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Home Recipes Cookies and Bars

Gluten Free Cranberry Shortbread

Published: Nov 11, 2021 by Sandi Gaertner · 12 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

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One bite of this buttery crisp gluten free cranberry shortbread with dried cranberries and pistachios and you will be hooked! These simple gluten free slice and bake cookies make a delicious treat for the holidays!

A stack of four gluten free cranberry shortbread cookies
Jump to:
  • Why you will love these cookies:
  • Ingredient notes:
  • How to make gluten free cranberry cookies:
  • Make it fancy:
  • Tips and Recipe FAQ:
  • More gluten free cookie recipes:
  • 📖 Recipe
  • Fearless Dining
  • 💬 Comments

I am really excited about these gluten free citrus shortbread cookies with pistachios. They are buttery and full of flavor. I love to use lime zest instead of orange zest when baking with cranberries. It adds delicious tanginess.

You can find dried cranberries all year long. I love to use Ocean Spray cranberry to make my shortbread cookies. There are many other brands of dried cranberries as well, but our grocery store mostly seems to carry this one brand.

If you prefer to try a regular drop-style cookie, these gluten free cranberry white chocolate cookies are also really good.

Why you will love these cookies:

  1. They are full of buttery shortbread goodness. They melt in your mouth!
  2. These cookies are made with dried cranberries so that you can enjoy them all year long.
  3. You can cut them out in circles or use your favorite cookie cutters!
  4. They are made with only five simple ingredients.

This is a great easy recipe to make if you are looking for the perfect gluten-free slice and bake cookies. If you love cookies as much as we do, check out all of my delicious gluten free cookies recipes.

These homemade cookies are easy to make for Thanksgiving; these are the perfect gluten free Thanksgiving cookies! I also have an amazing traditional Gluten Free Shortbread recipe that is really easy to make.

Ingredient notes:

cranberry shortbread ingredients
  • Gluten free flour blend - I tested this recipe using Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend and King Arthur's Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. For some reason, Bob's blend needed a little more flour. If you notice the dough is a bit wet, add a little more flour using Bob's 1 to 1. (That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours, and I can not guarantee the recipe will work if you use other mixes.)
  • Xanthan Gum - If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
  • Butter - To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
  • Cranberries - Use dried cranberries because fresh ones will add too much moisture.
  • Pistachios - If you are nut-free, omit them. You can also use other types of nuts, like pecans.

How to make gluten free cranberry cookies:

photos of steps 1 and 2 of making the cranberry shortbread cookies

Step 1: Add your dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk to blend them all together.

To measure your gluten free flour, I recommend using the spoon method or leveling method. In a perfect world, people weigh their flour, but most do not own a kitchen scale.

Put the measuring scoop into the flour and fill. Do not pack the flour. Use a knife to scrape along the top to remove the extra flour.

Use a spoon to fill the measuring cup. Use a knife to level along the top to remove the extra flour.

Step 2: Add the wet ingredients to a bowl and whisk to blend.

photos of steps 3 and 4 of making the cranberry shortbread cookies

Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix them into a dough.

Step 4: As I mentioned above, for some reason, I found that Bob's GF 1 to 1 blend was a bit wetter than the King Arthur blend. If you notice this, it is okay to add more flour, so the dough isn't too sticky.

photos of steps 5 and 6 of making the cranberry shortbread cookies

Step 5: Form the dough into a log and wrap it with plastic wrap. Chill it in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. Remove the dough and preheat the oven to 375º F. I use a higher heat so that the cookies are set quickly and don't spread.

Step 6: Slice the cookies into circles and put them onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.

Step 7: Bake at 375º F for 8-10 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on them, so they don't overbake.

You may also love this simple Gluten Free Maple Shortbread recipe.

Make it fancy:

Make your citrus cranberry shortbread fancy by drizzling or dipping half of the cookies in melted white chocolate. You can sprinkle them with crushed pistachios or sprinkles.

Tips and Recipe FAQ:

What is the difference between shortbread and sugar cookies?

The main difference between shortbread and sugar cookies is that sugar cookies have eggs and shortbread does not.

Can you use fresh cranberries in this shortbread cookie recipe?

Unfortunately, you can't use fresh cranberries in this recipe. They add too much moisture to the shortbread.

Can you make shortbread dairy-free?

You can make these gluten free pistachio and cranberry shortbread cookies dairy-free by using vegan butter.

How long will these cookies keep fresh?

