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    Home » Baking Recipes » Bars and Cookies » Buttery Almond Flour Espresso Shortbread

    Buttery Almond Flour Espresso Shortbread

    Published: Dec 13, 2020 by Elaine · This post may contain Amazon affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This blog generates income via ads · 4 Comments

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    Image and text overlay for Grain-free Espresso Shortbread Cookies
    Image with text for grain-free Espresso Shortbread Cookies
    Image and text for grain-free espresso shortbread
    image with text for espresso almond flour shortbread
    Image and Text overlay for Buttery Grain-Free Espresso Shortbread

    Grain-Free Almond Flour Espresso Shortbread Cookies, drizzled with chocolate make a beautiful addition to a holiday cookie tray. This is an easy coffee-flavoured gluten-free shortbread cookie recipe with a sugar-free option.

    Overhead view of chocolate drizzled espresso Shortbread cookies with a cup of coffee

    This Almond Flour Espresso Shortbread Cookie recipe makes delicious, buttery, gluten-free shortbread cookies with warm coffee flavours. Decorated with either white or dark chocolate, these make a beautiful addition to a holiday cookie tray.

    They're sturdy without being crumbly, yet they're tender cookies, just like shortbread should be!

    I've adapted my basic shortbread recipe to make this one with coffee flavour. For example, I make these Orange-Cardamom Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies, Almond Flour Earl Gray Shortbread and these Cranberry-Lemon Almond Shortbread Cookies with the same basic recipe. It's a reliable recipe that always turns out.

    If you love that chocolate-espresso combo, you'll love serving these with an affogato coffee or this Creamy Ricotta Coffee Mousse.

    Are you avoiding sugar? These grain-free espresso shortbread cookies turn out perfectly with 0-calorie monk fruit sweetener with erythritol. To keep them completely sugar-free, use sugar-free chocolate chips, too.

    Espresso Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies on a plate with a cup of coffee

    🛒 Ingredients

    • almond flour:  blanched, finely ground. I've been asked many times what's the best almond flour for baking. While I haven't tried them all, I have consistently good results with either the Kirkland brand from Costco, or Bob's Red Mill Superfine Almond Flour. (affiliate links)
    • unsalted butter, softened
    • confectioner's sugar, or powdered monkfruit sweetener. You can grind regular monkfruit sweetener in your blender to give it the consistency of confectioner's sugar.
    • sea salt
    • instant espresso powder
    • white chocolate: Note that some brands will melt, others will not. Check the label. It must contain cocoa butter or it won't melt. Baker's White Chocolate squares will work; Ghiardelli White Chocolate Chips will not.
    • dark chocolate:  Use your favourite chocolate to melt to drizzle on the shortbread cookies. Use sugar-free chocolate chips if you want to keep these cookies sugar-free. I've found that Lily's Dark Chocolate Baking Chips do not melt well, but Krisda Sugar-Free Chocolatey Chips will.
    Close up view of Grain-Free Espresso Shortbread Cookies

    🔪 How to make gluten-free shortbread cookies

    1. In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream softened butter and confectioner's sugar (or powdered monkfruit) together.
    2. Dissolve 2 teaspoons of instant espresso powder in two teaspoons of hot water. Add this coffee to the creamed butter and sugar and beat until combined.
    3. Add almond flour, salt and the remaining teaspoon of espresso powder and beat, just until combined.
    4. Place the dough in a large ziplock bag. Using a rolling pin, roll into a square about ⅜ inches thick. Lay the flat dough in the bag on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. At this point, you could freeze the dough if you like.
    5. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    6. Cut the bag open with scissors and peel it away from the dough.
    7. On a flour-dusted board or countertop, slice the dough into rectangles about 1 ½ by 2 ½ inches. Transfer to the lined baking sheet. Prick with a fork, then place the cookie sheet with the cookies in the fridge until the oven has preheated.
    8. Bake at 350°F. for 8 - 10 minutes or until very lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool on a baking sheet for 5-10 minutes until firm, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

    Decorating Instructions

    1. Melt the chocolate over, not in, hot water. To make tempered chocolate, melt 2 of the 3 ounces of the chocolate, then remove from the heat and stir in the remaining ounce.
    2. Using a piping bag fitted with a narrow tip, drizzle the chocolate over the cookies.
    3. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Place a piece of parchment paper between the layers to protect the chocolate drizzle.
    Rolling dough inside a ziplock bag for Espresso Shortbread
    Roll the dough into a square inside a ziplock bag.
    Espresso Shortbread Cookies on a baking sheet ready to bake
    Slice into rectangles, transfer to the baking sheet, and prick with a fork.
    Melting chocolate chips over simmering water.
    Melt chocolate over simmering water.
    Espresso Shortbread Cookies with chocolate drizzle
    Drizzle with white or dark chocolate once completely cool.

    👍🏼 Helpful Tips

    If you've ever found that shortbread cookies spread too much while baking, here are two tips to prevent ending up with those dreaded flat cookies.

    First, make sure the ratio of butter to flour is accurate. Measure both your butter and your flour accurately.

