Learn how to make the best gluten-free sugar cookies from scratch that are soft, easy to roll out, and taste amazing. Easy, homemade gluten-free cut-out cookies tastes so much like old fashioned ones, no one will know the difference!
Best gluten-free cut out Cookies recipe
Any holiday or Christmas would not be complete without a batch of traditional rolled sugar cookies. Every year growing up I looked forward to decorating cut-outs with sugar cookie icing and dosing with festive sprinkles.
As a mom of four now, my kids love decorating sugar cookies just the same. (Which also goes along with the Christmas sprinkle explosion covering my kitchen.)
I was determined to find a gluten-free sugar cookie recipe with the same great taste after becoming GF over 10 years ago and more recently writing a gluten-free cookbook.
This recipe is so good, and just as easy to roll out, I prefer it over the cookies I grew up on!
My mom used a recipe without baking powder so the cookies wouldn’t puff up and lose their shape during baking. These cookies also do not use baking powder. They maintain the same shape after rolling, cutting out, and baking.
Gluten-free bakers will love these cookies because of how easy the dough is to work with and incorporate easy gluten-free baking tips. They work well for gluten-free Christmas cookies, Valentines, Graduation, or to cut out in any shape! Plus, I guarantee no one will even know they are gluten-free!
Unfortunately, moms, I can’t do anything about preventing sprinkle explosions. But I can give you a great gluten-free recipes for kids resource!
How to Make Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
- In a large bowl beat together sugar and butter until very light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, milk, vanilla, and salt to the butter / sugar mixture. Beat again until very well combined.
- Add the flour and beat at low speed until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or freeze for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Sprinkle gluten free flour onto a rolling surface or silicone mat. Use half the cold dough and roll out to about 1/4″ thickness. Cut out the dough with cookie cutters and transfer the cut out cookies to prepared baking sheets. Repeat with all the remaining dough.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes in preheated oven, or until cookies are set. Let the cookies cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. After cookies have cooled, decorate with preferred icing.
Ways to Use this cookie Dough
Use gluten-free sugar cookie dough in more ways than holiday cut out cookies. Make a variety of gluten-free cookies with one dough!
- Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies – In my house Christmas isn’t complete without out cut-out sugar cookies. Use Christmas cookie cutters and decorate with festive sprinkles.
- Drop Sugar Cookies – Shape into 1 inch balls or use a medium cookie scoop. Roll the dough in granulated sugar. Flatten slightly with glass bottom and bake as directed. Alternatively, use this copycat gluten-free crumble sugar cookies recipe!
- Jam Thumbprints – Roll sugar cookie dough into 1 inch balls and place on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Use thumb to make a well in center of each ball. Fill with small spoonful of jam and bake for 10-11 minutes.
- Fruit Cookie Pizza – Press dough onto a pizza pan lined with parchment paper. Bake 13-15 minutes and cool completely. Frost with cream cheese icing and decorate with fresh fruit.
- Peanut Butter Cookie Cups – Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place in mini muffin tins with liners. Press in a miniature Reese Peanut Butter Cup and bake 9-11 minutes.
Sugar Cookie Icing options
If you don’t know how to make sugar cookie icing, this recipe is my absolute go-to because it takes 5 minutes, hardens smooth and glossy, and I always have the ingredients on hand.
- Royal Icing – If you prefer royal icing using egg whites try this recipe and tint it with food coloring.
- Buttercream Frosting – Love a fluffy frosting to go along with soft sugar cookies? Try this sugar cookie frosting, but half the recipe.
- Cream Cheese Icing – For a bit of tangy sweetness top the cookies with cream cheese frosting.
Best Gluten-Free Flour to Use
Not all gluten-free flour blends are created equal. Typically I make gluten-free cookies with Cup4Cup, but here are some other brands to try.
Please note: Flour blends use different ratios of gluten-free starch, such as tapioca flour, rice flour, almond flour, or cornstarch. These varying ratios and ingredients will change the texture and taste of the cookie.
