One of my favorite Christmas cookies are shortbread cookies. They’re just so buttery and soft, moist yet crumbly. They add color to any cookie plate and are fun to customize with different color sprinkles!
These shortbread sprinkle cookies are gluten free and low carb but they feel super indulgent like your favorite sugar cookie.
Let’s chat butter…
Because I know you’ll ask.
To me, what makes shortbread SO great is their buttery, soft texture. So, I’m using butter. Since this recipe only uses five ingredients, butter is one of the main ingredients that make these shortbread cookies amazing.
I highly suggest you use butter.
Understandably, not everyone can have butter or wants to use butter. Vegan butter, ghee, or refined coconut oil may be a good option. I haven’t tested this recipe with anything besides butter so I can’t guarantee it’ll be a perfect substitution, but it’s worth a shot!
ONLY FIVE ingredients for shortbread sprinkle cookies:
- salted butter: ghee, vegan butter, or refined coconut oil is also a good option here
- agave nectar: honey or maple syrup also works!
- vanilla extract
- blanched almond flour: I love blanched almond flour because it gives the cookies a really crumbly, butter texture. I haven’t tested it with any other flour, so if you experiment, you have to let me know how it goes!
- sprinkles: any color! I love the long rainbow sprinkles, but feel free to customize with whatever sprinkles you have!
How to make shortbread sprinkle cookies:
It’s so simple to make this recipe! The KEY to this recipe is allowing the dough to chill in the freezer and cutting/handling the shapes when the dough is chilled and hardened.
In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, butter, agave nectar, and vanilla.
Place the cookie dough in between two pieces of parchment paper and on top of a cutting board.
Use a rolling pin to roll it out into a flat 1/4 inch oval.
Keep the rolled dough on the cutting board, in between the two pieces of parchment paper and freeze it for 20 minutes.
While the cookie dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350F.
Use a cookie cutter to cut 12 cookies from the dough and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I found it easiest to use a butter knife to slide under the cut cookie and transfer it to the baking sheet.
After the 12 cookies are cut, re-roll out the remaining dough between the 2 pieces of parchment paper and place back in the freezer to cut the second batch.
Place a couple pinches of sprinkles on top of each cookie and press down into the tops of the cookie.
Bake for 8 minutes until the edges are golden. I found 8 minutes to be the sweet spot, so once it hits 8 minutes, keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t get too toasty. You want the edges to be golden brown but the centers to still be a light shortbread color.
Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Other Christmas cookies you’ll love:
- Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
- Gluten Free Hot Cocoa Christmas Cookies
- Gingerbread Cookies
- No Bake Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
- Shortbread Cookies
Recipe
Shortbread Sprinkle Cookies
You’ll love these gluten free Shortbread Sprinkle Cookies! They are soft, buttery, and the perfect addition to your holiday cookie plate!
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature or slightly melted
- 1/4 cup agave nectar (honey or maple syrup works)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups blanched almond flour
- sprinkles
Instructions
-
It’s so simple to make this recipe! The KEY to this recipe is allowing the dough to chill in the freezer and cutting/handling the shapes when the dough is chilled and hardened.
-
In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, butter, agave nectar, and vanilla.
-
Place the cookie dough in between two pieces of parchment paper and on top of a cutting board.
-
Use a rolling pin to roll it out into a flat 1/4 inch oval.
-
Keep the rolled dough on the cutting board, in between the two pieces of parchment paper and freeze it for 20 minutes.
-
While the cookie dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350F.
-
Use a cookie cutter to cut 12 cookies from the dough and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I found it easiest to use a butter knife to slide under the cut cookie and transfer it to the baking sheet.
-
After the 12 cookies are cut, re-roll out the remaining dough between the 2 pieces of parchment paper and place back in the freezer to cut the second batch.
-
Place a couple pinches of sprinkles on top of each cookie and press down into the tops of the cookie.
-
Bake for 8 minutes until the edges are golden. I found 8 minutes to be the sweet spot, so once it hits 8 minutes, keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t get too toasty. You want the edges to be golden brown but the centers to still be a light shortbread color.
-
Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Nutrition Info:
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 50
- Sugar: 2.7g
- Sodium: 23mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 1.9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 3.5g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 0.6g
- Cholesterol: 8mg
Enjoy!! xo
Help! any tips for keeping them from sticking to the counter? I chilled for 2 hrs and used arrowroot flour and I can’t even work with it because it’s so sticky
Hi Kathryn, I usually put it between two pieces of parchment paper so the underside doesn’t stick to the counter. Otherwise you really have to flour your surface so it doesn’t stick. I hope they were delicious!! xo
Hello.
If I don’t one to make it gluten-free, how much of all purpose flour shall I use to replace the amount of almond flour used?
You could give it a whirl, though I’ve never tested it so don’t know for sure how it will go. Let me know how you make out! xo