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Home » Recipes » Keto

Published: Oct 28, 2020 · Modified: Nov 9, 2024 by Amanda McGillicuddy · This post may contain affiliate links.

Keto Shortbread Cookies (Gluten-Free)

Jump to Recipe

This rich and buttery recipe for Keto Shortbread Cookies is fool-proof. With just 1g of net carbs per cookie and all that classic shortbread flavor, no one will know these cookies are low carb and gluten-free.

Pile of keto shortbread cookies.
Jump to:
  • What I Love about these Keto Shortbread Cookies
  • Ingredient Notes & Possible Substitutions
  • Sweetener Notes
  • How to Make Keto Shortbread Cookies
  • Storage
  • Commonly Asked Questions & Troubleshooting
  • Dietitian Notes
  • Recipe Tips
  • Did you try these Keto Shortbread Cookies?
  • 📖 Recipe

Shortbread cookies are one of my favorites. I love the combination of sweet and salty, and the flakey, buttery texture really seals it for me.

These cookies are so tasty you will hardly know that they are better for you. They are made from wholesome ingredients, and can be made with a variety of sweeteners (even regular sugar for just 4 grams of net carbs per cookie). They are low in carb yet taste sweet and authentic.

This recipe is super simple with just 8 ingredients, no baking powder or eggs required. On days when you're craving something sweet to eat but still want to watch your carbs, this recipe is a great one to lean on and can be whipped up quickly with little effort.

Need other great lower carb cookie recipes? Try these Chewy Collagen Protein Cookies, these Keto Pecan Sandies Shortbread Cookies, or these Almond Flour Cocoa Cookies.

What I Love about these Keto Shortbread Cookies

These shortbread cookies are easy to make and so delicious. Here is why I love them:

  • Low Carbs - The almond flour and stevia in this recipe keep the carb count low, regardless of what granulated sweetener you choose to use.
  • Sweet & Buttery - The taste and texture of these cookies is so reminiscent of those classic buttery shortbread cookies from childhood. They are so good!

Stack of keto shortbread cookies.

Ingredient Notes & Possible Substitutions

Salted Butter

I generally use high-quality European-style butter from grass-fed cows (Kerrygold or similar) in baking. It always seems to taste better. For a dairy-free and paleo option, you can use softened Miyokos Plant Butter. I prefer salted butter for these cookies. If using unsalted butter, you may want to add a little extra salt to taste.

Granulated Sweetener

Any granulated sweetener can be used in this recipe. A sweetener that measures 1:1 or that is slightly less sweet than regular sugar will work best. I recommend using allulose, a 1:1 erythritol blend, or regular sugar. Liquid sweetener will not work. Baking time will depend on what granulated sweetener you use. See 'Sweetener Notes' for tested options and baking times.

Stevia

Using a little bit of stevia in this recipe helps to sweeten without increasing carb count and limits the gastrointestinal effects of low glycemic sweeteners. By using stevia, the recipe only needs ¼ cup of granulated sweetener, so even regular sugar can be used and the cookies will still be low carb. I don't recommend omitting the stevia.

Almond Flour

I purchase blanched ultra-fine almond flour from Costco, and this is what I use in all my baking recipes that call for it. It is of great quality and inexpensive. I don't recommend substituting another flour for almond flour.

Coconut flour

You could probably use 100% almond flour in this recipe, although I haven't tested this specific substitution. If you want to try this, start with ¼ cup and then add more 1 tablespoon at a time until the correct consistency is achieved. Coconut flour is drier and absorbs more moisture, which gives these cookies the shortbread texture. Using all almond flour will produce slightly softer cookies.

Salt

Because this dough does not contain eggs, feel free to taste it and adjust the amount of salt to taste.

Ingredients for keto shortbread cookies.

Sweetener Notes

You can use any granulated sweetener that measure 1:1 with regular sugar or that is slightly less sweet than sugar; however, I don't recommend brown sugar or coconut sugar as it will change the flavor of the cookies.

I used to use granulated erythritol in this recipe. It had great flavor, similar to regular. After reading about the connection between erythritol and cardiovascular risk (1), I have been working to remove erythritol from all of my keto recipes as I no longer feel like it is a healthier alternative. I now recommend using ¼ cup allulose or regular granulated sugar along with stevia in this recipe. If you still choose to use erythritol, it has been tested and does work well in this recipe.

Tested Options & Bake Times

Granulated Allulose - Allulose is slightly less sweet than regular sugar, but it works in this recipe paired with stevia. If you want your cookies a little sweeter, you can add a little more stevia (up to an additional ¼ tsp). I don't recommend adding more allulose as most people cannot tolerate it in large quantities. Allulose browns quicker than erythritol or sugar and produces slightly darker cookies. If using allulose, bake for about 9-11 minutes. The cookies will be a little delicate fresh from the oven so allow them to set on the pan for about 10 minutes.

