Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies are rich and buttery with perfect texture! Dip them in melted chocolate for some added flavor.
So you’re looking for the best gluten free shortbread cookies recipe?
Well you’re in the right place, because these buttery beauties boast all of the classic goodness of traditional shortbread!
They only require 5 basic ingredients (unless you add the chocolate coating), and the dough is so easy to prepare! Plus, you can prepare the dough well in advance in order to break up some of the work.
This gluten-free version tastes just like classic shortbread with the same buttery flavor and flaky texture.
The way I see it, these easy cookies are fun to make year round, particularly during the holiday season for cookie exchanges or for Valentine’s Day.
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for this gluten-free shortbread recipe.
Ingredients for Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies:
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: Taking the place of regular all-purpose flour, we use a gluten-free flour blend. I like using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, which I find has the best texture and is the closest replacement for regular flour.
Almond Flour (Optional): I like adding a little almond flour for a subtle nutty flavor and a lighter texture. You can replace the almond flour with ½ cup of additional gluten-free flour if you don’t have it on hand.
Unsalted Butter: Traditional shortbread cookie recipes are made with butter for that classic buttery flavor.
Powdered Sugar: The sweetener here. Classic shortbread cookies are not incredibly sweet, which is how we’re doing it here. This recipe is slightly sweet with rich butter flavor as the prevailing flavor.
Pure Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla extract adds a lovely warm nuance.
Melted Chocolate Ingredients:
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: If you’re like me and you love chocolate, make the optional melted chocolate mixture to dip the cookies. I find semi-sweet chocolate to be the perfect level of sweetness, but dark chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips work too.
Butter: A little butter helps melt the chocolate in a smooth and creamy texture. Coconut oil works as a replacement here too.
Recipe Customizations:
- If you enjoy the flavor of almond extract in cookies, add ½ teaspoon of almond extract.
- For a dairy-free version, use ¾ cup of softened coconut oil.
- Sprinkle the melted chocolate with chopped walnuts, pecans, or candy canes to mix up the mouth texture and flavor.
- Rather than using confectioners’ sugar as the sweetener, use regular white sugar or coconut sugar.
How to Make Gluten-Free Shortbread:
Mix the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and sea salt in a large bowl and stir well until the dry ingredients are combined.
Transfer the softened butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on low speed to start out, then increase to medium speed and finally medium high speed until the butter and sugar are well combined. Mix in the pure vanilla extract.
Pour the flour mixture into the stand mixer with the butter mixture a small amount at a time until it is completely combined. Start on a low speed to prevent the flour from wafting out, then increase to a high speed once it is all incorporated.
The mixture will look slightly crumbly at first. Keep mixing until a very thick dough has formed and any little crumbles have been incorporated.
Divide the dough into two or three parts and form two or three dough logs. These logs can be round or rectangular, depending on the shape of cookie you’re going for. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Note: you can also freeze the dough ahead of time. Just be sure to thaw it before baking the cookies.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Transfer the shortbread cookie dough to a cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice dough into ½ inch slices and place dough slices on the prepared baking sheet.
Use a fork to poke each dough slice twice. Be sure to leave a couple of inches of space between each slice of dough on the parchment-lined baking sheet to give them room to grow during the baking process.
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 9 to 11 minutes (I do 10), until the edges of the cookies are slightly golden brown.
Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely to room temperature on the baking sheet, or transfer to a wire rack after 10 minutes of cooling.
Dip Them in Chocolate:
If you’d like chocolate-dipped shortbread, here’s what you do. Transfer the chocolate chips and the butter to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 20-second intervals, stirring well in between each interval, until the chocolate has melted, about 60-80 seconds total.
Use a butter knife to spread chocolate over half of each cookie and sprinkle with sea salt (if desired) while the chocolate is still wet. I prefer the spreading method over dipping the cookies because shortbread tends to be a bit tender and can crumble fairly easily.
Refrigerate the cookies on plates or a baking sheet for 10 minutes, or until the chocolate has set up. You can also allow the chocolate to harden at room temperature but it will take longer.
Storage Options:
- Room Temperature: Store shortbread cookies in an airtight container or a zip lock bag on the counter for up to 4 days.
- Refrigerator: Refrigerate cookies in a sealed container for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: For longer term storage, freeze cookies in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. You can also tightly wrap the raw dough and freeze until you’re ready to bake it, for up to 3 months.
And that’s it! The next time you’re craving classic shortbread, whip up this easy recipe! I love that you can make it in advance and also freeze the dough for later use. Keep it on hand for on-demand cookies any time!
If you’re enjoying the baking season, also try some of my other Christmas cookie recipes.
More Christmas Cookies:
- Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
- Almond Flour Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Cranberry Orange Cookies
- Almond Flour Chocolate Cookies
- Raspberry Filled Snowball Cookies
Enjoy this buttery bite of bliss!
Gluten Free Shortbread Cookie Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour or regular all-purpose flour
- ⅔ almond flour*
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 2 sticks (1 cup or16 Tbsp) unsalted butter
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Melted Chocolate Dip (Optional)
- 1.5 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 4 Tbsp butter
Instructions
- Mix the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and sea salt in a large bowl and stir well until the dry ingredients are combined.
- Transfer the softened butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on low speed to start out, then increase to medium speed and finally medium high speed until the butter and sugar are well combined. Mix in the pure vanilla extract.
- Pour the flour mixture into the stand mixer with the butter mixture a small amount at a time until it is completely combined. Start on a low speed to prevent the flour from wafting out, then increase to a high speed once it is all incorporated. The mixture will look slightly crumbly at first. Keep mixing until a very thick dough has formed and any little crumbles have been incorporated.
- Divide the dough into two or three parts and form two or three dough logs. These logs can be round or rectangular, depending on the shape of cookie you’re going for. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Note: you can also freeze the dough ahead of time. Just be sure to thaw it before baking the cookies.
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Transfer the shortbread cookie dough to a cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice dough into ½ inch slices and place dough slices on the prepared baking sheet. Use a fork to poke each dough slice twice. Be sure to leave a couple of inches of space between each slice of dough on the parchment-lined baking sheet to give them room to grow during the baking process.
- Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 9 to 11 minutes (I do 10), until the edges of the cookies are slightly golden brown.
- Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely to room temperature on the baking sheet, or transfer to a wire rack after 10 minutes of cooling.
Dip Them in Chocolate:
- If you’d like chocolate-dipped shortbread, here’s what you do. Transfer the chocolate chips and the butter to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 20-second intervals, stirring well in between each interval, until the chocolate has melted, about 60-80 seconds total.
- Use a butter knife to spread chocolate over half of each cookie and sprinkle with sea salt (if desired) while the chocolate is still wet. I prefer the spreading method over dipping the cookies because shortbread tends to be a bit tender and can crumble fairly easily.
- Refrigerate the cookies on plates or a baking sheet for 10 minutes, or until the chocolate has set up. You can also allow the chocolate to harden at room temperature but it will take longer. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes! Form the homemade shortbread dough into a big ball of dough and wrap it tightly in a piece of plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
After refrigerating the dough, turn it out onto a floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll it to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Use your favorite cookie cutters to make cutout shapes. You can decorate the cookies with frosting or enjoy them as is.
I always, without fail, use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. I find it truly makes the best 1:1 replacement for regular all-purpose flour.
That said, I know many people like King Arthur gluten free flour, and Pamela’s. Let me know in the comments below if you try a different GF flour blend.
Yes! If you don’t follow a gluten-free diet, feel free to swap out the gluten-free flour with regular flour in a 1:1 replacement.
Very good recipe, great taste.
Thank you, Rodger! I’m happy you enjoy them!