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Gluten-Free & Vegan Scottish Shortbread Cookies

This is a very easy and simple 4-ingredient shortbread cookie. That sounds impossible for a good gluten-free recipe, but it's not. Rice flour, tapioca flour or starch, sugar, and a plant-based butter are it! They look and taste very close to a traditional Scottish Shortbread version. If you are a gluten-free and vegan eater who likes shortbread, you should really enjoy these sweet treats.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Scottish
Keyword: gluten-free shortbread, vegan shortbread, gluten-free & vegan shortbread cookies, Scottish Shortbread, butter cookies, simple cookie recipe, shortbread fingers, how to make Scottish Shortbread cookies
Servings: 14 bars
Author: Summer

Ingredients

  • 320 g (2 cups) rice flour
  • 61 g (½ cup) tapioca flour or starch
  • 2 sticks (8 oz / 226 g) of butter (plant-based, vegan butter works well) regular butter is fine
  • 170 g (¾ cup) superfine sugar regular granulated sugar pulverized in a food processor is fine
  • ¼ tsp salt if using unsalted butter

Optional Flavor Mix-ins

  • 1 tsp vanilla or 1 vanilla bean, split and scrape the pod removing and using only the small beans
  • ⅓ cup candied (crystallized) ginger, chopped or other chopped dried fruit like cranberries, raisins, etc.
  • ⅓ cup chopped nuts almonds, walnuts, pistachios, etc.
  • ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips/chunks
  • 1 bag Earl Grey tea open 1 tea bag and pour the contents into the mixture
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest lime or orange

Instructions

  • Line an 8x8-inch (or 9x9-inch) square baking dish with overhanging parchment paper. Use scissors to cut a slit at each corner down to the pan so the corner flaps overlap, and the paper stays smooth in the pan. Preheat the oven 325˚F (163˚C).
    TIP: I like to snip off the internal flaps so they aren't in the way.
  • In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or a spoon to mix butter until smooth. Add sugar and mix or stir again until well combined and the butter is light, fluffy, and pale in color.
    TIP: If you forget to soften the butter ahead of time (by leaving it out to come to room temperature), dice it, place it in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat it in the microwave for 10 seconds. That should soften it enough to mix.
    TIP: If you don't have superfine (caster) sugar, place regular granulated sugar in a food processor and process until the granules are very fine (not powdered sugar fine).
  • In a separate bowl, combine both flours and salt, if using. Then, sift them into the bowl on top of the butter mixture.
    TIP: Salt balances out sweetness, so adding a little is advantageous in sweet recipes or just use salted butter.
  • Use a spoon or your hands to combine the mixture into a dough.
    TIP: Add in optional mix-ins at this time.
  • Press dough evenly into the parchment-lined baking dish using your hands or spatula. You can finish of by using a small rolling pin to smooth out the top.
  • Use a knife to score the bars in 7 or 8 rows across and 2 rows down. The scoring should only be about ¼-inch down. The bars should be 3-4 inches long and an inch wide. Use fork tines to prick the dough in rows (4-5 per scored bar). The dough holes and rectangle scoring will somewhat close after baking, but redefine them when they exit the oven.
    TIP: You can forgo all scoring and pricking until after baking. I have found that it's helpful to have a scoring mark as a guide to cut the bars completely after baking. The bars may crumble a little more while cutting without scoring prior to baking.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Once pan is removed from the oven and the shortbread is still warm, cut the shortbread completely (while still in pan) along the scored lines. If you want more defined holes, prick them again. Sprinkle superfine sugar over the top for a little sparkle.
  • Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes. Remove the shortbread using the overhanging parchment paper and allow the bars to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, break apart and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Storage
Store cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for several weeks. They get better with age!
Chocolate Hardening Dip
For added richness, dip one end of the cooled shortbread cookie in chocolate. Simply microwave 12 oz (2 cups) of your preferred chocolate with 2 tbsp of shortening. Heat for 1 minute, stir, and add another 30 seconds and stir. When all the chocolate has melted, begin dipping the cookies. Place them on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper to cool until the chocolate hardens. Enjoy!