Whole Earth Monk Fruit Erythritol Blend - Any blend of granulated erythritol can be used that measures 1:1 with regular sugar. If using erythritol, bake for about 11-13 minutes.

Regular Granulated Sugar - Because we use stevia in this recipe, you do not need a lot of granulated sweetener to sweeten the recipe. Using regular sugar will yield low carb shortbread cookies with about 4 grams of net carbs per cookie. If using sugar, bake for about 11-13 minutes.

How to Make Keto Shortbread Cookies

These one-bowl cookies are simple to make with minimal cleanup. Whether you plan on rolling out the dough and using a cookie cutter or slicing the dough into rounds, the beginning of the process is the same.

Mixing Ingredients

  1. Add softened butter, sweetener, vanilla extract, almond extract (if using), and stevia to a large mixing bowl. Cream together using a handheld electric mixer until it appears crumbly. 
  2. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl with butter. Be sure to use loose and level scoops when measuring the almond flour and coconut flour. Mix together with the electric mixer until a dough forms. The dough should appear crumbly but should come together when you smash it between your fingers. Since the dough does not contain eggs, you can taste it at this time and adjust the stevia or sea salt if needed.
Creaming butter for keto shortbread cookies.
Mixing dough for keto shortbread cookies.

Rolling Out the Dough

  1. Place the dough in the fridge to chill for about 20 minutes.
  2. While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  3. Once chilled, lay out a piece of parchment paper on a working surface. Turn the dough out onto the parchment paper, flatten it and place another piece of parchment paper on to. Begin to roll over the parchment paper with a rolling pin until the dough is about ¼-inch thick. 
  4. Use a 2-inch biscuit or cookie cutter to cut your cookies. Place each cookie evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch of space between each cookie. Gather the scraps of dough and smash together to form a ball. Roll the dough out again using the same process and cut the remaining cookies out (yield is about 16 cookies). Repeat until all the dough is used.
Cutting dough with cookie cutter.

Cutting the Dough

Alternatively, the dough can be sliced instead of rolling out and using cookie cutters.

  1. Lay out a piece of parchment paper. Use a rubber spatula to turn the dough out on the parchment paper. Form a dough ball with your hands and place it in the center of the parchment paper. Roll the dough with the parchment paper to form a cylinder, about 2-inch in diameter. Place dough in the freezer to harden for 15 minutes.
  2. Bring out the dough and begin cutting it into ¼-inch round slices. 
  3. Place each cookie evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch of space between each cookie.
Rolling keto shortbread cookie dough into log.

Baking the Cookies

  1. Place in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until edges turn golden brown. Note: Cookies made with allulose will brown quicker compared to those made with erythritol or granulated sugar (allulose cookies took about 10 minutes to bake, erythritol and sugar took about 12-13 minutes). See 'Sweetener Notes'.
  2. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before handling. Cookies should be soft when removed from the oven but will set on the pan and become firm as they cool.
Baking keto shortbread cookies.

Storage

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature for up to one week. They will be safe to eat for longer but may become a little stale.

Freezing Cookies

For longer storage, you can freeze these shortbread cookies by placing the cooled cookies in an airtight freezer bag. Simply remove from the freezer and thaw at room temperature for a couple hours before enjoying. When stored properly, frozen cookies will last about 1-2 months in the freezer.

Freezing Cookie Dough

You can make the cookie dough and freeze it for freshly baked low carb cookies anytime! To do so, make the dough and cut the cookies. Place the cookie dough on a parchment paper lined sheet pan and place in the freezer for about 20 minutes, or until partially frozen. Once partially frozen, transfer the cookie dough to an airtight container or a resealable freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. You can use parchment paper to separate layers so that the cookies do not stick together.

Alternatively, if you are using the slicing method (instead of cookie cutters), you can freeze the dough as a cylinder for up to 1 week. Simply place the dough wrapped in parchment paper into a resealable freezer bag and remove the air. When you are ready to make the cookies, thaw the dough in the fridge for about 12 hours or at room temperature for 20 minutes before slicing.

To bake, remove the cookie dough from the freezer and bake on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for about 10-14 minutes at 350 F, or until edges are firm and cookies.

I love eating this cookie dough raw since there are no eggs in it. To freeze raw cookie dough to eat, I skip cutting the cookies. I use a 1-ounce cookie scoop to divide the dough and then freeze it on a parchment paper lined sheet baking. Once partially frozen, I transfer the scoops to a resealable freezer bag and enjoy the cookie dough uncooked whenever I have a craving.

Pile of keto shortbread cookies, one with a bite out of it.

Commonly Asked Questions & Troubleshooting

Why are my cookies hard?

