Elana's Pantry

New York Times Bestselling author Elana Amsterdam founded Elana’s Pantry, the go-to website for easy, healthy, grain-free, Paleo recipes, in 2006

Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Pecan Shortbread Cookies

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Low-Carb Pecan Shortbread Cookies are made with only 7 ingredients. This no-fuss recipe calls for almond flour, pecans, honey, butter, vanilla, salt, and baking soda. As you can see, these cookies are made with wholesome ingredients. What you don’t yet know is that they taste incredible!

While these are an amazing gluten-free Christmas cookie, we enjoy Pecan Shortbread Cookies all year long. Made with a base of almond flour, these gluten-free cookies are a quick and easy low-carb dessert. They’re fantastic for those on special diets because they are not only gluten-free, when made with honey and butter they are SCD and GAPS compliant.

These cookies are so good fans tell me they’re addictive. Go ahead, bake these buttery treats and see for yourself!

Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Serves: 24 cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, and pecans
  2. In a small bowl, mix honey, butter, and vanilla
  3. Mix wet ingredients into dry
  4. Place dough in center of a piece of parchment paper
  5. Form into a log approximately 2½ inches in diameter
  6. Place in freezer for one hour, until firm, unwrap and cut into ⅛ inch thick slices
  7. Place slices on a parchment lined baking sheet
  8. Bake at 350°F until lightly golden, 7-10 minutes
  9. Cool for 1 hour
  10. Serve

Since Pecan Shortbread Cookies do not contain chocolate they are a wonderful cookie for your little ones if you’re trying to keep them off caffeine. My children and their friends love eating this egg-free cookie dough raw whenever I make a batch. Here are more paleo cookie recipes for you.

This post is an oldie but goodie from the archives, I first published this recipe in 2007.

Comments

  1. I made these today after seeing Trisha Yearwood bake a shortbread. I always go gor the grain-free if possible. I thought I was pouring vanilla in them, but poured in a tablespoon of almond extract instead! I thought “oh no!”, but they were good!

    Reply

  2. Hi Elana. These are delicious cookies! I added some chopped, dried cranberries and some lemon zest, both of which I like in my ‘regular’ short bread cookies. Really tasty and with a nice, chewy texture. Thanks and hoping you are feeling better every day!

    Reply

  4. Delicious!!! I tweaked it a bit though on prep. Used Honey and butter and instead of rolling them and refrigerating I brought my melted butter to a slightly thickened state by refrigerating and incorporated that into the wet ingredients. I used a cookie scoop and made the dough into balls about 2 inches in diameter. I placed them on parchment and then another sheet of parchment over top and pressed them down to about 1/3 inch high. I baked for 9 minutes at 350°f till just starting to brown on edges. (They looked pale) Then removed to a rack and Cooled for an hour. My twin grandsons aged 13 (major food allergies) declared them to be like REAL cookies.

    Reply

    • Joanne, thanks for your comment! I’m so happy that your twin grandsons declared that these were like REAL cookies.

      Reply

  5. These are absolutely delicious. I have a grain allergy which had taken shortbread cookies (my favorite) right off the menu. So you can imagine how ecstatic I was to find and try this recipe. All I can say is Thank You! I might try adding raisins just for fun…

    Reply

  6. Elena, I have not had cookies in 2 1/2 years since I found out I can’t have gluten. These are FANTASTIC! I started crying when I ate one. These are not just good gluten-free cookies, they are good cookies period! Thank you for all you do!

    Reply

  7. Your site is amazing. I’ve been trying to find some lovely biscuit recipes that we can try that are Paleo approved. This is one that I am definitely going to try out. My other half loves shortbread, but of course isn’t something that we normally eat because of the flour often used to make them.

    Reply

  8. I’ve been longing for a gluten-free shortbread cookie and this looks amazing. However, I can’t eat almonds. Is there an appropriate substitute non-gluten flour that can be used?
    thank you so much for the post and recipe.

    Reply

  9. These are amazing cookies! Thank you so much! Going to Amazon to buy your cookbook now! I’ve been on SCD for a year and a half (UC). These and your butter cookies are the best cookies I’ve had in over a year! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Well wishes for 2017!

