Gluten-Free Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies with Chocolate Filling | Vegan
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Gluten-Free Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies with Chocolate Filling | Vegan, Low Sugar

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 80 cookies

Only 8 ingredients will create these healthy Gluten-Free Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies that are vegan and low in sugar. Perfect to share with friends! Makes about 80 cookies, a bit under 2.5" diameter.

Ingredients

  • 368 g vegan buttery spread 1 container (approx. 13 oz)
  • 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
  • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 cups whole raw unsalted hazelnuts ground in a coffee grinder, 1/2 cup at a time. This will give you about 3 cups of ground hazelnuts
  • 3 cups brown rice flour
  • 1 cup tapioca starch or GMO-free cornstarch

Chocolate Hazelnut Filling

  • 1 1/2 cup hazelnut butter
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup or organic cane sugar
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil melted
  • sea salt a pinch

Instructions

  1. In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, beat the vegan buttery spread until nice and fluffy, then add the sugar, salt and vanilla, and beat again until fluffy. 

  2. Slowly mix in the ground hazelnuts, then the brown rice flour, and then the tapioca flour (be careful not to pour the tapioca starch too fast or it'll splash everywhere).

  3. Mix everything until the mixture pulls from the sides and sticks together. If it's still too wet, add more flour, 1/4 cup at a time.

  4. The dough will be quite soft and crumbly. Gently divide the dough in 3 or 4 balls, then flatten a bit into discs, put on plates and put in the fridge for 2 hours.

  5. When ready to bake, remove 1 disc at a time from fridge and let warm up a bit at room temperature for about 10 minutes, then flour your clean counter and use a rolling pin to gently roll the dough out to approx. 1/4".

  6. Use cookie cutters or a clean small glass to cut the cookie shapes.

  7. Use a butter knife to carefully lift each cut cookie from the counter and place on your cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Once done, put the cookie sheet in your freezer for 20 minutes. This is especially helpful in making these cookies, but it's a good trick to use with any cookies to keep them from spreading.

  8. Bake at 325F for about 12-14 minutes. Don't over-bake them! Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack and let cool completely before using. They will be quite soft at first but will harden as they cool down.

Chocolate Hazelnut Filling (optional)

  1. Mix the hazelnut butter with vanilla and sugar (or maple syrup), then carefully mix the cocoa powder in, 1 Tbsp at a time.

  2. Lastly, mix in the melted coconut oil and a pinch of sea salt. Use immediately or put in the fridge for later. You'll want to let it warm a bit before spreading onto cookies.

Assembly

  1. If you choose to make cookie sandwiches, simply spread about 1.5 tsp of the chocolate mixture on the back of 1 cookie, and gently press the back of another cookie on top, wiggling it around a bit to get the chocolate to spread evenly.

Recipe Notes

Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.


Note: I do not believe anyone should worry about counting calories, but here is the nutritional information for one serving
Calories: 111kcal | Fat: 7g | Saturated fat: 1g | Sodium: 45mg | Potassium: 84mg | Carbohydrates: 9g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Protein: 1g | Vitamin A: 175% | Vitamin C: 0.2% | Calcium: 22% | Iron: 0.5%