Hard cookies are usually a result of over-baking. Shortbread cookies generally are not chewy, but they should be a crumbly, tender, melt-in-your mouth texture. Review the sweetener notes for specific bake times based on the sweetener I have tested in this recipe to avoid over-baking. Also, keep that the thickness of your cookies will change the bake time.

Consider your elevation when baking. I also always use an internal oven thermometer to ensure my oven is holding the correct temp.

Why is my dough not holding together?

if your dry ingredients were too dense, the dough might have difficulty holding together. Make sure you are using the spoon and level method when measuring these ingredients.

Why is my dough difficult to roll out?

If you leave your dough in the fridge for too long, it might be difficult to roll out. Not chilling the dough long enough may make it a little too sticky to work with. Aim for chilling at least 15 minutes but not more than 30 minutes so that the butter doesn't solidify too much.

Can I eat the raw cookie dough?

The beauty of these shortbread cookies is that they are egg-free, which means the dough is edible even uncooked.

Dietitian Notes

  • Each cookie contains 3 grams of protein, 2 gram of fiber, and only 1 gram of net carbs for the perfect blood sugar-friendly sweet treat.
  • Low glycemic sweeteners do not agree with every body. You can still make these low carb cookies with granulated sugar and they will only contain about 4 grams of net carbs thanks to the almond flour, coconut flour, and stevia.

Recipe Tips

  • Be sure to use softened butter, not melted! The dough will not hold together if using melted butter.
  • Cream the butter and sweetener together. This allows small pockets of air to form in the butter which prevent the sweetener and butter from melting too quickly. This gives the cookies their soft, shortbread crumble.
  • If you do not like almond extract, feel free to omit this ingredient.
  • Use loose and level scoops. Use the spoon and level method to measure the dry ingredients. Too much almond flour or coconut flour could cause the cookie dough to be too crumbly.
  • Add the right amount of salt. The amount of salt you use will depend on the sweetener you are using and your own preferences. I use salted butter + ¼ teaspoon of salt. I like the cookies to taste sweet and slightly salty. If sensitive to salt, you can taste the dough since there are no eggs in it, and salt to your preference.
  • Chill the dough! If rolling the dough and using a cookie cutter, chilling the dough in the fridge so that it is easier to work with (usually 20 minutes is sufficient, but this will depend on the temperature of your house and how softened the butter was). If you plan to slice the dough, you will want to put the log in the freezer for about 20 minutes so that it hardens enough to slice.
  • Consider the thickness of your cookies (mine were about ¼-inch thick) and the sweetener used when estimating bake time.
  • If you prefer softer cookies, aim to slightly underbake (usually baking for about 9-12 minutes depending on the sweetener used). If underbaking, allow the cookies to set completely on the baking sheet once they have been removed from the oven, usually at least 10 minutes.

Try These Other Great Cookies

Looking for other tasty recipes? Here are a few you might like:

  • Stack of almond flour peanut butter cookies.
    Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten-Free)
  • Tray of sugar and chocolate chip collagen protein cookies.
    Chewy Collagen Protein Cookies (12 grams of protein per cookie!)
  • Pile of almond flour cocoa cookies with sea salt on top.
    Almond Flour Cocoa Cookies
  • Stack of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies with white pumpkins in the background.
    Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Did you try these Keto Shortbread Cookies?

I would love to see how it went! Share a photo and tag me on Instagram or leave a comment on Pinterest.

Love this recipe? Connect with me by leaving a comment below! 😊

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Tray of keto shortbread cookies.

📖 Recipe

Pile of keto shortbread cookies.

Keto Shortbread Cookies

Amanda McGillicuddy
These keto shortbread cookies are rich, buttery and so easy to make. Each tasty cookie contains only 1 gram of net carbs and 3 grams of protein.
4.89 from 18 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Cooling Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 cookies
Calories 119 kcal

Equipment

  • Electric hand mixer
  • Mixing bowl
  • Spatula
  • Baking sheet
  • Knife
  • Parchment paper
  • Rolling Pin
  • 2-inch cookie cutter

Ingredients
 
 

  • ½ cup Salted butter softened
  • ¼ cup Granulated sweetener allulose, granulated sugar, or 1:1 erythritol blend (see 'Sweetener Notes' for tested options and bake times)
  • 1 ½ cup Blanched almond flour spooned and leveled (155 g)
  • ¼ cup Coconut flour spooned and leveled (30 g)
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon Almond extract optional
  • ¼-1/2 teaspoon Liquid stevia (you can start with ¼ teaspoon and adjust to taste after dough is mixed)
  • ¼ teaspoon Sea salt or to taste

