Tender almond flour shortbread with a hint of orange and a whole lot of chocolate. I’ve taken a classic holiday cookie and made it low carb and gluten-free!
Okay, Thanksgiving is done and gone and it’s time to get cracking on the Christmas holiday baking. Even if you celebrate Chanukah or Kwanzaa or some other winter holiday, or no holiday at all, I expect you to be baking your little hiney off over the next few weeks. Why? Because Winter Holiday baking, no mater what you’re celebrating, is such a true joy. There are so many fun and festive things to make and they are made in the spirit of the season…all about making and sharing and feasting with loved ones. For me, there is nothing quite like it. No baking at any time of year compares to baking in December, prepping pretty little bags of cookies and tying them all up with pretty string. And then giving them out to loved ones and neighbours and pretty much anyone who will take one.
Shortbread is a classic holiday cookie for which I have always had a deep-seated affection. They are my dad’s favourites and boxes of Walker’s Shortbread would be in plentiful supply at our Christmas gatherings. They still are, because my dad’s not about to change his ways. But I’ve managed to make what I consider a very good approximation of traditional shortbread with my low carb ingredients. Of course, I can’t help myself and have to put in some fun flavours and of course, dip it all in chocolate. It wouldn’t be an All Day I Dream About Food recipe if I just did the basics, now would it?
Please see my Chocolate Orange Shortbread Sticks on Swerve Sweetener.
Serves 15 (2 cookies per serving)
Food energy: 153kcal
Total fat: 13.00g
Calories from fat: 117
Cholesterol: 12mg
Carbohydrate: 5.98g
Total dietary fiber: 2.08g
Protein: 3.30g
Looking for the best low carb holiday cookie recipes?
Joan Schmidman says
Carbs?
Carolyn says
Sorry, just added that info!
Denise says
Hi Carolyn,
Is there anything I could use as a substitute for the arrowroot powder?
Carolyn says
Oat fiber would work.
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
I could LIVE on shortbread. And I love that this is sugar-free – my dad loves shortbread as much as I do!
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says
Shortbread cookies are my FAVORITE Christmas cookie ever, I could live off them. And that chocolate orange combo? MAGICAL. Love these cookies – pinned!
Rebecca says
Oh, come to mama! I love Walker’ s shortbread. Can’t wait to try this!
Donna says
I don’t see the ingredients etc.
Carolyn says
Click the link at the bottom of the post.
Alida says
I have never seen shortbread look more beautiful and tasty! Definitely a holiday favorite!
Kim Beaulieu says
I love shortbread, it just goes hand in hand with the holidays. I actually love Swerve for baking. My bestie is diabetic so I make her treats when she visits. It’s a great product.
Michelle says
These are delicious!!!! What a versatile recipe. Made them as written except added 1T orange juice concentrate in place of the water to amp up the orange flavor. I also didn’t have a pastry cutter so I pulsed in my food processor. I also had to chill the dough to make it workable. For the chocolate, I used a melted dark chocolate bar that was flavored with ginger and orange. So delicious! Next time I think we are going to try adding a little peppermint and dipping in mint dark chocolate. Great recipe!
Therese Keane says
I love shortbread and these are so good! I have also made them with hazelnut flour which is also very yummy! I mixed part hazelnut and part almond flour because the hazelnut is a bit pricey !
Carolyn says
Sounds delicious. I love using hazelnut flour!
Eden Passante says
Love chocolate and orange together!! Looks so good!
Monica says
What’s a good sub for xantham gum? Thanks!
Carolyn says
In this case, I don’t really think that there is one. You could try adding a bit more arrowroot starch.
F.A says
I’ll love to try this but can’t see the recipe anywhere. Please help!
Carolyn says
Click the big link at the bottom of the post.
Terri Dean says
These turned out so good. I’m not a fan of dark chocolate so I think next time I will just make them plain short bread cookies without the orange or the chocolate. The orange was too subtle but the cookie itself was superb!
DeeGee says
Just trying to understand how the different ingredients in baking affect the outcome. Why arrowroot and xanthan? thanks so much.
Carolyn says
Both for stability.