Traditional Scottish shortbread couldn't be any easier! These soft 3-ingredient Classic Gluten-Free Vegan Shortbread Cookies are allergy-free and sugar-free! A simple sweet biscuit for coffee or tea and an essential holiday recipe!
And you thought you could no longer have your favorite buttery soft shortbread anymore! Don't worry! You'll still be able to swipe these sweet and soft Scottish biscuits from the cookie platter now that you have this gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-free recipe! With this base recipe for allergy-free shortbread you'll be able to add any flavors or add-ins your heart desires!
What are shortbread cookies?
Shortbread originated in Scotland, is popular throughout the UK, and are typically called biscuits (as that region tends to call cookies, biscuits). Shortbread is called "shortbread" for the short and simple ingredients required to make them! 1 part sugar, 2 parts butter, 3 parts flour! That's the recipe in the simplest of variations and these cookies are baked at a low temperature until lightly golden brown and fully sliced while they're cooling (they remind me of biscuits). They firm up once cooled and can get a bit crumbly. Shortbread was typically reserved for celebrations, Christmas and weddings, back in the day, but are also that perfect subtly sweet and buttery treat for afternoon tea!
What ingredients do you need for gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-free shortbread cookies?
Since you only need 3 ingredients for standard shortbread, swapping ingredients 1-to-1 with allergy-free alternatives is rather simple. Sugar stays are sugar (or erythritol, which is what I'm using for this recipe), butter swaps with vegan/allergy-free butter (I used MELT organic), and flour simply swaps with gluten-free all-purpose! Totally optional, but I like to add some pure vanilla extract to the base recipe. From there though, you are free to add any fun additions you'd like! Cinnamon, ginger, lavender, a different flavored extract. If you want to get really crafty, you can dip the finished cookies in some chocolate!
How do you make classic shortbread cookies?
Not as simple as the short ingredient list, but pretty straight forward nonetheless! You mix the sugar (sweetener), butter (cold and cubed), and flour together to form a typical cookie dough. Then you chill the dough for an hour or two, I ended up chilling my dough overnight. Then you let the dough come to room temperature a bit while you press it into a lined 8x8 (or 9x9) inch square baking dish. Flattened it, smooth it out. Then score the dough into a bar or square shape and prick the scored sections with a fork so the middle of the dough will cook. Then bake the shortbread, for 35-40 minutes, remove and slice carefully, all the way through with a very sharp knife. Lift the parchment paper out and easily and safely remove the shortbread cookies and let them cool completely on a wire rack!
Can you make shortbread cookies with cookie cutters instead?
You can! While thick bars/squares are the traditional shape for these biscuits, you can make circles, stars, triangles, etc. You can either use the same method above and score the dough differently for shapes like triangles or you can actually go with cookie cutters. You'll still need to chill the dough after you mix the ingredients together, then you can roll the dough out as you would with cut-out cookies and use your cookie cutter of choice to make the shapes. You make need to adjust the baking time, however. Watch them closely while they are baking in the oven!
Is shortbread a Christmas cookie or an everyday biscuit?
Both! While you see shortbread cookies everywhere during the holidays (i.e. Christmas!), you also see shortbread on the grocery store shelves year-round! Now that you have this perfectly gluten-free, vegan, allergy-free recipe, why wouldn't you make shortbread cookies a bit more often? No dairy, no eggs, no nuts, no soy, no gluten! I ever swapped out the sugar for you so they're a bit healthier, perfect for that nighttime or afternoon coffee or tea! They are more than perfect for adding to Santa's cookie plate too (he told me, btw!) Soft, buttery, slightly sweet, and perfect for dunking (into a cold glass of non-dairy milk!)
More Christmas Cookie Recipes:
- Soft Molasses Cookies
- White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies
- Classic Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies
- Cut-Out Sugar Cookies with Sugar-Free Icing
- Grain-Free Italian Wedding Snowball Cookies
- Perfect Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Classic Gluten-Free Vegan Shortbread Cookies
3-Ingredient Classic Gluten-Free Vegan Shortbread Cookies (Allergy-Free)
Traditional Scottish shortbread couldn't be any easier! These soft 3-ingredient Classic Gluten-Free Vegan Shortbread Cookies are allergy-free and sugar-free! A simple sweet biscuit for coffee or tea and an essential holiday recipe!
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 16 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Scottish
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour (or Baking Flour)
- 1 Cup (2 Sticks) Vegan/Allergy-Free Butter (I use MELT)
- ½ (to ¾) Cup Erythritol (or preferred granulated sweetener)
- 1 Tsp Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract (optional)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, butter (cubed or cut into chunks), sweetener, and any other flavorings you are using.
- Mix and knead the dough together, using your hands, and make sure the butter is fully incorporated.
- Chill the dough for at least 1 hour in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Line an 8x8 or 9x9 inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough a few minutes before you try pressing it into the pan or rolling it out for the cut-out method.
