Sweet and buttery, these almond flour shortbread cookies are the perfect sidekick to a cup of hot tea. Five ingredients and twenty minutes are all you need for these delightful gluten-free shortbread cookies.
I've always been a big fan of shortbread cookies. They seem unassuming, but it only takes one bite to realize their rich, buttery texture.
At first, I wasn't sure if almond flour would give that buttery and rich flavor I wanted in a shortbread cookie. Given the success I've had with almond flour in cookies, I decided to give it a try. They came out delicious! No surprise there!
Grain-Free Shortbread Cookies
These gluten-free shortbread cookies are also grain-free! I used only almond flour and a small amount of tapioca flour for binding.
Ingredients
You only need 5 ingredients for these almond flour shortbread cookies.
Butter - Butter is essential for that buttery flavor in a shortbread cookie. I always bake with unsalted butter because it allows me to control the amount and quality of salt in my baked goods.
Sugar - Some shortbread cookies call for regular sugar and some call for powdered sugar. I prefer the flavor of regular sugar.
Almond flour - Almond flour has a nutty taste and a slightly grainy texture that tastes delicious in cookies!
Tapioca flour - I like to use tapioca flour in almond flour recipes where I'm looking for a smoother texture. Tapioca is high in starch which makes it great for binding.
Salt - I use kosher salt in all of my recipes. It has a better taste and texture than table salt. If you use table salt, be sure to cut the amount in half or the cookie will be too salty.
How to Make Them
They're so simple to make. Here's how:
Cream the Butter & Sugar
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy - about three minutes.
Add Dry Ingredients
Add the almond flour, tapioca flour, and salt to the butter mixture. Beat until a cookie dough forms.
Cut Out & Bake
Roll out the dough and cut out the cookies or roll into a log and cut into seven cookies. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Enjoy!
Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes before eating or transferring, otherwise they will fall apart.
Recipe Tips & Substitutions
- If your butter is cold, you can microwave it in 5-second intervals until soft. It should be slightly too hard than too soft. The mixer will warm it up some as it beats.
- If you want to make these festive, roll them out and use fun cookie cutters then top with sprinkles or sparkle sugar.
- Use tapioca starch to keep the dough from sticking to the counter if you plan to roll and cut them out. Just a sprinkle should do it.
Variations
- Chocolate chip - Add mini chocolate chips to the dough for almond flour chocolate chip shortbread!
- Orange - Add one teaspoon of orange zest to the dough.
- Chocolate dipped - Dip the cookies in tempered chocolate and add sprinkles!
- Cinnamon - Add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to the dough.
Other Almond Flour Recipes You Might Love
- Almond Flour Banana Muffins
- Almond Flour Oatmeal Cookies
- Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies
- Almond Flour Cornbread [With Cornmeal]
- Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 tbsp tapioca flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy - about 3 minutes.
- Add the almond flour, tapioca flour, and kosher salt to the butter mixture and beat until well combined.
- Sprinkle some tapioca flour onto a clean work space and roll out the cookie dough. Cut out seven ¼ inch cookies. Alternatively, roll the dough into a log and cut seven cookies with a sharp knife.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Let the cookies cool for ten minutes. Enjoy!
Maryellen says
Can I substitute Honey for sugar by reducing butter? I am borderline diabetic controlled by diet.
Joyce says
I used monk fruit (doesn't spike blood sugar like honey does) in place of the sugar and used grass fed butter for a 'clean' or compliant cookie.
Jo M. Coner says
I made these lovely little cookies with added orange zest and I love them with a cup of tea. I was able to get 15 cookies cut from the rolled log of dough. I baked for 12 minutes. Not too sweet and I’m happy to have a gluten free treat!
Joyce says
When substituting the sugar for Monk Fruit, use 1/2 the amount called for (1/8c Monk Fruit vs 1/4c sugar).