You will Love these Delicious Cumin Cookies

Recently, John officiated a wedding for an Indian couple at their home. We were greeted with warm smiles, the hand of friendship, and a delicious morning tea featuring cumin-flavoured cookies. I immediately asked for the recipe — but to my surprise, the couple hadn’t baked them! After a bit of searching online, I found this wonderful recipe, and it didn’t disappoint. These are jeera biscuits as they are called in India – a sweet-and-salty twist that somehow hits just right.

I’ve always loved the taste of cumin. It’s a warm, earthy spice made from the dried seeds of the Cuminum cyminum plant. Common in Indian, Middle Eastern, and Mexican cuisines, cumin adds depth and aroma to curries, stews, and spice blends like garam masala. Some of my family say it tastes a bit like dirt — and yes, I can see what they mean! But I find its earthy flavour comforting and unique.

If you’re curious, give this recipe a try. I scoured the internet to find a recipe for these Cumin Cookies which are lightly sweet, subtly spiced, and perfectly crisp — ideal with your morning or afternoon tea. They are delicious and it is hard to stop eating after only one or two.

Ingredients

• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (125g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1–2 tablespoons milk (optional, only if required)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C).
• Place cumin seeds on a baking tray and roast for 3-4 minutes or until you get a nice fragrance from them. Set aside to cool.
• Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together, scraping down the sides as needed.
• Add flour, salt and cumin seeds to the mixture.
• Mix at low speed until the mixture looks smooth and comes together in the form of a dough. Add 1-2 tablespoons of milk if the dough doesn’t come together.
• Sprinkle some four on a flat surface and roll the dough into a log about 1 ½ inches (4cm) in diameter.
• Wrap up the dough in plastic film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

• Unwrap the dough and slice into ¼ inch (½ cm) discs.
• Place the cookies on a baking tray and bake at 350° F (175° C) for 10 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (165°C) and bake for another 5–7 minutes until golden brown.
• Place on wire rack to cool completely.
• Store in an airtight container.

This recipe is adapted from Cook with Manali. The only changes made are to roll the dough into a log and refrigeration before cutting into discs instead of rolling out and using a cookie cutter.

Manali’s site is full of delicious Indian recipes — definitely worth exploring!

Why I Love these Biscuits & You Will Too

• Tea-time ready: They’re the perfect match for chai or coffee — not too sweet, just that right amount of savoury.
• Minimal ingredients: Most of us already have butter, flour, sugar and cumin in the pantry — no fancy additions needed.
• Versatile: Want them crisp and thin? Roll them out thin and bake a little longer. Prefer a bit more bite? Leave them slightly thicker.
• Gift-worthy: Once baked, these sit pretty in a jar, and make a lovely homemade gift or travel snack.
• Cultural charm: Every bite brings a whisper of bakery nostalgia, the kind you might find in Indian sweet-shops where these biscuits are displayed behind glass jars.

Tips & Variation

• Always roast the cumin seeds first. That toast-to-fragrance step releases the oils and adds so much more flavour.
• Use room-temperature butter, not melted. It helps create that nice structure in the cookie.
• If you cut the dough into very thin slices, you’ll get ultra-crisp biscuits — ideal for dipping. If you leave it a little thicker, you’ll have a slightly softer centre.
• Swap in whole-wheat flour or a mix of wheat + plain flour if you want a slightly more wholesome texture. Sharmis Passions
• Store in an airtight container once fully cool. If they soften over time, a quick 2-minute reheat in the oven restores the crisp-ness.

If you love baking biscuits, try these Monkey Nuts.

Recommended Baking Tools (Amazon au)

• Stainless Steel Baking Sheet and Rack Set – includes 2 baking sheets 40.5×30.5×2.5cm and 2 cooling racks.
• Non-stick Baking Sheet Pan Set
• Silicone Baking Mats – set of three convenient sizes
• Stainless Steel Rolling Pin – will not absorb fat or moisture, making it more sanitary than a wooden rolling pin.

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