- Press the dough into the lined pan, about ½ inch thickness, and smooth out the top.
- Take a sharpe knife to score your bars or squares and prick the centers with a fork.
- Bake the shortbread in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes.
- Remove the shortbread and while still warm, fully slice through the scored sections.
- Lift the cookies out of the pan, using the parchment paper and then transfer each cookie carefully to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
Like I mentioned, dipping these gluten-free vegan shortbread cookies into some melted chocolate would be a really delicious idea and a fantastic way to dress them up for gifting this holiday season! Funny though, just like with the snowball cookies, the shortbread was never a go-to holiday cookie pick for me. Until I had the itch, the craving, to make them now, when I couldn't have "the real thing". I guess that's just the way to cookie crumbles!
So tell me:
+ What flavors or add-ins would you use in your shortbread?
———————————————-
Stay connected: Facebook: Strength and Sunshine Twitter: @RebeccaGF666 Instagram: rebeccagf666 Pinterest: RebeccaGF666 Bloglovin’: Strength and Sunshine
Tammy
What you recommend for storage? I'm looking at baking different types of cookies for Christmas, and I'd like to freeze them. Would this be recommended?
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You should be able to freeze them like any other cookie.
Lee MacArthur
Wish I'd seen this recipe earlier today. I could have made these for tomorrow's pot luck. Thank you for sharing, I'll keep these in mind for the next one.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Still plenty of holiday opportunities to bake them up!
Erlene
I love shortbread cookies, it's one of my favorites.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
O that's great to hear!
Donna Parker
This looks delicious and easy! Thank you, shared and bookmarked and soon to be tried! 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hope you enjoy them this holiday season!
Sockwun
I love shortbread, and this recipe makes it sound so easy to make! Thank you for sharing, Rebecca!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Shortbread is so easy!
Levana
Having a child with Celiac I always appreciate new recipes for gluten free baking. This is so simple I can't wait to try it. I'm sure my daughter will thank you!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Well let me know if you try them out! Strength and Sunshine is here for all your recipe needs!
Rudy Stankowitz
As Giada would say, this looks super yummy!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
She says that?
Susan Franklin
I love shortbread cookies, especially with tea! To have a recipe that is healthier is priceless! Thank you!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
They are the perfect sweet bite with tea!
Susan
These look so delicious! I love shortbread cookies! I'm not vegan and not allergic to gluten! But, would still try these! My sister is gluten sensitive so this would be great for her 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Can't be allergic to gluten, anyway, but enjoy!
Kaylene
These look great! I have a friend looking for a gluten free shortbread recipe, I will pass this on to him
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Perfect timing then!
Shar
These cookies look absolutely delicious! Thanks for the recipe
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I hope you enjoy them!
Jessica
A simple and healthy recipe to love 🙂 Thank you, Rebecca, for sharing another awesome recipe.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Not too healthy! There is tons of butter!
Leigh Suznovich
YUM, love shortbread with a good cup of tea.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
An essential!
Amanda Rosson
Love this and how easy to make it is and how simple the ingredients are! I'm trying to switch to a gluten-free diet for health reasons and am always on the lookout for recipes like this of treats I can make for myself!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Gluten-free is a medical diet for celiacs 🙂
Erin | The Epicurean Traveler
Those look so good! I love shortbread cookies this time of year to dunk into my tea.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
They are the perfect accompaniment!
Jane
Wow this is just amazing! And it require only 3 ingredients. The steps is not as simple as I think tho. But I know its worth to try!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
All classic shortbread is 3 ingredients!
Rachel
You always have the best recipes! I need to make these for my gluten free family members this holiday season!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
More noteworthy that they're vegan, but sure!
Sreya Gupta
I really needed this article. I have switched to Vegan diet this year. And, I am always looking for new Vegan recipes. However, never came across a vegan cookie recipe. Thanks a lot for this. I loved it a lot.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I don't think you're ready to be vegan then...
Gena
I love recipes that don't require the while list of ingredients and are still delicious! I am going to bake them this holiday season - thank you for being so creative!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I love how naturally simple shortbread is!
Glenny
OMG these look so delicious! I've never tried a 3-ingredient reciepe before
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, alright then.
Kate
Me and my mom want to make shortbread cookies this year for Christmas! Perfect timing!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
A classic that won't let you down!
Marta Rivera
I love these! If I dip these in chocolate will they still be safe for special diets?
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Did you read the post?
Jessica
Oh, this is so yummy-looking. I am not gluten free, but if I was, I'd definitely be all over these!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
So you wouldn't make a recipe regardless? Just because something is free-from doesn't mean "normal eaters" can't ever make it. You'd be missing out on delicious food.
Vox
While I am not vegan, I do have a boatload of allergies now, so anything that helps me avoid an attack of hives gets my vote. Thanks for sharing. 👍🏽
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Great, that's the reason for these shortbread. For those of us with food allergies. Also the reason for this blog. Not veganism.