Baked Nippattu is a healthy take on the popular deep fried Nippat – a savoury, crunchy snack from Karnataka cuisine. Often enjoyed as is or with a cuppa!
Wanting to convert deep fried treats into baked delights was top of my list when I started baking at home. Although I did bookmark quite a few of them, this particular one caught my fancy as the snack hails from my hometown, and therefore the urge to make it perfectly was very high. Nandita’s recipe just kept calling out to me, and her post was soaked with nostalgia on Bangalore bakery treats. Nippattu (or thattai as its called in Tamil, but a poor cousin though) is one of those treats where monsoon is just an excuse to indulge.
Air fryer or Oven for baking?
Today, as I revisit this recipe from 2015, the air fryer has become my friend for quick, healthy bakes almost always not compromising on the taste, but with a tiny fraction of the original oil needed to make these recipes. Click below to see other savoury bakes using the air fryer too. Most of the times, I find using the air fryer more convenient than the OTG / Oven (especially as you can control the quantity and check midway too for crisping!). But you can still continue to bake this and any of the below listed savoury bakes in the oven too.
The timings vary considerably between the two devices so you might want to do a batch test before converting an OTG recipe to Air fryer version (or vice versa).
We do make these fried ones very occasionally but also for Krishna Jayanti. But of late, it had no callers. Till now. When we made these baked version, it just got devoured fast and furious by all including the little one, who has taken a fancy for savoury stuff than sweet. This is similar to the Baked Onion Crackers I made earlier this month, but it was a lot more crunchier and the taste was fully rounded.
Nippat / Nippattu – a traditional recipe of Karnataka
If made traditionally, grated coconut, spices, salt and rice flour are used to make a dough (I promise to post that recipe soon) , but this recipe called for APF and a bit of cornflour + milk powder, which is pretty much what the bakeries offer – as they need to take a good shelf life. I substituted half of the APF with Wholewheat, and although the Nippattu got a tad more denser, the crunch came in from the hot oil poured on to the dry dough (something you shouldn’t miss if you need crunchy and tasty Nippattu)
I followed Nandita’s recipe with some minor tweaks (sometimes I wonder why I cant follow a recipe, verbatim) and the results were spectacular. We are sure to make this often to kill those 4 pm pangs (or anytime, actually) and enjoy with a hot cuppa.
Other Baked treats you might like on the blog
Baked Nippattu (savoury biscuit)
Baked Nippattu is a healthy take on the popular deep fried Nippat – a savoury, crunchy snack from Karnataka cuisine. Often enjoyed as is or with a cuppa!
Source : Nandita’s recipe
Recipe type : Teatime Snacks ; Course: Snack ; Cuisine : Indian (South Indian – Karnataka recipe)
Makes : Two dozen medium sized Nippattu
Spice level – medium to high (adjust to taste), keeps for upto week without refrigeration
Prep time: 15 mins | Bake time : 20-22 mins (varies from oven to oven)
What you need to make Baked Nippatu
- 1 cup All purpose flour (Maida)
- 1 cup Wholewheat flour(Atta)
- 1 TBSP Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
- 2 tsp Milk powder
- 1 TBSP Cornflour
- 3/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 4 TBSP Melted Butter (I used 2 TBSP melted Ghee with 4 tsp Canola Oil)
- 1 TBSP Sugar ( I used granulated)
- 1.25 tsp Salt(or to taste)
- 3 TBSP Oil(for mixing and for basting)
- 1 TBSP Coriander leaves (chopped)
- 1/2 tsp curry leaves (chopped)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds (roasted)
- 3 green chillies (minced fine)
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida
- 1.25 tsp chilly powder (adjust to taste) * See Notes
- 1 Onion (medium- finely chopped,optional)
- Warm Water (to knead)
How to make Baked Nippattu
- Sieve the flours twice with soda, cornflour, salt, milk powder to a largish mixing bowl.
- Add sugar, Cumin Seeds and mix well. Heat 2 TBSP oil and butter to a smoking temperature, cool for 2-3 mins and add to the flour. Using a fork (caution – don’t use your hands, your hands could be scalded), mix the flour .
- Rub the oil-butter into the flour till it resembles breadcrumbs, much like making short bread. Now add the rest of spices, onions and mix well.
- Let it stand for 5 mins till onions release the water due to the salt.
- Now, sprinkle very little water and make into a slightly stiff dough. Do not over-knead
- Covered rest of dough for 5 mins * (see notes)
- Preheat oven to 175 Deg C
- Roll into a thickish disc, using a cookie cutter , poke them with a fork, and place the cut out discs onto a lined
baking tray / silicon sheet. With a brush, apply a very thin film of oil . - Bake for 12-15 mins at 175 deg c. flip them once , baste them again with a brush and bake for 5-7 mins at 165
when you see them golden brown. If its too brown already, they may start burning very fast. - Cool them on the rack and store in an airtight container.
PIN FOR LATER
Notes –
1) If you are making large quantities, draw only a portion of the dry portion, sprinkle little water and
make to a wet dough, make discs, put them out to bake, and then proceed to make another batch
2) Spices are adjusted to taste – we don’t want them to overpower the flour mix. You can use only red chilly
powder instead of green chillies + red chilly powder.
