Keep the chocolate-nut filling thin; a thick hard layer makes fragile gluten-free shells crack when bitten.
Gluten-free buckwheat-hazelnut shortbread discs with a thin nut-chocolate filling.
The recipe card lists measured ingredients, numbered steps, storage guidance, and a nutrition estimate when available. Total time includes the listed preparation, rest, baking, and cooling periods for this recipe.
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Gluten-Free Buckwheat Hazelnut Shortbread Sandwiches Recipe
Follow the tray sizes, portions and baking intervals in the instructions below.
Total time includes hands-on preparation, required chilling or resting, whole-batch cooking, cooling and finishing.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- mixing bowl
- mixer
- kitchen scale
- two 13 x 18-inch half sheets
- parchment
- fork
- wide spatula
- cooling rack
Ingredients
US measures are approximate. Gram weights help keep portions consistent; spice weights vary with density.
Instructions
Mix the shells
- Mix the shells: Stir dough butter and sugar smooth, add gluten-free blend, buckwheat flour, hazelnut meal and salt and mix just until cohesive. Rest covered 20 minutes before shaping for hydration. Use certified gluten-free ingredients and clean equipment.
Shape and chill
- Shape and chill: After the 20-minute hydration rest, divide dough into 32 equal portions, about 15 g each. Press between parchment into flat 2-inch rounds, about 1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate 30 minutes until firm. Hydration plus chilling totals 50 minutes; yield is 16 filled sandwiches.
Bake the whole batch
- Bake the whole batch: Heat oven to 325°F (165°C) conventional or 300°F (150°C) fan. Use two parchment-lined 13 x 18-inch half sheets, 16 discs per sheet, spaced at least 1 inch apart. Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack for 20–24 minutes, turning front to back halfway; keep the waiting tray refrigerated. Edges and bases should be pale gold and the centers dry. Whole-batch oven time is 48 minutes for both trays.
Cool and fill
- Cool and fill: Rest 10 minutes on trays and 20 minutes on a rack. Melt filling chocolate in 20-second bursts, stirring often; stir in hazelnut butter and cool 10 minutes until spreadable. Divide about 7 g between each of 16 shell pairs in a thin layer. Leave in a cool room 30 minutes to set.
Timing and scaling
- Timing and scaling: 35 min hands-on + 50 min required chill/rest + 48 min whole-batch oven baking + 70 min cooling/setting = 203 min. Cooling includes tray/pan rests and runs from the final tray; earlier-tray cooling may overlap later baking. Ingredient warm-up and frozen-dough thawing are extra; preheat during shaping/chilling. Scale ingredients and US equivalents, not oven temperature, piece sizes or per-tray bake time; extra trays extend the whole-batch time.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Ingredient science
A gum-containing gluten-free blend supplies binding while buckwheat and hazelnut meal change the flour/fat system; hazelnut butter softens the solid chocolate joining layer.
Technique & texture
Keep the chocolate-nut filling thin; a thick hard layer makes fragile gluten-free shells crack when bitten.
Finishing & serving
Let the filling set before packing; the shells remain more fragile than wheat sandwiches, so separate layers carefully.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | 2 days | Up to 2 days. Seal fully cooled filled cookies airtight in a cool dry room. Separate layers with parchment; let the coating set before packing. |
| Refrigeration | up to 7 days | Unnecessary; up to 7 days if needed. Baked refrigeration is unnecessary for this formula; use only if the room is warm. Seal airtight to prevent condensation and odors. |
| Raw freezing | 1 month | Up to 1 month. Freeze the unfilled dough tightly wrapped. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then shape and complete the stated chill. Prepare the filling fresh. Thawing time is additional. |
| Baked freezing | 2 months | Up to 2 months. Freeze unfilled cookie shells airtight with parchment between layers. Thaw sealed at room temperature for 1–2 hours. Fill after thawing. |
| Restoring | As described | Serve after thawing. Do not oven-refresh the assembled or coated cookies. Thaw shells, prepare fresh filling, then assemble as directed. |
Notes
- Scale ingredients, including US measures, without changing cookie size or oven temperature. Extra trays increase whole-batch time.
Nutrition
Approximate values per portion from the listed ingredient weights divided into 16 equal portions. Includes required fillings and finishes. Brands, unused coatings and actual portion size affect the estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are these shells held together without wheat?
A gum-containing gluten-free blend supplies binding while buckwheat and hazelnut meal change the flour/fat system; hazelnut butter softens the solid chocolate joining layer.
Why do the sandwiches crack when bitten?
Keep the chocolate-nut filling thin; a thick hard layer makes fragile gluten-free shells crack when bitten.
How should I pack them?
Let the filling set before packing; the shells remain more fragile than wheat sandwiches, so separate layers carefully.
Browse more cookie ideas in the Christmas Shortbread Cookies collection.
