Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies
Classic buttery shortbread with a crisp, sandy snap, made from just butter, sugar, salt and a gluten-free flour blend with a little rice flour. Pressed into a pan, scored and baked low and slow, it cuts into 16 neat fingers.
At a glance: This easy desserts recipe yields 16 servings in about 1h 45m (15 min prep, 40 min cook). It uses 7 ingredients — including salted or unsalted butter, granulated sugar, salt — and walks through 6 steps. Updated . Browse more desserts recipes or return to all gluten-free recipes.
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Cross-Contamination Warning for Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies: When preparing this desserts recipe, store gluten-free shortbread in its own tin, away from other holiday cookies, because crumbs from standard cookies transfer easily. Flour dust travels. Bake this on a day the kitchen is not also handling flour that contains gluten, use clean bowls, beaters and baking sheets, and keep the gluten-free flour blend in its own sealed container.
Gluten-Free Notes for Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies: Shortbread is normally just butter, sugar and flour that contains gluten. Here a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend and white rice flour take the place of that flour. Use rice flour, vanilla and a flour blend labeled gluten-free.
Ingredients
Shop links on this page are for granulated sugar, plus 1 tbsp for sprinkling, pure vanilla extract, gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Buy the package that says gluten-free. A shared production line is the usual risk with these pantry items. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Confirm the product is labeled gluten-free before you buy.
Instructions
Tips & Notes
- Cut the shortbread along the scored lines while it is still hot from the oven. Once it cools it sets crisp and shatters instead of cutting cleanly.
- Use the best butter you can find. With only four main ingredients, the butter is the flavor of the shortbread.
- The white rice flour gives the classic sandy texture. If the shortbread tastes gritty, rest the pressed dough in the fridge for an hour before baking so the rice flour absorbs more moisture.
Common questions
How long does Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies take?
Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies takes about 1 hour 45 minutes, including resting time: 15 minutes to prep and 40 minutes to cook, for 16 servings.
What should I check before making Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies with celiac disease?
Written with gluten-free ingredients. Use products labeled gluten-free, check labels, and ask your clinician about your own needs.
What cross-contamination risk is specific to Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies?
Check salted or unsalted butter, softened, granulated sugar, plus 1 tbsp for sprinkling, salt before they go into Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies. Store gluten-free shortbread in its own tin, away from other holiday cookies, because crumbs from standard cookies transfer easily. Flour dust travels. Bake this on a day the kitchen is not also handling flour that contains gluten, use clean bowls, beaters and baking sheets, and keep the gluten-free flour blend in its own sealed container.
Which gluten-free swaps does Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies use?
Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies relies on a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, rice flour, xanthan gum. Keep those gluten-free-labeled products in place of a gluten-containing flour or sauce. If the blend already lists xanthan gum, do not add a second binder unless this recipe says to.
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Recipes and images may be created with AI assistance. They pass automated checks, and the team reviews flagged items.