    Reply

  13. I love this recipe but wanted to let you know I used maple syrup instead of the honey, the taste was great and the aroma when I opened the oven was so good. I also added 1/2 cup of dried cranberries since it’s holiday baking time!

    My gluten free guests will love these are our B&B.

    Reply

      • I like your recipes my onlyproblem is the SALT is there something I can use besides salt ?? My tolerance to salt is very low and I swell up to where I have pain, so I just can’t have salt. I dont do a lot of baking at times then other times I do a lot, so what can I substitute salt with ??

        Reply

        • Hi Thomas, I haven’t tried substituting anything for salt in my recipes so not sure what would work, if you do experiment please let us know how it goes :-)

          Reply

    • I’m so glad you posted this. I am on a low FODMAP diet and was wondering how maple syrup would be as a substitute for honey. Cheers!

      Reply

      • I used agave instead of honey and it worked great! Maple syrup and agave usually work in similar ways in baking. I’d say maple syrup will probably work fine, as well.

        Reply

  14. Elana,
    I am always baking GF and paleo treats and my mom, a pastry chef, never likes my desserts…until now :). She said this was the best cookie she has ever tasted! I am so happy I could make something for EVERYONE to love. Thank you for that. These are truly scrumptious.
    Happy Holidays and may your house and heart be filled with peace and love.

    Reply

  15. Hello Elana! In all the years I have followed your blog and made your recipes, I have not once responded….BUT today I just had to say how amazing these cookies were! I think I ate the majority of them myself….. they were scrumptious! I thank you for your guidance, information, honesty, and most of all, your fantastic recipes! Eve

    Reply

  18. The first comment was left almost 6 years ago, and we’re still commenting. Great recipe! I like the comments about adding things like cinnamon (or maybe pumpkin pie spice), substituting maple syrup for the sweetener or coconut oil for the butter, and forming the cookies by rolling into balls and flattening them. Using stevia for part of the sweetener is definitely a good idea for me. Now that I’ve found this recipe, I plan to try them all!

    Reply

  19. Made these, they were really good. I noticed after they cooled completely they tasted sweeter than when they first came out of the oven.

    Reply

  20. Just have to add my two cents . . . these are WONDERFUL! I made them exactly as directed; they held their shape beautifully in the oven and I am delighted. I plan to make a variation as a cracker with bleu cheese, omitting the sweetener of course. Thank you, Elana!

    Reply

  21. hi, i just made these with honey and grapeseed oil and they were delicious! thx so much! Do you know if these would work if I omitted the oil/butter completely, and maybe add some non dairy milk instead to maintain the texture? I am searching for oil free cookie recipes.

    Reply

  22. I was dying for thumbprint cookies this Christmas and so I adapted this recipe to fit the bill. It was great! I used maple syrup for the sweetener (and then added 1/4 cup of sugar to please the crowd), I chose butter as my oil, and I omitted the pecans from the batter. I rolled the dough into 1/2-inch balls, dipped them in egg whites, and rolled the balls in ground pecans. I then pushed in a small, deep hole in the center of each ball and added a dab of raspberry jam. I undercooked them JUST until firm to the touch–a little undercooked. They were a huge hit at my Christmas party and very beautiful! Having put some remaining dough in the freezer (I made a huge batch), I pulled it out a week later and used it to make cookie cutouts with my kids for Santa. They were even better! So buttery and sweet. Thanks for the versatile recipe!!

    Reply

  23. Made these cookies and they were a hit with the whole family, even the kid that doesn’t like nuts in cookies!
    *i used coconut sugar and they came out great!! I used same amount as recipe says.

    Reply

  24. After looking at your recipe, I decided to try to make a healthier version of “thumbprint cookies” (a classic Christmas cookie our family made when I was growing up!). After slicing the cookies, I made a little indentation in the middle of each cookie before popping them in the oven. Once they cooled, I placed a small amount of seedless raspberry jam on the indentation. They turned out great and look very festive! Thanks for the recipe! You are so creative!

