Shortbread Cookies (gluten-free)

When I want an exceptionally tender sugar cookie, I make this shortbread using rice flour and whole cane sugar.  You may purchase rice flour or grind your own in a flour or nut or seed mill. When making your own rice flour, use only short-grain brown or white rice (curiously enough, long-grain rice flour yields a soggy, coarse crumb).

Makes 2 dozen cookies

1 cup white or brown, short-grain rice (or 1 1/3 cup rice flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup Rapadura or Sucanat (or other quality sugar)
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 °F. Grease cookie sheet.

Grind rice in a flour or nut or seed mill (or use 1 1/3 cup rice flour). Stir in baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Cream butter and Rapadura until light and fluffy. Add yolks and vanilla and beat to incorporate. Fold in dry ingredients until blended. Pinch off pieces of dough and roll between palms of hands to form 3/4-inch balls. Set the balls 2 inches apart on a prepared cookie sheet. Flatten the cookies by pressing into each with the tines of a fork or with two fingers.

Bake for 10 -12 minutes or until the bottom is lightly browned and the cookies are lightly colored. The cookies are fragile when hot and so carefully transfer to a cooling rack (or allow to cool on the cookie sheet).

Variation: For raspberry tartlets, spread a cookie with raspberry jam (warm the jam if necessary to facilitate spreading). Arrange fresh raspberries on cookie.

May you be well nourished,

Rebecca Wood

10 Responses to Shortbread Cookies (gluten-free)

  1. I have been looking for a gluten free shortbread recipe with sage in it. Do you think that adding sage finely chopped to the batter would work well?

  2. Try adding xantham gum, tapioca flour or guar gum as binding agents instead of egg. They are gluten free and if you have egg sensitivity can do the same job as egg. Quantity would have to be tested.

  3. I have been soaking grains. Would you suggest “soaking” the rice flour to reduce phytic acid? And what would be the method for doing that before baking?

    • As rice flour lacks gluten this dough tends to be crumbly. The egg yolk helps bind the ingredients into a more workable dough. If you wish, perhaps you could eliminate the egg yolk by replacing the sugar with honey to help the dough adhere.

  4. Since I am sensitive to milk products, eggs, chocolate, soy, rice and citrus I am unable to eat or prepare many food recipes. I restrict my bread products to whole grain rye and sourdough. I have tried restricting wheat but it does not appear to affect me. What do people who cannot eat cheese, eggs, rice and soy do for variety? I would love to make the shortbread cookies–what do I use for eggs?

  5. Hi Rebecca,

    I’m saw your recipe in the December Yoga Journal and am going to give it a try. I am hoping to share at cookie exchange holiday party next week. I live in Tahoe, any tips for this recipe at high elevation? Thank you!

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