Published: by Carolyn
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These keto shortbread cookies are both crisp and tender, with a delicious hint of espresso. Dipped in sugar-free white and dark chocolate, they make a truly special treat for any occasion. This post is sponsored by ChocZero
Nothing beats a good, crispy tender shortbread cookie. Nothing. And I fully stand by that claim.
There is something magical that happens when you mix flour, sweetener, and butter together. It’s remarkably simple and yet it just works. And it turns out that the same magic happens with almond flour too.
I’ve been making keto shortbread cookies since the beginning of my low carb journey, because life is just better when you can enjoy shortbread. One bite of my macadamia shortbread, or my keto butter pecan cookies, and you will see what I mean.
These keto espresso shortbread cookies are my latest variation and they are a must-make for cookie lovers!
What is shortbread?
True shortbread cookies consist only of flour, sugar, and butter. They differ from many cookie recipes, as they contain no leavening agents like baking soda or baking powder. And they don’t use any egg to bind them or hold the dough together.
This simple formula produces a distinct texture that is very buttery and slightly crumbly. The term “short” refers to this rather fragile texture, as the butter inhibits the formation of long, stretchy gluten.
And perhaps that’s why almond flour shortbread works so well. Since shortbread doesn’t rely on gluten strands for structure, the absence of gluten in keto shortbread cookies isn’t as much of a problem.
Ingredients
To make these keto shortbread cookies, you will need:
- Butter
- Erythritol sweetener – I recommend powdered sweetener as it blends in better.
- Almond flour -use finely ground, blanched almond flour for more cohesive dough.
- Espresso powder – optional, if you want to make them regular shortbread, just leave it out.
- Vanilla extract
- Xanthan gum – this helps give the cookies a bit more sturdiness.
- Ground coffee – to give it a flecked appearance, also optional.
- Salt – a touch of salt always brings out the best in sweet recipes.
- Sugar-free chocolate – I did half of white chocolate and dark chocolate.
How to make keto shortbread cookies
These are cut-out shortbread cookies, which takes a bit more time and effort than the wedge-shaped version. But trust me, the results are worth it!
- Beat the butter and sweetener together: You really want to work the sweetener into the butter very well before adding other ingredients.
- Add any flavourings: I used espresso powder and vanilla here but you can add other extracts or flavors as you see fit.
- Beat in the dry ingredients: Almond flour has no gluten, so a little bit of xanthan gum can help make these cookies a bit more sturdy.
- Roll out to an even thickness. You really want them no more than about ¼ inch thick so that they bake through properly.
- Cut into desired shapes. I made a number of 2-inch hearts and then some bigger, 3 inch hearts as well. But you can cut them into whatever shape you want.
- Freeze for one hour. Freezing the cookies before baking helps them keep their shape better.
- Bake at a low temperature. Because they are so buttery, they can brown too quickly at any temperature above 300F.
- Let cool in the oven. One of the tricks to getting keto cookies to crisp up is to let them sit in a warm oven. I do this often with keto biscotti as well.
Chocolate Dip
These keto shortbread cookies are delicious on their own but they are downright amazing when dipped in chocolate!
I decided to do half of them in dark chocolate and half in white chocolate. I simply melted some Choczero sugar-free chips with a little cocoa butter to help it melt more smoothly.
Although they were both delicious, I found that I preferred the white dipped ones. You could easily do all white chocolate or all dark chocolate.
White chocolate can be finicky at the best of times, so stay near your double boiler and makes sure you stir it very frequently. Keep the heat very low and the water just barely simmering.
Once the chips are mostly melted, get it off the heat right away and keep stirring until it’s nice and smooth. Then dip the cookies halfway in and let set.
Frequently Asked Questions
I want plain shortbread, can I leave out the espresso?
Absolutely! This keto shortbread cookie recipe is so versatile and can be flavoured any way you like. The espresso and coffee does not affect the consistency or structure.
I can’t find espresso powder. What can I use instead?
Starbucks Via packs work very well in this recipe. I would use 1 pack for a lighter espresso flavor and 2 for a more intense flavor.
Can I make these keto shortbread with coconut flour?
No, I am afraid not. Coconut flour does not make for very good shortbread, as it’s far too absorbent and requires eggs for structure. I don’t really recommend other nut or seed flours here either, as they tend to be more coarse than almond flour and the cookies will be much more fragile.
I don’t like erythritol, can I use a different sweetener?
