Keto Shortbread Cookies | Pecan Sandies!

Growing up we always had at least two cartons of Pecan Sandies in our house at all times. My entire family loved them, but no one loved them as much as me. It seemed unfair that just because we were keto we couldn’t enjoy the simple flavors of a pecan sandie, so I made these easy Keto Shortbread Cookies with Pecans to remind you of the good old shortbread cookie days!

What Makes This An Easy Cookie Recipe?

Well, if I’m being honest, I think all cookies are easy to make and the result is always well worth any effort of the preparation. These cookies however, make use of the freezer to harden the dough. I love this tip as it makes for an easy cookie cutting process. These cookies also don’t spread in the oven, so you can slice the dough, place on a baking sheet, and bake. They are fool proof and turn out perfect every time! The shortbread dough is also a great base for your preferred add-ins if you aren’t a fan of pecans. Nuts, spices, seeds, chocolate chips, or even berries would work great.

Almond Flour? We’re Nuts About it!

Thankfully this low carb shortbread cookie recipe wasn’t too difficult to create. Shortbread cookies ingredients are pretty low carb minus the sugar and flour. This made it easy to make keto and sugar free cookies quickly. The net carbs per cookie are only 0.7g thanks to almond flour being so low carb. So let’s talk about the keto shortbread cookies ingredients that make these low carb shortbread cookies so special.

Why use Almond Flour AND Coconut flour?

Everyone knows that the best keto baked goods use both almond flour and coconut flour. These keto shortbread cookies are no exception! Almond flour shortbread cookies are delicious, but using two flours helps to really thicken the dough so you get that authentic dense shortbread texture. The other great thing about these flours is that they’re both keto so they easily make low carb shortbread cookies without too many other ingredients.

Benefits to Almond Flour

Almond flour is definitely an essential we recommend for any keto baker. If you’re wondering what’s so special about almonds let me explain. Almond flour is ground almonds usually without the skin. Almonds are rich in monounsaturated fat, which can help keep your bad cholesterol down(1). By eating almond flour, you’re still getting some of these great nutrients. I mean with almonds practically having the same amount of nutrients as salad you might as well eat two cookies ?.

Plus almond flour has a ton of fiber which is great for balancing blood sugar. This is obvious when looking at the insulin response your body has to almonds. Their glycemic index is actually almost 0 because they have so much fiber the blood sugar spike becomes very minimal (2).

Benefits to Coconut Flour

I’m sure you’re now wondering is coconut a fruit? Can I eat coconut on keto? You sure can! Coconut is a higher fat fruit that does contain some sugar. However most of the sugar is actually in the water not the meat which is dehydrated and pulverized to make flour. If you are gluten free and nut free, this flour is the perfect substitute for you. While it is still a “nut”, coconut is technically classified as a fruit. Most people who have a standard tree nut allergy can safely eat coconut.

This flour is also gluten free! With a glycemic index of only 49 versus white wheat flour which can have up to 89 points on the GI scale (3). It is also rich in fiber and has low net carbs per 14g serving which makes it perfect for low carb shortbread cookies.

Creating the Perfect Keto Shortbread Cookies

If you love cookies, but want healthier options, try these almond flour shortbread cookies for a healthy twist on traditional white flour cookies. They have a lovely golden toasty flavor from the almond flour, and are perfect for those who want to try low carb/ keto shortbread without a ton of ingredients. Plus the prep time is only ten minutes!

Cookies Ingredients:

• 3/4 cups Almond Flour– Almond flour is the main base of this recipe because it’s low carb/ keto friendly and 100% gluten free. We recommend finely milled almond flour over almond meal because it is a more even texture throughout.
• 1/4 cup Coconut flour– Another gluten free flour, coconut flour is highly absorbent and will help to bind and absorb extra moisture. The best keto friendly recipes use these two flours together.
• 1 large Egg
• 4 tbsp butter, melted– We love grass-fed butter because it is a good source of high quality animal fat. It adds that golden color and rich buttery flavor. You can take softened butter and microwave it in 15-20 second intervals for a quick melt. We recommend salted butter but you can always add a pinch of salt if you don’t buy regular salted butter.
• 1/2 cup erythritol– This is a sugar free easy keto substitution for any low carb cookie dough. We find it to be the best low carb substitution for stevia or monk fruit if you don’t like the aftertaste they can have.
• 1 tsp vanilla extract– To make the best keto shortbread cookies recipe you need vanilla extract. Any good cookie recipe will use vanilla extract because it brings out lovely warming notes in a baked good, whether that be a low carb one or not.
• 1/2 tsp Baking powder– Baking powder helps cookies to properly rise and bake while still staying a bit fluffy inside. Keto shortbread cookies are no different than any other shortbread recipe, they all use a smidge of leavener to help with the baking process.
• 1/4 tsp xanthan Gum– Xanthan gum is a unique ingredient that works as a thickener in low carb/ keto recipes. It helps to make these cookies taste authentic with a normal shortbread cookie texture.
• 1/3 cup raw pecans, crushed– We love pecans because they remind us of keto shortbread sandies and have a low net carb count. Per 1/3 cup, the net carb of pecans is only 1.5 grams.

