Gluten-Free Brown Butter Shortbread
These Brown Butter Shortbread are crisp and buttery with dark chocolate + flaky sea salt on top. These gluten-free & refined sugar-free cookies melt in your mouth and make the perfect addition to your holiday cookie tray!

Are you ready for some COOKIE goodness?! I’m so beyond into these brown butter shortbread cookies and I’m really hoping you’ll be snacking on them ASAP, so you understand what all the fuss is about…
A few weeks back, my friend Rebecca from Displaced Housewife asked if I wanted to join a cookie exchange between a bunch of other bloggers/Instagrammers. Uh, receiving cookies in the mail from one of the people whose treats I drool over on the daily? YES, please.

She gathered an incredibly impressive group of bloggers that I, frankly, feel quite flattered to be a part of. However…there was a little bit of a mishap. Rebecca messaged me, I enthusiastically agreed, and she said she’d email out details.
I forgot all about it until I received cookies in the mail and panicked because I had sent no cookies. We realized the email got sent to the wrong address, so I hadn’t been any receiving updates! 😩 So I’m a little behind, and I feel so bad that Erin over at Cloudy Kitchen hasn’t gotten her cookies yet, but they’re on their merry way and hopefully, she’ll enjoy them :)

I was the lucky recipient of Cornmeal & Cherry Shortbread Cookies dipped in white chocolate from Brett over at Fig & Bleu. Holy cow you guys, you’re going to want to try them. SO crisp and flavorful and absolutely delicious. I brought them to my sister’s birthday lunch and they were gone within 5 minutes – my family obsessed over them, as did I.
Let’s make Brown Butter Shortbread!
I took a bit of inspiration from Brett’s present and went the shortbread route. These Brown Butter Shortbread are one of my favorite holiday cookie recipes, and I’ve been wanting to make a gluten-free and refined sugar-free version to share with you. Thankfully, this version turned out perfectly.

In fact, I couldn’t even really tell the difference between this one and the traditional brown butter shortbread recipe. The combination of almond flour and coconut flour creates a wonderful crisp and sandy shortbread texture. But, of course, the real star of this shortbread is the brown butter. To make the cookies, all you need is:
- Butter
- Coconut Sugar
- Vanilla
- Sea Salt
- Almond Flour
- Coconut Flour
- Dark Chocolate

How do you make brown butter?
Brown butter is made from cooking butter low and slow on the stove, whisking as it bubbles until the milk solids get toasty brown. It’s one of my favorite things on the planet, and I’m still curious as to why a brown butter scented candle doesn’t exist. The warm, nutty flavor from the brown butter makes the flavor of this shortbread pretty irresistible.
Once the gluten-free shortbread cookies are baked, you’ll spread a thin layer of dark chocolate on top, along with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. These brown butter shortbread are simple, elegant, and more importantly – delicious. They’d be a fabulous addition to any holiday cookie platters you’re making, or to bring to a cookie exchange. Happy cookie baking!!

Want more gluten-free holiday cookies?
- Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten-Free & Vegan)
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (Gluten-Free & Vegan)
- Chocolate Almond Butter Thumbprint Cookies (Gluten-Free & Vegan)
- Snowball Cookies (Gluten-Free, Keto & Vegan)
- Soft Gingerbread Cookies (Gluten-Free & Vegan)

