Gluten-Free Shortbread Bars

Soft, buttery, and soy-free, these vegan Gluten-Free Shortbread Bars are made with just six base ingredients and are ready in 30 minutes! Add your own flavorings or enjoy as is! These bars are a popular treat in our house, and we suspect they’ll be popular in yours, too! {Gluten-Free + Soy-Free + Vegan}

Hold the phone and shut the front door! Because today in the Spirited kitchen we have Gluten-Free Shortbread Bars. Unlike some shortbread recipes that turn out dry and flaky, these shortbreads turn out soft and buttery and downright satisfying. They are made with allergen-friendly butter, gluten-free baking flour, and your choice of flavorings. I was surprised by how delicious Gluten-Free Shortbread Bars turned out, given how simple the ingredient list is. There’s nothing parched, bland, or boring about them!

In fact, this recipe is so easy, we’ve made several batches inside of three days. The girls go absolutely nuts for them. So much so, we make these Gluten-Free Shortbread Bars for holidays, special occasions, and because we’re in the mood for a snack.

Here’s the thing about these shortbread bars: You know how sometimes you make cookies and once you’ve prepped the batter, you’re too tired to bake it and would rather eat it instead? Well, shortbread bars are so easy to make, there’s no mid-recipe fatigue. First, blend everything together, next spread the dough into the pan, and then bake. After that, set them on the counter to cool. Last, but certainly not least, enjoy! The recipe is as simple as that. 

Gluten-Free Shortbread Bars are

• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free
• Soy-free
• Egg-free
• Quick prep and quick baking times
• Easy to customize for a variety of flavors

This simple baked good recipe is super-easy to make on a short timeframe! It’s frequently my go-to recipe, not only during the holidays but throughout the year as well.

If you’re ready to make your own Gluten-Free Shortbread Bars, then keep on reading and get ready for some deliciousness! 

Gluten-Free Shortbread Bars ingredients

• Allergen-friendly buttery spread. I use Earth Balance Soy-Free Buttery Spread (in the tub). I have not tried this recipe with ghee, however that’s another option.
• Confectioners’ sugar. In addition to the amount added to the dough, reserve extra for sprinkling on the top of the baked bars, if desired.
• Gluten-free flour. The key to baking with gluten-free flour is to select a brand with a flavor you like. Since not all gluten-free flours taste the same, this process can be trial and error. I like Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (not a paid mention).
• Baking powder and sea salt
• Water. Add a tablespoon at a time, blending in between each addition, if the dough is too crumbly.
• Optional: Add your favorite flavors. Vanilla, lemon, and almond extracts complement the sweet cookie flavor. If only adding a splash of flavoring (a teaspoon or less), then you shouldn’t need to adjust the other ingredients.
• Toppings: If the bars are still warm, consider adding a few pieces of frozen fruit to each serving. The warm-frozen combo is delightful to the tastebuds. Additionally, consider drizzling melted chocolate over the top of the bars once they are done baking. For a thinner chocolate that’s easy to drizzle, add a small dollop of coconut oil to the chocolate chips before melting them.

These shortbreads are sweet and delicious just as they are. But there are lots of ways to change up your shortbread bars, if you’re in the mood to try! Fresh fruit is an excellent option and perfect for savoring seasonal flavors no matter when you bake a batch!

Variations and troubleshooting

• Add flavors. Vanilla, lemon, or almond extracts boost the flavor of these shortbread bars. If adding a teaspoon or less, you shouldn’t need to adjust the other ingredients.
• When the dough comes out crumbly: Add a splash of water.
• When the dough comes out to soft: Sprinkle in more flour and cream the ingredients together again.

NOTE: The dough will not spread during the baking process. The way it goes into the oven is most likely the way it will come out. So it’s a good idea to try to spread the dough as evenly around the pan as possible. The dough will also continue to cook even after it comes out of the oven. I find the 20-minute mark is almost perfect. 

Bars, bars, and more bars!

• Cranberry Pecan Cookie Bars
• Chocolate Almond Butter Oatmeal Bars
• Mixed Berry Fruit Bars
• Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars
• No-Bake Paleo Chocolate Chip Coconut Bars

This recipe is adapted from Jane Hodge’s Scotch Shortbread Bars in Best of Country Cookies (1999).

Friends, I hope this recipe finds you well. Take care of yourselves, stay safe, and know, as always, I’m glad you’re here. ❤️

Print

Hodge, Jane. “Scotch Shortbread Bars.” Recipe. Best of Country Cookies. Ed. Julie Schnittka. Greendale, WI:Reiman Publications, LLC., 1999. 86. Print.