All these shortbread cookies ingredients work together, creating low carb keto shortbread cookies that taste like the real deal. To make the best shortbread recipe you won’t want to leave out any of these ingredients. The only thing you can and definitely should play around with is the pecans. Feel free to sub those for a variety of different and delicious mix-ins to make treats like keto chocolate chip shortbread cookies.

Baking Keto Shortbread Cookies

The cookies ingredients are essential, but so is properly putting the dough together. If you want to make these the best low carb keto shortbread cookies ever, you’ll need to master the art of baking. Pulling out the cookies at just the right time to get that golden color and crusty base is vital to make a keto shortbread recipe perfect.

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl combine all the dry ingredients using a fork. Make sure the almond flour and coconut flour are well incorporated. Set aside.- Almond flour can tend to clump, so make sure you really break it apart with the fork.
2. In a large bowl combine the melted butter (not room temperature or softened butter), vanilla extract and half the dry ingredient mixture. Combine using a hand mixer.- Sometimes we’ll use a stand mixer because it’s easier to combine with less mess.
3. Add the egg and mix again. Once combined, add the rest of the dry mixture and mix one last time.
4. In a zip top bag crush the pecans to desired size and fold them into the shortbread batter, dispersing evenly.- This is where you get to take out your anger and smash them with a rolling pin!
5. Place the entire mixture onto a piece of parchment paper and form a rectangular log using your hands. Roll the log up in the parchment paper and freeze for 30 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
7. After 30 minutes have passed, cut the log into 1/4 inch thick cookies – we were able to make 24.- Lucky for you there’s no need to roll out the dough! Place them with a smidge of space between on the cookie sheet. Thankfully these don’t spread much so you should be able to fit them all on one cookie sheet.
8. Cook time can vary based on oven but these generally have about 15 minutes cook time, until golden brown on the edges. Allow them to cool for 20 minutes prior to handling or they will fall apart. Now enjoy!
9. Store in a zip top bag in the fridge up to 10 days or in the freezer up to 1 month.

Storing Keto Shortbread Cookies

This keto shortbread cookies recipe stores well on the counter in an airtight container for 3-4 days like most shortbread cookies. However any longer and you may want to consider storing them in the fridge. They should last 1-2 weeks in the fridge if placed in an airtight container. Humidity/ damp air will be the death of crisp keto shortbread cookies so if they start to go soft place them into the oven at a low temperature until they crisp back up (about 300-325 degrees F).

Freezing The Best Keto Shortbread

If you love this keto shortbread cookies recipe and want to make a ton to have for later, we’ve got you covered. While you can freeze these cookies, the moisture will dampen this recipe a bit too much and you’ll end up with soft baked cookies upon reheat. The best way to go about freezing them is pre-slicing and then freezing. Take the raw dough and follow all directions up until the baking portion. Instead of baking line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place the pre sliced dough on it, then freeze. Once the cookies have fully frozen you can move them to a zip lock bag and place them into the freezer until your ready to bake

Baking the Recipe From Frozen

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the keto shortbread cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 17- 20 minutes. Keto shortbread cookies will need those additional few minutes because they were baking from frozen.

Fun Variations of Keto Shortbread Cookies

Interested in spicing up the basic keto shortbread cookies recipe? Maybe pecans aren’t your thing and that’s okay! Here are a few fun new mix-in options to try if you want to make keto cookies that aren’t just vanilla:

• Chocolate Chunks- Pockets of gooey chocolate fit perfectly in this keto shortbread cookie recipe. We love dark chocolate chips from Lily’s. If you’re feeling extra bold you can also try a mix of milk and dark chocolate!
• Full Chocolate Keto Shortbread Cookie- Add a tablespoon of cocoa powder and a tablespoon or two of nut milk for a new chocolate keto shortbread cookies recipe.
• Nuts- No one says you have to stick with pecans! If you’re feeling crazy try crushed peanuts and chocolate. You can also just try a different nut like walnuts or sliced almonds.

The best keto shortbread is the one you love most! Try and make your very own variation of this keto shortbread cookies recipe and let us know what it is below!

Chocolate Dipped Cookies

Another option to spice up shortbread cookies is dipping them in chocolate. Super buttery shortbread cookies with smooth low carb chocolate make a great pair. I’ll teach you how to create this chocolate dipped keto shortbread cookies recipe below.

