Zeera/Cumin Tea-Biscuits Recipe

Sweet, Salty, Crispy Cumin biscuits, perfect for Tea-time. A staple in Pakistani homes although mass-produced by big companies but freshly baked in small bakeries are liked alot. I am sharing my favorite eggless biscuits recipe which uses few ingredients.

All purpose flour 1 cup + extra for dusting
Butter 100gm
Icing Sugar 1/4 cup
Cumin Seeds 1tbs
Salt 1/4 + 1/8 tsp
Milk if needed

Heat up a small pan, toast cumins seeds on stovetop until light brown and fragrant.

Be careful, it takes them 1 second to get them black from brown.

Set aside half tsp of cumin seeds and crush remaining in mortar and pestle.


Dont grind them to powder.

Mix butter and sugar with paddle attachment of standing mixer.

When incorporated, add ground cumin, salt and half cup flour, mix on low speed.

Then add remaining half cup flour and mix well until everything comes together.

If its crumbly, add tsp of milk.

If its too soft to handle, add some flour.

Referigerate for half an hour.

Preheat oven at 180 degrees celcius.

Roll dough between two sheets of wax paper and sprinkle some flour in between.

Roll to about quarter of inch thickness.

Using 2" diameter Round cutter, cut out biscuits. Mix scraps together and roll out again.

On baking tray, spread out silicon mat. If using baking paper, grease it and dust some flour on it.

Place biscuits an inch apart from each other on prepared tray. These biscuits dont spread or rise.

Sprinkle reserved cumin seeds on top of biscuits.

Bake for 15 mins. Rotate tray after 10 mins.

After taking them out from oven, let them rest for 10 mins then tranfer on cooling rack.

Store in air-tight container.

Enjoy Crispy Salty Biscuits with a cup of Tea!