Vegan Shortbread Cookies (Gluten-Free) - Rhian's Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is a substitute for flour in shortbread? ›

"Real" shortbread is typically made with a little rice flour, which gives it that dry and delicate crunch. Instead of seeking rice flour, you can get an excellent result by using cornstarch to help achieve the classic texture.

Chilling helps the flours and xanthan gum absorb liquid, which makes the dough sturdier and easier to handle. Without a proper rest, your cookies are likely to crumble. Think of mix-ins as the Spanx of the cookie world. They are a sly way to ensure that your cookies look like cookies, not misshapen gluten-free blobs.

Some people have an allergy to gluten, which is a condition called coeliac disease. Going without gluten does not mean you have to sacrifice taste or texture. At Walkers, we know that a lot of people love our tasty, classic shortbread, but because they are traditionally made with wheat, they are off limits.

One of the most common gluten-free baking tips is “let your batter rest”. Letting the batter rest gives the gluten-free flours and starches more time to absorb the moisture. In theory, it will turn your dry, crumbly cakes into delicious, moist masterpieces.

The most common mistakes when making shortbread are over-working the dough, and incorporating too much flour.

The key with shortbread is not to overhandle it. Make the dough exactly as instructed, but don't mess around making shapes or over rolling the dough - you will end up with delicious but tough biscuits. Stretching and pulling the dough activates the gluten in the flour, making chewy cookies and not crisp ones.

Gluten free flours often contain lots of water grabbing gums and starches so we have to ensure that there is enough water present to fully hydrate the gums and gelatinize the starches. When starches do not gelatinize, the baked good can have a gritty texture, and this commonly happens with flours such as cornflour.

Using xanthan gum helps provide some of the stickiness that gluten free goods lack, replacing some elasticity. Xanthan gum mimics some of gluten's most essential properties by sticking to flour and its moisture. This helps create moist goods that hold their shape after being baked.

Baking with gluten-free flour will produce some slight differences in taste or texture. Millet flour tends to have a mild flavor while buckwheat flour lends itself to a more earthy taste. In addition, quinoa flour has a nutty flavor and bean flour can actually sometimes taste like beans.

Those with a gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance may have less symptoms with wheat-based foods in Europe. This is likely because of the types of wheat used in the EU and how they're processed. But this isn't a guarantee. So when you're traveling, your best bet is to stick to foods that are naturally gluten-free.

Why is my gluten-free shortbread crumbly? ›

Shortbread cookies do tend to be more crumbly than other types of cookies (like these gluten-free chocolate chip cookies) because the recipe is meant to be delicate. To avoid too much crumble, don't overbake gluten-free cookies. Follow the baking time to the letter, and err on the side of underbaking.

Is It Gluten-Free? The short answer is that butter is naturally gluten-free, but there are some situations where you need to be careful. Any butter that has added flavorings could potentially contain some gluten. Plain butter is a safe bet, but if you're trying a new brand, it's always a good idea to check the label.

Moisture – for some reason gluten-free cakes tend to get a little dry. Any gluten-free cake will dry out super-fast and get hard on the outside if it's not properly refrigerated and covered. I swear by always using buttermilk and adding a little more fat into the batter to compensate for the dryness.

This is because cold dough is less sticky, and it doesn't spread as easily, too. If you're making a gluten-free cookie recipe that you don't want to spread too much (like crinkle cookies), make sure to chill the dough before baking it.

It prevents the cookies from sticking to the sheet (and then breaking apart when removed), doesn't leave a greasy aftertaste on the bottoms of the cookies, and helps you spend less time in the kitchen doing clean-up duty when you're done – BONUS! What is this? 4- Chill your dough well before baking!

Either cake flour or pastry flour can be used as a 1:1 substitute for all-purpose flour in most baking recipes. Steer away from cake flour for chewy bread baking, though, and opt instead for bread or whole-wheat flour for your no-knead and sourdough loaves.

Flour absorbs some of the moisture of the butter, drying the dough. The butter will cover the flour particles in the dough. Once the cookie is in the oven, the butter will melt, but the flour will continue to hold its strength, holding the cookie together.

Add oats or nuts: Adding oats or nuts to the dough can add texture and help it hold its shape better. Use a different type of liquid: Substituting a different type of liquid, such as milk or cream, for some or all of the water or other liquid called for in the recipe can help the dough thicken and hold together better.