Measure xanthan with a level 1/4 teaspoon; the gram value is approximate and ordinary scales cannot weigh it accurately.
Sorghum, rice flour and tapioca create a crisp, nut-free flour blend with warm Christmas spices.
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Gluten-Free Sorghum Spice Shortbread 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
- wide spatula
- cooling rack
Ingredients
US measures are approximate. Gram weights help keep portions consistent; spice weights vary with density.
Instructions
Mix the dough
- Mix the dough: Whisk sorghum, rice flour, tapioca, xanthan, spices and salt thoroughly. Beat butter and sugar briefly until smooth, then stir in the dry mix. Use verified gluten-free ingredients and clean equipment.
Shape and manage temperature
- Shape and manage temperature: Divide into 24 equal portions, about 13 g. Press into 1 3/4-inch rounds about 1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate 40 minutes to hydrate and firm the flour blend.
Bake the whole batch
- Bake the whole batch: Heat oven to 325°F (165°C) conventional or 300°F (150°C) fan. Arrange cookies on two parchment-lined 13 x 18-inch half sheets, 12 cookies per tray, with at least 1 inch between edges. Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack, keeping the waiting tray refrigerated for 19–23 minutes, rotating front to back once, until the edges and bases are lightly golden and the centers look dry. Whole-batch cookie baking is 2 trays x up to 23 minutes = 46 minutes.
Cool and finish
- Cool and finish: Rest 15 minutes on each tray and cool 25 minutes on a rack before packing.
Timing and scaling
- Timing and scaling: Active preparation is 20 minutes; required chill/rest is 40 minutes; whole-batch oven baking is 46 minutes; cooling/setting is 40 minutes. Cooling allowance runs from the final tray; earlier trays may cool during later baking and that overlap is not counted again. Start with butter at the stated consistency; ingredient warm-up and frozen-dough thawing are extra. Oven preheating can overlap shaping or chilling. Scale every ingredient weight but keep piece dimensions, oven temperature and per-tray bake range unchanged; extra trays increase whole-batch time.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Ingredient science
Sorghum provides the grain body while rice and tapioca balance crispness and cohesion; keep their weights distinct.
Technique & texture
Measure xanthan with a level 1/4 teaspoon; the gram value is approximate and ordinary scales cannot weigh it accurately.
Finishing & serving
Do not shorten the 40-minute hydration chill, which helps the non-wheat flours bind.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | 5 days | Up to 5 days. Store completely cooled cookies airtight in a cool, dry room, with parchment between layers. Keep away from moist filled cookies. |
| Refrigeration | up to 7 days | Unnecessary; up to 7 days if needed. Baked refrigeration is unnecessary for these unfilled cookies and may soften the crumb. If the room is warm, seal airtight and bring to room temperature while still covered. |
| Raw freezing | 1 month | Up to 1 month. Freeze wrapped dough or unbaked portions airtight. Thaw covered overnight in the refrigerator; shape as directed, then complete any stated post-shaping chill. Do not add thaw time to the fresh-batch timings. |
| Baked freezing | 2 months | Up to 2 months. Freeze fully cooled cookies airtight with parchment between layers. Thaw in their sealed container at room temperature for about 1–2 hours. |
| Restoring | As described | Serve after thawing; optional 3–5-minute refresh. For plain unfilled cookies only, refresh at 300°F (150°C) conventional or 275°F (135°C) fan for 3–5 minutes, then cool 20 minutes before sealing. This is extra time beyond the fresh recipe. |
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 24 equal portions. Includes required fillings and finishes. Brands, unused coatings and actual portion size affect the estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave out xanthan?
This gum-free flour blend uses a measured 1/4 teaspoon xanthan for cohesion; leaving it out changes the formula.
Is tapioca starch the same as cassava flour?
No; use isolated tapioca starch, not whole-root cassava flour.
Why not use almond flour for the 90 g sorghum?
Almond flour brings much more fat and has different absorption; it is not interchangeable here.
