Gluten Free Shortbread Cookies are a sturdy, crispy, cut-out cookie made with only 5 simple to find ingredients.
Enjoy these easy gluten free shortbread cookies with a cup of coffee or tea and you'll be well on your way to bliss.
If you like cookies, you have to try Gluten Free Sugar Cookies, Gluten Free Lemon Cookies, and Gluten Free Monster Cookies too.
These cookies are a excellent in this Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream.
GLUTEN FREE SHORTBREAD COOKIES RECIPE
Shortbread cookies are one of the most simple types of cookies to make, and these gluten free shortbread cookies are no exception.
You'll only need 5 ingredients, one cookie cutter, and a little bit of time to make a delicious batch of vanilla flavored gluten free shortbread cookies to share.
Gluten Free shortbread cookies make a beautiful addition to a cookie platter for the holidays or any time of year.
I love having two or three of these with a fresh, hot cup of coffee in the afternoon as a little pick me up. They are perfect for snacking, and kids love these shortbread cookies too.
I can't wait to share this super simple gluten free shortbread cookie recipe with you.
INGREDIENTS IN GLUTEN FREE SHORTBREAD COOKIES
Unsalted Butter - I always prefer unsalted butter when baking, as different brands of butter have different amounts of salt in them.
Granulated Sugar - This is the sweetener for our cookies, and makes them crunchy.
Vanilla Extract - I recommend getting the best pure vanilla extract that you can reasonably afford. The flavor of the vanilla really shines in this recipe.
Salt - Since we're using unsalted butter, this is the perfect amount of salt to balance the sweetness of the cookies.
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Blend - I used Bob's Red Mill 1-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour.
If you have any questions about how to make gluten free shortbread cookies, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you.
HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE SHORTBREAD COOKIES
- Cream together butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Be sure not to overmix as you don't want to incorporate too much air into the mixture.
- Add vanilla extract to the butter mixture and stir until combined.
- Sift together salt and gluten free flour blend.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until combined.
- Roll the dough out between two pieces of parchment paper, and cut out circles with a cookie cutter.
- Place the cut outs onto a prepared baking sheet and poke three rows of holes into the cookies with a fork.
- Freeze the cut outs on the pan as directed in the recipe below.
- Bake the chilled cookies in the oven as directed until the edges of the cookies are slightly brown and the tops are no longer shiny.
- Cool the cookies on the pan before moving to a cooling rack. Cool completely before serving.
These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions in these gluten free shortbread cookies, please see the recipe below.
TIPS FOR MAKING THIS GLUTEN FREE SHORTBREAD COOKIE RECIPE
When measuring your gluten-free flour, you must spoon the flour into the measuring cup. Do not dip the measuring cup into the flour.
Measuring the flour using a spoon will make your flour measurement correct. Too much flour will make these gluten free shortbread cookies too dense and floury tasting.
The number of gluten free shortbread cookies that this recipe makes is dependent on the size of your cookie cutter. I used a 1.5 inch scalloped round cutter and made 24 cookies.
The bake time will depend on the thickness of your cookies. The bake time in the recipe card is based on cookies that are about ⅓ inch thick.
If you decide to roll your dough out thinner than that, start checking the gluten free shortbread cookies for doneness at the 9 minute mark.
To make rolling out the shortbread dough super easy and less messy, roll the dough out in between two pieces of parchment paper.
Doing it this way means that you won't have to add any additional flour to the dough, and you won't need to clean up the counter.
It is very important that you chill the dough for these gluten free shortbread cookies before baking them in the oven. If you try to skip this step, the cookies will spread and will not hold their shape. I like to freeze my cutouts for 20-30 minutes before baking.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COOKIES AND SHORTBREAD?
Shortbread cookies are a special type of baked good. They are named Shortbread because they do not contain any eggs and have a short list of ingredients.
Shortbread has a higher ratio of butter to flour than most other cookie recipes. This makes them particularly dense and delightfully crumbly when eaten.
HOW TO STORE GLUTEN FREE SHORTBREAD COOKIES
These gluten free shortbread cookies will stay fresh and delicious for at least a week if kept in an airtight container.
WHAT TYPE OF GLUTEN FREE FLOUR MAKES THE BEST COOKIES
I like to bake these gluten free shortbread cookies with Bob's Red Mill 1-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour. This is the one in the light blue bag.
I have found that my baked goods come out how I like them with this blend, which includes a small amount of xanthan gum which is helpful in gluten free baking.
This blend has a lighter flavor than other blends I've tried as well, making it perfect for a delicately flavored cookie recipe like this gluten free shortbread cookies recipe.
MORE GLUTEN FREE COOKIES
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies - The best gluten free chocolate chip cookies! With crunchy edges and a chewy center, no one will be able to tell that these chocolate chip cookies are gluten free. I've included in process photos and tips so you are set up for success when making this gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipe. You can use my flour blend or a flour mix for these cookies.
Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies - You can add raising or chocolate chips to this gluten free cookie recipe, or both! Crunchy, chewy, and oh-so delicious, these Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies will disappear in no time. This recipe is simple to make and doesn't use any expensive ingredients or labor intensive steps. You'll love how easy this gluten-free oatmeal cookie recipe is.
Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies - We like to add chocolate chips to this classic gluten free cookie recipe, but you don't have to. Soft, chewy, Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies make the perfect pick-me-up cookie, or snack. These easy peanut butter cookies are loaded with healthy fats and protein and are quite scrumptious.