    Use the "scoop and level" technique to measure almond flour. Loosely spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level it with the back of a knife. If you scoop the flour directly from the bag, you may end up with too much, and your cookies will be dry.

    How to Measure Almond Flour using the scoop and sweep method.

    Second, measure the butter accurately and make sure it is softened before combining it with the sugar. Chilling the dough will also help to prevent the shortbread cookies from spreading while baking.

    To prevent these espresso shortbread cookies from spreading once baked, chill the baking sheet of unbaked cookies while you preheat the oven.

    Chilling the dough also makes it easy to work with. Make sure you chill the dough ahead of time in the refrigerator.

    🔁 Possible Variations

    Drizzling these espresso cookies with white chocolate makes them taste like a latte! If you prefer dark chocolate, go with that. Both are delicious.

    🥶 Storage Instructions

    These espresso shortbread cookies will stay fresh for a few days at room temperature. For longer storage, refrigerate in a tightly covered container.

    These cookies freeze well, too. To keep them from breaking, Store them in a rigid air-tight container with a lid and place sheets of parchment paper between layers to protect the chocolate drizzle from breaking.

    You can make this grain-free almond shortbread dough ahead of time and freeze it as described above.

    Overhead view of Grain-Free Espresso Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies drizzled with white and dark chocolate

    🗒 More gluten-free cookies and bars

    Looking for new ideas for holiday cookies? See 12 Gluten-Free Holiday Cookies and Bars.

    • Gluten-free kitchen sink cookies on a wire cooling rack.
      Gluten-free Kitchen Sink Cookies
    • A stack or cookies tied with a red ribbon.
      20 Gluten-free Holiday Cookies and Bars
    • six gluten-free butter tart squares on a white cloth
      Canadian Butter Tart Squares - gluten-free
    • white chocolate macaroons on a cake plate
      Cranberry White Chocolate Macaroons without Condensed Milk

    When you make these almond flour espresso shortbread cookies, please leave a comment and a rating below. I love hearing how my recipes turned out for you, or how you adapted them. Thanks in advance! Subscribe to my newsletter and have new recipes delivered straight to your inbox once a week.

    Overhead view of Espresso Shortbread Cookies on a square plate

    Buttery Almond Flour Espresso Shortbread Cookies

    These delicious, tender Almond Flour Espresso Shortbread Cookies are flavoured with coffee and drizzled with chocolate. This grain-free shortbread recipe can be made ahead and frozen.
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Bars and Cookies
    Cuisine: American, Italian
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Chilling time: 2 hours
    Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
    Servings: 24 cookies
    Calories: 106kcal
    Author: Elaine
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    mixing bowl
    measuring cups
    measuring spoons

    Ingredients

    • 6 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
    • 6 tablespoon confectioner's sugar, or powdered Monkfruit sweetener
    • 3 teaspoon instant espresso powder, divided
    • 2 cups almond flour, blanched, finely ground
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 3 oz white chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate use sugar-free chocolate chips, if desired

    Instructions

    • In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream softened butter and confectioner's sugar (or powdered Monkfruit) together.
    • Dissolve 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder in two teaspoons of hot water. Add this coffee to the creamed butter and sugar and beat until combined.
    • Add almond flour, salt and the remaining teaspoon of espresso powder and beat, just until combined.
    • Place the dough in a large ziplock bag. Using a rolling pin, roll into a square about â…œ inches thick.
    • Lay the flat dough in the bag on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. At this point, you could freeze the dough if you like.
    • When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Cut the the bag open with scissors and peel it away from the dough.
    • On a flour-dusted board or countertop, slice the dough into rectangles about 1 ½ by 2 ½ inches.
    • Transfer to the lined baking sheet. Prick with a fork, then place the cookie sheet with the cookies in the fridge until the oven has preheated.
    • Bake at 350°F. for 8 - 10 minutes or until very lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5-10 minutes until firm, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
    • Melt chocolate over, not in, hot water. To make tempered chocolate, melt 2 oz. of the chocolate, then remove from heat and stir in the remaining ounce.
    • Using a piping bag fitted with a narrow tip, drizzle the chocolate over the cookies.
    • Cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Place a piece of parchment paper between the layers to protect the chocolate drizzle.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 28mg | Potassium: 15mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 89IU | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @enessman or tag #flavourandsavour!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ella

      December 27, 2021 at 9:35 pm

      5 stars
      Wow! Hard to believe these are gluten-free! Love the flavors in this recipe. Will be making these again, not just for Christmas!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        December 27, 2021 at 9:41 pm

        That's good to hear! Thanks for the 5 stars!

        Reply
    2. Mia

      January 19, 2021 at 12:25 pm

      5 stars
      These cookies are incredibly good. They have just the right amount of coffee flavor. The kids liked them too. Not just for Christmas--I'll be making these throughout the year.

      Reply
      • Flavour & Savour

        January 19, 2021 at 12:39 pm

        We love these ones, too!

        Reply

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    Gluten-free Made Easy!

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