Cup4Cup – My preferred brand because it doesn’t leave a gritty texture and the dough is very easy to work with.
Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour – Another great GF flour blend because of the ease of use. I find the texture to be slightly denser, but still yields a soft sugar cookie.
King Arthur Measure-for-Measure– Make sure you are using the “measure-for-measure” kind instead of King Arthur all-purpose GF flour, which doesn’t include xanthan gum.
Namaste Gluten-Free Flour Blend– Many bakers use this mix because it’s economical and available at Costco. Although the cookies will still hold their shape, the taste is rather gritty. To make the taste more pleasing, try replacing 1/2 cup of the flour with almond flour.
Can You Freeze these Cookies?
Yes. They may be frozen either baked or unbaked. This makes life so much easier during holiday Christmas cookie baking!
Freezing Baked Sugar Cookies:
Make the as directed, cooling completely on a wire rack. The cookies may be frozen either unfrosted or with frosting.
If the cookies are frosted, make sure the icing has set before stacking. Place the cookies in a large airtight container, wrap the container with plastic wrap, and freeze up to 2 months.
Allow cookies to thaw one hour at room temperature before frosting or serving.
Freezing Unbaked Sugar Cookies:
Prepare the cookie dough as directed. When it is time to chill the dough, transfer it to a freezer ziplock bag, squeezing out any excess air. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before rolling and cutting out.
Alternatively, roll out the dough and cut out cookies as directed. Place cookies on parchment paper lined baking sheets and transfer baking pans to freezer.
Once the cookies have hardened, carefully remove them from the parchment and stack in freezer ziplock bags. Freeze, laying flat, up to 2 months. When ready to bake, transfer back to lined baking sheets. Bake from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to baking time.
Do I need to add xanthan gum?
Gluten-free sugar cookies will not hold their shape without xanthan gum. Xanthan gum is used to mimic the elasticity and texture of gluten.
Without xanthan gum, gluten-free cookies would not hold their shape and be very hard to roll out. If your gluten-free flour mix does not contain xanthan gum, add 1/2 teaspoon to the 2 cups flour.
expert baking Tips
- The dough can be made up to 1 day ahead of time and store covered in the refrigerator.
- Make sure the dough is very cold before cutting out the cookies. This helps them hold their shape during baking.
- If you plan on cutting out all the cookies first, store the baking sheets holding pre-baked cookies in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
- For quicker chilling freeze the dough for 30 minutes. Remove from the freezer before the dough freezes completely.
- Substitute 1/2 teaspoon almond extract for part of the vanilla extract for a slightly different flavor.
- Alternatively use powdered sugar in place of using additional gluten free flour to prevent dough from sticking to the surface when rolling out dough.
Dairy-Free modification
To make dairy-free gluten-free cookies, substitute plant based butter sticks, such as Earth Balance. Also, use almond, soy, or coconut milk, or replace 1 tablespoon milk with water.
Making Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Mix
Make a homemade Christmas gift for those gluten-free bakers! These gluten-free cookies can made into a pre-made mix.
To make gluten-free sugar cookie mix simply combine the pre-measured flour, sugar, and salt in a large airtight jar or container. Tie a cute cut out cookie cutter along with a tag listing additional ingredients needed and baking instructions to the jar.
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No Fail Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies (Cut Out)
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon milk (or dairy-free)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or 1 tsp. almond extract + 1 tsp. vanilla)
- ¼ teaspoon salt, (omit if butter is salted)
- 2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour
Instructions
- In a large bowl cream together the sugar and butter until very light and fluffy. This should take about 3 minutes for mixture to be fully creamed.1 cup granulated sugar,½ cup unsalted butter,
- Add the egg, milk, vanilla, and salt to the butter / sugar mixture. Beat again until very well combined. It may look separated and curdled at first, but as it beats longer it will blend together smoothly.1 large egg,,1 tablespoon milk (or dairy-free),2 teaspoons vanilla extract,¼ teaspoon salt,
- Add the flour and beat at low speed until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or freeze for 30 minutes. The dough should be very cold throughout.2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper for best results. Otherwise, leave baking sheets ungreased. Set aside.
