I love how these shortbread cookies are not overly sweet and also super easy to make (from just a handful of ingredients). This would be a perfect “first” recipe for an older child to make all on their own without any help – just think how proud they’d be! They can have fun with cutting out the shapes (they don’t just have to be circles) and also giving them a variety of fork designs on top. The possibilities are endless! And don’t forget to add this recipe to your stash of homemade goodies that you plan to give out come December. Hope you enjoy this second installment in our fall baking series!
Almond Maple Shortbread Cookies
These maple almond shortbread cookies would be a perfect "first" recipe for an older child to make all on their own - just think how proud they'd be!
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, I got mine from nuts.com
- 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 300° F. Beat butter, syrup, salt and extract together on medium speed until well combined. Gently beat in the flour and add a teaspoon or two of water (if necessary) to help the dough come together.
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Roll out (or pat it out with your hands) on a lightly floured surface into one even layer 1/4" thick. Cut into 1 1/2" rounds (or another shape) and pierce with a fork in a decorative pattern.
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Bake until golden brown on the bottom (about 30 to 35 minutes). Transfer to cooling rack and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container or freeze for a rainy day.
Recipe Notes
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Nutrition Facts
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sure wish your recipes contained nutrition information
I agree Cindy Lou. Though 100 Days says that one doesn’t have to be too concerned with calories when they eat real/whole foods, I must tally calories to some extent. I can easily gain weight eating healthful recipes and foods and no, I do not abuse food. I am glad to know about the above websites that calculate calories, etc for a recipe.
I use my fitness pal and can put ingredient list and serving amount in and save it so anytime I homemake something it remembers how many calories are in it.
Agreed. Too much of even a good thing, is still too much. It would be nice to have a feel for at least the general nutrition information for these wonderful recipes.
Google “nutrition facts from recipe,” there are lots of websites that let you type in a recipe and it will give you back the nutrition facts per serving.
That’s a lot of work to go through just to decide whether you think you’d like to make the recipe.
These look great! Do you think you could use almond flour in place of the whole wheat flour in this recipe?
I want to know this too! :)
Follow!
Me too….looking for gluten-free options
I’d also like to know.
I was thinking about using the gf all flour baking mix. It usually does well in substitutions for me.
I’m sorry, we’ve not tried to make a gluten free version. If you experiment, let us know.
Hi there. Sorry, we’ve not tried to substitute with almond flour. You would have to experiment with it. :)
Would vanilla extract taste good in this recipe for those of us who have nut allergies?
Thanks!
Super simple. I used regular flour. Honey instead of maple syrup and vanilla extract. Yummy!
Can you substitute almond flour instead of whole wheat flour? Can you recommend a substitute for butter?
These were a disaster for me. First it didn’t seem like 3/4 cup of flour was nearly enough. My batter was like sticky peanut butter. I had to add almost another full cup to get a roll out consistency. Then they started to overbrown by 25min in the oven. I don’t know what I did wrong :(
Same experience! Super sticky, using a cutter wasn’t an option. I also only got about 10 cookies. They are in the oven now and I’m checking on them in 20 min.
Did you follow the recipe exactly (with the ingredients called for)? I’ve made this several times now with no problems.
Update: cookies were done in about 10 minutes and tasted delicious! I did follow the recipe exactly so I’m not sure what happened. I will try them again!
Had the same issue! I had to add in at least an extra half cup of flour to even be able to use a cookie cutter. Followed the recipe exactly, so not sure what the issue was.
Did you follow the rest of the recipe exactly as stated (butter temp, type of flour, etc.)? I have tested several times and the correct amount of flour is listed, but I am glad you got it to work.
Same. I even bought whole-wheat pastry flour (online, since nobody local has any type of pastry flour) so that I could follow the recipe exactly as written, and it was nowhere near enough flour to form a dough.
I added almost another 3/4 cup of flour (and some more maple syrup so they wouldn’t come out super bland with all the extra flour) and they were done in a little under 25 minutes. Came out great, but something’s wrong with this recipe.
I had the same issue. Followed the recipe exactly but it ended up super sticky and there was no way I could ever have rolled them out and used a cutter. I had to roll the dough into little balls after dowsing them in additional flour and press down. Still tasted great but wondering how it went so wrong…
Same issue here. Followed recipe exactly and the dough was super sticky. I had to add more flour and even then same issue. There was no way I could cut them, so I just ended up rolling them into a ball and pressing them down. Got about 14 cookies out of it. In the oven now…we’ll see how it goes!
