I’ve been so busy this year, I somehow made it to today without having done any holiday baking at all. I’m no Martha Stewart, but even I can’t deny that the smell of fresh baked cookies makes everything feel more like Christmas! With lots of encouragement and cheering on from the kids, I decided to try my hand at some gluten-free shortbread.
Shortbread cookies, more than sugar cookies or even gingerbread, have always represented Christmas to me. That buttery, crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth goodness… mmm!
I found a gluten-free shortbread recipe made with almond flour over at King Arthur Flour, and with a couple of minor edits, I think I’ve found my family’s go-to recipe.
The beautiful thing about shortbread is how easy it is to change it up and make it your own with various add-ins and flavourings. You can add chopped nuts (pecans, pistachios, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, etc.), dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, apricots, etc.), citrus zest, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, spices (cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, etc.) or just about anything you can think of! Today I made a batch of classic shortbread and a second batch of pecan shortbread too.
I found it easiest to work with the dough rolled into a couple of mini logs and chilled in my freezer. I used my big chef’s knife to cut them into rounds that went onto parchment paper then straight into the oven.
Not counting the time the dough chilled in the freezer, the whole process took maybe 20 minutes. Very doable no matter how busy the day, and trust me these last couple of days before Christmas are very, very busy. They’re so easy to make, I was able to whip up enough to take to Christmas dinner at the grands too! I bet my traditional English father won’t even realize they’re gluten-free.
Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- 6 tablespoons softened butter
- 5 tablespoons icing confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Add all ingredients together and mix well.
- Roll dough into a log, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes (or freezer for 15 minutes).
- Once chilled, slice into rounds about 1/2" thick and place on parchment paper.
- Bake for 14-15 minutes until the tops start to turn golden brown.
- Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to finish cooling.
Notes
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I love shortbread and is the one cookie I need to have a Christmas time!!
Yum!! These are my absolute favorite cookies, but I’ve never made them ! I’m definitely pinning this one for later!!
Yum! I love shortbread cookies! These look so delicious!
These are actually probably even better than regular because of the almond flour. Thanks for the recipe.
oh man i need to try this recipe!
I love shortbread cookies and with the pecans for extra flavor I can’t imagine anything more mouth watering
My husband loves Shortbread cookies and the addition of Pecans sounds delightful. I will have to give this recipe a try.
Looking forward to trying these out! My sister is gluten intolerant so this will come in handy!
these look so good.
Mmmmm!!! These sound delicious!!! I love that you cute them too!! Perfect circles!! Im a cookie nazi lol!!
Great looking cookies that I could enjoy weekly.
Looking for a shortbread recipe for the upcoming holidays! Best part is, my sister will be able to partake as she is glutent intolerant!
Shortbread cookies are always a hit with my family, especially at Christmas time.
These looks so good. I want to try this recipe. I make normal shortbread and I also make whipped shortbread so I’ll just add this to my collection of shortbread recipes.