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Bake this buttery, crisp, gluten free shortbread in one of those fancy British shortbread pans with only 5 simple pantry ingredients. Sprinkle the top with some powdered sugar, and impress your guests the easiest way possible!
Why this recipe works
Crisp and tender, with melt-in-your-mouth crumbles, this easy recipe is made with only 5 simple ingredients: gluten free flour, butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla. It's the simplest recipes that require the most precise ingredients in the right balance.
Be sure you measure your ingredients by weight, since it's impossible to avoid human error when measuring ingredients by volume. And use butter that's at cool room temperature, which means it's not at all greasy.
The temperature of the butter will warm up just enough when you beat it properly with the light brown sugar. If the butter starts out too warm, the shortbread will be chewy instead of tender.
This recipe also requires a pan made from cast aluminum, that's truly nonstick but greased fully with butter, and that's light in color so it doesn't attract or retain too much heat.
We love our cookies around here so if you do too be sure to try out my gluten free sugar cookies, my gluten free mexican wedding cookies and gluten free spritz cookies.
Making shortbread cookies in a pan
Whenever I've shared other shortbread recipes like our classic gluten free shortbread cookies with flavor variations, I'm often asked if they can be baked in a pan. I honestly didn't know the answer, so I started to experiment!
When I tried baking each of those recipes, as written, in an English shortbread pan like you see above, the cookies were terrible! They were way too dry and crumbly, likely because they had to be baked too long for the amount of gluten free flour in the recipe.
To bake gluten free shortbread in a pan, I learned, you need less gluten free flour, on balance. You also need to beat the butter and the sugar together quite well, and to use a flour blend with less starch.
The pan I use, and that you see in the photos here, is a cast aluminum nonstick “English shortbread pan” made by Nordic Ware. I think King Arthur Flour makes another, similar pan. Be sure yours is nonstick and light in color, so the shortbread doesn't burn or stick to the pan.
Expert tips
This recipe works like a charm when it's made exactly as written. But some more detail can be quite useful, so here goes:
Working with the raw dough
This raw shortbread dough isn't especially wet, especially when compared to other gluten free cookies. But it will still stick to your fingers as you scrape it off the spatula and out of the mixing bowl. That's part of why we let it rest before pressing it into the pan.
Dock the dough
Docking raw dough of any kind means piercing small holes into it, usually with the tines of a fork. It helps air escape during baking that might cause unsightly bubbles in the cookies.
Use the right doneness test
This shortbread is ready when it no longer has a wet shine, even all the way in the center of the pan.
Removing the shortbread from the pan
To remove the shortbread from the pan in one piece, let it cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, undisturbed. Then, run a thin knife or spatula around the edge so it doesn't cling to the pan, place a cutting board or other flat surface on top of the pan, then invert both over quickly. The shortbread will come right out.
Slice immediately
You can make the cleanest cut in shortbread baked in a pan when it's still a bit warm from the oven, since it will crisp as it cools. Cut along those perforations left by the pattern in the pan the moment you turn it out.
Ingredient substitutions and variations
This is a very, very simple recipe, so substitutions can be risky. It's already egg-free, and if you're interested in trying to accommodate other food allergies, here is what I recommend (although I can't promise results):
Dairy free
I think you should be able to make this recipe with block-style vegan butter in place of dairy butter. Try Melt brand or Miyoko's Kitchen brand vegan butter. Don't use Earth Balance buttery sticks, as they contain way to much moisture.
Vegan
If you replace the butter with vegan butter, these cookies are vegan! There's no egg or other animal product in this recipe as written.
Topping suggestions
I briefly considered dipping the underside of each of these cookies in melted chocolate, much like we did our gluten free coconut macaroons. I was thinking they may look like the LU Petit Ecolier, or Little Schoolboy, cookies I really love.
You can also try sprinkling the top of the shaped raw cookie dough, which does end up being the bottom of the cookies, with coarse sugar before baking. I'd also brush the surface with a bit of water first to help the sugar crystals adhere.
You might be able to fix a few miniature chocolate chips into the cookie dough for some subtle variation, but I wouldn't add more than 2 ounces.
Can I use cookie cutters for this recipe?
No, I don't recommend using this same recipe for cutout cookies. This recipe is designed to be made in a single layer in a pan. For cutout cookies, try using our gluten free sablé cookies.
If you want another quick and easy treat, my granola bar recipe is perfect for you!
Storage instructions
To maintain the shortbread's texture, allow them to cool completely, then store in a sealed glass container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Storing anything crispy in plastic will encourage the baked goods to absorb more moisture and become chewy.
For longer storage, you can flash-freeze the cut cookies in a single layer on a small baking sheet. Then, pile them into a freezer-safe container (plastic is fine in the freezer, just limit trapped air as much as possible) and store for up to 3 months.
Classic Gluten Free Shortbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons (140 g) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- ½ cup (109 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups (210 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend, (See Recipe Notes)
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum, omit if your blend already contains it
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. This recipe works best with a 9-inch x 9-inch nonstick English shortbread pan. (See Recipe Notes)
- Chop the butter into cubes about 1 tablespoon each. Place them, with the sugar, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl with a handheld mixer.
- Beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, pausing to scrape down the bowl as necessary (at least 3 minutes). Add the vanilla and salt, and beat to combine.
- Add the flour, and xanthan gum, and mix until just combined. The dough will seem crumbly at first, but just keep mixing until it comes together.
- Place the cookie dough in plastic wrap and press it into a disk. Allow it rest at room temperature for at least 10 minutes and up to one half hour.
