Craving a crisp, lacy cookie that feels elegant but is secretly simple to make? These gluten free Florentines (also known as gluten free Florentine cookies or biscuits) deliver all the buttery crunch and delicate texture of the classic treat—without any gluten or dairy.
Fresh of my own trip to Italy in 2015 where I unfortunately couldn’t find any gluten-free Florentines (long story!), I decided I simply must create a recipe for them in my own kitchen. They are truly a tempting dessert, and I drooled over them for a week, without being able to sample them in country, so now you and I both get the benefit of a delicious, and safe recipe!
Inspired by traditional European recipes, Florentines are famous for their thin, caramelized base and signature nutty flavor. Despite the name, these cookies likely didn’t originate in Florence at all; many food historians trace them back to France, where techniques like caramelizing sugar and creating rich, glossy finishes were perfected. No matter their origin, one thing is certain: Florentine cookies are a timeless favorite.
This gluten free version captures everything you love about classic Florentines, with simple ingredients and an easy process. You’ll just chop your nuts, mix, and bake—no complicated steps required. For an extra touch of indulgence, add a drizzle of dairy-free chocolate, or keep them plain for a beautifully crisp, naturally sweet bite.
Perfect for holidays, entertaining, or an everyday treat, these gluten free Florentines look bakery-worthy but come together in no time. Enjoy a modern, allergy-friendly twist on a classic European cookie!
Gluten Free Florentines Recipe
Gluten Free Florentines Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 Tbs. butter or non-dairy alternative (Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (evaporated cane; vegan sugar; etc.)
- 2 Tbs. honey or agave nectar
- 1 (150) cup (grams) coarsely chopped nuts (I used peanuts & raw almonds; other options include hazelnuts, pistachios, walnuts, etc.)
- 2 tsp. citrus peel/zest (lemon; orange; etc.)
- 2/3 (90) cup (grams) gfJules™ All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
- 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt (only if the nuts you use are not salted)
Optional Chocolate Drizzle:
- 3 oz dairy-free chocolate chips (Enjoy Life Foods®)
- 1/4 tsp. vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° F (static).
- In a small saucepan, melt butter with sugar and honey over low-medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a gentle boil, then remove from heat.
- Chop nuts and stir together in a small bowl with citrus peel, gfJules™ All Purpose Gluten-Free Flour, baking powder and salt, if using. Add melted butter mixture and stir well.
- Spoon tablespoons of mix onto parchment-lined baking sheets – spaced at least 2 inches apart to allow for spread. Bake one sheet at a time for 10-11 minutes, or until the mixture has spread into flattened, lacey, light brown cookies. Remove to cool on a wire rack while baking the next sheet of cookies. Cool completely before storing or adding chocolate drizzle.
- Once the cookies are fully cooled, prepare the melted chocolate by placing the chocolate and oil in a medium-sized heatproof bowl or saucepan. Fill a slightly larger saucepan filled with 1 inch of water and bring to a low simmer; set the chocolate bowl over, but not touching, the water. Stir until melted and smooth.
- “Brush” onto the undersides of the cooled cookies with a rubber spatula, drizzle over the tops of the cookies in geometric or fun designs, or place a dollop in the middle of one cookie and sandwich with another.
- Store separated by parchment or waxed paper, in an air-tight container or freeze.
** Please keep in mind that nutrition information provided is per serving, which may vary. While we have taken care to provide you with the most accurate nutritional values possible, please note that this information may differ significantly depending on the exact ingredients and brands that you choose to use to make this recipe. Additionally, where options are given for ingredients, the resulting calculation may include all ingredient options instead of only one per line, skewing the totals significantly.
I hope this recipe brings a little Italian sweetness into your life!
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Followed the instructions but the cookies did not spread like shown in the pictures. Any ideas why not?
Hi Rose, did you make any substitutions in the recipe with other ingredients? Was the dough especially thick?
~jules
these are very good. Threy turned out a little different thatn I expecte, but still bety tasty. I decided after tasting that I would put chocolate all over the top. One of my friends tried them that does not have Gluten issues and said you would never know these were gluten free. also I decided nect time to put the chocolate chips in with the dough and then back. I think this will be very tasty as well. you can just eat this dough by its self…
Hi Anna – so glad you tried them! They are delicious, and more delicate, though not crunchy, like they look. I love them! So glad you and your non-GF friend did too!
Jules, your recipes look delicious and I would like to order your flour, however…I notice the corn ingredients and was wondering if they would happen to be non-gmo? Or would you be willing to make a similar product that is organic/non-gmo for those who realize what a health difference that makes? A ton of research is out there regarding allergies to food and gmo’s. I am opening a healing retreat and want to offer gluten and dairy free but need those items to meet my other standards as well. Thank you!
Sheryl, we are working on that issue – I understand and fully appreciate the need for non-GMO ingredients. We are working on it!
Those look quite interesting and yummy! Are they a crunchy or chewy cookie? What would you say they taste like?
Lauren, if you don’t over-bake them, they are actually rather chewy. They aren’t toffee-like though, in that they don’t (thankfully!) stick to your teeth. They are quite delicate and light, but the nut flavor is unmistakable. I’m quite smitten with these cookies!
These look wonderful. I’ve been wanting to find an easy yet fancy GF cookie and this just fits the bill. I’m going to make a batch this weekend. And I have a brand new, unopened bag of Jules flour.
Yay! Hope you enjoy MsJay! My kids have been running around with chocolate-covered faces, showing how much even they are loving this new (to us) cookie!