When my sister told me she was getting married again I was thrilled for her. Her husband had died several years ago and I knew she had been lonely. She and her new beau had originally planned to have an April wedding, but a little thing called a worldwide pandemic interfered with those plans. The date was finally set for August and I started planning what Wedding Cookies I would make for the occasion.
“Love is gluten-free the second time around.” Kasha
My sister is allergic to gluten so I couldn't use my favorite shortbread recipe. I had to create a gluten-free alternative that would be just as buttery and delicious as my original. It took several tries and I almost gave up because I couldn’t get the texture right. My requirements were:
- It had to be buttery.
- It couldn’t be too sweet.
- It must have a sandy texture.
- It should be sturdy enough to decorate!
My first attempts had ended up delicious but too fragile to support all the bling I wanted to add to make a beautiful wedding cookie. At one point I even decided to just go with my tried-and-true gluten-free sugar cookie instead and made a batch of them to serve as a backup. Before I surrendered to the sugar cookie, though, I tried one more trick to hold the shortbread together without sacrificing its identify — I added a little meringue powder. Check out “The Recipe” section below for all the details and a link to my recipe.
I’m pleased to report that this cookie is what I was aiming to create. And the best part is that no one knew it was gluten-free (except my sister and my loyal taster who had graciously tried each previous attempt).
Cookie specifics
Gluten-Free Shortbread. The combination of European butter and vanilla bean makes this gluten-free shortbread cookie a worthy cousin to my wheat-flour shortbread. I use several gluten-free flour blends in my gluten-free recipes, but for this one I chose Erika’s Gluten-free Flour Mix (a blend of white and brown rice flour, tapioca starch, and xanthan gum). It always produces a delicate cookie, which is what I was looking for. The result was a buttery, crumbly and light shortbread that can hold as many embellishments as I want, or be eaten plain. It’s that good.
Shapes
Big, medium, and small hearts; plaques, fluted squares, doves
Sizes
Sizes range from mini (2 inches) to large (4 inches). 2½ to 3 inches is my favorite size for decorating and eating!
Greetings & Messages
fluted squares for “Mr & Mrs” and several plaque shapes for the “love” script
My Recipes
This Gluten-Free Shortbread was based on my original shortbread recipe, which I had developed several years ago in my quest to duplicate the taste and texture of a shortbread cookie from a now-closed bakery in Carmel-by-the-Sea. I think this gluten-free version is every bit as delicious.
Gluten-free Shortbread Recipe
Icing & Frostings
Homemade Fondant and White Sculpting Chocolate. This combination makes for a very tasty cookie “cover” that can be embossed or left smooth.
Finish. I brushed on a mixture of vodka and corn syrup to give the cookies a shine.
Glaze for Piping: This glaze/icing dries hard enough that you can stack or package the cookies without damaging the embellishments. I often use it exclusively or in combination with Royal Icing.
Glaze for Piping Recipe
Cookies
Gluten-Free Shortbread: Erika’s Gluten-free Flour Mix (brown rice flour, white rice flour, sweet rice flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum), butter, sugar,vanilla extract, water, meringue powder, salt
Icing & Decorative Embellishments
Royal Icing: confectioners’ sugar, egg whites, corn syrup, pure vanilla extract, cream of tartar
Glaze for Piping: sugar, water, corn syrup, vanilla extract
White Chocolate: sugar, cocoa butter, nonfat milk, vanilla
Homemade Fondant: sugar, corn syrup, cornstarch, gelatin, water, vanilla extract, food coloring (optional)
Plate, Box or Bag?
Bags. I planned to set these cookies out as party favors so I wrapped them individually in clear, food-safe bags, secured with a twist tie. This also makes the cookies easy to transport without causing damage to the decorations. Guests could eat the cookies at the event or take them home to share with family and friends.
What I’ve learned...
Finding a gluten-free version of a favorite recipe can be a challenge. But when you get it right, it’s so worth it! These gluten-free shortbread cookies are a testament to that fact. I made several attempts before I was satisfied that I had the perfect combination of deliciousness and that classic sandy texture so characteristic of the best shortbread. My advice? Start with the best ingredients you can find and don’t give up. That next batch may be the one with the magic in it. You don’t have to wait for a special occasion or even limit yourself to a unique recipe. If you or someone you love has gone gluten-free, don’t scratch them off your list of cookie recipients. Surprise them with a delicious cookie that they will be able to eat...one that even the gluten-eaters will rave about. Life is just better when you can share something you love with someone you love. Don’t you agree?
Add new comment