If you ask me, shortbread is the most quintessentially British cookie. Scotch shortbread is so buttery and crumbly; it is one of my favorite treats. So for this recipe, I’ve merged my love of shortbread with my love of chai, to create a lovely, crumbly, Gluten Free Chai Shortbread perfect to dip in a cup of tea.
If you’ve been following along, you may have noticed that I have an obsession with the Great British Baking Show. And if you’ve ever watched, you know that they talk about the “shortness” or crumbliness of “biscuits” i.e. cookies. So one can deduce that shortbread, should be “short” or crumbly.
Why is Shortbread short?
The answer to this question is actually a combination of reasons. For starters, shortbread recipes are very simple, usually three to four ingredients for a basic shortbread. There is no binding agent like eggs, and there is no raising agent, like baking soda or baking powder. All of the binding and raising comes from the butter. And butter is neither a strong binder, or raiser.
This leads to shortbread’s trademark crumbly texture, and lack of rise.
You can actually think about shortbread kind of like pie crust, only with more sugar to make it sweet. The cold butter hits the oven, causing a slight rise, and a flake in the the dough that creates a crumble.
Science aside, it’s delicious.
So why mess with a classic?
Classic shortbread is great, lovely even. But it is really made to be dunked in a cup of tea to add some flavor. I don’t know about you, but I like to grab cookies and run, I don’t have time for “tea time” in the middle of the afternoon. By adding the chai spice to this shortbread recipe, you get the trademark buttery flavor, with a hit of spice. And it’s perfection.
I also made this recipe in a “slice and bake” format, ideal for a busy lifestyle. You can make the dough, set it aside for up to 48 hours, slice and bake. None of the hassle (time or tidying) of rolling the dough and cutting it into rounds. Win, win.
Getting the most out of the Chai spice
One thing you’ll notice about my recipe is that the chai and vanilla paste are added to the butter, not the flour. Spices “bloom” in fat. So the longer the butter is in contact with the spices, the more intense the flavor will be. And if you’re going to spice something, you want to make sure you’ll be able to taste it. The spices will further infuse into the dough as it solidifies in the fridge.
The Gluten (Free) Factor
Gluten Free Chai Shortbread lacks gluten. Gluten in all-purpose flour creates elasticity in the dough. It can also make the dough tough. Because you will be using a gluten free flour (I prefer Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-1 Baking Flour), these cookies will be more delicate than a traditional shortbread. You can use a glutenous flour to make this shortbread. It’s not exclusive to gluten free foodies. But know that the type of flour used in this recipe does dramatically effect the durability of these cookies. I do not recommend sending these in the mail, or your recipient will end up with a box of crumbs.
Chai Spice
Feel free to use your favorite chai spice blend in this recipe. Different chai spice blends include different spices. Use one that you prefer, because you will taste it in this recipe. Click the link for my favorite anise free chai spice blend.
Jump to Recipe
Gluten Free Chai Slice and Bake Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 14 Tbsp Unsalted Butter Softened
- ½ Cup Granulated Sugar plus extra for sprinkling
- 1¼ Cups Gluten Free Flour Blend I use Bob's Red Mill 1-1 Baking Flour
- ½ tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
- 1 tsp Chai Spice Blend link above
Instructions
- Cream together the butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Add the vanilla bean paste and chai spice to the creamed butter, and mix until well incorporated and fragrant.
- Mix in the flour until just combined.
- Remove dough from mixer, and form into approximately a 12 inch long, by 2 inch diameter log.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 325F and line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silpat.
- While the oven is preheating, remove the dough from the refrigerator and slice into ¼ inch thick rounds.
- Place the sliced dough onto the cookie sheets about an inch to an inch and a half apart. These cookies do not spread.
- Bake for anywhere between 10-15 minutes (I baked mine for 12), until just starting to turn golden brown along the bottom edges.
- Allow cookies to cool for at least a half hour on the cookie sheet before moving to a cooling rack.
- Cool completely and serve.
