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Simple Delicious Shortbread that's Vegan and Gluten Free - by Veggie Lexi

Simple Shortbread Cookies (Vegan, Gluten Free):

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 24 minutes
Servings 26 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup vegan butter* room temperature
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 cups gluten free flour blend**

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or reusable silicone baking mats.
  3. In a large bowl, using either a stand mixer or a handheld electric mixer, beat your butter until it is whipped.
  4. Add in the maple syrup and pure vanilla extract, mix until well blended.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the salt and flour.
  6. Add the flour mixture a little at a time to the creamed butter mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon until fully combined.
  7. The dough should not be sticky, but it should hold together when you press it together. If it’s too dry, add a little more maple syrup. If it’s too wet, ad a little more flour.
  8. Roll the dough out to ½” thick between two pieces of parchment paper.

  9. Using a knife, dough cutter, or pizza cutter, cut the dough into 1” x 2.5” rectangles by cutting 1” strips and then cutting perpendicular lines 2.5” apart.

  10. Using the tines of a fork, make the indentations at the top of each cookie (this allows steam to escape during the baking process to help prevent crumbling).
  11. Place the cookies 1/2” apart on the lined baking sheet.

  12. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden.

  13. Cool for 10 minutes before eating.

Recipe Notes

*I used Earth Balance vegan butter sticks. This is my favorite vegan butter replacement and I prefer the sticks for baking and cooking because they have a lower water content than the tub does. The tub has more water in it to make it more spreadable, which makes it not as ideal for baking and sauteing.

**I used Pamela’s gluten free flour blend. I haven’t tried other blends and can’t vouch for how well they would turn out. Pamela’s has a delicate flavor profile and is my favorite mixture for this type of baking.

***If you don’t want to use a store bought blend, the homemade mixture I would use is: 1 cup white rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch, 1/3 cup tapioca starch, and 2 Tablespoons psyllium husk.

****Keep an eye on these in the last 5 minutes of baking.  I've heard from some of you that you could have pulled these out a little sooner than the recipe indicates and I think it's due to a difference in ovens.