Buttery and rich with maple sugar and maple syrup, these maple shortbread cookies will have you reaching for just one more. Plus, they're gluten-free!
Crisp maple shortbread is packed wtih maple flavor from the maple sugar in the dough and the pure maple syrup that's slicked over the hot cookies as soon as they come out of the oven. Add these special cookies to your holiday cookie plate along with gluten free peanut butter blossoms and gluten free sugar cookies, or enjoy them year-round. (You can also try my more traditional version of gluten free shortbread cookies that are made without maple syrup.)
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Maple shortbread is one of my holiday sleeper hits. I'll set out a plate of cookies with the Thanksgiving desserts and they always disappear fast. This recipe bakes a big batch, so you can enjoy some now and freeze the rest of the dough for another time you want a maple shortbread cookie. Here's why you'll love these gluten-free cookies:
- Texturally perfect. The half cup of butter in the dough means that each maple shortbread cookie is wonderfully crisp and buttery!
- Easily gluten free. A short list of naturally gluten-free ingredients plus a gluten-free flour blend means it's easy to make gluten-free shortbread.
- Crammed with maple flavor. I truly adore maple syrup and love adding it to sweet treats whenever I can! The combo of maple sugar and maple syrup means you'll really taste the maple flavor in this maple shortbread.
What Is Shortbread?
Shortbread is a cookie (or, biscuit) that originated in Scotland. Traditional recipes call for one part white sugar, two parts butter, and three to four parts plain wheat flour. Shortbread differs from many other cookies because it doesn't contain any leavening agent (like baking soda and baking powder) or eggs.
What You'll Need
You only need five ingredients to make this gluten-free shortbread recipe. You'll find the full ingredient amounts plus detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Butter - Use unsalted butter softened to room temperature for the best results. You want the butter to blend in well with the sugar so there are no lumps or streaks.
- Granulated sugar
- Salt - Use fine sea salt or table salt.
- Vanilla - A little pure vanilla extract adds extra flavor. You can omit this if you wish.
- Gluten free flour - I always use my homemade gluten free flour blend but you can use your preferred 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
How to Make Maple Shortbread
Just a few minutes are all you'll need to make this easy dough. Here's a look at how you'll do it:
- Cream butter: In a large bowl, beat the butter, maple sugar, and salt together.
- Add flour: Mix in the flour to form a smooth dough.
- Place in pan: Butter 2 8x8-inch pans and line them with parchment. Press the dough into the pans.
- Add holes: Prick the dough all over with a fork.
- Bake: Bake the shortbread at 325F for 35-40 minutes golden brown.
- Cool and cut: After you remove the shortbread from the oven, immediately brush it with maple syrup and cut it into squares.
Baking Tip: Use Real Maple Syrup
The 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup brushed over the top of the hot pan of shortbread in my opinion really makes these cookies. So don't skimp on the maple syrup! Use real maple syrup rather than a syrup substitute for the best-tasting results.
Tips & Variation Suggestions
- Rest the dough. Let the dough rest in the fridge while the oven heats so the gluten-free flour hydrates properly.
- Make sure to chill the dough. Place the dough in the pans in the fridge for up to 30 minutes to let it chill. This will help the butter to resolidify, creating gorgeously flaky cookies later.
- Bake half now, and bake half another time. You can bake off half of the shortbread dough and save the other half for later. Divide the dough and form a ball with the dough you're not ready to use. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. If you freeze the dough, thaw it in the fridge before placing it in the pan.
- You don't have to use maple sugar. If you can't find maple sugar, no worries! You can use granulated or light brown sugar. But don't skip the maple syrup over the top of the cookies - that's where you'll get that lovely maple flavor.
- Sprinkle with flaky salt. If you're a salt-lover like me, you may want to sprinkle your finished shortbread with flaky salt for a sweet-salty combo.
- Another flour. Try using another gluten free flour such as oat flour or sorghum flour for the gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (use 300 grams of whatever flour you choose).
- Make them dairy-free. Swap the butter for non-dairy butter.
- Add nuts. To add a little crunch to maple shortbread cookies, add 1 cup of finely chopped nuts like almonds, walnuts, or pecans to the dough.
Serving Options
I love a square of maple shortbread with a cup of coffee, but it also goes with any hot drink you can think of. To make a gluten free cheesecake, crush maple shortbread cookies into crumbs, mix them with butter, and make a flavorful crust for the cheesecake or as the base for a gluten free pumpkin pie.
Storage Suggestions
- Counter - Store maple shortbread in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.
- Fridge - Place shortbread in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 7 days. Bring the cookiesnto room temperature before serving.
- Freezer - Place cookies in a freezer-safe, sealable bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost the cookies in the fridge before eating.
How to Package Maple Shortbread for Gifting
To package up maple shortbread, transfer the cooled cookies to a pretty tin, box, or cellophane bag (if using a tin or container add a piece of parchment paper between any layers). Give the cookies away immediately, or store the containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
More Easy Gluten Free Cookie Recipes
If you tried this gluten free maple shortbread or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments below! And I always appreciate a star rating if you loved it ❤️
Recipe
Maple Shortbread
Ingredients
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup maple sugar, or granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 ¾ cups gluten free flour (300 grams)
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Butter 2 8-inch square pans or 2 8-inch round cake pans and line them with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter, maple sugar, and salt until well combined
- Mix in the flour to form a smooth dough. Don't worry if the dough is crumbly at first - it'll come together as it's mixed.
- Divide the dough in half and press each half into the prepared pans (alternatively, wrap one half of the dough in plastic and set it aside to bake when the first round is done or refrigerate it for later). Prick the dough all over with a fork so that any steam that forms is released during baking.
- Preheat the oven to 325℉, then bake the shortbread for 40-45 minutes, until the surface is set and slightly golden brown (the edges will be a darker golden brown). Remove from the oven and immediately turn it out onto a clean work surface. Gently brush the shortbread all over with the maple syrup.
- Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, divide the shortbread into pieces. (I cut 16 pieces from each pan.) Then transfer the pieces to cool completely on a rack.
Notes
- Rest the dough. Let the dough rest in the fridge while the oven heats so the gluten-free flour hydrates properly.
- Make sure to chill the dough. Place the dough in the pans in the fridge for up to 30 minutes to let it chill. This will help the butter to resolidify, creating gorgeously flaky cookies later.
- Bake half now, and bake half another time. You can bake off half of the shortbread dough and save the other half for later. Divide the dough and form a ball with the dough you're not ready to use. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. If you freeze the dough, thaw it in the fridge before placing it in the pan.
- You don't have to use maple sugar. If you can't find maple sugar, no worries! You can use granulated or light brown sugar. But don't skip the maple syrup over the top of the cookies - that's where you'll get that lovely maple flavor.
- Sprinkle with flaky salt. If you're a salt-lover like me, you may want to sprinkle your finished shortbread with flaky salt for a sweet-salty combo.
- Another flour. Try using another gluten free flour such as oat flour or sorghum flour for the gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (use 300 grams of whatever flour you choose).
- Make them dairy-free. Swap the butter for non-dairy butter.
- Add nuts. To add a little crunch to maple shortbread cookies, add 1 cup of finely chopped nuts like almonds, walnuts, or pecans to the dough.
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