In this post: Shortbread is a yummy winter treat. Here’s an easy GLUTEN-FREE shortbread cookie recipe made with white chocolate and toffee.
Shortbread is a delicious standard holiday treat to share with family and friends! Check out these easy gluten-free shortbread cookies made with white chocolate and toffee. Learn how to make them yourself with these step-by-step instructions!
Table of Contents
What is Shortbread?
Shortbread is a traditional Scottish biscuit that doesn’t contain any leavening. It’s called shortbread based on the old meaning of the word “short,” being the opposite of long and stretchy. Shortbread is popular around Hogmanay celebrations in Scotland as well as around Christmastime all over the world!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This gluten-free shortbread recipe:
- is quick and easy to make
- doesn’t require fancy equipment or hard-to-find ingredients
- is totally adaptable to any dietary restrictions or allergies (see below for ideas)
Equipment Needed to Make Cookies
Like I said before, this gluten-free shortbread recipe doesn’t use any fancy equipment! You just need:
- Kitchen basics: bowls, a whisk, measuring cups, and measuring spoons.
- Parchment paper
- A rolling pin
- Cookie cutters
- A baking sheet
Gluten-Free Shortbread Ingredients
- Bobs Red Mills one-for-one gluten-free flour: you can also create your own mix of gluten-free flour, but using this is much easier!
- Salted butter: gives rich flavor, structure, and moisture to shortbread.
- Pure maple syrup: this is different from table syrup! It adds moisture and sweetness to this recipe.
- Granulated sugar: locks in moisture and adds structure and sweetness.
- Sea salt: adds flavor and makes the dough tighter.
- White chocolate: for melting and dipping the cookies in.
- Toffee bits: for added flavor and crunch.
- White nonpareils: tiny white sprinkles made of sugar. These are added for flavor, texture, and fun!
Variations
- Dip the shortbread in other kinds of melted chocolate!
- Add mini chocolate chips to the dough
- Mix in 1 teaspoon of instant coffee
- Make it fall-themed by adding some Pumpkin Spice Seasoning!
- Add different colors of sprinkles
- Add a teaspoon of almond or vanilla extract
How to Make Easy Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies
1. Combine the butter, salt, sugar, and maple syrup together until smooth and creamy.
2. Slowly mix in the gluten-free flour until you have a thick batter.
3. Chill for about ten minutes in the bowl.
4. Then remove from the bowl and roll out on parchment paper until it is about 1/3 of an inch thick. Place the rolled-out dough in the freezer for 10 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut the dough. The near-frozen dough should give you perfectly crisp lines and cookies that hold their shape well when transferring.
7. Bake on the parchment paper for about 10 to 12 minutes – the time could vary widely depending on the size and thickness of the cookies so keep a close eye on them after they’ve been in there for a few minutes. You’ll want to pull them when they no longer look like dough and before they start to brown at all.
8. While the cookies are cooling (preferably on a wire rack) you can melt the white chocolate (use the package instructions for melting). Dip the cooled cookies into the white chocolate then return to the parchment paper. Sprinkle with the toffee and nonpareils.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with teas like chai, English breakfast, and earl gray.
- This shortbread also goes well with Butterscotch Hot Chocolate and Coconut Rum Hot Cocoa.
- Another wonderful drink to accompany these cookies is coffee!
- Who doesn’t love a collection of delicious cookies? Serve this shortbread with these Paleo Shortbread Cookies and my grandma’s Peanut Butter Cookies.
Tips
Don’t overmix
Shortbread cookies are meant to be dense. Too much mixing will add a bunch of air which interrupts the dense consistency!
Take your time
The dough may take a few minutes to mix together, don’t give up lovely!
Re-rolling is welcome
Because the gluten-free dough is less tough, you can roll and re-roll to your heart’s content! This benefit of gluten-free baking ensures you get the most out of your dough.
FAQ
Are shortbread cookies gluten-free?
Classic shortbread cookies are not gluten-free but it is easy to make them gluten-free!
How do you make gluten-free shortbread cookies less crumbly?
Make sure your butter is not cold and you have beaten the mixture until creamy before adding the flour. Once the flour is added, make sure you only mix until combined; overmixing can cause crumbly cookies.
Can I make your gluten-free shortbread biscuits recipe dairy-free?
Trade the butter for a dairy-free substitute and skip the white chocolate and toffee additions and you’ve got yourself dairy-free shortbread!
Can I make your gluten-free shortbread biscuits recipe vegan?
Because this recipe is already made without eggs, all you have to do to make it vegan is replace the butter with a vegan substitute and skip the white chocolate and toffee decorations!
Can I make gluten-free shortbread cookie dough in advance?
These gluten-free shortbread cookies are best when the cookie dough is used right away. However, you can keep the finished shortbread cookies in the freezer for up to 3 months!
Can I use cookie cutters for this gluten-free cookie recipe?
This recipe is designed for you to use cookie cutters! Some other varieties of shortbread are made in a pan but this one is perfect for those cute cookie cutters you’ve been saving!
How to know when your gluten-free shortbread is ready
You will know your gluten-free shortbread is ready when there is no more wet shine – i.e., they stop looking like dough – but they have not started browning.
How to Store
Wait until the shortbread is cooled then store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days! You can freeze this gluten-free shortbread for up to 3 months.
Dietary Considerations
- This recipe is designed to be 100% gluten-free, so no need to worry about that!
- You can make this recipe dairy-free by replacing the butter with a dairy-free substitute.
- Because there are no eggs in this recipe, you can make this shortbread vegan by substituting the butter for a vegan replacement.
Easy Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies
Shortbread is a yummy winter treat. Here's an easy GLUTEN-FREE shortbread cookie recipe made with white chocolate and toffee.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups Bobs Red Mills one-for-one gluten-free flour
- 1 cup of salted butter
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon quality salt
- white chocolate for melting
- toffee bits
- tiny white nonpareils
Instructions
- Combine the butter, salt, sugar, and maple syrup together until smooth and creamy.
- Slowly mix in the gluten-free flour until you have a thick batter.
- Chill for about ten minutes in the bowl.
- Then remove from the bowl and roll out on parchment paper until it is about 1/3 of an inch thick. Place the rolled-out dough in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut the dough, near frozen dough should give you perfectly crisp lines and cookies that hold their shape well when transferring.
- Bake on the parchment paper for about 10 to 12 minutes-this time could vary widely depending on the size and thickness of the cookies so keep a close eye on them after they’ve been in there for a few minutes. You’ll want to pull them when they no longer look like dough and before they start to brown at all.
- While the cookies are cooling you can melt the white chocolate (use the package instructions for melting). Dip the cookies into the white chocolate then return to the parchment paper. Sprinkle with the toffee and nonpareils.
Notes
These freeze like a dream! Simply keep them in an air tight container until you’re ready to enjoy them.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 258Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 307mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 0gSugar: 15gProtein: 2g
