Gluten-free Shortbread Bars

Shortbread is the base for Twix, Granny's "Pink Cookies", and is pretty much frosting with flour in it.  It is similar to sugar cookie dough, but has no eggs.  Quinoa flour is recommended for Gluten-free cookies and the buckwheat flour adds a nice nutty flavor without the peanut butter.

Bake 300 F
35-45 min

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1 and 1/2 cup Quinoa flour

Beat butter until creamy on medium speed. Add powder sugar and cream some more.  Beat in vanilla extract.  Beat in flour 1/2 cup at a time, medium speed.  At first mixture may seem dry, but continue beating until a smoother texture is reached (a few minutes).  Dough may be sticky, but scoop into 13x9 baking pan and spread out with fingers (cold wet or alternate flour covered) in to even layer.  Prick with fork and place in hot oven. Bake at 300 F for 35 to 45 minutes until lightly brown around the edges.  Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan on wire rack on counter.  When cool, top with your choice of deliciousness: jam, chocolate, caramel, frosting, etc. Cut into bars and be amazed at how addicting they are.


Notes:
    1/2 batch fills  8x8, double jelly roll pan 1/2 to 3/4 in.  Dough does not raise, no worries about filling pan.  If topping need to be placed while the shortbread might shatter or crumble like a cake into topping.
    I grind the flours fresh in my fancy Blendtec blender.  I blend a cup or two of grain at a time and save any leftover flours in the fridge to keep from going rancid.
    The photo shows a version using caramel layer and chocolate (I recommend semi-sweet to not overpower your sweet taste buds). Poor the melted caramel over and set by chilling in fridge.  melt chocolate and spread over caramel layer.