Holiday Spiced Almond Shortbread Cookies
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These almond shortbread cookies are buttery, soft, and naturally gluten-free. They’re made with almond flour and real butter and topped with a festive holiday spice mix. It’s a quick and easy recipe that’s perfect for the holiday baking season!
These almond flour shortbread cookies are my twist on a Christmas classic. They have that familiar buttery shortbread flavor that melts in your mouth, but they’re made with less sugar and just happen to be naturally gluten-free.
The recipe couldn’t be simpler, which is why I make it year after year. I stir everything together in one bowl, scoop the dough into evenly sized balls, roll them in powdered sugar, and bake until they’re just set. That’s it—no chilling, no rolling pins, no fuss.
I love packing these cookies into tins or boxes tied with ribbon and sharing them throughout the holidays. They’re perfect for cookie exchanges so I almost always double or triple the batch so we have extras on hand. They’re especially good dunked in hot chocolate or enjoyed with a warm cup of tea, and they’re always a hit with kids, too.
If you’re a big fan of shortbread cookies (like we are), also try our melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies, our Scottish shortbread cookies, and our gluten-free shortbread cookies!
These almond flour shortbread cookies are perfect as-is, but you can easily add different flavors to mix it up. Here are a few of our favorite swaps or add-ins:
- Grate in some fresh orange or lemon zest.
- Swap the vanilla extract for almond extract for a more nutty flavor.
- Gently press a whole almond into the top for a decorative crunch!
- Toss in a handful of chopped dried cranberries.
- Add some fresh finely minced herbs like rosemary or thyme.
Almond Shortbread Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups almond flour
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup butter (softened)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon Holiday Spice Mix (recipe below) (plus a little extra to top the cookies)
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (to roll the cookies in)
Holiday Spice Mix
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or ground cinnamon)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make the Holiday Spice Mix by mixing the ingredients together in a small bowl.1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Add all the cookie ingredients to a large mixing bowl. (See notes.) Using electric beaters, mix until the dough sticks together. This will take about 6-7 minutes and will look dry and crumbly until the last second when it finally comes together.1 ¼ cups almond flour, ¼ cup powdered sugar, ¼ cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ½ teaspoon Holiday Spice Mix (recipe below)
- Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop the dough into 12 portions. Roll into balls then dip each ball in powdered sugar.2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- Place the cookies onto the baking sheet. They don't spread so you can place them quite close together. Bake for 10 minutes, until they have puffed up slightly. Let them cool completely then top them with a little extra holiday spice mix.
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more holiday baking inspiration, make sure to check out all of our cookie recipes!
I’ve got to say that my favorite holiday treat is a family tradition – we call them paintbrush cookies! We make a sugar cookie dough from an old, beat-up edition of “Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book” and then paint them with a colored egg yolk “paint” (which bakes up a bit puffy and 100% tasteless). They are so beautiful and actually really delicious!
I made these last night, thought I would bring them to work, but finished them all!
I love these shortbread cookies. So buttery and the texture is so nice.
These cookies are special, Kristen, and I’d love to make some for the holidays. Shared all over. Love this!
Dear Kristen,
This is the perfect Holiday treat! It reminds me of Happy, joyful get togethers during a family get together. Also, I am head over heels for your presentation and overall styling.
Awww you are too sweet! Thank you! I hope you have a great Christmas season!!
I inhaled these SO fast. I’m a sucker for shortbread.
Hahaha I have inhaled them so fast! Like 4 batches almost in a row. 🙂
I discovered your blog this month and have tried several of your recipes and have loved each of them! That one pan chicken with Brussels Sprouts and apples is Ah-Mazing! These cookies sound super delicious too! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes 🙂 Happy Holidays!
Awwww you totally made my day! I’m so happy you are finding things you like to make here!!
I came to this sitefor the spices almond cookies-yum!
I always loved the holiday spritz cookies and watxhing Chitty Chity bang bang!
Mery Christmas
I just attempted a different shortbread recipe and the texture was a total bust. Yours look amazing, so I’m going to try these instead! And…. I’m still going to eat the trial batch. It’s still a cookie made of mainly butter and sugar, after all. ?
What do you to the cookies with? (Decorations)
Do you mean the little sprinkle on top? That is some of the holiday spice mix. 🙂
My son’s partner has just discovered she is gluten intolerant and I’m casting around for recipes she can enjoy eating (I’ve just started, at 75, to bake bread) and this just fits the bill. She is a going concern, teaching fitness; an avid and accomplished mountain biker, along with my son. and has run mountain bike camps for first nations kids in Kamloops BC Canada. A batch of these will be part of her Christmas present this year. She has earned it!
This really is the perfect recipe for her! And wow … does she ever sound like she deserves it. What a busy woman!
This looks amazing – and I love that it’s for 12 cookies and not 48. 🙂
This will be my first grain-free holiday, so I’m looking for new favorites.
what would be alternative recipe if I don’t have a vitamix?
I don’t have a vita mix ,if I did would love to make these cookies,they look so yummy..
This cookie is by far my favorite holiday treat!!love the almond taste!!??❤