Was your butter temp as stated? I have tested several times and the correct amount of flour is listed, but I am glad you got it to work.
My daughter (9) made these cookies last night and our family loved them! They were really delicious and didn’t last long.
So glad you took my advice and had your daughter make them! :)
Hey Lisa Excellent! Easy to Make this Cookies. It’s Really Great I will Try this? Keep the Good work.
Best place to find whole wheat pastry flour? Thanks!
You can find it at most large grocery stores or at stores such as Earth Fare or Whole Foods.
I have been making traditional scotch shortbread for years. I always make it in round cake pans & use a fork to perforate where I will break it into wedges. If I wanted to make it like this instead of rolled out & cut into cookies, how would that change the baking time? I’m afraid to go by my other instructions because the liquid ratio is off. (Of course I normally sweeten with granulated sugar plus AP flour acts differently.) Advice?
Hello April. That method is not one we’ve used so I can’t accurately advise on how to adjust cooking time. I think you will just have to keep a close eye on them beyond the 30-35 minute time for that golden brown finish.
This is perfect! My daughter loves to bake, thank you!
My daughter is gluten sensitive and cannot have the whole wheat flour. What about using almond flour? Would the consistency and texture be the same . She is also sensitive to egg whites so I am thrilled this recipe has no egg in it
I used bob red mills 1-1 gf flour and added 1/4 cup blanched almond flour since it seemed a bit too soft and they were delicious!
Has anyone tried this with a substitute for butter? I am lactose intolerant, but would love to make these.
I don’t have the time at the moment, but if there’s no feedback to this, I will probably set up a testing station with different substitutes ;-)
Shortbread is traditionally a butter cookie. My husband is severely lactose intolerant, but there is no issue with him eating real butter. Have you tried a high quality brand?
I know that it’s traditionally a butter cookie. And having developed my intolerance over time, I still remember the taste and really miss it! I have tried a few things and have never found a butter I could eat and still liked. It took me almost two years to find a good amd tasty yogurt…
You could easily substitute with Ghee, it’s just butter with the lactose removed.
You could try making ghee (cooking butter to “clarify” it and get out the milk solids) and use it in the cookies. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/ghee-recipe-2103328
Maybe try using ghee? I believe the lactose is removed from the butter.
I live in Canada & one of the better brands of butter makes a Lactose free one. Maybe there is such a thing where you live?
I have a son we needs to avoid almonds due to food allergy. What would be a good alternative??
You can’t go wrong with vanilla extract! I’ve used it in other similar recipes & it’s delicious! :)
AlliT – as far as I know McCormicks imitation almond extract is made from a synthetic ingredient. McCormicks pure almond extract is made from apricots, so actual almonds involved. Call them to verify this information and for other CC risks.
Not sure what went wrong but had to double the flour to get a dough that wouldn’t stick when rolled and they seem lacking in the almond and maple flavors.
I had the same problem. Almost 2x the flour. But so tasty
Did you follow the rest of the recipe exactly as stated (butter temp, type of flour, etc.)? I have tested several times and the correct amount of flour is listed, but I am glad you got it to work.
Can you use regular whole wheat flour, or does it need to be pastry flour? Thanks!
Pastry flour works best in this recipe both for texture and density.
I also had to almost double the flour. Is there a typo in the flour content? It was Soo sticky I even refrigerated it for 30 min there is no way it would have rolled out. Once I got it a better consisteny I still couldn’t roll but I pressed into circles and they baked and tasted lovely. But flour content needs to be modified.
Did you follow the rest of the recipe exactly as stated (butter temp, type of flour, etc.)? I have tested several times and the correct amount of flour is listed, but I am glad you got it to work.
There is no way this recipe is correct. Other reviewers are correct. Way to sticky and I followed the recipe exactly. I couldn’t roll these out at all. Please fix.
These are delicious! I do follow the exact recipe but for some reason, it makes only makes about 12 cookies. Also, the dough can be a little sticky but not sure what I am doing wrong. Regardless, they are so good!
I just made 2 batches of these cookies, my husband loved them, thank you for sharing this recipe. I followed your directions except I did not have pastry flour so I used white whole wheat flour and I did not have to use any water, the dough came out perfect. I will be making this recipe again.
Thanks for sharing! We’re glad to hear they turned out great everyone loved them. – Nicole