The only sweetener that allows cookies to crisp up properly is erythritol. You can use Swerve, Lakanto, or another erythritol sweetener, but any amount of allulose or BochaSweet will prevent them from crisping up properly.
Storage information
Store the keto espresso shortbread on the counter in a covered container for up to a week, or in the fridge for 10 days. Because they contain no eggs, they won’t spoil easily, but they may become less crispy if you live in a humid environment.
If you haven’t dipped them in chocolate, you can easily re-crisp them by placing them in a warm oven for 10 to 20 minutes.
You can also freeze the baked shortbread cookies for up to 2 months. You can dip them in chocolate prior to freezing or do so afterward.
Keto Espresso Shortbread Cookies
These keto shortbread cookies are both crisp and tender, with a delicious hint of espresso. Dipped in sugar-free white and dark chocolate, they make a truly special treat for any occasion.
5 from 8 votes
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: keto shortbread cookies
Prep Time: 35 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Chill time: 1 hour hour
Total Time: 1 hour hour
Servings: 15 servings
Calories: 165kcal
Ingredients
Shortbread Cookies
- 6 tablespoon butter softened
- ⅔ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 2 to 3 teaspoon espresso powder (depending on how strong you want it)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups almond flour (about 215g)
- 1 teaspoon ground coffee optional, for flecked appearance
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Chocolate Dip
- 2 ounces dark chocolate chips, sugar-free
- ½ ounce cocoa butter, divided (or 1 tablespoon coconut oil)
- 2 ounces sugar-free white chocolate chips
US Customary – Metric
Instructions
Cookies
Line two cookie sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
In a large bowl, beat the butter with the sweetener until lightened and fluffy. Beat in the espresso powder and vanilla extract.
Add the almond flour, ground coffee if using, xanthan gum, and salt, and beat until the dough comes together.
Sprinkle a work surface lightly with additional almond flour and roll the dough out to about ¼ inch thick. Use sharp cookie cutters to cut out to desired shape or size. (This recipe will make about 30 2-inch cookies).
Gently wiggle an offset spatula under each cookie and place on the prepared baking sheets at least 1 inch apart. Re-roll the scraps and cut out more cookies until you can't cut out any more. Freeze 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Bake the cookies (from frozen) for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, turn the oven off and let cool 10 minutes. Then return the cookies to the warm oven until completely cool, keeping a close eye on them. (If your oven holds onto its heat well, proper the door open just a bit with a wooden spoon).
Chocolate Dip
In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmer water, melt the chocolate with half of the cocoa butter, stirring until smooth.
Dip half of the cooled cookies partway into the chocolate and set on a waxed paper lined sheet. Sprinkle lightly with a little coarsely ground coffee, if desired.
Repeat with the white chocolate and the remaining cocoa butter. Refrigerate the cookies until set.
Notes
This recipe makes about 30 cookies if using a 2-inch cookie cutter.
Nutrition Facts
Keto Espresso Shortbread Cookies
Amount Per Serving (2 cookies)
Calories 165Calories from Fat 137
% Daily Value*
Fat 15.2g23%
Carbohydrates 6.4g2%
Fiber 3.1g12%
Protein 3.5g7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Secrets to Keto Baking
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them.I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
Reader Interactions
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Traci Crowder says
These are soooo good! If you love coffee and shortbread – these will become one of your favorites! Thanks, Carolyn!
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Alex says
Amazingly crispy cookies! I had to make them dairy-free (my mom can’t do dairy) but I simply substituted the butter for coconut oil and the dough only needed a bit more coconut oil to help its form. It was a bit scary when I rolled it out, because the texture was definitely not what I expected, but once baked, the cookies were perfect! I suppose something like almond or macadamia oil could also have worked?
Another thing I wondered about is possible substitutions for the espresso powder? I used some very fine-ground coffee, but it didn’t give quite the coffee taste I would’ve liked. I understand if the espresso powder is compulsory for that taste, but please let me know if you have other suggestions 🙂Reply
Carolyn says
Other oils should be fine… in fact, coconut oil is probably the least appropriate choice as I find it tends to make cookies too tender! You could try adding some coffee extract. But espresso powder is best.
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Leaan says
These cookies are AMAZING! Thank you, thank you!
Make sure you use the right sweetner for the crunch. For my chocolate dip I used a mix of Montazuma’s 100% dark and 74% dark mint for a light minty taste.Reply
Carolyn says
Yum!
Daphney says
I Baked these cookies last Friday.