Instructions
 

  • Add softened butter, sweetener, vanilla extract, almond extract (if using), and stevia to a large mixing bowl. Cream together using a handheld electric mixer until it appears crumbly. 
  • Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl with butter. Be sure to use loose and level scoops when measuring the almond flour and coconut flour. Mix together with the electric mixer until a dough forms. The dough should appear crumbly but should come together when you smash it between your fingers. Since the dough does not contain eggs, you can taste it at this time and adjust the stevia or sea salt if needed.
  • Place the dough in the fridge to chill for about 20 minutes.
  • While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Once chilled, lay out a piece of parchment paper on a working surface. Turn the dough out onto the parchment paper, flatten it and place another piece of parchment paper on to. Begin to roll over the parchment paper with a rolling pin until the dough is about ¼-inch thick.
  • Use a 2-inch biscuit or cookie cutter to cut your cookies. Place each cookie evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch of space between each cookie. Gather the scraps of dough and smash together to form a ball. Roll dough out again using the same process and cut the remaining cookies out (yield is about 16 cookies). Repeat until all the dough is used.
  • Place in the oven and bake for 10-14 minutes or until edges turn golden brown. Note: Cookies made with allulose will brown quicker compared to those made with erythritol or granulated sugar (allulose cookies took about 10 minutes to bake, erythritol and sugar took about 12-13 minutes). See 'Sweetener Notes'.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before handling. Cookies should be soft when removed from the oven but will set on the pan and become firm as they cool.

Making Cookies without a Cookie Cutter

  • Lay out a piece of parchment paper. Use a rubber spatula to turn the dough out on the parchment paper. Form a dough ball with your hands and place it in the center of the parchment paper. Roll the dough with the parchment paper to form a cylinder, about 2-inch in diameter. Place dough in the freezer to harden for 20 minutes.
  • Bring out the dough and begin cutting it into ¼-inch round slices.
  • Place each cookie evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch of space between each cookie. Resume the recipe at step 7.

Notes

Scroll up for ingredient notes, substitutions, and recipe tips.
  • When measuring the ingredients, it is important not to use rounded scoops, especially with the coconut flour. If your coconut flour is rounded or packed the dough will be too dry and not hold together properly.
  • Thinner cookies will take less time to cook.
  • This recipe used to be made with erythritol, but I am moving away from using it in my low-carb recipes as it appears to no longer be a healthier alternative. You can substitute ¼ cup of whatever low-glycemic sweetener you prefer that measures 1:1 with regular sugar or is slightly less sweet than sugar. Regular sugar can also be used, yielding cookies with 4 grams of net carbs per serving.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 119kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 3gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 86mgPotassium: 2mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 177IUCalcium: 24mgIron: 0.4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Likry says

    December 20, 2024 at 4:13 pm

    Why do instructions say liquid sweetener won’t work when it calls for liquid stevia?

    Reply
    • foodbornewellness.com says

      December 23, 2024 at 10:02 am

      Great question. I am referring to using a liquid 1:1 sweetener like maple syrup, honey, or keto syrup in place of granulated sweetener. This will add too much moisture to the recipe. The small quantity of liquid stevia is fine.

      Reply
  2. Shelley B says

    December 12, 2024 at 9:16 pm

    5 stars
    Very good recipe.
    I made these cookies, I also added dried cranberries, pecans and orange zest. The cookies were delicious.
    Thank you for sharing the recipe.

    Reply
    • foodbornewellness.com says

      December 13, 2024 at 9:43 am

      Love that combination! Thanks for trying the recipe, Shelley!

      Reply
  3. Jean says

    March 13, 2022 at 8:59 am

    5 stars
    My husband and I love these cookies. Easy to make and they taste fabulous! These didn’t last long at all. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • foodbornewellness.com says

      March 23, 2022 at 4:48 pm

      Thanks so much for trying this recipe! I am glad you and the hubs enjoyed it. It is a favorite low carb treat over here!

      Reply
  4. Billie says

    December 02, 2021 at 3:55 pm

    So happy with how these turned out. I chilled the dough a bit before shaping and baking, also pressed three little Lily’s chocolate chips into the tops of each one for a little extra. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • foodbornewellness.com says

      December 18, 2021 at 11:51 am

      Thanks for giving the recipe a try! I am glad it worked out and was enjoyed!!

      Reply
  5. Pat says

    December 21, 2020 at 11:29 pm

    5 stars
    Loved these! So simple and so good!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Diabetic Christmas Cookies | Walking On Sunshine Recipes says:
    November 27, 2020 at 6:03 pm

    […] Shortbread Cookies – Enjoy the buttery taste of shortbread cookies without the sugar with this recipe from Foodborne Wellness. Featuring almond flour, coconut flour, and erythritol, these diabetic cookies are perfect for the holidays. […]

    Reply
4.89 from 18 votes (15 ratings without comment)

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