Description
These delicious gluten-free shortbread cookies are the perfect base for your favorite mix-ins—dried fruit, nuts, seeds, grated citrus peel—the combinations are endless!
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (vegan butter or coconut oil can also be use, but cookies may spread a little more)
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 cups gluten-free flour blend (I used this blend: 2/3 cup finely ground almond flour
, 2/3 cup brown rice flour
, & 2/3 cup corn starch
) Regular all-purpose flour can also be used.
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- optional mix-ins:
- –zest of 2 lemons + 2–3 tablespoons poppy seeds
(to taste)
- –1/2 cups each coarsely chopped pistachios
+ dried cranberries
- –2/3 cups coarsely chopped dried apricots
+ 2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon thyme (to taste)
- parchment paper
, 
, & 
) Regular all-purpose flour can also be used.
(to taste)
+ 
+ 2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon thyme (to taste)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine softened butter and maple syrup. Mix until well blended. Add almond flour, brown rice flour, cornstarch, and salt. Blend until well incorporated, about 1-2 minutes, and then mix in vanilla extract. Dough will be thick, but soft and a little tacky.
- Stir in optional mixings and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Divide the dough onto two large squares of parchment paper. Shape dough into a 6 to 8-inch log. Fold one side of the parchment over the dough and tuck under the log shape. Continue to roll the dough in the parchment, until all the parchment is wrapped around and dough is pretty evenly distributed. Twist each end of the parchment to keep tightly wrapped, like a candy wrapper. Refrigerate logs for several hours, or until completely chilled. This helps the cookies hold their shape.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F. Remove dough from the refrigerator, unwrap, and cut log into ¼-inch slices. Place slices about 2-inches apart onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned and center is set. The cookies will be pretty light in color. Allow to cool fully before removing from pan. Can be crumbly if handled when they’re hot. Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days in a cool place.
- Alternatively, you can roll chilled dough out to about ¼-inch thick (I recommend rolling between two pieces of parchment paper to keep dough from sticking to the rolling pin) and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Place shaped cookies onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges of cookies are lightly browned.
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Dessert, Gluten-Free