    Reply

  25. Does anyone know how long these will be good for once baked? I’m looking for a recipe to give as a gift to some family members who eat paleo, but I’m not sure how far in advance I can make them or how long they will last once I gift them. :)

    Reply

  27. I love these pecan shortbread cookies! And I had a hunch these would make great Mexican Wedding Cookies. After some searching on your site, it appears a friend of your’s did just that for the holidays, although you called them nut cookie balls or something like that ;-) Anyway, glad I remembered these – it will keep me from being tempted by the flour versions at Whole Foods. Thanks and happy holiday!

    Reply

  28. Oh wow!
    Now I know why some reviewers mentioned using this recipe for rum balls.
    I just mixed up a batch, rolled it into a log and placed it in the freezer to harden. But I left some in the mixing bowl because I wanted to taste the raw cookie dough. OMG too good! I may have to make a batch just so that I can eat it raw.
    Adaptations/ substitutions to the recipe:
    3 cups of almond flour instead of 2.5
    Raw coconut nectar instead of agave
    Chocolate chunks and date crumbles instead of pecan pieces.
    Can’t wait to bake and try the finished product.
    Thank you, Elena!

    Reply

  29. These sound really yummy. I was wondering…if you substitute coconut oil for butter in the recipe, should it be 1/2 cup as well? I also would like to use coconut palm sugar since that’s all I have right now and have no time to go food shopping. Any feedback helps. Thanks!

    Reply

  30. Elana, I made these (alongside regular scottish shortbreads) for my sister’s bridal shower. I used Maple Syrup in place of the honey (my husband boils his own, so we have GALLONS). Now, before I went GF, I LOVED shortbreads.

    These, hands down, were amazing. They went faster than the regular shortbreads. I can’t get rid of the other shortbreads, but these are long gone. Thank you for an awesome recipe, which will likely become my go-to for many things that I used to use a shortbread crust for.

    Reply

    • Thanks Marie, for mentioning the maple syrup that you used. I am making cookies tonight to send back to Italy to a very foodie Italian friend. This recipe was perfect for my friend as Elana wrote it, but then I wanted to somehow add an ingredient that isn’t common in Italy, more American-continental. I am SO jealous that you have access to gallons of maple sryup, as it is expensive here on the West Coast. Can’s wait to taste these with maply goodness :-]

      Reply

  31. Hi. I’m looking for a good shortbread recipe for the holidays. Can I omit the pecans and decorate these for Christmas??? I’m famous for my santa shortbread cookies but the recipe I use is very sugary and I’m looking for a healthier option

    Reply

    • I omitted the pecans, and they came out GREAT. They might be a little fragile for decorating, unless you cut them thicker than I did. They are delicious, and just sweet enough.

      Reply

  32. Just made these as my first step into gluten free baking for a spring potluck at my daughter’s. Absolute hit! Made them with honey and butter, and made some lemon curd to serve with in case they were too bland. Needn’t have worried — had multiple compliments, including, “This is the best gluten free cookie I’ve ever had.” Pecans and almond flour made them a little spendy, but it was worth the splurge. Thanks!

    Reply

  33. Thank you Elana for making my SCD life easier and creating my new favourite cookie! It was so easy and so delicious!!! Came out perfect (though my oven is a bit hot and realizing that almond flour burns easily, had to turn down the temperature a bit and take it out a wee bit earlier)!

    PS: LOVE your website!

    C.

    Reply

  34. I wouldn’t compare these cookies to the shortbread cookies I used to make before going GF except that they are just as absolutely as addicting! I just cannot stop eating them until they are all gone!!!!!!!!!! And like all of Elana’s recipes they require few ingredients and come together very quickly.

    Reply

  35. I made these using coconut sugar and adding a little maple syrup and maple flavoring. They are baking now and I can’t stop eating the dough. If they taste as good after being baked, the are a winner! I also rolled them into balls and flattened them to make them faster.

    Reply

  36. These are a hit. My husband is an Executive Chef in an upscale boutique hotel and he liked my batch of these so much he asked for more! I plan to dip half in chocolate for Santa on Christmas eve and will make extra dough for the freezer. THANK YOU!

