Vegan Pecan Shortbread Cookies are Gluten-free

Vegan Pecan Shortbread Cookies are a variation of an old Scottish recipe. Just like the original shortbread biscuits, these are gluten free.

Makes 24 Cookies

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Butter Pecan Shortbread Cookies

This recipe is a V-GF version of pecan shortbread cookies found in the cookbook The Joy of an Empty Pot (page 172). That recipe was originally inspired by the shortbread cookies in The Joy of Cooking (page 713) where it is called Scotch Shortbread. If you enjoy these cookies, you may also like to try our Gluten-free Vegan Cranberry Oatmeal Bars.

History of Shortbread Cookies:

When doing research for this post, I was surprised to discover that shortbread (what we call shortbread cookies) has a very long history. Some historians feel that shortbread goes all of the way back to the year 1200. It originated in Scotland where the first printed version of the recipe appeared in 1736.  The original recipe consisted of just three ingredients; one part (by weight) white sugar, two parts butter, and three parts oat flour. Notice that they used oat flour which made the original shortbread gluten free. Sometimes they would add some ground rice or corn flour to change the texture. While we call them shortbread cookies, in Great Britain they are just called shortbread or shortbread biscuits. If you would like to know more about the history of shortbread, you can find a very good article at Wikipedia.com.

Pecan Sandies

As you can see this version of shortbread has several modern day additions including pecans. These are frequently called pecan sandies. Make sure that you get gluten-free oat flour. If you like, you can make your own oat flour from gluten-free rolled oats.

Major ingredients for V-GF Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients for Pecan Shortbread Cookies:

1 cup (2 sticks) vegan butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup gluten-free Bisquick
1 cup gluten-free oat flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chopped pecans (be sure to chop the pecans if you purchased pecan halves)

Shortbread Recipe Instructions:

1. Place the 1 cup vegan butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring in a large bowl and beat together until creamy.
2. Sift the 3/4 cup powdered sugar into the butter and mix until well blended.
3. Stir in the 1 cup gluten-free Bisquick, 1 cup gluten-free oat flour, and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.
4. Mix together well and fold in the 1 cup chopped pecans.
   

   1 - Place butter and vanilla extract together in a bowl. Beat together until creamy.

   

   2 - Sift the powdered sugar into the butter and mix until well blended.

   

   3 - Stir in the gluten-free Bisquick, gluten-free oat flour, and baking powder.

   

   4 - Mix together well and fold in the chopped pecans.
5. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes or until the dough is firm enough to work with. Press the chilled dough into a ball and place on a counter top that has been lightly dusted with gluten-free oat flour.
6. Roll out to a thickness of about 3/8-inch. Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into circles about 2 inches in diameter.
7. Press the scraps of dough together to form another ball of dough. Roll out and cut more cookies. Repeat until all of the dough has been used up.
8. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet at least 3/4 inches apart. Bake in a preheated 375° oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned around then edges.

5 - Press the chilled dough into a ball and place on a counter top that has been lightly dusted with gluten-free oat flour.

6 - Roll out to a thickness of about 3/8-inch. Using a cookie cutter, cut into circles about 2 inches in diameter.

7 - Press the scraps of dough together to form another ball of dough. Roll out and cut more cookies.

8 - Place cookies on a lightly greased cookie sheet at least 3/4 inches apart. Bake in a preheated 375° oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

Gently remove the cookies from the cookie sheet and place on a paper towel until completely cooled. Cookies will be very tender when first removed from the oven. They will harden once they have cooled to room temperature. Store in an airtight container.

Baked pecan shortbread cookies just removed from the oven.

Bancha green tea:

I have green tea every morning with my breakfast. I also have it frequently with sweets like these cookies or cake. The brand that I prefer is Hime Ban Cha green tea. This is an everyday loose Japanese green tea. We occasionally have a more expensive tea such as Sencha or  Genmaicha with toasted brown rice. But the Bancha is our daily tea. Getting the bulk tea is much more economical than tea bags.

5 from 1 vote

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Vegan Pecan Shortbread Cookies are Gluten-free

Vegan Pecan Shortbread Cookies are a variation of an old Scottish recipe. Just like the original shortbread biscuits, they are gluten free.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword desserts, gluten-free, shortbread cookies, vegan

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Cooling time 15 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Calories 151 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 cup vegan butter (2 sticks) at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup gluten free Bisquick
• 1 cup gluten free oat flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup chopped pecans (chop the pecans if you purchased pecan halves)

Instructions

1. Place the 1 cup vegan butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring in a large bowl and beat together until creamy.

2. Sift the 3/4 cup powdered sugar into the butter and mix until well blended.
   

3. Stir in the 1 cup gluten-free Bisquick, 1 cup gluten-free oat flour, and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.
   

4. Mix together well and fold in the 1 cup chopped pecans.
   

5. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes or until the dough is firm enough to work with. Press the chilled dough into a ball and place on a counter top that has been lightly dusted with gluten-free oat flour.
   

6. Roll out to a thickness of about 3/8-inch. Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into circles about 2 inches in diameter.
   

7. Press the scraps of dough together to form another ball of dough. Roll out and cut more cookies. Repeat until all of the dough has been used up.
   

8. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet at least 3/4 inches apart. Bake in a preheated 375° oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned around then edges.
   

9. Gently remove the cookies from the cookie sheet and place on a paper towel until completely cooled. Cookies will be very tender when first removed from the oven. They will harden once they have cooled to room temperature. Store in an airtight container.