Eggless, Gluten-Free Shortbread (with Roasted Cumin & Sesame)
Doesn’t gluten-free shortbread sound like an oxymoron? Well, not anymore! With this recipe, you’ll be making melt-in-mouth gluten-free and eggless flavorful shortbread cookies without any Store-bought flour blend! The use of roasted cumin seeds to recreate the iconic Jeera Biscuit flavor popular in India. Black sesame seeds add just the right amount of jazz to this delicious snack.
Is this recipe safe for Celiacs?
Absolutely! This recipe uses all gluten-free certified ingredients. Here’s a simple checklist:
- Use gluten-free certified flours
- Add a binding agent (Flaxseed, Xanthan gum, Chia seeds, Psyllium husk)
- Use gluten-free certified baking powder; check expiration date
- Check packaging labeling for processing facility cross-contamination
What other gluten-free flours can I use for making shortbread?
To achieve the signature crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth texture of shortbread using gluten-free flours, I’ve used a combination of sorghum flour and almond flour. The nutty taste of sorghum flour combined with rich almond flour makes these shortbread cookies tender and light.
Some other choices include:
1) White rice flour
2) Potato starch
3) Cornstarch
You can also use a store-bought blend like Bob’s Red Mill Flour
Make sure you are using a combination of grain flour and starch to get a light crumbly texture.
What can go wrong with making gluten-free shortbread?
You’ll love this part! Since there is no GLUTEN in our flours, you don’t run the risk of over-mixing the dough and developing gluten! However, to get the fluffy and tender texture of shortbread, you need to ensure:
- Use high quality butter at room temperature - NOT melted.
- Before mixing gluten-free flours, sift to incorporate air.
- Adequate liquid in the dough for the right consistency.
- Refrigerate the dough to retain the shape while baking.
What other flavor options can I use for my savory shortbread?
There are plenty of options that you can explore if you’re not a fan of roasted cumin and sesame flavors. Here are a few options for you to explore:
- Garlic powder: For a stronger flavor, garlic powder is a great option. You can also pair it with oregano.
- Poppy seeds: Poppy seeds added as toppings when roasted add a nice crunch to the shortbread cookies.
- Fennel seeds: For a milder flavor you can opt for roasted fennel seeds.
How can I tell if my shortbread cookies are done?
While the baking times may vary a little based on the oven type, you need to make sure the shortbread cookies aren’t over-baked or under-baked. The tell-tale signs are, the cookies are aromatic, you’ll notice a rise, and the edges of the cookies turn golden brown. I find it a good practice to turn the baking tray around approximately 10-12 minutes into baking to ensure a uniform bake. Once the edges turn golden brown, you can turn off the oven and let the cookies remain inside for a minute or 2.
How to make gluten-free (savory) shortbread (Jeera biscuit)
Product Recommendations:
What ingredients do I need for making gluten-free shortbread (JEERA BISCUIT)?
Simplicity is the key to making awesome shortbread. In this recipe, we need just a handful of ingredients:
- Flour: A 4:1 combination of sorghum flour and almond flour.
- Fat: The star ingredient! I’m using unsalted butter.
- Binding agent: Roasted and ground flaxseed serves as an excellent binding agent.
- Leavening: Baking powder (gluten-free certified)
- Flavoring: I’ve used the iconic roasted cumin seed flavor (Jeera biscuit). The use of brown sugar gives subtle undertone.
- Topping: Black sesame seeds and kosher salt add a dramatic look to this delicious snack.
Step by step instructions to make gluten-free (savory) shortbread
Preparation:
- Make sure Butter is at room temperature.
- Roast cumin seeds: Dry roast cumin seeds in a pan over a stovetop or in the microwave for about 2 minutes. The cumin seeds change color and turn aromatic.
- Coarsely grind the cumin seeds once they cool down.
- Dry roast flaxseed, coarsely grind and set aside. You can skip this step if you’re using xanthan gum instead.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
Making the Dough:
- In a large mixing bowl, add butter at room temperature and whisk until light and fluffy. Blend in sugar and whisk until sugar is incorporated.