- Sprinkle gluten-free flour onto a rolling surface or silicone mat. Use half the cold dough and roll out to about 1/4" thickness. Cut out the dough with cookie cutters and use a spatula to transfer the cut out cookies to prepared baking sheets. Repeat with all the remaining dough. TIP: If you plan on baking the cookies at the same time, store the baking sheets with cut out cookies in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Warmed dough spreads more during baking.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cookies are set. Let the cookies cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. After cookies have cooled, decorate with my favorite sugar cookie icing. Store in airtight container up to 3 days.
- DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?? DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE FEEDBACK AND/OR CLICK A STAR RATING ON THE RECIPE CARD
Equipment Needed
Recipe Notes
Expert Tips and Tricks
- The dough can be made up to 1 day ahead of time and store covered in the refrigerator.
- Make sure the dough is very cold before cutting out the cookies. This helps them hold their shape during baking.
- If you plan on cutting out all the cookies first, store the baking sheets holding pre-baked gluten free cookies in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
- For quicker chilling freeze the dough for 30 minutes. Remove from the freezer before the dough freezes completely.
- Alternatively use powdered sugar in place of using additional gluten free flour to prevent dough from sticking to the surface when rolling out dough.
Freezing Gluten-Free Cookies
Freezing Baked Sugar Cookies: Make gluten-free sugar cookie recipe as directed, cooling completely. Cookies may be frozen either unfrosted or with frosting. If cookies are frosted, make sure the icing has set before stacking. Place cookies in a large airtight container, wrap the container with plastic wrap, and freeze up to 2 months. Allow cookies to thaw one hour at room temperature before frosting or serving. Freezing Unbaked Sugar Cookies: Prepare the cut out cookie dough as directed. When it is time to chill the dough, transfer it to a freezer ziplock bag, squeezing out any excess air. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before rolling and cutting out. Alternatively, roll out the cookie dough and cut out cookies as directed. Place cookies on parchment paper lined baking sheets and transfer baking pans to freezer. Once the cookies have hardened, carefully remove them from the parchment and stack in freezer ziplock bags. Freeze, laying flat, up to 2 months. When ready to bake, transfer back to lined baking sheets. Bake from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to baking time.Ways to Use Cookie Dough
- Drop Sugar Cookies – Shape into 1 inch balls and roll dough in sugar. Flatten slightly with glass bottom and bake as directed.
- Jam Thumbprints – Roll sugar cookie dough into 1 inch balls and place on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Use thumb to make a well in center of each ball. Fill with small spoonful of jam and bake for 10-11 minutes.
- Fruit Cookie Pizza – Press dough onto a pizza pan lined with parchment paper. Bake 13-15 minutes and cool completely. Frost with cream cheese icing and decorate with fresh fruit.
- Peanut Butter Cookie Cups – Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place in mini muffin tins with liners. Press in a miniature Reese Peanut Butter Cup and bake 9-11 minutes.
Jan Beltz says
Just made these today. They roll out beautifully. Made shamrocks for St. Patrick’s Day. I iced with buttercream … so delicious.
Melissa Erdelac says
Thank you, Jan! I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know!
Best,
Melissa
Talya says
Hi! Do you think there is a way to convert these to peanut butter roll out cookies? I saw your peanut butter cookie recipe but was looking for ones that bake flat/don’t spread much. Thanks 🙂
Melissa Erdelac says
Hey Talya, That sounds like a fabulous idea, but I haven’t tested it with peanut butter. You could try using 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup peanut butter, but no guarantees! Let me know if you decide to give it a try!
Best,
Melissa
Lora Enox says
The 24 cookie yield is apparently with a smaller cookie cutter than I used. I made six-point stars and barely got 15. My cutter is about two or three inches across. I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour and they turned out perfectly soft and lightly sweet, but I do wish the count had been closer to accurate.
