conditions or if you find the dough to be too wet, then refrigerate it for 30 to 45 minutes.
Yes, it's fine if the biscuit dough cracks at the sides while rolling. This contributes to the signature texture of Osmania biscuits. Simply press and smooth out any major cracks as you go.
If you don't want to use a ruler, know that ½ inch is half the size of the first joint of your index finger.
If pouring and draining the milk custard feels daunting, don't worry-it's easier than it sounds! But if you'd rather take a simpler route, you can generously brush the custard over the tops and sides of each biscuit. I tested this method on my second batch, and while the biscuits turned out just as good, the custard formed a thin, crispy film around the edges. I had to break it off carefully for a neat finish. So, go with what works best for you!
Don't even think about wasting that leftover milk custard, especially if it has saffron! If you're not using it right away, refrigerate it and come back to it soon. You can easily turn it into a quick pudding or kheer-just add more milk and sugar, then cook it until it thickens to your liking.
💡Serving Ideas
- Pair it with a steaming cup of Irani chai, strong masala chai, karak tea, coffee, or even a glass of milk.
- Serve alongside other Indian snacks like samosas or pakoras for a festive tea-time spread.
- Gift them in decorative tins for holidays or special occasions.
❄️Storage
Store cooled osmania biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to several weeks. Use dry hands or utensils to pick out of the container.
🥚More Egg-Free Recipes
Looking for more egg-free bake recipes like this? Try these:
More Related Recipes
- If you love salted biscuits, then do try my most popular recipe for Galette Bretonnes, a French biscuit recipe.
- You will love how easy it is to make these 3-ingredient Arabic shortbread cookies!
- Have some biscoff lotus biscuits? Try making these cookie truffles.
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📖 Recipe Card
Osmania Biscuits Recipe
Ingredients
For the Custard Mixture:
- 100 ml water, (approx. 7 tbsp)
- 30 grams full-fat milk powder, (approx. 3 tbsp)
- 10 grams custard powder, (approx. 1 tbsp)
- 1 pinch saffron strands, optional
For the Biscuit Dough:
- 150 grams unsalted butter, softened (approx. ⅔ cup)
- 100 grams ghee, (approx. ½ cup)
- 100 grams icing sugar, (approx. ¾ cup) (confectioners' sugar)
- 360 grams all-purpose flour, (approx. 3 cups)
- 30 grams full-fat milk powder, (approx. 3 tbsp)
- 10 grams custard powder, (approx. 1 tbsp)
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 10 grams salt, (approx. 1 ¾ tsp)
Instructions
Prepare the Milk Custard:
- In a small bowl, whisk together water, milk powder, custard powder, and saffron until smooth. Set this mixture aside for later use. Make sure to stir it every time before using.100 ml water (approx. 7 tbsp)30 grams full-fat milk powder (approx. 3 tbsp)10 grams custard powder (approx. 1 tbsp)1 pinch saffron strands optional
Prepare the Dough:
- In a large mixing bowl (preferably wide-bottomed), smear the softened butter and ghee until smooth using a wooden spoon or spatula. Then add the powdered sugar and mix to combine. No need of any electric equipment.150 grams unsalted butter softened (approx. ⅔ cup)100 grams ghee (approx. ½ cup)100 grams icing sugar (approx. ¾ cup) (confectioners' sugar)
- In another bowl, mix to combine the all-purpose flour, milk powder, custard powder, cardamom powder, and salt.360 grams all-purpose flour (approx. 3 cups)30 grams full-fat milk powder (approx. 3 tbsp)10 grams custard powder (approx. 1 tbsp)½ teaspoon cardamom powder10 grams salt (approx. 1 ¾ tsp)
- Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture, folding gently in one direction using a spatula. Once the mixture starts to come together, you may transfer the content on a clean work surface.
- Use both hands to gather the mixture to form dough. Be careful not to overmix- We do not need gluten development. The dough should easily break away but not overly crumbly.
Shape the Dough:
- Optionally, you may divide the dough into two equal portions to make handling easier and to manage your workspace better. Gently knead each portion and shape it into a round disc. Don't bother to make it smooth ends. It is okay if the edges crack.
- Lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin with flour. Roll out one portion of the dough to an even ½-inch thickness. Instead of rolling back and forth, start from the center and roll outward for a smoother surface. If the dough cracks, don't worry-gently press it back together with your hands. A bench scraper can help smooth out the edges for a cleaner finish.
- Use a 2-inch cookie cutter to cut out the biscuits, then trim away excess dough with a knife. Carefully lift each biscuit using a bench scraper or offset spatula and place them on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Gather the leftover dough, knead it gently until smooth, and repeat the rolling and cutting process.
Prepare for Baking:
- Preheat your oven to 170°C (338°F) with top/bottom heat settings.
- Pour the prepared milk custard liquid over the biscuits on the baking sheet, ensuring an even coating. Carefully lift the baking sheet and drain the excess liquid back into the bowl from one corner.
Bake the Biscuits:
- Bake the biscuits in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden.
- Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 to 8 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Repeat the Process:
- Repeat the rolling, cutting, drenching, and baking steps with the remaining dough.
Notes
- Do you have a question or want more tips? Please refer to the content above the recipe card. It often contains valuable explanations, tips, and ideas to enhance your baking experience.
- The volume measurements are only approximate and have not been tested for accuracy. For the best results, I highly recommend using weight measurements. This ensures consistency and precision in your Osmania biscuit recipe.
Nutrition Info
If you have time, do check out this short video by my favourite Celebrity chef about the history of Osmania biscuits. You will also love this blog post on shortbread by Susan VandenBerg.
Famidha Ashraf says
Once you make a batch, you will realize how easy it is to make it often. But I would wait for a gathering so we can share the calories! 😛