Crisp & Buttery Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies
yields: 36 cookies, 2-3 dozen, depending on size
Crisp and buttery gluten-free shortbread cookies that melt in your mouth. This recipe is so versatile, you can make it plain as cut-out cookies or slice and bake, or add in your favorite mix-ins like cocoa powder, peppermint, or orange zest and chocolate chunks! Top with chocolate and/or flaky salt or leave them simple.
Ingredients
Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies Base
- 1¼ cups (140 g) super-fine blanched almond flour
- ½ cup (80 g) sweet rice flour, also called mochiko; do not substitute white or brown rice flour
- 3 tablespoons (24 g) cornstarch*
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons (78 g) granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling (optional)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, for drizzling (optional)
Orange Chocolate Variation Additions
- Zest of 1 orange
- 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
Chocolate or Chocolate Peppermint Variations
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: almond flour, sweet rice flour, cornstarch, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or a medium bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until completely combined, 1-2 minutes.
- Mix in the vanilla extract, scraping down the sides as needed. For the optional chocolate chunk orange variation, mix in the orange zest.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides, mixing until the dough comes together and is pliable. If using, fold in the chocolate chunks.
- You can either roll the dough out for cut-out shortbread cookies (squares or rectangles look nice!) or roll the dough into a log for slice-and-bake shortbread cookies. Decide how you want to make them and see the instructions below.
- For cut-out shortbread cookies, roll the dough out on a sheet of parchment paper into a rectangle about ⅛-inch thick (or a litttttttle more). Place on a baking sheet and chill in the fridge for at least an hour or in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Once chilled, use a ruler to help cut out rectangles or squares that are exactly the same size (I cut 2.5 x 1 -inch rectangles) and place on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, 1-inch apart. Sprinkle with sugar if desired. Chill the baking sheet with cookies while you preheat the oven to 325°F.
- When the oven is hot, bake for 13-15 minutes, taking care not to overbake. The top outside edges should be just golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For slice-and-bake shortbread cookies, roll the dough into a log about 1.5 inches in diameter using a piece of plastic wrap to guide the soft dough into shape. Wrap up with the plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours, until completely firm. Once chilled, unwrap the log and cut the dough into rounds, ⅛ - ¼ inch thick. and place on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, 1-inch apart. Sprinkle with sugar if desired. Chill the baking sheet with cookies while you preheat the oven to 325°F.
- When the oven is hot, bake for 18-22 minutes, taking care not to overbake. (Note: the slice-and-bake cookies take a bit longer as they tend to be cut thicker than the rolled shapes). The top outside edges should be just golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- If dipping or drizzling chocolate over the cookies, melt and temper the chocolate as described in the notes below. Once cookies are cool, dip them in or drizzle with chocolate and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet until the chocolate is firm (speed this up in the fridge, if needed!).
- Store gluten-free shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. These cookies keep really well, without tasting stale or dry as time goes on. Or store in an airtight bag or container in the freezer for up to several months, bringing them to room temperature on the counter before serving.
Video
Notes
Substituting the Cornstarch:
Traditional shortbread cookies are made with white rice flour rather than corn starch to give them that light snappy texture. I've tested the recipe both ways and they were nearly identical, so I kept cornstarch as it's more readily available. Feel free to substitute the corn starch with white rice flour by weight.
Chocolate Drizzle or Dip
Microwave tempering: Place 3 ounces of the chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, then microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring between, until the chocolate is completely melted. Add the reserved chopped chocolate and stir to melt. If there are stubborn pieces that don't melt, microwave for 15 more seconds and stir again. Stovetop tempering: Fill a small saucepan with a few inches of water and set a heat-proof bowl over the top so a large portion of the bowl is touching the water. Being careful not to get any water in your bowl, add 3 ounces of the chopped chocolate. Cook, undisturbed, until a little more than half is melted, then stir until the rest melts. Cook for a few minutes longer until the chocolate stings a little when touched on your wrist or just below your lower lip. Remove the bowl from the heat (again being careful not to get any water in it) and add the reserved 1 ounce of chocolate. Stir until the chocolate melts. Let sit, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate feels just a bit cooler than your body temperature when touched to your wrist.