Gluten Free Scottish Shortbread Cookies

This Gluten free Scottish Shortbread recipe is super easy to make and only requires a few simple ingredients. As a proud Scot, I've dedicated my efforts to perfecting this gluten free shortbread, aiming to capture the essence of authentic Scottish shortbread with the flavor and texture that I loved when I was young.

Thick crunchy but crumbly fingers that are so buttery and just melt in your mouth as a true Scottish shortbread should be!

When developing this recipe I wanted it to resemble the homemade shortbread that I grew up loving rather than making dainty gluten free shortbread cookies. Keeping this recipe as large thick slices sprinkled with sugar that just melt in your mouth.

I often refer back to the nostalgic foods that I loved growing up and make them gluten free such as gluten free millionaires shortbread, gluten free jammy dodgers, gluten free Victoria Sandwich, or gluten free brown butter chocolate chip cookies.

If you are looking for traditional Christmas treats then you will also love this best English toffee recipe which is also great as a homemade gift.

💙 What is Scottish Shortbread

Scottish shortbread is a traditional Scottish baked treat known for its rich, buttery flavor and crumbly texture. It is a type of biscuit (cookie) that consists of simple ingredients: butter, sugar, and flour.

The name "shortbread" comes from the term "short," which is used in baking to describe a pastry such as my gluten free shortcrust pastry or biscuit that has a crumbly and tender texture due to a high fat content, usually from butter or lard.

Shortbread is distinct from other biscuits or cookies because it has a high butter content, giving it a rich and buttery taste.

Shortbread is known to have originated in Scotland, where it has a long and rich history. Shortbread's development can be traced back to medieval times when butter was a prized ingredient in Scottish cuisine.

The first known recipe for shortbread appeared in a Scottish cookbook called "The 18th Century Cookery Book" by Mrs. McLintock, published in 1736. Over the years the recipe has been adapted.

In Scotland, shortbread was traditionally served on special occasions such as Christmas, Hogmanay (New Year's Eve), and Rabbie Burns Night alongside a glass of Scotch whiskey. Fast forward to the present day and shortbread is still as popular in Scotland and also enjoyed worldwide.

Recipe Development

As I had said before I wanted to develop a gluten free shortbread recipe that was as close to the Scottish shortbread as I could possibly get it. Traditional Scottish shortbread uses shortening but I opted for a good-quality butter.

I tested this recipe using my family's shortbread recipe which uses only butter, sugar, and flour of course using gluten free all-purpose flour instead of wheat flour. I played around with the ratios and although the taste was really good I wasn't fully convinced about the texture.

After many recipe tests, I finally got it and it was with the simple addition of cornstarch known as cornflour in the UK which really helped achieve the tender crumbly texture while maintaining the traditional lush buttery flavor.

I have used gluten free shortbread as a base for other recipes such as Millionaires cheesecake, gluten free apple pie bars, and gluten free Millionaires shortbread.

📋 Ingredients Notes

• Unsalted Butter - Always use high-quality European butter that has a lower water content at room temperature. The quality of the butter you use in shortbread is crucial because it directly impacts the taste, texture, and overall quality of the cookies. High-quality butter enhances the rich, buttery flavor, ensures a desirable melt-in-your-mouth texture, and enhances the overall finished shortbread.
• Sugar - Use superfine sugar also known as bakers sugar or caster sugar. This helps create a smoother texture and more consistent sweetness in the gluten free shortbread due to its smaller granules that dissolve easily. I also sprinkled the top of the shortbread with extra sugar as soon as it came out of the oven but this step is optional.
• Gluten free All puropse Flour - I used a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend also known as gluten free plain flour in the UK. See my gluten free baking notes further down the post for more information.
• Cornstarch - Cornstarch is added to shortbread recipes to create a tender, crumbly texture, and reduce cookie spread. I have tested without cornstarch and although it still resulted in a delicious gluten free shortbread I preferred the recipe test that contained the cornstarch. If you don't have cornstarch, you can substitute an equal amount of the flour already included in the recipe. Note- Cornstarch is known as cornflour in the UK.
• Salt - The addition of salt will overall enhance the flavor of the gluten free shortbread cookies.
• Xanthan Gum - Works as a binder just as gluten would in regular baking. You can omit if the flour blend used already contains xanthan gum.

See the recipe card below for ingredient measurements.

⚡ Substitutions & Variations

🥣 Step by Step Instructions

Below is a brief step-by-step process with photos of how to make Gluten free Scottish Shortbread.

See the recipe card below for more detailed recipe instructions.

Place a sheet of parchment paper at the bottom and along the sides to line the baking pan. I recommend leaving some excess paper over the edges of the pan to make it easier when removing the shortbread.

Making the Shortbread Dough

Step 1: Cut the butter into small cubes and place the sugar and butter in a large bowl.

Step 2: Beat together butter and sugar until fully combined but not creamed as we don't want to add any air into the shortbread dough.

Tip: Stop beating once the butter and sugar are fully incorporated as too much air through over-beating will cause the top of the shortbread to puff up when baking and we don't want that.

Preparing the Dough

Step 3: In a large bowl mix together the flour, cornstarch, xanthan gum, and salt. Combine the flour mix with the butter and sugar mixture and knead together until it forms a dough (See image 3).

Step 4: Place the dough into the lined baking pan and spread out evenly.

Tip: I like to use my hands to spread it in the pan and then use a small offset spatula to smooth out the surface (See image 4). If preferred you can roll the dough on a piece of parchment paper to the size of the pan then lift it into the pan.

Baking the Shortbread

Step 5: Using a knife cut into the dough about ¾ deep to score in the shape of the shortbread fingers and then pierce each shortbread finger with a fork a few times (See image 5).

Tip: Scoring the lines of the shortbread cookies finger will make it easier for clean cuts after they have cooled. Pricking the tops of the cookies before baking will allow air to escape and help prevent the shortbread from puffing up during the baking process.

Place the gluten free Shortbread dough in the fridge for 15 minutes and Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

Step 6: Place in the oven for 50-60 minutes (Mine took 55 minutes) until slightly golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and place the baking pan on a cooling rack.

With a knife carefully go over the lines previously made while the shortbread is still soft. Sprinkle the top with the optional sugar if desired.

Tip: It is important to leave the gluten free shortbread in the baking pan on the cooling rack to fully cool before removing it from the pan as it will firm up nicely once fully cooled.