Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies

This gluten-free version of my classic shortbread has the perfect butter-y flavor and just-right level of sweetness you expect in shortbread. If you — or someone you love — have eliminated gluten from your diet and are missing shortbread, give this a try. No one will guess that it’s gluten-free.

Shortbread is usually a bit crumbly so making it into a rollout cookie can be a challenge. This version maintains the “integrity” of shortbread while being able to handle as much embellishing as you want to add.

Recipe

Ingredients

114g (8 tablespoons / 4 oz) salted butter, softened (Kerrygold or other European butter recommended)

¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract (yes...tablespoon)

2 teaspoons water

1 teaspoon meringue powder

170g (about 1¼ cups) Erika’s All Purpose Gluten Free Flour Mix

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Xanthan gum

Frosting, glaze, or icing (optional)

Yield: 1½ dozen 3" cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Bake Time: 10-14 minutes

Total Time: 20-24 minutes

Type of Recipe:
Cutout Cookies, Gluten Free

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover baking sheets with Silpat mats (or parchment paper) and set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
Mix the vanilla extract and water together in a small bowl; add the meringue powder and stir until it’s dissolved.
Add the vanilla mixture to the mixing bowl and mix until combined; scrape down sides of the bowl to incorporate all the ingredients.
Whisk together the flour, salt and Xanthan gum.
Add ¾ cup of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and mix until well incorporated.
Add the remaining flour mixture until the dough begins to form a ball and pull away from the sides of the bowl. Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl, incorporating all ingredients.
Roll out dough between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap to ¼-inch thickness. Cut out desired shapes.
Bake 2½- to 3-inch cookies 10 minutes, rotate and bake 3-5 minutes more until the edges are a light golden brown. Bake mini cookies 10 minutes, rotate the baking sheet and bake another 1-3 minutes.
Cool on baking sheets at least 5 minutes before moving cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
If desired, decorate with royal icing, glaze, frosting, sprinkles, fondant, etc.

Recipe Notes

This recipe can be doubled or even tripled with no problem.
I always weigh my ingredients and with gluten-free baking that is even more critical to achieving a successful outcome. If you haven’t invested in a food scale yet, now is the time. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just accurate.
Rolling the dough between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap instead of on a floured surface keeps the dough from sticking to your rolling pin and counter. It also keeps the dough pliable and saves it from getting dry and cracking as you re-roll the scraps.
I haven’t tried this with any other gluten-free flour blends but if you do, please leave a comment to let me know how it goes.
The meringue powder is key for making rollout shortbread cookies. Without it, they are quite fragile and will fall apart from too much handling.
Depending on the weather, I sometimes have to add an extra tablespoon or two of gluten-free flour. As you work with the dough, you be able to tell if it needs that or not.
The glaze is totally optional. I actually prefer shortbread plain but this cookie certainly makes a tasty canvas for all kinds of sugar-y bling.
Shortbread will keep for up to 3 weeks in an airtight container. Unfrosted cookies can be frozen for up to 2 months. Mine never seem to last that long!