Recipe: GF Ginger Spiced Shortbread (AIP, Paleo, SCD, GAPS)

You are here:
Home
Blog
Recipes
Recipe: GF Ginger Spiced Shortbread (AIP, Paleo, SCD, GAPS)

Dec 21

Traditional shortbread recipes call for very simple ingredients – usually sugar, butter and flour. This AIP Paleo recipe jazzes it up with added spices, healthy palm shortening and coconut flour to make a special treat for those on very restricted diets.

Shortbread is supposed to be crumbly and this is achieved in a conventional recipe by using a lot of butter. Apparently the fat inhibits the gluten from expanding and creates the crumbly texture.

Our use of coconut flour achieves this crumbly texture without trying too hard because it is naturally full of fiber and has no gluten at all.

In this recipe I chose to use palm shortening for those who cannot even tolerate ghee. However, butter or ghee may also be used.

As you probably know by now, two vegetables oils that are primarily saturated fats are coconut oil and palm oil. Coconut oil has many benefits and palm oil runs a close second.

Palm shortening is palm oil that has some of its unsaturated fats removed, giving it a very firm texture, high melting point and stability. This is a great product for use in baking (deep frying) and making treats such as frosting.

Palm shortening is not hydrogenated and is not a trans fat like typical commercial shortening. Since it has been separated from some of the unsaturated portion of the oil, it is colorless and odorless, and will not affect the taste of foods.

Palm shortening is a good non dairy alternative to butter or ghee.

GF Ginger Spiced Shortbread

Ingredients

1/2 cup palm shortening (like this one)
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp honey (where to buy)
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup coconut flour (where to buy coconut flour)
1 tsp cinnamon (where to buy salt and spices)
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt + some to sprinkle on top
1/4 tsp allspice (or mace)
Coconut oil for greasing the pan

Equipment

10 inch pie pan lined with parchment paper (where to buy)
Mixing bowl
Spatula (where to buy)
Parchment paper (where to buy parchment paper)

Instructions

In the mixing bowl add the coconut flour, baking soda and spices and mix together until thoroughly combined
Add the honey and vanilla and mix
Add the palm shortening in small pieces, with your hands and mix thoroughly
It’s OK if you see small pieces of the shortening
Place the dough in the pie pan that has been lined with parchment paper and greased with coconut oil
Press in with your hands until it is flat
Sprinkle the sea salt over the dough
Bake at 325º F for 12 – 15 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned
Remove and slice with a knife
Let cool in the pan
Serve with a nice hot drink