Are you looking for a Buttery Keto Shortbread Cookie recipe? Well, look no further because this recipe is the perfect sugar-free shortbread cookie recipe.
At only 1.8g net carbs this buttery and flakey cookie is exactly what you are looking for. Keep reading to learn all our best tips for making these cookies.
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Keto shortbread cookies
Oh, the buttery flakey goodness of a shortbread cookie! This keto cookie recipe is going to spark some baking creativity for you in the kitchen!
To make this easy recipe you will first want to mix together your butter and sweetener of choice. Once those are mixed together you can mix in the coconut flour, form the dough into a ball, and chill you dough until you are ready to bake.
How do I measure coconut flour for baking?
When measuring coconut flour it is important that it is measured correctly. You do not want to scoop the flour with your measuring cup because it will compact and you will end up using more coconut flour than you want to use.
To measure the coconut flour first mix the flour with a spoon to aerate it. Then spoon the flour into your measuring cup until it is full. This will make sure you don't accidentally get more flour than you need.
TOP TIP: As with ALL recipes here, ALWAYS taste your batter BEFORE cooking to ensure you have added enough sweetener to suit YOUR tastebuds. Read the Ultimate Guide To Low-Carb Sweeteners.
If this is day 1 of sugar-free living for you, you may require twice the amount of sweetener as someone who has been living sugar-free for years. So don't be afraid to add more sweeteners. The longer you live sugar-free, the less sweetener in time you will require.
How many carbs?
The carbs in a low-carb cookie will depend on the type of cookie. This keto shortbread cookie recipe is only 1.7g net carbs per cookie.
Other low-carb cookie recipes will be more or less depending on what ingredients are used. Recipes made using coconut flour are generally much lower than those made with almond flour.
Are shortbread cookies bad for you?
With all baked goods, moderation is key in a balanced diet. A cookie or two every once in a while isn't bad for you, but eating an entire dozen might upset your tummy.
If you ate a whole dozen shortbreads you would be basically digesting an entire stick of butter. And whilst we love our healthy fats, eating too much low-carb or keto baking, means other nutritious whole foods are being crowded out.
Do keto shortbread cookies use eggs?
No, eggs are not used in shortbread cookies. Shortbread really only have 3 ingredients: butter, sweetener, and flour (coconut flour in this case).
I add a splash of vanilla for flavor, but that is optional. If you have a sensitive palate to the subtle coconut flavour of coconut flour, you may wish to add more than the recipe states.
Why isn't baking powder needed?
Baking powder is used in baking to help the cookie rise and be fluffier. Since shortbread is a denser flakier cookie we do not want to add baking powder to the dough.
However, if you are looking for a fluffier texture feel free to add a teaspoon to the dough. Traditionally, however, baking powder is not used.
More Low-Carb Dessert Recipes & Low-Carb Cake Recipes ...
Why isn't my dough crumbling?
When you first mix together your dough you may notice that the dough is too wet and not quite crumbly. This is normal. DO NOT ADD MORE COCONUT FLOUR!
Instead, let the dough sit for a little while them mix again. The coconut flour will absorb the liquid as it sits and expand. Letting your sough sit for 5 minutes will give you the crumbly dough you are looking for with shortbread cookies.
Do I need to chill the dough?
Yes, your shortbread cookie dough needs to be chilled for at least 15-20 minutes before it is ready to use. This chill time helps the dough stick together and makes it easier to work with the dough.
Chilling the dough also gives the coconut flour more time to absorb liquids in the dough so that you have that buttery flakey texture shortbread cookies are known for.
How do I roll out the dough?
Once your shortbread cookie dough is chilled it is easy to roll out in-between two sheets of parchment paper. You will want to roll the dough to about ¼ inch thick before using a cookie cutter to cut out your cookies.
You'll be able to get 7-9 cookies from the first time you roll out the dough. Roll the scraps our again to get another 3-4 cookies to make a whole dozen.
Of course if you don't want to roll out the dough you can make regular circle cookies using the drop cookie method.
Storage
When you first bake your cookies they will be soft and flakey. The longer they sit exposed to air the harder they will get. Depending on why you are making these cookies you may want soft or hard shortbread cookies.
Storing the cooled cookies in an airtight container or zipped bag on the counter will help to keep the cookies softer longer. The cookies can be stored on the counter for 3-5 days.
Ways to use keto shortbread cookies
There are so many ways that you can use shortbread cookies or shortbread cookies dough. This recipe is only the base for a keto shortbread cookie.
- Make thumbprint cookies with sugar-free chia jam.
- Dip the cookie in melted chocolate.
- Drizzle with sugar-free icing/frosting.
- Use as a pie crust by pressing the dough into a pie pan and baking.
- Press the dough into a casserole pan and cut into cookie sticks before baking.
There are so many options with a good keto shortbread cookie recipe. Let your imagination run wild!
