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.
Mary Wilson says
I have a question. Was I suppose to cool these cookies on the cookie sheet for 1 hour or transfer to wire rack? The cookies came out very soft. Thank you for any suggestions.
Elana says
Mary, I haven’t ever had that happen, they should be soft on the inside and bit crispy on the outside. Did you use almond flour, or something else :-)
Mary says
These are perfection! I just made these for a friend on a low carb diet who is having a birthday. Her gift will include these wonderful cookies along with a tea. Thank you for sharing your wonderful talents.
Elana says
Mary, thanks for letting me know these cookies are perfection!
Abigail Gripshover says
Please keep this recipe, it’s my husband’s favorite!
Elana says
Abigail, thanks for letting me know this is your husband’s recipe. For others interested in joining the conversation, we’re referring to this post:
https://elanaspantry.com/the-pantry-remodeled/
Enjoy!
Elana
Olga says
I baked these cookies twice before, & they were delicious. This third time I had a lot of problems getting the dough to form a log. It was very dry. I kept adding more butter even added an egg & several tablespoons of almond yogurt. That didn’t help so I proceeded to add water. It finally came together but not like the other 2 times. I did use blanched, organic almond flour. Very disappointed as I was going to send these to my son.
Elana says
Olga, thanks for your comment and sorry for your troubles with this. Definitely sounds like a measurement error for your third batch :-)
Cathy says
I just made these, and they are delicious! And yes, a great cookie dough to eat?
Elana says
Cathy, thanks for letting me know these are delicious!
Cate says
These are seriously delicious! I made them just as shortbread cookies (without the pecans) and they were crispy and buttery! Great with a cup of tea!
Elana says
Cate, thanks so much for letting me know these are seriously delicious! I have a batch cooling on the counter right now :-)
Anne says
What’s the nutritional value in your recipes? For instance? How many cookies can I have. What is the carb count per cookie?
Elana says
Anne, for more on that go here:
https://elanaspantry.com/nutrition-information/
Have a lovely day!
Elana
Chocolette says
I made 1/2 recipe since I feared I’d eat every single cookies in a single sitting. It was a rare occasion that I had no almond flour so I substituted cashew flour. Hot diggety dog, these cookies are good! I feel as though I’m somehow eating something forbidden. I made 6 generous size cookies 4 days ago and I’m allowing myself one a day. I just ate the 4th cookie, savoring every bite. I plan to bake some more in a few weeks, this time using almond flour. Thanks for a marvelous recipe. They’re a real treat.
Elana says
Chocolette, thanks so much for letting me know these cookies are hot diggety dog good!!!
Laurie-Ann says
Hi Elana
I have made your shortbread pecan cookies before and love them. Today I was short or butter and used half coconut oil. Then no pecans! ARGH so used walnuts. Also substituted almond extract for the vanilla. Had to add a bit more almond flour – they were still delicious.
1. Can I ask what is your secret to rolling the dough in parchment when chilling? I always get these awkward end pieces. Trust me, they still get devoured but when making them for guests I want them to all look good
2. Also can you double the recipe or is it best to make single batches ?
Elana says
Laurie, I’m so happy to hear you love these cookies! I agree, the end pieces can be a little awkward, but we still eat them. I haven’t tried doubling this recipe so not sure if that will work :-)
Peter says
Hello Elana, love your recipes and I wanted to buy one of your cookbooks, specifically the one with the cupcakes but I’ve noticed its based on “paleo” cooking , am currently on SCD and I don’t know if the recipes in the book include anything I am not allowed to eat, since Paleo and SCD is very similar but have small differences. Do you have any SCD cookbooks? doesn’t have to be cupcakes, am new to the diet so any recipe book for SCD would do! And another question if I get the Cupcakes book will I find recipes inside that are also SCD legal?
Thank you very much for the free recipes! Am about to try making those cookies these afternoon!
Elana says
Peter, thanks for asking! Your best bet would be my latest book, Paleo Cooking, but not all of the recipes in it are SCD so I’m not sure if it’s a good fit for you –there are a few recipes with chocolate and stevia which are certainly not SCD compliant. Here’s a link to all of the SCD recipes on my website for you:
https://elanaspantry.com/diets/specific-carbohydrate-diet/
I really appreciate your comments :-)
Elana
Maris says
Thank you Elana for being so generous in sharing your wonderful recipes. In reply to the person that complained about the measurements being in spoons and cups, wanting it in grams and mills instead, I am in Australia and there is no problem with using the cups and spoons system. And I am also happy to convert any recipes that use the Imperial system as this is easy to do. Please don’t be disheartened by the very few rude people. You help so many people with dietary problems and make our lives to much easier. Thank you.
Elana says
Maris, thanks for your wonderfully supportive feedback! I really appreciate it! I’m blessed to help so many people with dietary problems and make so many lives so much easier :-)
Melanie says
Haha…. I am the person that complains (nicely) when the recipes are in grams! They might as well be in Sanskrit.
Elana says
Melanie, I know! We’re all used to whatever we’re used to :-)
Kelli ugarte says
What she said, Amen! The world will always have rude people. I am not one to ever comment but your recipes are staples in my home and have been for years. I have a child with severe allergies to many things and you have been a lifesaver. Many blessings for you and bless your heart of giving.
Elana says
Kelli, thanks for your first comment here! I’m honored to meet you and so happy to hear that I am helping you and your child. I know how challenging it is to have a little one with severe allergies and am thrilled that my recipes are staples in your home. Blessing to you and yours :-)
Karen Roessler says
Is there any baking differences with the finer ground almond flour now made by Honeyville? I enjoy lots of your cookies.
Asking because some of the cookies turn out more crumbly.
Thanks?
Elana says
Karen, thanks for your comment. I haven’t had any of my cookies turn out crumbly. Guessing you are referring to other’s recipes or that you would have mentioned specific results for specific recipes on this site. Feel free to provide me with more detail :-)