    Reply

    • Yes you can. I used grass fed butter because they are for a work party and they turned out great. I think all fats are interchangeable. Regular coconut oil might give them a hint of coconut flavor but refined wouldn’t.

      Reply

  38. These are yummy! I too ate a lot of the batter raw, and plan to dip them in melted chocolate before bringing them to my work Christmas party on Monday. I also subbed honey for the agave. I will make these again and use them in rum balls! Your cookies are always my favorite out of all the paleo sites.

    Reply

  39. I am following the Paleo/Primal eating plan, but TTC so I can’t have chocolate or caffeine. Was searching for a delicious cookie recipe to take camping (so we can have treats just like the others on SAD) This recipe is AMAZING, thanks very much Elana! And an added bonus is the batter can be eaten raw, which a lot of it was!

    P.S. I made your salmon burgers out the recipe book and they went down very well.

    Reply

  41. OHHH Elana! Major Yummy! I just managed to come across your lovely site and promptly started to prepare these cookies. I am so glad to see your lovely readers had ad-libbed some of the ingredients so I did as well as my pantry was lacking agave.

    I used 4 tblsp organic maple syrup and 1 tblsp Lucuma

    added into the liquid ingredients 2 drops Medicine Flour Coffee Extract and 2 drops
    English Toffee Stevia

    I also added in abut an 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg and 1/2 Chinese Five spice

    I’ve been wishing for shortbread or spice like cookie….I got both.

    Thank you, for sharing your talents and your lovely readers for their adjustments…especially the reader mentioning Silan…didn’t know what it was but I do now and now know how to make my own at home.

    Reply

  42. Just curious, if I wanted to use stevia in place of the agave nectar, what would the conversion be?

    Reply

  43. I made these for a get together with gluten intolerant friends, along with your lemon curd. Wow. Can’t stop eating them!

    Reply

  44. YUM! Made these today. It’s the second recipe I’ve tried of yours, and the second success! :) THANK YOU!

    (I used honey instead of agave nectar, and added a bit of cinnamon.) I love the little bursts of salt flavour when eating the cookie (from using the more coarse sea salt).

    Reply

  45. I made a small batch of these today and am very pleased! As a low-carb diabetic, being able to have relatively healthy cookies on hand is so wonderful. I made a few mods/substitutions which may help others – I made a 1/4 batch, so keep that in mind when noting the amounts I used. Instead of the agave, I used 2 scant tbsp splenda and 1 tbsp beaten egg. I will try stevia and egg next time. Also, I left out the baking soda. Since there is no acid used in the recipe, the baking soda will actually remain un-reacted sodium bicarbonate and leave your cookies with a “soapy” taste. I meant to add a tiny pinch of salt but forgot. It is essential to freeze the dough for 20-30 min because this helps it keep its shape while baking. The egg also helps bind the cookie. I baked at 350 for 9 min, and they turned out awesome! Perfect texture and just right sweetness. FYI – I’m at 5000ft. Thanks Elana for posting your recipe!

    Reply

  47. OK, so I made them, but they certainly weren’t what I expected. They were crumbly and sort of tasty, but still not easily made, as trying to cut the frozen “dough” still was messy. Could it have been that I used coconut flour AND blanched almond flour instead of just almond flour? Maybe I should use butter instead of grapeseed oil? I truly want almond flour to be something I can use.

    Reply

    • These are delicious! Found them on a GAPS recipe round-up. Only thing I had to do to make them GAPS friendly was to soak the pecans in salt water and dehydrate them before toasting and use only honey. Followed the recipe exactly. The dough was a little loose, but I was still able to form it into a log in the parchment (it ended up having a flat side instead of being perfectly round). I liked that other comment of putting the whole bowl of dough in the freezer a bit before shaping it.

      My non-GAPS family thought these tasted just like a wheat flour cookie. I thought they were perfectly sweet, which might not be sweet enough for most. These were the first cookies we’ve made since starting GAPS 10 months ago and I’ll be making them again (and so will my SIL).