Melissa Erdelac says
I appreciate the feedback, Lora! Sorry about the discrepancy with the yield. Not only does the cookie cutter size matter, but how thick or thin the dough is rolled out. Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Best,
Melissa
Anonymous says
These turned out so delicious! I’ve been gluten free for years and these cookies are 5 star in taste and how they bake!!!
Melissa Erdelac says
Yay! So happy to hear this!
Best,
Melissa
Tiffany says
These cookies were amazing! I made them gluten and dairy free with coconut milk. I put them in the refrigerator for about a day (lost track of time making too many Christmas goodies…haha). When it was time to roll them out, they were super easy! I did the cutouts and put them in the oven and they came out nice & fluffy!! Just like a regular cookie! Everything I make with gf flour tends to come out flat, so this recipe really hit the spot! Can’t wait for my boys to frost them tomorrow morning! Merry Christmas! Thank you!!
Honna says
Thanks for this recipe. I reduced the sugar to 3/4 c., left out the milk, and reduced the flour to 1 3/4 c. It was a great consistency, plenty sweet, and held its shape after chilling,.
Melissa Erdelac says
So glad to hear, Hanna! Thanks for sharing!
SueS says
These came out great! I was so happy to finally make Christmas cookies that everyone enjoyed- even those who are not GF. And they really cut out so nicely. Thanks!
Melissa Erdelac says
So glad to hear non-GFers even enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing!
Best,
Melissa
Anonymous says
My cookie are very hard. I followed the recipe exact. Any suggestions
Thank you
Love the taste
Heather Converse says
Same thing happened to me. Cookies are hard as a rock. I filled the recipe to a T. And they were awful to roll out. I found trying to roll them out right from the fridge, it wasn’t playable pliable. Suggestions on how to fix?!
Melissa Erdelac says
Hello,
I’m curious what brand of GF flour did you use? I’ve made these cookies so many times with Cup4Cup, but other people have written in saying they used King Arthur, Bob’s, and Namaste. So sorry to hear this happened!
Best,
Melissa
Erin says
Hi there,
I’m wondering if I can make the dough ahead and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days?
Thanks,
Erin
Melissa Erdelac says
Hi Erin,
I would say two days at most. You can freeze the dough also, though. You can freeze it before rolling it out or roll them out, cut them with cookie cutters and then freeze.
Best,
Melissa
boden says
Has anyone tried making this with vegan butter? Thank you.
Melissa Erdelac says
Hello,
I personally haven’t, but I’ve gotten comments on Pinterest that people have with success!
Best,
Melissa
Lynn Barnard says
Yes, I just did with Earth Balance….they came out great! I made mine dairy free and gluten free. A touch crispier than I prefer but the flavor is great!
Melissa Erdelac says
Thanks, Lynn! I appreciate you chiming in!
Best,
Melissa
Karla Jo Page says
I made these cookies today and they are excellent. The only caveat is that they did puff up and crack quite a lot. I followed your instructions exactly. I used “universal GF flour” here in Germany, so not sure if that is the reason. Any ideas?
Melissa Erdelac says
Hi Karla!
Thank you so much for writing! Were the cookies dry at all or just cracked? It sounds like the GF flour you used absorbs moisture a little differently than the U.S. version I used. If the only problem was a cracked top and everything else was fine, sounds like topping them with sugar cookie icing will be just the trick!
Best,
Melissa
Cathryn says
The sugar cookies turned out great and so did the glossy frosting. But, the cookies have no flavor, except for the frosting which I flavored with lemon, Almond and maple.
Michelle says
Great recipe! Made these with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour and am impressed with texture. I can still tell these are gluten-free cookies, but texture is nearly identical to a wheat-based cookie. Soft yet firm and holds shape. The detailed notes and tips are wonderful … thank you!!
Melissa says
Thank you, Michelle. I really appreciate it!
