Gluten Free Whipped Shortbread Cookies

This gluten free Whipped Shortbread has the melt-in-your-mouth buttery taste that everyone loves. Decorate them like your family always has, with a piece of maraschino cherry in the centre or flattened with a fork and sprinkled with candy. You won't be able to save these for the gluten free eaters only.

Christmas and shortbread go hand in hand. When it comes to cookies gluten free cooks need to create their own traditions. Whether it's a close remake or adding a new twist, you can make all your favourites.

Ingredients

When I was looking for the perfect shortbread recipe I knew it wouldn't be with an all purpose blend. For these shortbread cookies I'm willing to measure the flours separately because I know it's got the taste and texture I'm looking for.

• butter
• icing sugar
• vanilla extract
• white rice flour
• cornstarch
• tapioca starch
• xanthan gum (the glue that adds structure to gluten free baking)

See recipe card for exact amounts.

Equipment

• With whipped shortbread there's no rolling out dough. Use a small portion scoop to quickly and easily make uniform sized cookies that will bake evenly. If you don't have a scoop use two spoons; one to scoop the dough and the other to push it off the spoon onto the baking pan.
• A set of three portion scoops would be a great gift so if you're reading about shortbread it might be time to make a Christmas gift list.

How To Organize Holiday Recipes

Some people type into Google and make any recipe they find. For gluten free bakers this is a high-risk activity. There are many variables that affect baking plus the added challenge of numerous gluten free flour combinations.

If you want to enjoy baking I recommend you save your favourite holiday recipes, especially since you might not make them for the next eleven months. I have two (old fashioned) systems to keep my holiday recipes.

A Large Envelope

One year I glued a nice photo of my Christmas baking to the outside of a half-size envelope. It is filled with favourite recipes written on cards, clipped from magazines plus some given to me from friends. I’ve had this envelope for a long time and although it’s not organized it serves me well.

Three-Ring Binder

Over the years my collection of holiday recipes grew. One year I designated a three-ring binder for this plethora of recipes. I taped some recipes to full size pages, hole-punched others and even typed a few and put them in page protectors. My binder also includes the pumpkin recipes I make at Thanksgiving and Halloween, and my favourite punch recipe that I seemed to be searching for year after year. It also holds my entire turkey feast menu. It’s a mish-mash for sure but the label on the spine says Xmas Favs and it works for me.

Help With Gluten Free Cookies

Cookies are high in fat and sugar so adjustments need to be made when working with gluten free flour. There's lots to learn and it's best to tackle one recipe at a time.

• This blog post is full of Tips For Making Gluten Free Cookies.
• In this interview on A Canadian Celiac Podcast, I talk with Sue Jennett about Baking Gluten Free Cookies (episode 43).
• In my Recipe Roundup: Holiday Baking you might find a gluten free version of some old favourites.
• These cookie recipes are made with my Gluten Free Cookie Flour Blend; Gingerbread Cookies, Cappuccino Cookies, Thumbprint Cookies and Sugar Cookies.

Whatever recipe you make, be sure to have fun and enjoy the process. Let me know in the comments below how they turned out.

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Gluten Free Whipped Shortbread Cookies

Cinde Little

In December whipped shortbread is near the top of the list of cookies I want to bake, eat and share. This is a melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookie that people will not believe is gluten free.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Baking, Cookies & Bars

Cuisine Canadian

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• ½ cup icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup white rice flour (120g)
• ½ cup cornstarch (70g)
• ¼ cup tapioca starch (35g)
• ½ teaspoon xanthan gum

DECORATING - sprinkles or maraschino cherry pieces

SPRINKLING FLOUR - sweet rice flour

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 300°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In large bowl of an electric mixer beat butter, icing sugar and vanilla on medium speed until mixed well.
• In a medium bowl combine white rice flour, cornstarch, tapioca starch and xanthan gum. Whisk to thoroughly combine.
• With mixer on low speed slowly add the flour mixture. Once it is all combined increase speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes.
• Make dough balls using a small scoop.
• Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets about 2-inches apart. Flatten the dough balls slightly, dampen your fingers if the dough is sticky.
• Dip the tines of a fork in flour then gently press into the top of each cookie.
• Decorate cookies with festive sprinkles or a piece of maraschino cherry.
• Bake in preheated oven, 22-25 minutes, until set but not brown. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
• Store in airtight containers, double wrapped for maximum freshness.

Notes

For cut cookies shape the dough into a log on top of a piece of waxed paper. Without adding extra flour roll the dough back and forth until you have an evenly shaped log. Using a fresh piece of waxed paper place holiday candy sprinkles in the centre. Lay the log on top and slowly roll it in the sprinkles to generously cover the entire log. Refrigerate overnight. Cut into thick slices (½ or ¾-inch) and bake as directed.

Keyword Whipped Shortbread Cookies

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