A biscuit classic, I knew I had to try my hand at gluten free shortbread biscuits sooner or later, and I’m very pleased with the results.
These no-chill shortbread have a satisfying snap and crunch to them, with a buttery flavour and glistening, sugary finish. These are great biscuits to make in a hurry and the method is so simple.
To make them you only need four ingredients, all of which you probably already have in your store cupboard/fridge. Stork, caster sugar (superfine bakers sugar to those of you in the US), plain gluten free flour and cornflour.
Unlike some biscuits, the dough for these gluten free shortbread does not need chilling, yet do not spread when cooking. Hurrah!
Finally a biscuit dough my three year old can use her teddy bear cutters on without the tasty little bears turning into blobs during cooking!
Why not bake a batch of my Gluten Free Gingerbread People alongside these shortbread biscuits, for a fun festive tea time spread. You could even add some Spekulatius Profiteroles for a real treat!
Can I Make These Dairy Free or Vegan?
Yes, these gluten free shortbread biscuits can easily be made dairy free or vegan. Simply use the Stork Baking Block, in place of Stork baking spread.
If you live outside of the UK, they should work well with any dairy free spread, but note I’ve only tested them with the baking block.
Can I Use Butter Instead of Stork?
You can, but with butter they tend to spread a bit more, so expect a slightly more pancake-like finish! Leave slightly bigger gaps between your cookies or give the cookie dough a little chill in the fridge (15-30 mins) before cutting and baking.
Troubleshooting – Why Have My Shortbread Biscuits Spread?
If you shortbread spreads during baking, your Stork was not chilled enough to start with or you are perhaps working in a warm kitchen.
To avoid this in future, try chilling the shortbread (once rolled out, cut and placed on baking tray) for 15 minutes before they go into the oven. This will ensure they have firmed up and they will hold their form nicely.
Gluten Free Shortbread Biscuits Recipe
This recipe makes about 12 gluten free shortbread biscuits, depending on how big you make them.
Feel free to have fun with shapes, as these don’t spread much so can stand being cut into teddy bear shapes or anything else you fancy. Alba and I made some Christmas themed ones last year and they turned out nicely (especially considering the age of my 3 year old helper!).
You’ll find a full method below, plus some photos to help guide you through the recipe. Feel free to email me any questions or comments you might have.
You can contact me at [email protected] or message me on Instagram/Facebook @myglutenfreeguide.
Lastly, if you enjoy these biscuits, I would be really grateful if you could leave a star rating or review on the recipe card below. Thank you!
Laura xxx
Gluten Free Shortbread Biscuits
These gluten free shortbread biscuits only use 4 ingredients and require no chill time, making them a speedy and delicious treat to whip up.
Ingredients
- 110g Stork Baking Spread, chilled
- 110g gluten free plain flour
- 50g cornflour
- 60g caster sugar, plus a little extra for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 160C (fan) and line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
- Mix the Stork and sugar together in a bowl until smooth.
- Sift the flour and cornflour into the bowl and stir until crumbly. Then mix and knead with your hand until you have a soft, smooth biscuit dough, which comes away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball.
- Sprinkle a little sugar onto the baking paper on the tray and pop the ball of dough on top. Lay a piece of cling film on top and roll out with a rolling pin, to around 5-7mm thick.
- Use a biscuit cutter to cut rounds into the dough. Lift the excess dough away from around the biscuit shapes and reform into a ball. Move the biscuits using a palette knife and arrange them for baking (they won't spread much so don't need a huge amount of space left between them - see images below). Repeat with the dough until you've used it all up and have 12 biscuits ready to bake.
- Sprinkle all the raw biscuits generously with caster sugar, then pop into the oven to bake for 16-18 minutes at 160C (fan).
- Once baked, carefully transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool fully before eating. Enjoy on the day or baking or store in an airtight container and they will stay lovely for 2-3 days.
Notes
If your shortbread spread during baking, your Stork was not chilled enough to start with or you are perhaps working in a warm kitchen.
To avoid this in future, you could try chilling the shortbread (once rolled out, cut and placed on baking tray) for 15 minutes before they go into the oven. This will ensure they have firmed up and they will hold their form nicely.
For more delicious bakes, why not try some of my other gluten free recipes or bookmark your favourites for later:
Enjoy! Laura xxx
