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!
These are quick, easy, and amazing! I mixed them in a Kitchenaid mixer, added a handful of chopped dried cranberries and a rounded Tbsp of minced candied orange peel. I also replaced the vanilla with sherry and 2 drops almond extract. These are to die for!
Can you add nuts like pecans or walnuts and if so, how much?
We haven’t tried adding nuts. If you do, make sure they’re chopped quite fine or I think you’ll have trouble rolling the dough into balls.