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
Ingredients
- 2½ cups blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
- ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
- 5 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
- ½ cup salted butter or palm shortening , melted
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, and pecans
- In a small bowl, mix honey, butter, and vanilla
- Mix wet ingredients into dry
- Place dough in center of a piece of parchment paper
- Form into a log approximately 2½ -inches in diameter
- Place in freezer for one hour, until firm, unwrap and cut into ⅛-inch thick slices
- Place slices on a parchment paper lined baking sheet
- Bake at 350°F until lightly golden, 7-10 minutes
- Cool for 1 hour
- 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.
Allison Thompson says
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.
Elana says
Allison, thanks so much!
Frankie Beckwith says
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.
Elana says
Frankie, I haven’t tried that so not sure. Here’s a link to my nut-free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies for you!
https://elanaspantry.com/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Enjoy!
Elana
Lisa Baker says
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!
Elana says
Lisa, so great to hear these were amazing! Thanks for buying my book I know you’ll love it :-)
Cherie Suzette says
Happy Hanukkah Elana and may you have a new year of Shalom!!
Love your recipes!
Elana says
Cherie, so glad to hear you are enjoying my recipes! Happy Hanukkah to you and yours :-)
Wendy says
Can I use coconut oil or another oil instead of the palm shortening?
Thanks!
Elana says
Wendy, I haven’t tried that so not sure, if you do please let us know how it goes :-)
Wendy says
I decided to use unsalted butter for these cookies. Let’s just say the cookies were a huge hit! Everyone loved them!
Elana says
Wendy, so great to hear that these cookies were a huge hit and everyone loved them!
Rebecca says
I found coconut oil worked great! I’m sure it has a slightly different consistency but it still tasted delicious. I also did a batch with cashews instead of pecans and that tasted good too.
Elana says
Thanks Rebecca!
JoAn says
Are they crispy and do they stay crispy when stored?
Elana says
JoAn, thanks for your comment. I find these are more chewy than crispy. If you’d like to crisp them up, place them in the oven with the light on for a few hours. Here’s a recipe for a crispy cookie that I think you’ll love:
https://elanaspantry.com/crispy-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Enjoy!
Elana
Liz says
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.
Elana says
Thanks Liz! So great to hear you love this recipe :-)
Thomas Baldwin says
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 ??
Elana says
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 :-)
Gianna says
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!
Rebecca says
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.
Cynthia says
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.
Eve says
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
Elana says
Eve, thanks for your comment, I really appreciate it :-)
Razana says
I have adapted it to GAPS and turned out well. Thank you.
Elana says
Glad to hear these turned out well Razana!