I was about to tell you that gluten-free shortbread are my favorite cookies. And then I thought of chocolate chip cookies. And sugar cookies. And lemon wafers. And then I realized that cookies are my favorite cookies.
Funny how that works!
Shortbread cookies, I must say, are right up there. Before going gluten-free, I’d often pick up a box of Walkers shortbread. They now make a gluten-free version. They are good! But they are pricey. So I still prefer making my own. I freeze the extras and then whenever I want a shortbread cookie, I head to the freezer.
Shortbread cookies are an old cookie. How old? Historians date shortbread to the medieval times. The first printed version appeared in 1736!
Made with flour and butter, two expensive ingredients, shortbread was often reserved for Yuletide baking. And to this day, Walkers sells more shortbread during the holiday season than any other time of year.
I’m guessing—and go with me here–that in 1736 people didn’t pull out their KitchenAid mixer to whip up a batch of shortbread. But I’m no historian. So what do I know?
While I use–and recommend using!— an electric mixer for making shortbread, there are some things to keep in mind to make the very best gluten-free shortbread.
Gluten-Free Shortbread Rule #1
Don’t overmix
Shortbread cookies are dense affairs. Over-mixing the butter causes their texture to become too light and crumbly. When preparing the dough, don’t cream the butter and sugar so much that it becomes light and fluffy.
Gluten-Free Shortbread Rule #2
Take your time
Since these cookies contain no eggs, there’s no moisture to coax the ingredients quickly into a dough. Once the dry ingredients are added to the butter and sugar paste, it takes a little while for a dough to form. At first the dough seems incredibly sandy–you might even worry that it’s not coming together—don’t fret like I did the first time I made a batch! The dough does come together after two or three minutes of mixing. Don’t rush it and don’t give up. The wait’s worth it.
Gluten-Free Shortbread Rule #3
Re-rolling is welcome
With no gluten to make things tough, you can roll and re-roll this dough until every last piece is used. Since these cookies are so rich, I make about two dozen 2 1/2-inch cookies from one batch, gathering and re-rolling the dough as needed to get this many cookies.
Gluten-Free Shortbread Rule #4
Use Butter (optional, sorta)
In my opinion, dairy-free shortbread is a skip. Butter is an essential ingredient in these cookies. Made with a dairy-free fat, I don’t think shortbread cookies are worth the time or the calories. Without butter, shortbreads main flavor, they just taste kind of flat. However, if you like the taste and texture of coconut oil or a different dairy-free fat, go ahead and give it a try. When selecting a dairy-free fat, be sure to use a solid fat, not a liquid oil.
Gluten-Free Shortbread Rule #5
Enjoy ’em, today or next week
Happily, gluten-free shortbread store really well. After you bake a batch, allow them to cool and then store them in an airtight container. They are good for a ridiculously long time! So you can make a batch now and still enjoy them next week or the week after!
Gluten-Free Shortbread
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups white rice flour (5 1/3 ounces; 151 grams)
- 1/2 cup sweet rice flour (2.5 ounces/ 70 grams)
- 1/2 cup cornstarch cup cornstarch (2 ounces/ 56 grams)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum this prevents the cookies from spreading
- 14 tablespoons butter, softened (7 ounces; 198 grams)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (5 1/4 ounces; 148 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 300°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In small bowl, whisk together white rice flour, sweet rice flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and xanthan gum. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar, and vanilla extract together, on medium-low speed, until a thick paste forms, about 30 seconds. Shut off stand mixer. Add dry ingredients. Turn on mixer and mix until a dough forms, about three minutes.
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Lightly white rice flour your countertop. Turn dough out onto counter and shape dough into a disk. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out, about 1/4-inch thick. Cut using a round cutter and place cookies on prepared baking sheet, about two inches apart. Chill cookies for ten minutes.
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Bake until cookies are lightly golden brown on the edges and aromatic, about 30 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the pan for five minutes and then transfer to wire rack to cool. Repeat using remaining dough.
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Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Janet Wells says
My husband has celiacs so I am always looking for good GF recipes. These were amazing. I will say that I did a small substitution. I used Bob’s Redmill 1:1 flour (it has Xantham gum in it) and then used coconut flour for the sweet flour. Turned out fantastic! Husband, son, SIL and everyone else loved them. Works well w a little lemon peel zested in for flavor too.
Also I made bars – easy to do in a shallow pan roughly 8×10. Pre-slice before baking and it will make for easy slicing afterwards. Also these are amazing dipped fully or partially in Godiva’s melting dark chocolate.
Thank you for this amazing recipe. It’s going to be a go- to for holiday gifts.
Ciaran Broadbery says
thank you Elizabeth for your recipe (Gluten free Shortbread) really works. I have added fudge and chocolate chips after I roll out and before I cut into shapes and this works terrific. I can get the fudge and chocolate chips in most stores ..tesco Lidle Aldi etc. the are already in tiny pieces..Thank You Elizabeth!!!!!
What I would love from someone is a recipe for Gluten -free (wheat free-yeastfree daity free) bread but one that turns out ” SOFT”. I generally make it with oats/oatflour etc..but it never turns out soft. no matter what i do.!!
Ciarán