      Reply

  51. Thank you for the wonderful recipe! I substituted honey for the agave and grapeseed oil for the butter. That made for one very rich cookie. I would probably cut back on the oil a bit and only use 3T honey next time.

    Thank you for the great recipe!

    Reply

  52. Hi Elana, I just made these. I followed the recipe exactly and felt that cookie didn’t have the same kind of texture as shortbread. It was more cookie-like. I thought they were very tasty, though. I am wondering if less fat in the recipe would give it more of the sandy texture of shortbread. (I thought that the scone recipes with egg had more of a short bread texture…I made mine with dried cherries and organic baker’s chocolate…and they were fantastic!)

    Reply

  54. These were fabulous! I substituted coconut oil and they turned out beautifully. I gave then to my family just telling them they were shortbread cookies and they loved them- no idea they were grain free and vegan! Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply

  55. This is a fabulous recipe. Although not celiac, I like the richness and texture of almond flour. I have a couple of hints and can never resist making a recipe “my own.” The “dough” was quite sloppy, so I put the entire batch in the bowl in the freezer for about 15 minutes to make it more malleable. Then I put it into the baking parchment (natural wax paper would do and the dough would come off more easily) to form the log.
    I had just bought some hemp seeds so I used 1 tablespoonful of those instead of the pecans. I also had some organic raw cacao powder and added 2 teaspoons of that to the dry ingredients. The results were very good. May cut back on the agave next time. I baked them for 10 minutes. Essential to follow directions and cool on the baking sheet! I baked half the dough and left the rest in the freezer for another batch. What a great dessert with some simple vanilla ice cream – just on their own with a cup of tea. Amazing! Thanks Elana.

    Reply

  56. Well, my husband who hates health food swears that the frozen dough tastes like his moms divintiy. Don’t ask me how, but all I care about is my healthy food hating husband loves these!!! I use 2 TBS agave, 3 TBS xyiltol

    Reply

  57. I’m newly diagnosed as diabetic and am searching like crazy for recipes that I can use instead of the things I’ve been making for years that got me to this point, especially baking. This site looks wonderful and I’ve already ordered The Almond Flour Cookbook.

    My question: why are people opposed to agave? What research I’ve done seems to be very positive about the use of this low-glycemic sweetner. What am I missing?

    Reply

    • I don’t use agave because it gives me headaches; same with cane sugar. But probably many people don’t use it because of the cost. (I know… when you’re so limited in what you can eat anyway, it would be nice if price were a non-issue.)

      Reply

    • Susan ~ there is much debate about agave nectar. Research has shown that agave nectar is high in fructose and elicits the same insulin response in the body that sugar does. I have Lyme disease and cannot have grains or sugar because the Lyme bacteria feeds on sugar. I can use stevia, which is a very safe, natural sweetener. I wish we would see more recipes with stevia….thank you, Elana, for your yummy recipes!

      Reply

      • Can’t quite figure out how to lower the agave in my recipes. I am needing less carbs. We love agave, but if I want a special treat for me I need something with less carbs. Any wisdom? I notice some of you use stevia with the agave, that is a great idea, but when you say you used 1/2 agave 1/2 stevia that didn’t seem right. Maybe I read it wrong?

        Reply

        • above, Jamie wrote:
          August 30, 2010 at 7:02 pm

          …I am not supposed to have Agave on my diet but I cheated just a little ;) I took your recommendation and used 3T Stevia and 2T agave.

          Karen

          Reply

          • I just discovered organic coconut (nectar) syrup, harvested in a similar way to maple syrup. It’s quite gelatinous in texture but it’s a good substitute for agave nectar. According to the label, it’s easier on the endocrin (insulin) system.

    • I don’t use agave because of the process. It also raises blood sugar much like cane sugar. I use raw honey or stevia.

      Reply

  59. We just made our first almond flour recipe… the Pecan Shortbread Cookies. They are delicious. We substituted grade B Organic Maple Syrup for the agave nectar. No problems… just yummy!

    Reply

  60. These cookies were delicious. I too don’t want to use agave so I used 1/2 xylitol and agave. Also used 1/2 vanilla and 1/2 almond extract. Crumbled cookies make a great crust for pumpkin cheesecake bars.