These cookies will keep fresh for up to 3 days in an air-tight container. They will keep up to 4 months in a freezer bag in the freezer.

baked cranberry shortbread cookies on a baking sheet

More gluten free cookie recipes:

  • Easy Gluten Free Gingerbread Melting Moments
  • Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies
  • Gluten Free Chocolate Espresso Cookies
  • Buttery Gluten Free Pecan Cookies

📖 Recipe

A stack of four gluten free cranberry shortbread cookies

Gluten Free Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

Sandi Gaertner
Delicious buttery melt in your mouth gluten free cranberry shortbread cookies. These cookies are easy to make and are perfect any time of the year.
4.80 from 5 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Chill Time 1 hour hr
Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Course Gluten Free Dessert Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 12 cookies
Calories 294 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ¼ cups gluten free flour blend * see note
  • ½ cup sugar
  • dash salt
  • 1 cup butter softened to almost melted
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • ⅓ cup pistachios removed from the shells and chopped
  • 2 teaspoon lime zest
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Add your dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk to blend them all together.
  • Add the wet ingredients to a bowl and whisk to blend.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix them into a dough.
  • Note: or some reason I found the Bob's GF 1 to 1 blend was a bit wetter than with the King Arthur blend. If you notice this, it is okay to add more flour so the dough isn't too sticky.
  • Form the dough into a log and wrap it with plastic wrap. Chill it in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
  • Remove the dough and preheat the oven to 375º F. I use a higher heat so that the cookies are set quickly and don't spread.
  • Slice the cookies into circles and put them onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.
  • Bake at 375º F for 8-10 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on them so they don't overbake.
  • Remove from the oven to a cooling rack.
  • Optional: drizzle or dip in white chocolate.

Notes

  1. I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours. You may need a bit more of Bob's blend so the dough isn't too wet.
  2. Xanthan Gum - If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
  3. To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
  4. To measure your gluten free flour, I recommend using the spoon method or leveling method. In a perfect world, people weigh their flour, but most do not own a kitchen scale.
    Put the measuring scoop into the flour and fill. Do not pack the flour. Use a knife to scrape along the top to remove the extra flour.
    Use a spoon to fill the measuring cup. Use a knife to level along the top to remove the extra flour.
  5. These cookies will keep for up to 3 days in an air-tight container or up to 4 months in the freezer.

SPECIAL NOTE

Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn't test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 294kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 3gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 136mgPotassium: 45mgFiber: 3gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 487IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @FearlessDining or tag #FearlessDining!

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Stephanie

    April 23, 2023 at 7:02 pm

    4 stars
    They were very difficult to cut. The dough kept breaking apart in crumbles. I let the log sit out for about 20-30 minutes and it became a little easier to cut. They baked up really nice and are delicious.

    Reply
    • Sandi Gaertner

      April 24, 2023 at 8:49 am

      Hi Stephanie, I haven't heard of this happening, but I suspect it is probably due to your flour blend. Some blends are very starch-heavy and need more liquid ingredients. I would recommend either adding a little more butter or cutting back 2-3 TBSP of flour next time.

      Reply
  2. Cecelia

    December 08, 2022 at 2:48 am

    Hello there,
    Is it possible to use a sugar substitute like monk fruit or stevia? Please advise, I'd love to make these!

    Reply
    • Sandi Gaertner

      December 08, 2022 at 11:13 am

      Hi Cecelia, I haven't tested monkfruit sweetener. I know some of my readers use it, but I am not sure which recipes.

      Reply
  3. Linda

    November 27, 2022 at 8:40 am

    I used ghee instead of butter. I weighed out everything on a scale. I ended up with puddles instead of cookies. I'm guessing ghee is significantly wetter than regular butter? I googled it and was told 1:1 ratio? Perhaps not in baking. I will try this again with less ghee.

    Reply
    • Sandi Gaertner

      November 27, 2022 at 8:49 am

      Hi Linda, I have never used ghee in my baking, but it doesn't sound like it was a good substitute for this recipe.

      Reply
  4. Ida

    December 19, 2021 at 9:43 am

    Hi there! Would you share the weights for each ingredient? I prefer to weigh out my ingredients. Can’t wait to make these cookies!!

    Reply
    • Sandi Gaertner

      December 19, 2021 at 9:52 am

      Hi Ida, unfortunately, I do not weigh my ingredients. Every gluten free flour blend weighs something different and I do not have the resources to buy and test a lot of gluten free flour blends to weigh and test multiple gluten free flour blends.

      Reply
  5. Diana

    November 11, 2021 at 12:56 pm

    thanks for sharing this recipe! I was looking at the nutrition and wondered whether the calories are right, 1 cookie 294 kcal??
    Regards,
    Diana

    Reply
    • Sandi Gaertner

      November 11, 2021 at 1:25 pm

      It is hard to say if that 294 is 100% correct. Shortbread has a lot of butter, but not a lot of sugar. No nutrition calculator is ever 100% accurate. Also, everyone makes different-sized cookies and different thicknesses. I suspect the number is a bit high, the recipe probably makes 14 cookies if cut thinner. Calorie content also depends on whether someone uses sugared dry cranberries or unsweetened.

      Reply
      • Lisa Canning

        March 24, 2022 at 6:03 pm

        Oops! I froze the dough instead of chill! Hoping it will be ok. Smh!

      • Sandi Gaertner

        March 25, 2022 at 2:10 pm

        It should be fine Lisa. I think cutting the roll will be a bit hard if it is totally frozen.

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Welcome to my blog! I am so glad you are here. If you have Celiac Disease, are gluten intolerant, or have a wheat allergy, you've come to the right place. With years of extensive experience in recipe development, I am dedicated to assisting you on your gluten free journey. As a seasoned gluten free cookbook author and recipe developer, I specialize in creating easy, family-friendly recipes that rival their gluten-filled counterparts. Rest assured, my recipes undergo rigorous testing and refinement, ensuring foolproof results every time.

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