- Unwrap the cookie cookie dough and transfer it to the prepared baking pan. Using clean hands, press the cookie dough into an even layer in the pan.
- Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the pan, and press it into an even layer using the palms of your hands and/or a bowl or bench scraper.
- Remove the paper, then pierce the cookie dough all over with the tines of a fork to prevent bubbles from forming during baking. This is called docking.
- Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake until lightly golden brown on the edges and set all the way to the center (about 18 minutes). It’s set in the center when it no longer glistens.
- Remove the pan from the oven allow it to cool for about 10 minutes, or until no longer hot to the touch (but still warm). The baked shortbread is easiest to work with when it’s still warm.
- Run a thin spatula very carefully around the edge of the pan to free the cookies from the pan. Place a large, flat cutting board on top of the pan.
- Invert both the pan and the cutting board, together, and carefully lift the pan off the cookies.
- Using a large, sharp knife, slice along the perforations in the cookies that the pan has left. . Allow the cookies to cool completely.
- Dust with the optional confectioners’ sugar before serving. Store any leftover cookies in a sealed glass container at room temperature or in the freezer for longer storage.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made these today. I timed them, went step by step. They came out doughy. Any suggestions? The taste was on point.
Hi, Valerie, unfortunately, everyone believes they followed a recipe exactly, at least to the extent that matters, but everything matters in baking and most people have unconscious habits in the kitchen. Here are the general troubleshooting questions I always recommend asking yourself: 1. Did you use one of my recommended gluten free flour blends? 2. Did you measure by weight, not volume? 3. Did you make ingredient substitutions? 4. Were your ingredients at room temperature and combined as directed in the recipe?
I literally just took them out of the oven! Delicious!! I am so pleased thank you. :-)
You’re so welcome, Matt! Love to hear it! Thank you for sharing your experience.
Delicious cookies. I will keep and make these often! The powdered sugar on top is yummy
So glad you enjoyed them, Lorraine!
I made this as written the first time – fantastic. The second time I added ½ t. matcha powder and used Country Crock non-diary sticks. Still fantastic. Then I diagonally dipped half of each cookie in white chocolate and gave them as a hostess gift for a dinner party. The hostess served them to rave reviews and I got requests for the recipe. I kept the GF part a secret and no one knew the difference.
I made this the first time as the recipe is written – fantastic! Second time I added ½ t matcha powder and made it with Country Crock non-dairy sticks instead of butter and it was still fantastic. I did a diagonal dip in white chocolate and they were good enough to use as a hostess gift for a dinner party (the hostess served them to rave reviews). Another winner!
That’s great to know that the Country Crock sticks did a great job, Mary! Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I have thought about trying the sticks, and now I’ll really have to!
Was wondering, do you think this could be used in a cheesecake crust?
I don’t think I’d recommend that, Melissa. They’re not crispy inside. For that, you’re better off with a crispy vanilla cookie, if you’d like vanilla, like our gluten free vanilla wafers, for example.
OK, I scrolled on down and found that you had already answered my ceramic pan question. Thanks!
I am eagerly awaiting delivery of my Nicole’s Best flour order. I should be able to use it in the shortbread, true? Also, have you tried Authentic foods Classic Blend? It also uses the fine ground rice flour you recommend, so I was curious if you had experimented with it? I realize you may have answered this already in another post, but I did not see it when I read your discussion of various flours – which is a very useful resource.
Thanks
Marcia
Hi, Marcia, Yes, you can use Nicole’s Best in any recipe on the site that calls for an all purpose gluten free flour blend with the recommended amount of xanthan gum added (since the blend doesn’t contain any). You can even use Nicole’s Best in any recipe that calls for my gum-free gluten free flour blend, and just don’t add any xanthan gum. I have tried Authentic Food’s Classic Blend. It does have high quality ingredients, and I’ve found that it works in many recipes. Since it can be quite difficult to find and it’s not inexpensive, it’s not a blend that I have tested that widely and don’t make a point of recommending it actively. I hope that’s helpful!
Can I use a ceramic shortbread mold? I have 2 Brown Bag brand molds. I love shortbread!
If I can use them, should I grease them with butter?
Thanks.
Marcia
I converted this recipe to New Mexican “biscochitos.” To make a double recipe, I added 1 tsp of ground anise to the dough, reducing the vanilla by half. After baking it in a 10×15 jelly roll pan for 23 min, I spread cinnamon sugar (3/4 tsp cinnamon in 1/4 cup white sugar) over the top as it was cooling, then inverted onto a board and spread more cinnamon sugar on the other side before cutting.
Also, because I live at very high elevation (7000 ft), I used my standard substitution of butter-flavored Crisco for 1/2 of the butter, reducing the salt by half to compensate.
I think they turned out quite well, and they’ll go head-to-head with “real” biscochitos at brunch tomorrow. I love that this recipe is free from eggs as well as gluten. Great option!
Thank you for sharing your adjustments, particularly the high altitude ones as that’s a condition I can’t recreate! So glad you loved the recipe.
I made these cookies following ALL the instructions and recommendations, including the suggested flour and using a gram scale. When I took the cookies out of the oven to cool they immediately started to sag, like a cheesecake will do if it cools too fast. By the time they had cooled enough to flip over, the sides were normal height with the rest of the pan dropping lower. When I flipped the pan over the cookies cracked because there was nothing supporting the center (only the edges were touching the cutting board).
When baked goods rise and then fall as they cool, they were underbaked, generally, Katherine. It sounds like the center wasn’t baked all the way through. If you used any ingredient substitutions and/or didn’t use butter at cool room temperature, didn’t allow the cookie dough to rest, etc., that might have contributed, too.