Gluten-Free Vegan Almond Flour Shortbread Recipe
This gluten-free vegan shortbread recipe uses almond flour and brown rice flour to create a tender, buttery cookie that’s sweetened with maple syrup. The dough is chilled and baked to perfection, resulting in a soft, puffy or crisp classic shortbread cookie depending on the shape. Perfect for a make-ahead treat that’s dairy-free and refined-sugar-free.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 27 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 24 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups almond flour
- ½ cup brown rice flour
- ⅔ cup vegan butter (such as Earth Balance Baking Sticks)
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit (175° Celsius). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, beat the vegan butter, maple syrup, and salt together using a handheld mixer or a wooden spoon for 1-2 minutes. The mixture might look slightly separated, which is okay.
- Add Flours and Form Dough: Add the brown rice flour and almond flour to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed or with a fork until a loose dough forms, then use your hands to shape it into a ball.
- Chill Dough: Wrap the dough ball in parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes, or up to overnight for convenience. This chilling step is essential for easy handling and texture.
- Shape Cookies: For soft, puffy cookies, scoop 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into balls. Press gently into rounds about 1 cm (⅓ inch) thick. For a classic, crisper shortbread, roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to ¼ – ⅓ inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes, dusting parchment with rice flour if needed to prevent sticking. Carefully transfer cookies to the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 11-14 minutes until the bottoms turn golden brown. Note that rolled cookies bake faster than drop-style cookies.
- Cool: Remove the baking sheet and transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Let them cool completely before handling, as they firm up upon cooling.
- Store: Keep cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to three days, or freeze in an airtight container for up to one month.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is crucial for easier handling and achieving the right texture.
- Maple syrup provides a gentle sweetness without refined sugars.
- For a crisper cookie, roll dough thinner and use cookie cutters.
- If dough sticks when rolling, dust parchment paper lightly with rice flour.
- Use vegan butter sticks for best results to mimic traditional shortbread texture.
- Cookies firm up as they cool, so allow them to reach room temperature before serving or storing.
- These cookies are gluten-free, vegan, and refined sugar-free, making them suitable for many dietary needs.