Baked Nippattu | Baked Spicy and savoury Cracker
Equipment
- Oven (OTG)
- Bowl
- Knife and Cutting Board
- Cookie Cutter
Ingredients
- 1 cup All purpose flour Maida
- 1 cup Wholewheat flour Atta
- 1 TBSP Cumin Seeds Jeera
- 2 tsp Milk powder
- 1 TBSP Cornflour
- 3/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 4 TBSP Melted Butter I used 2 TBSP melted Ghee with 4 tsp Canola Oil
- 1 TBSP Sugar I used granulated
- 1.25 tsp Salt or to taste
- 3 TBSP Oil for mixing and for basting
- 1 TBSP Coriander leaves chopped
- 1/2 tsp curry leaves chopped
- 1 tsp sesame seeds roasted
- 3 green chillies minced fine
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida
- 1.25 tsp chilly powder adjust to taste * See Notes
- 1 Onion medium- finely chopped,optional
- Warm Water to knead
Instructions
- Sieve the flours twice with soda, cornflour, salt, milk powder to a largish mixing bowl.
- Add sugar, Cumin Seeds and mix well. Heat 2 TBSP oil and butter to a smoking temperature, cool for 2-3 mins and add to the flour. Using a fork (caution – don’t use your hands, your hands could be scalded), mix the flour .
- Rub the oil-butter into the flour till it resembles breadcrumbs, much like making short bread. Now add the rest of spices, onions and mix well.
- Let it stand for 5 mins till onions release the water due to the salt.
- Now, sprinkle very little water and make into a slightly stiff dough. Do not over-knead
- Covered rest of dough for 5 mins * (see notes)
- Preheat oven to 175 Deg C
- Roll into a thickish disc, using a cookie cutter , poke them with a fork, and place the cut out discs onto a lined baking tray / silicon sheet. With a brush, apply a very thin film of oil .
- Bake for 12-15 mins at 175 deg c. flip them once , baste them again with a brush and bake for 5-7 mins at 165 when you see them golden brown. If its too brown already, they may start burning very fast.
- Cool them on the rack and store in an airtight container.
I bake another version of nippattu from Supriya's blog and can guess how addictive they are.
This version is interesting, addition of corn flour & milk powder. Even I can't follow a recipe as given but learnt the hardway that sticking to the recipe is better when cooking for mega BM.
Nippattu
Nippattu looks crunchy & is addictive
All my recipes are originals rather than traditional because I cannot stick to a recipe. I tweak even when I follow my own recipe. 🙂
Crunchy snack kalyani!!! That spice and hot coffee, ahh mast!!!
I have always liked to gorge on such bits, perfect for tea time
What a delicious snack… Super tempting and healthy.. Bookmarking it..
I have book marked so many of you bakes Kalyani and this one goes into that folder too. The nippattu looks so crunchy and perfectly baked…
i have to make some savory bakes soon, this one is a good one considering the way it looks
Please send me some, i can have these beauties without any guilt now.. These baked nippattus rocks.
I love the baked nippattu. They come out so good in any combination of spices !
I too made nippattu for this series,will be up soon..Addition of cornflour and milk powder sounds interesting and new to me..crunchy and guilt free snack with a cup of tea…
Great cookies and great tea. Love the froth on the tea. How you manage to take pictures? Great
I have had a full meal complete with payasam just now. Yet these are making me hungry again. A cup of tea and a bite of this….heaven!
Great looking snack Kalyani…must have tasted so good..
Wow, love these baked nippattus. Yummy guilt free snack for tea time.
These baked traditional snacks are so tempting! They look perfect.
Love those clicks Kal. Feeli like taking these from the screen. Looks awesome
The baked version looks so much like the deep fried ones. So crispy and yum…
OMG Kalyani your Nipattu looks so much better than mine. I apologize for the extremely delayed response. But your comment had somehow landed in the spam section so I did not get a chance to check it out. Now I am glad that I did.. Keep rocking!!
This js such a good recipe. Turns our perfect each time I try it.
thanks so much Seema for trying it out
Baked Nippattu look so inviting. Like how you’ve added so many different spices. I usually don’t add cornflour. Next time I make them will add it. Am sure it makes them more crispy.
the spices are basic and integral to the nippattu. the commercial version shared here has cornflour to make it crisp. thanks Mayuri
These Nippattu looks so yum and crispy. I have never had this but looks similar to Punjabi Mathis.. will try these soon
thanks Sarika. it is similar to mathris yet so different, hope you do try this soon
Baked Nippatu seems a good healthy teatime snack. Quite flavorful too! Baked Nippattu – I would love to try it out. A cup of tea is all that is needed to enjoy with these delectable Nippattu.
Awesome Neha. yes, it tastes awesome with some tea
Aah you got me craving for these now. I remember some bakery in Jayanagar complex where the baked nippats would be just wow…present day nippats are not that great..seems I will now have to follow your recipe to get back the old world taste
Awww. Wish I could send you some, Priya. Do try it – if you have microwave with bake option.
I loved these baked Nippattu. What a healthier option. I didi not know Nippattu used milk powder. I will add it to this Diwali batch.
Thanks Archana. There are many different ways to make nipattu – the baked version uses milk powder for some creaminess in place of oil in the deep fried version