1. To begin melt 1 cup of keto/ low carb chocolate chips and 1 tbsp of butter in a mug. Melt by placing in the microwave for 20 second intervals. Stir after every 20 seconds until melted.
2. Prepare a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. After each cookie is dipped you’ll place them on the parchment paper.
3. Take the prepared cookies and dip half or all of the cookie in chocolate. Optional: Sprinkle with a bit of flakey salt before the keto shortbread cookies have fully set.
4. Place in the fridge for 20-30 minutes, or until the chocolate has fully set.
5. Enjoy the best keto shortbread chocolate style!

Perfect Pairings

The great thing about this keto shortbread cookies recipe is that it pairs well with so many keto friendly drinks! We love low carb shortbread as a snack, dessert, or even breakfast! Pair a shortbread cookie with:

• Bulletproof Coffee– A medium roast coffee made up bulletproof style is an amazing keto delicacy. Check out this easy to make and low in net carbs creamy keto coffee recipe.
• Keto Dirty Chai Tea Latte– Another creamy drink recipe that can easily be made keto and sugar free. A nice spiced drink that pairs well with the nutty pecan flavors in these keto cookies.
• Low Carb Hot Cocoa– Rich and creamy chocolate flavor that works well with plain keto shortbread cookies, or keto cookies with pecans! Who doesn’t love such a versatile cup of hot cocoa.
• Nut Milk- A classic milk and keto cookies moment. Plain unsweetened nut milk like cashew or almond works well. Simply chill and then pour into a glass. You don’t need to be Santa Claus to get your cookie fix this year!

Tips to Make the Best Keto Shortbread Cookies

Don’t be like a cookie under pressure and crumble! These are some of the best shortbread cookies tips so that this recipe comes out delicious every time!

Helpful Tools

Start with the best tools to get the job done! We only use a few tools in this recipe, but having some staple tools help in all keto recipes.

• Electric Hand Mixer– You can also use a stand mixer but we love hand mixers for all low carb and keto recipes because they are easy to operate. Plus they store really well if you don’t have enough room for a huge stand mixer.
• Sharp Kitchen Knife– This is an essential in every kitchen whether you bake or cook. A sharp knife will help cut through the raw shortbread cookies dough. If your knife is dull the cookie dough will smoosh rather than slice. If you want the best keto shortbread cookies you’ll need an even cut.
• Cookie Sheet– We buy most of our cookie sheets off of amazon. A good cookie sheet is really important in this recipe and should not be overlooked! Gluten free keto cookies that are made with almond flour tend to bake unevenly on low quality cooking sheets because they get hot spots. Check out some of the quality sheets from amazon that we use.

Waiting to Cool

Low carb and keto baked goods can be tricky because they set as they cool. These low carb shortbread cookies are no different. Let the cookies cool for at least 20 minutes so they can really set up.

Use Blanched Almond Flour

The last big tip is using blanched almond flour in this recipe. It is different than almond meal which has the skin still on the almonds while grinding. When they remove the skin first it helps these shortbread cookies mix and bake more evenly. It also has a smoother texture so the cookies taste more traditional and not grainy.

While it’s not an absolute must, blanched almond flour REALLY helps the cookies texture taste authentic in this recipe.

Our Favorite Low Carb Cookie Recipes

Low carb cookies are always a hit because everyone loves cookies! Some may prefer hard and crunchy, while others prefer a more soft and chewy recipe. Not to worry because we’ve got everyone covered with our cookie recipes.

• Are you a crunchy cookies lover? Try our almond flour chocolate chip cookies, keto sugar cookies or maple macadamia nut cookies!
• Are you a chewy or soft cookie lover? Make our chewy coconut flour chocolate chip cookies or our keto carrot cake cookies!

We’ve got plenty of more cookie recipes on our food blog so don’t feel limited to the four listed above. The holidays alway seem to spring up on us, so be prepared with a good recipe for cookies this year!

Pecan Keto Shortbread Cookies

What I think is the best part about these cookies is how simple they are. Each low carb shortbread is only 0.7g net carbs per cookie. Plus when they’re gluten and sugar free you have free reign to eat 2 or 3, or 4… They are legitimately an anytime or any holiday cookie recipe. If you are simply taking them to your son’s baseball game or having a night in with the family, these are the perfect cookies to make no matter what you are celebrating ! You never need a reason to eat shortbread cookies, but you always have a reason to bake, so make this Keto Shortbread Cookies recipe and let us know what you think!

Recipe can be quickly added to MyFitnessPal – Search “KetoConnect – Keto Shortbread Cookies”

Recipe can be quickly added to MyFitnessPal – Search “KetoConnect – Keto Shortbread Cookies”

Written by