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, dropped from a spoon or flattened with a fork, maybe even rolled into a log and sliced. However you make them I guarantee no one will know they're gluten free.

A tin of gluten free Whipped Shortbread decorated with red and green sprinkles.

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.

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Ingredients
Help With Gluten Free Cookies
Best Flour for Gluten Free Cookies
Kitchen Tools
Gluten Free Whipped Shortbread Cookies

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.

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 I love cookies so I've got resources to help you.

Here's a post with my 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.

Rolled Shortbread with holiday sprinkles on a Christmas box.

Best Flour for Gluten Free Cookies

I've got cookie recipes from every stage of my gluten free journey. There weren't as many flour blends available when I started so this shortbread is made with individually measured flours. It's delicious and I'm set up to measure flour so I'm not looking for another shortbread recipe (or sugar cookies either).

I also have cookies made with what I call my gluten free Cookie Flour Blend. I couldn't make some recipes work with my everyday EGFG flour blend so this is the flour I had success with for these recipes:

Kitchen Tools

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.

Gluten Free Whipped Shortbread Cookies

In December shortbread is on my list of cookies to bake, eat and share. This is a melt-in-your-mouth shortbread recipe that you will not believe is gluten free.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Baking, Cookies & Bars

Cuisine: Canadian

Keyword: Whipped Shortbread Cookies

Cook Time: 22

Total Time: 22

Servings: cookies

Calories: 128kcal

Author: Cinde Little

Equipment

Cookie scoops set of 3

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
▢ maraschino cherry pieces or candy sprinkles

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 with damp fingers. Dip the tines of a fork in flour then gently press into the top of each cookie.
Decorate cookies with festive sprinkles or pieces of maraschino cherry.
Bake in preheated oven, 22-25 minutes, until set but not brown. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for for several minutes then transfer to wire racks and cool completely.
Store in airtight containers, double wrap 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.