They are delicious! I have never tried the normal shortbread cookies so I can’t compare but it doesn’t matter.
I did change something. My freezer is a built-in freezer, therefore not as big as the American. I placed the dough several hours in the normal fridge and then rolled the dough out and used the cookie cutters. it worked… thanks again for a great recipe.Reply
Carolyn says
Glad it worked out!
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Patti Weyers says
Hi Carolyn,
Would love to make these but, can you use glucomannan instead of the xanthan gum? Or maybe some psyllium powder? Thanks!!Reply
Carolyn says
Try the glucomannan.
Reply
Joyce Fuhrman says
i have a question that I haven’t seen addressed in any of your cookbooks or on your blog.
These as well as other recipes advise to freeze the cookies after they’ve been cut out and on the cookie sheet…What if your freezer isn’t large enough or have enough available space to fit a cookie sheet in? I’m sure I’m not the only one with this issue.
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Carolyn says
That is a good question. Any tray that will fit in your freezer will work, but you may have to do it in batches.
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Kelley Koobs says
Hi Carolyn,
Would you consider doing some “small batch” recipes? I’m single and don’t always want a larger batch of cookies. Also, I know enough about baking that it isn’t always a matter of simply halving the recipe. Just a thought. Of course, I would still love to know if I can just half this recipe?
Thanks
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Carolyn says
Hi Kelley… clearly you are not familiar with my site or you would already know that I have quite a number of small batch recipes and even a book of recipes for two. Please use the search box and type in “for two” or “mini”. You will find what you are looking for.
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Nathalie says
Hey Carolyn, when you say espresso powder, do you mean instant or finely ground espresso coffee beans? Thank you for all you do. I started my Valentine’s Day treats for my friends and neighbours and of course, my family????????????. Want to make this recipe but couldn’t find my answer in your blog nor comments. TIA
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Carolyn says
Instant espresso powder if you can find it. If not, try a Starbucks via pack or two.
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Kristyn says
So pretty!! Love that half is dipped! We love shortbread cookies. These will make a yummy Valentine treat for my family!Reply
wilhelmina says
This is a great cookie recipe! So tender and delicious, my valentine was happy when I made a test batch a week early. I will be making them again for a Valentine’s Day treat!Reply
katerina @ diethood.com says
These cookies are gorgeous!! The perfect little treat!Reply
Denise says
I added a few tablespoons of cocoa to this recipe instead of dipping in chocolate. These are delicious!
Thank you,
DeniseReply
Terry says
I followed your recipe to an absolute T but my cookies never got crisp at all. I even tried baking them a little longer and leaving them in the oven to crisp up – no luck. I tried 3 times to be truthful. I used a silpat on my cookie sheet and then thought maybe that was why it didn’t work so then I switched to parchment and upped my temp to 325 degrees with no success. The only thing different in the recipe was the sweetner. I used Gentle Sweet which is xylitol, erythritol and stevia. I’ve used this in many cookies with great success. I’ve never had any issues. I have no idea why they didn’t crisp up. Any suggestions?? Loved the flavour just not the texture.
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Carolyn says
Hi Terry… It is absolutely the sweetener. Anything with even the mintiest amount of xylitol will keep cookies from becoming crisp. Please read my guide on keto sweeteners and I think you will understand what went wrong here: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/best-keto-sweeteners/
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Mark says
Hi Carolyn. Can you recommend a particular cocoa butter to get? I can’t find any in my local markets. Thank you!
Mark
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Carolyn says
If you have a Whole Foods anywhere near you, they carry Navitas. Otherwise, Amazon is your best bet: https://amzn.to/3KGwIC5
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Mark says
Thank you so much!
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Michaela says
Made these last night and they are amazing! My whole house smelled like buttery coffee, now I understand folks who add a dollop of butter to their hot coffee. Thanks for all your great recipes.
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Pam says
Thank you for your recipes and anticipating our questions. You usually answer my questions in your tips. I love shortbread cookies and love crispy cookies.
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Tony says
Just made these, they are a winner… Just a FYI, you might want to make a change to something, you have “proper the door open” you mean prop?Reply
LIRAZ HOD says
HI!
for how long this cookies stay crispy?
thank youReply
Christine M says
These cookies are amazing! I was too tired to roll them out so I scooped them with my cookie scoop, flattened them down, and baked for 20 minutes. Carolyn, your recipes have never failed me!
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Carolyn says
Great to hear!
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