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Buttery Keto Shortbread Cookie Recipe
Recipe Video
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Ingredients
- ½ cup (120 g) butter salted and softened
- ¼ cup granulated sweetener of choice or more to your taste
- ¾ cup (75 g) coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- To start, mix the butter and sweetener together in a bowl. Then stir in the coconut flour and vanilla extract.
- Mix your cookie dough well. Let the dough rest on the counter for 5-10 minutes to allow the dough to thicken and become crumbly as the coconut flour absorbs the butter.
- Form the dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
- After chilling, form the dough into cookies by rolling the dough out between 2 pieces of parchment paper until it is ¼ inch thick. Cut cookies with a cookie cutter. You can also form cookies by scooping the dough into balls with two spoons.
- Arrange the cookies on a lined cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes at 165°C/325°F. Let cool and enjoy!
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Approximate nutrition information is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. For the most accurate nutritional data, use the actual ingredients and brands you used in your preferred nutrition calculator.
Monica
Taste was good. Added coconut extract as well as vanilla. Only problem was the crumbling. I should have added an egg. Will definitely make again with the adjustment.
Rachel Groff
What a wonderful idea Monica to add coconut extract as well! Shortbread cookies do tend to be dry and crumbly. Let us know how it turns out with the added egg.
Jo
Such a simple, but delicious low carb recipe for shortbread. It takes no time all to make, and keeps well in the fridge in hot weather. It will become a baking staple. I did add a little cinnamon and nutmeg, and will continue to do so. 😋
Salo
Thank you for listing grams and Celsius!
Libby Jenkinson
Thank you, Salo. I like to add both metric measurements and imperial as I have readers from across the globe. I also have baking pan measurement conversions charts and even butter conversion charts too in my baking 101 tips and tricks.
Robin
If one wanted to reduce the crumbling issue, would adding an egg white help? Maybe replace a bit of the butter with egg white?
Libby Jenkinson
Yes, you can add some egg white, collagen powder, or xanthan gum.
Julie
I had to add eggs because there was no way this dough was going to bind without it. Hopefully it turns out still good 🙂
Kathy
After cooling.. tried to take cookie off the pan ( baked on parchment) crumbles all over the place ugh!!! Ingredients too expensive to try and make again .. taste was ok .. I added coconut flavor with vanilla..
Susan Mackrell
Can you freeze the dough. I am making these for myself as no one else in my family likes keto baking and 12 is far too much for one person. Well, I could easily polish them off over a couple of days but that wouldn't be good for the waistline!
Libby Jenkinson
Yes, the dough can be frozen. Roll into a ball and double wrap in plastic wrap then place it in an airtight container.
Yvonne
Fabulous base. I added finely zested lemon and poppy seeds…delicious. Rolled into a log and put in the fridge and then sliced the log into coin shaped shortbread and topped with a dot of lemon, cream cheese/butter icing 😱 thanks for the recipe.
Frances
Can monk fruit powder sugar be used in place of the granulated kind?
Libby Jenkinson
Yes, you can use monk fruit. The powdered variety will give a lovely smooth textured shortbread.
Judy
Turned these into lemon pistachio shortbread cookies by adding 1/4 cup finely chopped pistachios and the finely grated rind of a lemon which helped to disguise the coconut taste. Very crumbly when warm so leave them to cool fully on the tray.
Libby Jenkinson
Oh wow, what a superb idea to transform these basic keto shortbread cookies. And I'm pleased you waited until they cooled down, otherwise, they can be crumbly. The added pistachios would have also slightly broken up the shortbread dough. Maybe sprinkle to chopped nuts on top next time and see if that makes a difference.
y
for the shortbread cookies, can almond flour be subbed in for coconut flour? not a big fan of coconut flour!
Libby Jenkinson
No, you cannot swap out coconut flour for almond flour, these two low-carb flours have completely different properties and require a completely different dry:wet ingredient ratio. That would be another recipe entirely. You can see all my cakes, cookies and dessert recipes here. I'm sure you'll find an almond flour recipe you'll love.
Kat
Can these be made savoury? Would you be able to leave out the sugar?
Libby Jenkinson
Yes, you can make these coconut flour shortbread cookies savory. Omit the sweetener and add salt, pepper, and any fresh or dried herbs that you wish. A savory rosemary biscuit would be amazing.
Roberta
Thanks for the tips, always useful, even if in this case (or in general for how I am used to cook) I wouldn't suggest to use measuring cups: a scale is far way accurate and can really make the difference both for the result and for macros calculation if you need it. It may be seem a loss of time at the beginning, but it definitely worth those additional seconds and then it'll become an habit, until you learn "at a glance"and with themeasuring cup how much of an ingredient is the right amount for a repeated and tested recipe that you use on regular basis. But in the end probably you'll find yourself using scale more than predicted (many scales also have a memory that can register macros for a recipe and for ingredients)... Happy cooking!