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    You are at:Home»Dairy-Free Recipes»Dairy Free Desserts»Easy Chocolate Chip Shortbread: Dairy-Free, Nut-Free and Vegan!

    Easy Chocolate Chip Shortbread: Dairy-Free, Nut-Free and Vegan!

    18
    By Sarah Hatfield on December 9, 2015 Dairy Free Desserts, Dairy-Free Recipes, Kids Can Cook, Sarah's Recipes

    Once a month we’re featuring a new family-friendly dish for our Kids Can Cook section from the Hatfields. The dairy-free teen cooking star is Katherine and this week she is sharing a fun and gift-worthy recipe for chocolate chip shortbread. Her mom, Sarah, has the pictures and details for us …

    Easy Chocolate Chip Shortbread - a Kids Can Cook recipe! Made with brown sugar, a surprisingly dairy-free and vegan treat that everyone will love.

    This recipe for chocolate chip shortbread is our adaptation of Shuttemup Cookies from Peg Bracken’s The I Hate to Cook Book. We removed the nuts and made them dairy free. This is a great “first chocolate chip cookie” recipe because it’s so easy and because you don’t have to worry if kids taste test some of the egg-free dough! Also, there is no rolling, shaping, or cutting out to worry about. Even your littlest helpers can easily pat the dough into the pan.

    This is the only chocolate chip cookie we make anymore because it is so easy and so tasty! Katherine made some for a family reunion this summer and people could not believe they were dairy free. They are also a quick cookie to whip up when an allergy-friendly treat is needed on short notice for school, church, activities or events. Plus, this chocolate chip shortbread doesn’t call for any ingredients that aren’t usually found in a dairy-free kitchen!

    Reader Raves

    Thanks to Tishina for sharing feedback and her variation on this chocolate shortbread recipe via our Facebook Page:

    A variation I did was add 2 eggs and a teaspoon of baking soda, and they turned into fabulous cookies. Drop by the tablespoon onto a cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes.

    Easy Chocolate Chip Shortbread - a Kids Can Cook recipe! Made with brown sugar, a surprisingly dairy-free and vegan treat that everyone will love.

    Special Diet Notes: Chocolate Chip Shortbread

    By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, nut-free, peanut-free, optionally soy-free, vegan / plant-based, and vegetarian.

    To keep this chocolate chip shortbread soy-free and “nut-safe” be sure to select the right brands of margarine and chocolate chips. Earth Balance offers several soy-free varieties, and for chocolate chips, Enjoy Life Foods has good allergy-friendly options.

    3.0 from 1 reviews
    Easy Chocolate Chip Shortbread (Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Vegan)
     
    Print
    Prep time
    10 mins
    Cook time
    20 mins
    Total time
    30 mins
     
    No one will believe these delicious cookies are naturally vegan and contain just four ingredients!
    Author: Katherine Hatfield
    Recipe type: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Serves: about 2 dozen cookies
    Ingredients
    • 1 cup dairy-free non-hydrogenated margarine*
    • 1 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips**
    Instructions
    1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
    2. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
    3. In a mixing bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar. Add the flour and blend. Add the chocolate chips and blend. The dough will be crumbly, not wet.
    4. Press the dough evenly into the pan.
    5. Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges are a light golden brown.
    6. Let cool for one minute, then cut the cookies while they are still warm.
    7. Leave them in the pan until completely cool, then remove to an airtight container--or to gift bags!
    Notes
    *You can use a "buttery spread". We use Earth Balance or Smart Balance. If you use unsalted margarine, you will want to add ¾ teaspoon salt.
    **We use either Kirkland Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips or Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips (pictured here)
    3.5.3229
    Sarah Hatfield

      Sarah is the Associate Editor for Go Dairy Free. Her previous experience includes work as a copy editor at Thoroughbred Times magazine, a content writer at Travelago.com, and an intern at Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Sarah was a 'mom blogger' for many years but now mostly hangs out on Go Dairy Free and Instagram.

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      18 Comments

      1. Pingback: Blueberry Muffin Bars Recipe (Dairy-Free & Kid-Friendly!)

      2. Sharon Binkis on May 1, 2017 7:02 pm

        I’m so disappointed these didn’t turn out. They were very oily! No so bad they won’t be eaten but won’t make again.

        Reply
        • Sarah Hatfield on May 2, 2017 8:42 am

          I’m sorry you had difficulty with the recipe, Sharon. These are a family favorite my daughter makes at least once a month!

          Do you live at a high altitude? Vegan cookies can become greasy when baked at higher altitudes unless the recipe is modified. Unfortunately, modification is difficult with recipes such as this one that have few ingredients.

          Another suggestion would be to try a different dairy-free margarine. We like using Earth Balance Original or Smart Balance Original for these cookies.

          I hope this helps.

          Reply
      3. Kellie @ The Suburban Soapbox on December 14, 2015 9:52 am

        They look amazing!

        Reply
      4. Dana on December 14, 2015 8:13 am

        What about those of us who can’t have gluten? Any gluten free flour substitute?

        Reply
        • Alisa Fleming on December 14, 2015 5:49 pm

          Hi Dana, this isn’t tested gluten-free – you can trial it with your favorite flour blend, but I would make sure it has suitable binder.

          Reply
      5. Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen on December 11, 2015 5:17 pm

        These shortbread look like they would literally melt in your mouth! Yum!

        Reply
      6. Kristen on December 11, 2015 1:12 pm

        I can see why these are the only way you make chocolate chip cookies! They sound totally delicious and I love the ease of bars instead of drop cookies!

        Reply
      7. Joanie @ Zagleft on December 11, 2015 3:05 am

        I love that these bars are so easy to make and require only 4 ingredients! What a great recipe for anyone.

        Reply
      8. Michelle @ The Complete Savorist on December 10, 2015 7:34 pm

        These look wonderful! I’d love to snack an a few now.

        Reply
      9. Trinity Bourne on December 10, 2015 12:02 pm

        Oh my goodness, I haven’t had shortbread in such a long time… this has inspired me!

        Reply
      10. Becky Striepe on December 10, 2015 8:13 am

        This looks so decadent!

        Reply
      11. Sharon (Nut Free Wok) on December 10, 2015 7:59 am

        So awesome, I had to double check that someone actually wrote a cookbook called “I Hate to Cook.” I love that, will have to check it out. 🙂

        Reply
        • Alisa Fleming on December 11, 2015 9:35 am

          I know, such a great name, isn’t it?!

          Reply
      12. (what runs) Lori on December 10, 2015 7:29 am

        So strange to me that it’s only FOUR ingredients… but looks and sounds amazing so I’ll take it! I also like that you mix, pour/press, bake! Best recipe ever… easy!

        Reply
        • Alisa Fleming on December 10, 2015 7:49 am

          You would love it Lori – I promise! Not paleo at all, but so worth it 🙂

          Reply
      13. Sara on December 10, 2015 12:44 am

        I actually just started making shortbread this year, what was I waiting for it’s delicious?! I definitely want to try this chocolate chip version, sounds amazing!

        Reply
        • Alisa Fleming on December 10, 2015 7:48 am

          I’m with you on not venturing into shortbread until later Sara – I think it’s because store-bought just doesn’t even compare to homemade, so you don’t really know how awesome it is until you take the risk!

          Reply

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