- Sieve sorghum flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl. Blend them with butter using a spatula.
- Add roasted and crushed cumin seeds, ground flaxseed and mix well.
- The mixture has a nice moist texture, add about a tablespoon of milk and using your hands, form a soft dough. You don’t need to knead it too much, just make sure everything is well combined.
- Now place the dough on a piece of parchment paper and shape into a rectangular log. Cover the dough with parchment paper and tap the top to smoothen the edges.
- Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Do not place the dough in the freezer, as we want to make the cookies :).
Pro tip: If you want to bake the cookies later, it is still a good idea to first shape and then freeze the cookies to be baked later.
- Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.
- Take out the dough, and sprinkle black sesame and some kosher salt on the top edges to amp up the look. You can use any other topping of your choice.
- Make half a centimeter thick slices with a sharp knife.
- Place the cookies onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Place the cookies about 1/2 an inch apart.
- Place the tray in the middle rack of the oven. After about 10-12 minutes, rotate the tray and bake for another 6-8 minutes.
- Keep a close watch on the cookies after about 15 minutes, as the baking times may vary slightly.
- Once the sides turn golden brown, turn off the oven and let the cookies remain inside for about a minute.
Serving:
- Transfer the cookies along with the parchment paper onto a wire rack (as the cookies are still very fragile) and let them cool for about 10 minutes.
- Enjoy with a nice cup of tea or coffee!
Storing:
Shortbread cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 7-10 days. You can also make a large batch and refrigerate the cookies.
Related Recipes
Eggless, Gluten-Free Shortbread (with Roasted Cumin)| Jeera Biscuit with Jowar
Equipment
- 1 Blender
- 1 Whisk
Ingredients
Flours
- 1 cup Sorghum flour gluten-free
- ½ cup Almond flour gluten-free
Binding and Leavening agents
- ½ tbsp Baking powder gluten-free
- 1 tbsp Ground flaxseed
Flavor
- 1 tbsp Brown sugar
- 3/4 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Roasted and crushed cumin seeds
Topping
- ½ tsp Black sesame seeds
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
Fat
- ½ cup Unsalted butter
- 1-2 tbsp Milk
Instructions
- Preparation
- Make sure Butter is at room temperature. Roast cumin seeds: Dry roast cumin seeds in a pan over a stovetop or in the microwave for about 2 minutes. The cumin seeds change color and turn aromatic.
- Coarsely grind the cumin seeds once they cool down. If you are using whole flaxseed, dry roast them for 2-3 minutes, then coarsely grind and set aside. You can skip this step if you're using ground flaxseed or xanthan gum.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
Making the Dough:
- In a large mixing bowl, add butter at room temperature and whisk until light and fluffy. Blend in sugar and whisk until sugar is incorporated.
- Sieve sorghum flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl. Blend them with butter using a spatula. Add roasted and crushed cumin seeds, ground flaxseed and mix well.
- The mixture has a nice moist texture, add about a tablespoon of milk and using your hands, form a soft dough. You don't need to knead it too much, just make sure everything is well combined.
Refrigerate dough:
- Now place the dough on a piece of parchment paper and shape into a rectangular log. Cover the dough with parchment paper and tap the top to smoothen the edges.
- Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Do not place it in the freezer, we still want to be able to cut the dough.
Shaping and Baking:
- Preheat the oven to
350 °F - Take out the dough and make half a centimeter thick slices. Sprinkle black sesame and some kosher salt on the top edges to amp up the look. You can use any other topping of your choice.
- Arrange the cookies onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper about 1/2 an inch apart.
- Place the tray in the middle rack of the oven. After about 10-12 minutes, rotate the tray and bake for another 6-8 minutes. Keep a close watch on the cookies after about 15 minutes, as the baking times may vary slightly.
- Once the sides turn golden brown, turn off the oven and let the cookies remain inside for about a minute.
Serving:
- Transfer the cookies along with the parchment paper onto a wire rack (as the cookies are still very fragile) and let them cool for about 10 minutes.