Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies (egg-free, refined sugar-free)
Ali Segersten
Happy fall! I have a delicious gluten-free shortbread cookie recipe for you today! I recently became friends with a new family that came to our school. I began to talk this beautiful mama a few weeks ago at a birthday party and we could not stop talking about food! As it turns out she cooks just like I do, and creates many of her own recipes....all gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free! She gave me a loose recipe for these shortbread cookies. I then tested it to create a recipe someone else could follow. I'm so grateful for this recipe as it can be used in so many ways! Pictured here I have them made into sandwich cookies filled with my dairy-free Sweet Potato Buttercream Frosting and then drizzled with melted dark chocolate. You could also dip them in melted chocolate and then decorate with whatever you have on hand. Try shredded coconut, crushed walnuts, goji berries, powdered freeze-dried strawberries, or natural sprinkles.
You will notice that this recipe uses a number of different gluten-free flours. I usually like to keep things simple and stick to one or two for my recipes, however, I found that this particular combination works wonders for shortbread cookies. My boys find that the quinoa flour is slightly bitter for their tastes, which is interesting because they normally eat a lot of bitter greens. Quinoa flour is very light and fine, and lends a very good texture to these cookies, which is why I use it. You can replace it with brown rice flour if you are concerned about the aftertaste, though I don't notice it at all.
This shortbread cookie recipe would also be great to bake during Christmastime using holiday-themed cookie cutters. Or Valentine's day....or Easter! Have fun with this recipe! I hope you like it at as much as we do. :)
Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies
The dough for these cookies can be made ahead of time and stored in your refrigerator for up to a week (stored in an airtight container)! You can take a little out at a time and bake what you need if you would like. I use sprouted garbanzo bean flour from To Your Health Sprouted Flour Co. but you can use regular garbanzo bean flour that can usually be found at any health food store and many grocery stores. I find the flavor and digestibility much better in the sprouted version. The buckwheat flour I use is made by taking raw buckwheat groats and grinding them into a fine flour either in your high-powered blender or coffee grinder. Do NOT use store-bought buckwheat flour that is made from roasted buckwheat groats....these are two totally different flours that behave very differently in baking, and also taste much different! You can view my post on How to Make Raw Buckwheat Flour for more information. Use my Dairy-Free Sweet Potato Buttercream Frosting in between two cookies and drizzle with melted dark chocolate chips if desired.
I usually get 40 small cookies (these are small 3 or 4 bite cookies) from a batch of dough. The yield will vary depending on how thick you roll the dough and the size of your cookie cutter. I use an 8-ounce mason jar to cut them out.
Dry Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- Whisk dry ingredients together.
- In a separate bowl, cream butter, syrup, and almond extract with an electric mixer. Add dry ingredients and beat together.
- Use your hands to gently knead the dough into a ball.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours or until completely firm. The dough should feel like a solid rock after it has completely chilled.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place a piece of parchment paper onto a flat surface, place the ball of dough in the center and gently flatten with your hands. It will become more workable as you pat it down.
- Place another piece of parchment over the dough and roll out to about 1/4-inch thick.
- Use an 8-ounce mason jar or circular cookie cutter to cut rounds.
- Remove the extra dough around the cookies and then place the parchment and cut out cookies right onto a large cookie sheet! This makes it so easy! No need to pick up each cookie and move it to a cookie sheet.
- Bake for 11 to 13 minutes. Watch them carefully! Once you see just a little bit of golden around the edges, they are done! 2 to 3 more minutes could completely brown them.
- Place cookies on a wire rack to cool.
Use this recipe in our Meal Planner
About the Author
Alissa Segersten, MS, CN
Alissa Segersten, MS, CN, is the founder of Nourishing Meals®, an online meal-planning membership with over 2000 nourishing recipes and tools to support dietary change and better health. As a functional nutritionist, professional recipe developer, and author of The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook, Nourishing Meals, and co-author of The Elimination Diet, she helps people overcome health challenges through food. A mother of five, Alissa understands the importance of creating nutrient-dense meals for the whole family. Rooted in science and deep nourishment, her work makes healthy eating accessible, empowering thousands to transform their well-being through food.Nourishing Meals Newsletter
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