Tender & Buttery Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies

Learn how to make gluten-free shortbread cookies with an extra easy, foolproof recipe! The secret to tender, classic GF shortbread, without a gritty, dry texture, is briefly chilling the dough and baking at a lower oven temperature. Choose between the slice and bake or cut-out method to make 4-ingredient, melt in your mouth biscuits.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

chiling 20

Total Time 50

Servings

Author Melissa Erdelac

Ingredients

14 tablespoons unsalted butter softened, but still slightly chilled
¾ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¾ cup gluten free all purpose flour I use and highly recommend Cup4Cup gluten-free flour

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, and salt until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the vanilla.
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¾ cup powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add the gluten-free flour and mix on low speed to combine. At first the dough will look dry and crumbly. As the mixture combines more, the flour will incorporate with the butter and you will have a stiff dough. (See "Troubleshooting Tips" in recipe notes if dough does not come together.)
1 ¾ cup gluten free all purpose flour

Slice and Bake Shortbread

Tear off about a 12-inch strip of parchment paper. Place the dough on the paper and shape into a log. Roll to smooth. Lift up the parchment closest to you and roll with the dough to smooth the dough further. (See picture in post)
Roll until the parchment is wrapped completely around and chill for 20 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 325℉.
Unwrap the dough. Roll the log again to rid it of the flat side. Use a sharp knife to slice into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Place on ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. If not baking all at one time, store the unbaked cookies in the fridge until ready to bake.
Bake for 20-22 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Cut Out Shortbread Cookies

Once the dough is made, wrap securely in plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick. Press cookie or biscuit cutters into the dough. Alternatively, slice the dough into 3 X 1-inch rectangles. Transfer shapes to baking sheets and then repeat with leftover dough, rolling the remaining 1/2-inch thick until no dough remains. If not baking all at one time, store the unbaked cookies in the fridge until ready to bake.
Bake for 20-22 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Notes

Troubleshooting Tips

Dough doesn't come together during mixing. First try mixing it a little longer. It takes a minute or two for the fat to incorporate with the flour. If using a different GF flour, rather than the recommended Cup4Cup, it possibly absorbs moisture at a different rate. Add a few drops of water at a time and continue to mix until the dough just comes together. Be care to not add too much water or the shortbread will spread during baking.
Dough falls apart when slicing or rolling out. The dough needs to be chilled, but if it is very cold it will crumble slightly when working with it. If it is too frustrating to work with, leave the dough out at room temperature to soften slightly then try again.
Dough is too soft / sticky. As the dough warms up it will become sticky. I like working on a marble pastry board because it keeps dough chilled so you don't have to introduce more flour to prevent stickiness. First try to briefly chill the dough to re-solidify the butter slightly. You can also rub a little GF flour on the rolling pin or sprinkle a tiny bit of flour on your work surface.
Cookies spread during baking. Make sure the cookies are chilled when placing in the oven. If you are not baking all the dough at once, store unbaked cookies or dough in the refrigerator until ready to bake.

Storing / Make-Ahead / Freezing

Store baked cookies in an airtight container up to 2 days. The cookies are best the day they are made because GF baked goods lose moisture quickly. If you would like to make them ahead of time, use one of the options below.

The dough may be made up 1 day ahead of time. Wrap securely and store in the refrigerator. When ready to use, set it out for 20-30 minutes to soften slightly before rolling or slicing.

For longer storage you may also freeze the dough before baking. Wrap securely and freeze the dough before shaping. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then sit out at room temp for 20-30 minutes before shaping.

For ready-made cookies (great for holiday parties), shape the cookies and freeze on lined baking sheets. Once solid, gently stack in a ziplock freezer bag and freeze up to 6 weeks. When ready to serve, bake from frozen, adding one minute to the baking time.

Nutrition