Brown Butter Shortbread (Gluten Free + Refined Sugar Free)
- Prep Time: 150 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 185 minutes
- Yield: 18 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup (96g) almond flour
- ¼ cup (32g) coconut flour
- 3 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
- Fleur de sel, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 9½” round fluted tart pan or a 14″x5″ rectangle tart with a removable bottom. If you don’t have a pan with a removable bottom you could line a 8″ or 9″ square cake pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang of foil on two opposite sides so you can easily lift the shortbread out of the pan.
- In a small saucepan over medium melt the butter and continue to cook until it caramelizes and emits a nutty, butterscotch aroma. You will notice brown flecks in the bottom of the pan as the butter deepens in color. Be careful not to burn the butter. Remove from the heat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter with the coconut sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Add the almond and coconut flours and mix until incorporated. Spread the dough evenly in the prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for at least 2 hours or up to overnight – the dough should feel hard to the touch. Do not refrigerate.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 300°F. If your pan has a removable bottom, place on a baking sheet before baking. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the shortbread is golden brown.
- Let cool completely. Melt dark chocolate in the microwave and spread evenly on the shortbread. Sprinkle with fleur de sel. Refrigerate until hard, and then cut and serve!
Notes
This recipe is adapted from my Brown Butter Shortbread recipe.
Holiday Cookie Exchange 2016
Wife Mama Foodie | Gluten Free Icebox Cookie
Now Forager | Vanilla Bean Marshmallow & Pink Peppercorn Shortbread Cookies
Displaced Housewife | Chocolate Peppermint Crinkles
Tutti Dolci | Brown Butter Chai Snickerdoodles
The Daley Plate | Romany Creams
Fig & Bleu | Cornmeal & Cherry Shortbreads
Cloudy Kitchen | Anzac Biscuits
The Beach House Kitchen | Double Chocolate Peppermint Sugar Cookies
Vanilla and Bean | Cocoa Nibby Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Chez LaRae | White Rollout Cookies
Husbands That Cook | Apple Cider Snickerdoodles
Rainy Day Bites | Melody Cookies
The Jam Lab | Thandai Shortbread Cookies
Katie Clova | Espresso Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
Food Fashion Party | Stuffed Shortbread Cookies
Yay for cookie season! I am SO excited to eat ALL the cookies, starting with this shortbread. Love the browned butter in here, Rachel! Looks so delish!
Brown butter is my favorite thing! Thanks Gayle.
So excited to be part of this amazing cookie party with you Rachel!! You’ve taken shortbread to the next level with the browned butter!! Sounds delicious!! Getting this recipe on my holiday baking list!!
Thanks so much, MaryAnn! Brown butter is the best :)
I’m with Mary Ann, these are going on my holiday bake list!!! I’m so glad you participated and I’m so glad everything worked out. If we have more people next year I’m going to have to come up with a system to make sure that doesn’t happen again. These look AMAZING and you are a rockstar for pulling this off at the last minute!!! Gorgeous!!! xoxo
It was no big deal! I’m glad it got worked out too, and I’m so happy to be a part of it. Thanks so much for organizing and for your kind words, Rebecca!
Gorgeous gorgeous cookies! I love that you used almond and coconut flour in these cookies! Am sure they were so nutty and delicious!!! Lucky Erin to receive them!! I love your pictures!
Thanks so much, Amisha! Wish I could’ve sent everyone a batch :)
Shortbread is a HUGE favorite of mine and with brown butter??? This sounds fantastic!! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!
These look so delicious!! I love shortbread so this will probably be a favorite of mine!
Thanks Lauren! It’s one of my favorites too :)
Love the color of the shortbread- you can really tell that there’s a ton of delicious browned butter in there :) Drooling… and pinning!
I’m not normally a shortbread person but THIS recipe changes all of that! Totally pinning to make in the near future!!
Rachel, I can’ t stop staring at these photos! Absolutely stunning. Completely in love with these cookies. Excited to make them!
Thanks so much, Teresa! Hope you love them!
These sound incredible! I need to add them to my baking list!
Rachel, these were so perfect for the holiday cookie exchange! I love that it could also be a tart before cut into perfect for dunking triangle cookies! Plus, brown butter and chocolate are one lovely marriage.
It could definitely be a tart! I’m pressed it up the sides before and used it as a crust…so good. Thanks Samantha!
Rachel, this shortbread sounds amazing and the photos are gorgeous!!!
These are heavenly! I love your photography too.
Thank you so much!
This is the best time of the year!!! Cookies!!!
Hi! I’m wondering why are we not allowed to refrigerate the dough? THanks!
Hi Jenn, you can refrigerate it, but leaving it at room temperature to cool helps it dry out more than it would in the fridge, which helps the flour absorb the brown butter to create that sandy shortbread texture. Hope this helps explain!
It looks utterly amazing!
Thanks Natalie, hope you’ll try it!
These look so amazing! I would love to make these, but wondering if there is an acceptable sub for the butter as I’m dairy-free. I know I won’t get the same gorgeous ‘browned’ flavor, but would ghee work to maintain the texture, at very least? Or, perhaps, chocolate ghee for something different? Thank you! I’ve been DYING for a paleo shortbread to make shortbread “tea bag” cookies with!
Hi Anne, ghee should work perfectly!! Sounds delicious. Enjoy!
Hi what can i use instead of almond flour? I cant consume almonds
Hi Debbie, oat flour should work well here!! Enjoy :)
Drooling just reading the recipe! Can’t wait to make these this weekend. I’ll let you know how they turn out. Thanks for sharing.
Hope you love the shortbread, Adrienne!
What do you use in place of butter for pale? Is it possible>? These sound amazing!
Hi Kari, yes you can use coconut oil to keep paleo!
Possibly the most delicious shortbread I’ve ever made. Both my partner and son assumed the batch I made had to have gluten in it, so they ate it all. I quickly made another batch. This is my most-requested recipe at Christmas. I suggest making a double batch and freezing one.
So so glad you’re loving it!! Thanks so much for the feedback :D