Chocolate Sunbutter Cookies - These cookies are one of our favorite allergy friendly cookies. Chocolate Sunbutter Cookies that are ultra-soft, brownie-like, and extra fudgy. These sunbutter cookies are the perfect cookie, right? You're going to love how easy this recipe pulls together.
Gluten Free Chocolate Cookies - This gluten free cookie is a reader favorite, which is why we're including it in this post about gluten free cookie recipes. Rich and fudge-like, these gluten-free chocolate cookies are incredibly easy to make and bake up in no time. You're going to want to add this gluten-free cookie recipe to your to-make list.
Gluten Free Lady Fingers - We love making ladyfingers. They are fun to make and kids love them too. Ready for dunking into your coffee or creating a homemade tiramisu, Gluten Free Ladyfingers are a simple to make cookie that you'll want to make often. These ladyfingers are as good as, if not better than, anything you can buy in the store. They are fresh, airy, and the perfect texture for dunking and soaking up flavors.
Gluten Free Snowball Cookies - Learn to make buttery, crunchy gluten free snowball cookies in a few simple steps. These gluten free snowballs, also known as gluten free Mexican wedding cookies, are easy to make and they are perfectly sweet.
Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies - Easy, cut-out Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies! This gluten free gingerbread cookie recipe delivers the perfect texture and gingerbread flavors.
Gluten Free Gingersnaps - Perfectly spicy, and not too sweet, these Gluten Free Ginger Snaps can be enjoyed for dessert or an afternoon tea. They are naturally dairy-free, bursting with flavor and are perfectly crunchy which makes them the perfect gluten free ginger cookies for dunking.
Did you make this Gluten Free Shortbread Cookie recipe? Please leave a comment below letting me know what you thought.
Gluten Free Shortbread Cookies
Gluten Free Shortbread Cookies are a sturdy, crispy, cut-out cookie made with only 5 simple to find ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour)
Instructions
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and granulated sugar. Be sure not to overmix as you do not want to incorporate too much air into the mixture.
- Add vanilla extract to the butter mixture and stir until combined.
- Sift together salt and gluten-free flour blend and gradually add to the butter mixture until combined.
- Turn the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper. Place another sheet of parchment paper on top of the dough. Then roll it out to ⅓ inch thickness.
- Take the top sheet off and cut out circles with a cookie cutter 1.5 inch in diameter. Pierce each cookie with a fork to create small holes in the center.
- Place the cut-outs onto the prepared baking sheets and freeze for 20-30 minutes, until firm. You can also let chill in the refrigerator for an hour or more instead.
- While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350F.
- When the dough is ready, place the shortbread in the oven and bake for 13-15 minutes, until the edges are slightly brown and the top of the cookies are no longer shiny.
- Let the cookies cool in the pan for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to finish cooling. Cookies will be fragile until cooled.
Notes
- This recipe makes 24 cookies if cut using a 1.5 inch round cutter and rolled to ⅓ inch thick.
- Thinner cookies will require less bake time. Check cookies starting at 9 minutes.
- Measure flour by spooning it into the measuring cup, not by scooping.
- Do not skip the chilling step. It is important to chill the dough so that the cookies hold their shape.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
3 cookiesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 367Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 149mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 13gProtein: 3g
This nutrition info is based on the exact ingredients and brands that I used a the time. It may not be 100% accurate. Please check your ingredients nutrition labels.
Gluten Free Shortbread Cookies Post
Leah
Such a simple recipe, I couldn't believe that those ingredients would make such a delicious cookie, but they sure did!! Perfect.
Jan Vernor-Howard
Hi!
I made these amazing cookies and could not stop eating them. Too bad butter is a dairy product. Next time I will use a vegan dairy product, but I will give most of the cookies away so I won’t eat them all. I also made the banana muffins! They are so much like regular muffins. Delicious!
Jan
chrystal
I am so glad you like them. Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Thia
I plan to make this this week, but cannot tolerate rice, so I will be using Bob's RM GF APF flour instead. I'll try to leave a note as to how they turned out.
Thanks for the recipe!
Colleen
Hello! These shortbread cookies look amazing. I miss shortbread. Quick question, can these be made dairy-free? If yes, which brand would you recommend? I understand they aren't all the same.
chrystal
Hi Colleen,
I haven't tried making these dairy free but when I do I will most likely use earth balance buttery spread. If you try it, will you stop back by and let me know how they turned out?
Best,
Chrystal
Phyllis
Delicious. I appreciate that your recipe doesn’t require a lot of sugar. Even though, I only used one and one half tablespoons of sugar and added chopped raisins. Loved it.
chrystal
I am so glad you like them. Thank you for sharing what you used.
Best,
Chrystal
Janice
Hi, just wondering if I could use one of your home made GF flours instead of purchasing flour? I’ve had great success baking with your flour blend.
chrystal
Hi Janice,
You can use my flour blend but you'll need to add 2 teaspoons of xanthan due to the high butter content. Let them cool completely before moving them.
Best,
Chrystal
Audrey
These are the best GF shortbread cookies I have ever made. They don't taste like the more traditional ones I make as they taste more like wonderful sugar cookies. However, every time I made a batch they are eaten quickly and even by people who are not gluten free
Lindsay
We're so glad that everyone loves them! Thank you for the comment.