    Reply

  61. These cookies were delicious. I too don’t want to use agave so I used 1/2 stevia and agave. Also used 1/2 vanilla and 1/2 almond extract. Crumbled cookies make a great crust for pumpkin cheesecake bars.

    Reply

    • Thanks locarbjen,
      I am not supposed to have Agave on my diet but I cheated just a little ;) I took your recommendation and used 3T Stevia and 2T agave. Needless to say I got sick because I ate way too many cookies. They are great! Thanks for the recipe Elana!

      Jenna,
      Thanks for the peanut butter tip. I will be sure to try it next time!

      Reply

  62. The coconut sugar I ordered came in yesterday and I decided to test it out today.

    I made this recipe and substituted toasted chopped almonds for the pecans and the coconut sugar for the agave nectar. I wasn’t sure they would turn out because of using a dry sweetener in place of the liquid but they came out GREAT!

    I don’t follow Elana’s directions, just the ingredients list. This time I rolled the batter into 24 balls and flattened them on my parchment paper to about 1/4 inch thickness, baked for 12 minutes. The batter held together well and was just the right texture to roll. They came out dry and crispy just like shortbread but the cookies are not crumbly and I didn’t have to let them cool on the sheets before removing to the racks. They worked just like a “regular flour” cookie.

    Best of all is, even 2 hours after eating some, I still don’t have heart palpitations or racing heart! No negative effects like with real sugar, honey, and other stuff for me. I hope this continues and in a few days I can say I have finally found a sugar substitute I can use!

    I post as “bakingfool” in the forums as my name was already taken.

    Reply

  63. Love the taste of pecans in cookies but hate making cookies so always find short cuts. Made these with quite a few shortcuts but they still came out delicious, chewy instead of crisp.
    Had to skip the vanilla (doesn’t work for my body).

    Creamed my room temp. butter with 1 1/2 c. almond flour. Stirred the rest of the dry ingredients into another bowl. Added the agave to the creamed mixture and blended well. Then added in the dry mixture. Scooped onto parchment lined sheet. 10 minutes at 350 degrees was perfect. 24 cookies exactly.

    Getting them off the sheet without crumbling was a bit of trouble. They wanted to fall apart. So..I let them cool on the parchment and the pan for 2 minutes, then carefully slid the parchment onto a rack for 2 minutes, before removing from the parchment. Saved them from any more crumbles. They can now be picked up whole.

    Will try these the proper way some time because I love shortbread too!

    Reply

  65. I added 1 tablespoon each of orange peel and orange extract, doubled the pecans, and substituted 2 tablespoons of the agave with brown sugar. Sprinkled lightly with cinnamon sugar. This is such a yummy basic recipe that lends itself to all kinds of possibilities, depending on what ingredients are on hand. Thank you for your great inspirations.

    Reply

  66. I made these last weekend and they are delicious! I made half the batch the weekend before last and kept the other half of the dough in the freezer. I was able to just take the rest of the dough out and let it sit for a few minutes then pop them into the oven this weekend for a quick treat! I used half Agave and half stevia powder and they were perfectly sweet!

    Thank you so much for all of your fantastic recipes, Elana! You have helped me feel as though I can eat like a ‘real person’ again! :)

    Reply

    • I made these again this week to cure my sweet tooth :). This time I doubled the vanilla, added an extra pinch of salt, used only 3 TBS of Agave and 3/4 tsp Stevia powder and added 1/2 cup of creamy salted Whole Foods brand peanut butter instead of butter. They are so yummy! I haven’t had a peanut butter cookie in at least 6 years! What a treat!

      Reply

      • For those of you who want a great gluten free peanut butter cookie, try this
        1 c peanut butter
        1 c sugar
        1 egg
        1 t vanilla

        mix all together in a bowl. roll dough into balls the size of walnuts. place on baking sheet lined with parchment. with fork dipped in sugar make crisscross on top of each cookie. bake at 350 for 12 minutes. cool slightly on pan before removing. makes great ice cream sandwich cookies.
        Enjoy!!

        Reply

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