I made a gluten-free shortcrust pastry with rice flour for my nephew, who can’t consume gluten but wants to enjoy desserts like everyone else. We created a pastry that allows for making cookies and tarts to share together, with no differences. The recipe is very simple: just follow the traditional shortcrust pastry recipe , only replacing the flour. The result was excellent, with a crumbly texture. Don’t expect a particularly elastic dough, so it is advisable to work it with your hands, a rolling pin, and with the help of parchment paper to prevent it from breaking while cutting shapes. After baking, however, the result is similar to classic shortcrust pastry. I used butter, but if you are also lactose intolerant, you can replace it with vegetable margarine. Moreover, this shortcrust pastry does not require resting times before being worked, but if you prefer to prepare it in advance, you can store it in the refrigerator wrapped in cling film.
Before moving on to the recipe, I remind you of other gluten-free desserts we can enjoy
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking methods: No Bake
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 4,392.95 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 587.79 (g) of which sugars 190.98 (g)
- Proteins 48.21 (g)
- Fat 221.03 (g) of which saturated 139.95 (g)of which unsaturated 79.14 (g)
- Fibers 5.33 (g)
- Sodium 122.57 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 850 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 4 cups rice flour
- 9/10 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 lemon zest (or vanilla flavoring)
- 8.8 oz butter (soft)
- 1 tsp baking powder
Tools
- 1 Stand Mixer
- 1 Cookie Cutter
- 1 Springform Pan
Preparation
Place all the ingredients in the bowl of the stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, and start at low speed until you get a smooth dough, although it may be a little crumbly. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can knead by hand, creating a fountain with the flour and placing the ingredients in the center, then starting to work them together.
Transfer the dough to a work surface, even if it initially seems loose, and with the help of your hands, compact it until it forms a block. Your dough is now ready to be worked or, if you prefer, stored in the refrigerator wrapped in cling film. If the dough is too soft, add a bit of cornstarch or more rice flour while working it.
You can use this shortcrust pastry to make tarts or cookies. My tip for rolling it out best is to use a rolling pin and work it on a sheet of parchment paper, so it will be easier and won’t stick.
If you want to make filled cookies, follow my method: choose a mold of the shape you prefer and cut an even number of cookies. On half of them, make a small circle in the center of the dough. After baking, spread the filling on the whole cookie and cover it with the cut-out one. For the cookies, I recommend baking them at 350°F for about 10 minutes. If you use the dough for a tart, the baking time will be around 20 minutes.
NOTES
As already mentioned, this shortcrust pastry is perfect and appreciated by everyone, not just those who need to avoid gluten. I hope you liked the recipe and that it will be useful to you!
If you liked the recipe or have questions, feel free to comment here or on social Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and X.
