Gluten Free Maple Shortbread Cookies

These crisp, buttery Gluten Free Maple Shortbread Cookies are topped with sweet maple icing. They take shortbread to a whole new level of yumminess! They are perfect for fall or any time!

These buttery gluten free maple shortbread cookies have that soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture that shortbread is famous for. These cookies are topped with maple syrup icing.

You may also love this classic buttery Gluten Free Shortbread recipe. I have so many gluten free cookies on my blog, over 100! If you want to try some more awesome cookie recipes, check out these gluten free cookies!

Why These Cookies Are Great:

1. This gluten free maple shortbread cookie recipe is based on my popular buttery old-fashioned gluten free shortbread recipe. It was the perfect base for these maple cookies.
2. This shortbread dough holds up to cookie cutters, making it a great cut-out cookie recipe! You can also make them slice and bake style like these Gluten Free Sable Cookies.
3. These fall cookies are nice for bake sales and entertaining, especially when you use these maple leaf-shaped cookie cutters!

Ingredient Notes:

• Gluten Free Flour Blend - I tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure For Measure GF Flour. Other blends will also work, but I have not tested any others.
• Xanthan Gum - If your flour blend doesn't contain either xanthan or guar gum, you will need to add one teaspoon to your dry ingredients.
• Butter - Use unsalted butter.
• Maple Extract - You can find maple extract at most grocery stores. Many maple extracts contain caramel color and may not be gluten free. You want to get McCormick brand, which is gluten free.
• Powdered Sugar - This is for the icing. Check to be sure your powdered sugar is gluten free.
• Maple Syrup - Also, for the icing, you can check out which maple syrup is gluten free on this list.

Tips For Success:

• Measure your gluten free flour accurately. To measure your gluten free flour, I recommend using the spoon method or leveling method. Spoon method: 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. Leveling Method: Fill the measuring cup. Use a knife to level along the top to remove the extra flour.
• Chill the dough so it is very cold before rolling and using your cookie cutters.
• Be sure to use a cool room-temperature cookie sheet. Let the cookie sheet cool completely if you are baking a second batch.
• Be sure your oven rack is in the middle of the oven position. If the rack is too high or too low, it will affect how your cookies bake.

You may also love this Gluten Free Gingerbread Shortbread for the holidays!

Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Use a wire whisk to blend them.

Step 2: In a small microwave-safe bowl, soften the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and maple extract and mix.

Step 3: Pour the melted butter mixture into the dry ingredients.

Step 4: Mix into a nice cookie dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 45-60 minutes.

Step 5: Remove the cookie dough from the fridge and remove the plastic wrap. Place the cookie dough on wax paper or a silicone baking mat.

Step 6: Roll the dough to ½ inch thickness.

Step 7: Grab your favorite cookie cutters. I linked the inexpensive cookie cutters I used in the Tips for Success section above.

Step 8: Press the cookie cutter into the dough and move each shortbread cookie to a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Take the dough scraps and roll them flat. Cut out more shapes. Repeat until you use all of your shortbread dough.

Step 9: Bake at 350º F for 20 minutes until these gluten free maple shortbread cookies are slightly golden. When the shortbread is finished baking, remove it and allow it to cool on a cooling rack.

Step 10: While the cookies are cooling, add the maple icing ingredients to a small bowl. Whisk. You can make your icing as thick or thin as you like. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies. Refrigerate to harden the icing.

Tips and Recipe FAQ:

Also, try my Gluten Free Pumpkin Spice Shortbread. It is full of sweet fall flavors!

More Gluten Free Cookie Recipes:

• Gluten Free Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
• Easy Gluten Free Pumpkin Molasses Cookies
• Gluten Free Cornbread Cookies (A Crumbl Copycat)
• Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

📖 Recipe

Easy Gluten Free Maple Shortbread Cookies

Sandi Gaertner

Buttery, crisp gluten free maple shortbread cookies with maple icing.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 35 mins

Course Gluten Free Dessert Recipes

Cuisine American

Servings 24 cookies

Calories 139 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 cups gluten free flour blend * see notes
• ▢ ½ cup sugar
• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 teaspoon maple extract * see note
• ▢ ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Icing

• ▢ ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ▢ 3 tablespoons maple syrup more if needed

Instructions

 

• In a large mixing bowl, add the flour and sugar. Whisk to blend.
• Soften the butter by microwaving it for 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and maple extract and whisk.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix into dough.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45-60 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350º F.
• Place the dough on a clean surface. Roll to ½ inch thickness.
• Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out shapes. I used maple leaves.
• Place each cookie on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.
• Bake for 20 minutes until slightly golden. Remove to a cooling rack.
• Mix the powdered sugar and maple syrup. When the cookies are cool, drizzle the icing over the cookies.

Notes

1. I tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure. Other blends should work, but keep an eye on the dough's moisture level. Some flour blends may need less flour.
2. Add one teaspoon if your blend doesn't contain xanthan or guar gum.
3. You can find maple extract at most grocery stores. Many maple extracts contain caramel color and may not be gluten free. You want to get McCormick brand, which is gluten free.
4. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

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: 139kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 1gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 1mgPotassium: 8mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 236IUCalcium: 12mgIron: 0.4mg

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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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