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Chai Spiced Almond Shortbread

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Chai Spiced Almond Shortbread is a festive twist on traditional shortbread cookies, and is vegan and gluten-free!

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I ate a lot of shortbread while going to school at the University of London. Weekend trips to Scotland led to ample sampling of the buttery, wonderful wedges along with frequent stops into Harrod’s food department for my favorite tins. This recipe for Chai Spiced Almond Shortbread is a departure from those traditional biscuits, but brings back lots of fond memories and a craving for tea! Chai is my favorite fall drink, so I wanted to incorporate the wonderful flavors of this comforting tea into an almond flour-based cookie with hints of coconut.

The Ingredients for Chai Spiced Almond Shortbread:

One of the beautiful qualities of shortbread is how simple it is. Good butter, wheat flour, sugar, and perhaps a touch of vanilla are all that are needed. For this recipe, I swapped in virgin coconut oil, almond flour, maple syrup, and vanilla plus almond extract to complement traditional chai spices of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and ginger.

The difference in the finished product is a softer textured cookie, but also one that is wonderfully flavorful!

The Process:

This shortbread could not be easier! Combine the dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl:

Stir in the liquids to create the dough. It will be slightly crumbly but should stick together.

Prepare an 8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. If you do not have a tart pan, use a round cake pan instead. Trace the bottom of the pan using a pencil on parchment paper to create a circle to line the pan.

Spray lightly with baking pan spray.

Transfer the dough to the pan and press into an even layer.

Prick the dough all over using a small fork. This allows steam to escape while baking.

Score the dough into 12 equal slices using a pastry cutter or knife. If you cut down to the bottom of the pan, the shortbread will easily break apart after baking.

Bake for about 25 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until the shortbread is golden brown and firm.

Once cooled, gently break apart the slices of Chai Spiced Almond Shortbread at the score lines.

Chai Spiced Almond Shortbread will keep nicely at room temperature or frozen if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or foil, or when placed in an airtight container. A batch in my house rarely lasts through the day! This is a wonderful Fika treat and would also be an excellent addition to any holiday cookie collection. Enjoy!

Chai Spiced Almond Shortbread

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Chai Spiced Almond Shortbread is a festive twist on traditional shortbread cookies, and is vegan and gluten-free!
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:25 minutes

Equipment

  • 8-inch tart pan with removable bottom or 8-inch round cake pan

Ingredients

  • cups fine almond flour
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ cup virgin coconut oil, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325° Fahrenheit.
  • Prepare an 8-inch tart pan with removable bottom or 8-inch round cake pan by tracing the bottom of the pan with pencil on a sheet of parchment paper. Cut out the round and place at the bottom of the pan. Spray lightly with baking spray.
  • Combine all dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Add the liquids and mix thoroughly to combine until the dough comes together.
  • Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press into an even layer.
  • Prick the dough all over with a fork.
  • Score the dough into 12 even wedges with a pastry cutter or knife, gently cutting through the surface.
  • Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes until the shortbread is golden brown and firm.
  • Cool completely on a rack. Carefully remove the shortbread from the pan and gently break apart along the score lines.
  • Serve as a Fika treat or any time of the day!
Course: Brunch, Dessert, Fika, Holiday, Snack
Keyword: Chai Spiced Almond Shortbread
Servings: 12 Cookies

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