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Low Carb Shortbread Recipe

Low carb shortbread cookies let you enjoy holiday cookies with less guilt! They’re so good with a cup of coffee or tea.

YOU. GUYS. This is a MELT in your MOUTH shortbread cookies recipe.

No “ifs.” No “ands.” NO “BUTS.”

Just pure, light-as-air, WHIPPY and BUTTERY deliciousness for your shortbread-loving SOULS.

Low Carb Shortbread Cookies Photo
(Taylor Kiser)

I don’t know what it is about shortbread cookies, but they are my ULTIMATE favorite. I can easily have just 1 of a cutesty decorated gluten free sugar cookies or paleo caramel apple ginger snaps. But, stick a plate of whipped shortbread cookies in front of my eyeballs?

INHALE. EXHALE. THEY’RE ALL GONE.

Low Carb Shortbread Cookies Picture
(Taylor Kiser)

Poof. JUST LIKE THAT.

I think the reason that I love shortbread cookies is because the classic recipe is just stupid-simple-idiot proof.

Low Carb Shortbread Cookies Image
(Taylor Kiser)

Thing you need to make shortbread cookies 101:

You only need THREE simple ingredients if you’re going to make the classic holiday cookie a real thing in your real-person-cookie-baking life:

Butter.

Flour.

SUGAR.

BOOM! Pantry essential ingredients that you PROBABLY already have. Whiiiich means you could be eating cookies in only a FEW MINUTES if you get up RIGHT NOW. Hold up though, you don’t know what to do with those 3 ingredients. YET.

Low Carb Shortbread Cookies Pic
(Taylor Kiser)

How to make shortbread cookies 101:

Step 1. Whip the butter and sugar until SUPPPPER light in color and supremely fluffy and basically perfect. Trust me, you’ll know when you get there.

Step 2: Mix in the flour. Resist the urge to eat all the dough because you KNOW that something that is just butter and sugar has to be NEXT LEVEL delicious

Step 3. BAKE.

That’s the gist of it. EXCEPT, this is a WHIPPED gluten free shortbread cookies recipe. IMO, this is the only kind of cookie to eat ever because the light and melty factor? OFF THE CHARTS.

File 1 - Low Carb Shortbread Cookies

The secret to making melt in your mouth shortbread cookies is USUALLY cornstarch. It’s so light and delicate that it gives your baked good those SAME addictive qualities.

Except, in usual Taylor fashion, I decided to give “grain free” a go and attempt to swap in tapioca starch to make whipped shortbread cookies WITHOUT cornstarch.

Or flour. HI almond flour!

File 2 - Low Carb Shortbread Cookies

OR actual butter. Ghee, I love that you are lactose-free. Will you marry me?

And Z-E-R-O SUGAR.

You guys. We are making our own POWDERED monkfruit, which is SO much easier than it sounds. You just have to GRIND IT up for AWHILE in a food processor. Side note: be patient with it, you’re gonna think it’s going nowhere and then — suddenly — it’s powdery-perfect!

Sugar free powdered sugar is a real thing that exists on this planet we call Earth and you are welcome for the discovery.

Swirls of nutty almond extract dance around each and every melty bite of shortbread as it combines with almond flour to create a DOUBLE dose of almond flavor profiles and coats your tongue in rich, velvety-smooth, LUSCIOUS buttery goodness.

File 3 - Low Carb Shortbread Cookies

Then just like MAGIC, the cookie is gone. Melting into your VERY cookie loving SOUL.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve got a serious feeling that the true meaning of Christmas is not the giving of gifts to loved ones out of the goodness of your heart.

I’m voting for “giving yourself the gift of cookies out of the HUNGRINESS of your belly.”

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Low Carb Shortbread Cookies Photo

Low Carb Shortbread Recipe

Taylor Kiser
Low carb shortbread cookies let you enjoy holiday cookies with less guilt! They’re so good with a cup of coffee or tea.
4 from 4 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 24 1 cookie
Calories 73 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 5 tablespoons Monkfruit Sweetener
  • 1/2 cup Ghee at room temperature, the consistency of softened butter
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons Pure Almond Extract
  • 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 3/4 cup Almond Flour 73g
  • 1/2 cup Tapioca Starch plus 1 Tablespoon, 73g
  • pinch of Salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpats.
  • Place the monkfruit into a SMALL food processor (mine is 3 cups) and process for about 3-4 minutes until fine and the consistency of powdered sugar.
  • Add the monkfruit, along with the Ghee and both extracts into a large bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, beat on high speed until very pale yellow in color, about 3 minutes.
  • Add in the flour, starch and salt and beat again for another 3 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.
  • Scoop into a piping back and pipe onto the prepared cookie sheet in ¾-inch-high mounds. These do spread a lot so leave room between them – I put 16 on one cookie sheet. Do not press them down.
  • Bake until the edges JUST begin to turn golden brown, about 11-13 minutes. If you can’t fit both sheets in at once, leave the other sheet out at room temperature until the first batch of cookies are done.
  • Once cooked, cool on the pan for 10 minutes. Then, gently transfer to a wire rack to cool COMPLETLEY.

Notes

  • I have also tried this with normal butter too, and it works great! Or, vegan butter for vegan alternative.
  • As with all gluten free baking, please weigh your flour to ensure accurate results.
  • I have also done this with cornstarch. However, 73g is only about 1/2 cup. Again, please weigh.

Nutrition

Calories: 73kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gSugar: 3g
Keyword Baked, Baking, Christmas, Cookies, Easy, Easy Desserts, Healthy Comfort Food, Healthy Eating, Holidays
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
4 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)
Recipe Rating