If you think going keto means giving up cookies, I have good news. These keto shortbread cookies taste just as good as traditional ones, and they’re completely low carb friendly.
Classic shortbread is one of those simple, timeless treats that’s hard to beat. Buttery, crumbly, not too sweet. This version keeps all of that, just without the wheat flour and sugar.
You only need a handful of ingredients to make these, and most of them are probably already in your kitchen. The whole thing comes together in minutes before it goes into the fridge to chill.
Once baked, they come out with lightly golden edges and a soft, delicate center that firms up as they cool. The texture is spot on.
I make these pretty often because they’re easy, reliable, and always disappear fast. They’re great for meal prep too since they keep well for several days.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Only 6 Ingredients – You just need almond flour butter erythritol salt and two extracts to make perfect keto shortbread.
Tastes Like Real Shortbread – The cold butter method gives these cookies that classic crumbly melt-in-your-mouth texture you miss on keto.
No Weird Keto Aftertaste – The almond extract and vanilla work together to mask any cooling effect from erythritol so they taste natural.
Great for Holiday Baking – These look and taste elegant enough to serve at Christmas or any gathering without anyone knowing they are low carb.
Recipe Ingredients
- 2 cups Almond Flour
- 1/3 cup Powdered Erythritol
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Butter, cold and cubed
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 tsp Almond Extract
How To Make
Step 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, powdered erythritol, and salt.
Step 2
Add the cold cubed butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture until it forms a cohesive dough that holds together when pressed. It will be crumbly at first but will come together.
Step 3
Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Shape it into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm.
Step 4
Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the chilled dough log into rounds about 1/3 inch thick and place them on the baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart.
Step 5
Bake for 14 to 17 minutes, until the edges are just turning golden. The centers will still look soft.
Step 6
Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet. They are very delicate when warm and will firm up into perfectly buttery, crumbly shortbread as they cool. Handle them only after they reach room temperature.
Tips
Use Actually Cold Butter
The butter needs to be cold straight from the fridge, not just cool. Cold butter is what gives shortbread that crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture. If the butter is soft, the dough will be greasy and the cookies will spread too much in the oven.
Cut the butter into small cubes and put it back in the fridge for a few minutes before you start working it into the flour. This makes a real difference with almond flour since it already has natural oils in it.
Don’t Skip the Chill Time
One hour in the fridge is the minimum. If your kitchen is warm or the dough feels soft after you shape the log, give it closer to two hours. The dough needs to be firm enough that you can slice clean rounds without them crumbling apart.
If you’re in a hurry, you can pop the wrapped log in the freezer for about 25-30 minutes instead. Just check it every 10 minutes so it doesn’t freeze solid.
Watch the Edges Closely
These cookies go from perfectly golden to overbaked really fast. Start checking at the 12-minute mark. You’re looking for the edges to be just barely turning golden while the center still looks a little pale and soft.
Almond flour browns quicker than regular flour, and erythritol doesn’t caramelize the same way sugar does. So the color cues are more subtle than what you might be used to. Pull them out when you think they need one more minute – they’ll firm up as they cool.
More Recipes
- Low Carb 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Low Carb Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Low Carb Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Low Carb White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies
- Low Carb Lemon Bars
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use coconut flour instead of almond flour?
No, coconut flour is not a good swap here. It absorbs way more moisture than almond flour, so your dough would turn out extremely dry and crumbly – not in the good shortbread way.
If you need a nut-free option, sunflower seed flour can work as a closer substitute, though you may need to add a bit more butter to get the dough to hold together properly.
Keto Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, powdered erythritol, and salt.
- Add the cold cubed butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture until it forms a cohesive dough that holds together when pressed. It will be crumbly at first but will come together.
- Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Shape it into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the chilled dough log into rounds about 1/3 inch thick and place them on the baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 14 to 17 minutes, until the edges are just turning golden. The centers will still look soft.
- Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet. They are very delicate when warm and will firm up into perfectly buttery, crumbly shortbread as they cool. Handle them only after they reach room temperature.