Best,
Melissa
Shawna says
The easiest gluten free cut out sugar cookie dough I have ever used! I love how they dont spread and look like they are the shape they are supposed to be after baking! And they are delicious, we have made them for non-gluten free family members who ate them right up without complaints about texture or taste. A hit!
Melissa says
Thank you, Shawna! I agree! These cookies always seem to be a hit with non-GF eaters as well. Thank you so much for taking the time to write!
Best,
Melissa
Kim says
Followed the recipe, including adding 1/2 tsp xanthan gum into recipe because the only gf flour available was King Arthur. My dough is liquify. ☹️ Should I add another 1/2 tsp of xanthan? I need to fix this – it’s our Santa cookies!
Melissa says
Sorry to hear this Kim! I’m assuming you used the King Arthur Gluten Free Four, not measure-for-measure kind? I’m not sure what would make the dough so liquidy, though??
Gina says
Have you ever used stevia as a sugar substitute? I’ve learned over the years that it’s not 1:1 and wondered if anyone knows if it worked in this recipe and how much they used?
Melissa says
Hi Gina,
I personally haven’t, but hopefully someone else can help!
Best,
Melissa
hamabile says
Think of these more like shortbread cookies. They don’t have the same soft fluffy quality of a normal sugar cookie, they are a bit chalky and dense. But I still give it 4 stars, because I haven’t found a better GF sugar cookie replacement recipe yet! If you roll them thin, they’re a little more crispy. If you’re high altitude like me, you probably don’t need to cook them as long. I shorten the bake time by 5 minutes and keep an eye on them until they look ready.
Melissa says
Hello,
Thank you so much for writing, and I appreciate the high-altitude modifications. Can I ask what GF flour you used? That may have played into the texture of the cookie. I find them to be soft, but the flour blend I use has a lot of cornstarch in it, which can make a softer texture.
Best,
Melissa
Patricia Just says
The perfect sugar cookie. They are exactly what I was looking for. Wonderful dough to work with and re-rolled the scraps with no problem. Thank you!
Melissa Erdelac says
Thank you so much, Patricia! I appreciate you taking the time to let me know!
Best,
Melissa
Peggy says
When we make our sugar cookies, we decorated them without icing. Can you do that with this recipe? Thank you for the recipe! It’s great to have a sugar cookie recipe after being gluten free for over 30 years!
Melissa says
Hi Peggy,
Oh I hope this is the winning one for you! Yes, it’s perfectly fine to leave them un-iced. They are great that way too!
Best,
Melissa
Naomi says
I think they are better tasting than my regular flour cookies. The top was a bit lumpy but my icing covered that right up. Even my husband thought they were better than my other sugar cookies and the fact that I can eat them. HOME RUN!!!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!
Heather says
Unbelievably good! My mom’s recipe made super thin super crispy cookies that were almond flavored. I’ve been trying to recreate it ever since my middle child was diagnosed with celiac 10 years ago. This recipe is the answer.
Melissa says
Well, hell yes! I was so excited to be able to eat sugar cookies again as well with this recipe. It has been something I’ve gone without for too long. Thanks so much for sharing!
Best,
Melissa
Stacey Newton says
Love, love, love this recipe!! The dough was very soft and did not crumble every time I rolled it out for our Chrysugar cookies!
Melissa says
Hi Stacey,
Yes! I’m so glad they were such a success for you. It’s wonderful to enjoy sugar cookies again, isn’t it?
Best,
Melissa
Crystal says
I always bake holiday sugar cookies with my kids and when I had to go gluten free this year, I was determined to keep the tradition alive! Our cookies turned out fantastic! The helpful tips about chilling the dough, using powdered sugar when we rolled them out and all the pictures of each step really helped! The kids had fun and the gluten eaters we shared them with LOVED the cookies too! Thanks so much for a great recipe!
Melissa says
Hi Crystal,
Thank you so much for taking the time to write! I’m so glad this recipe worked out so well for you! Even though my kids aren’t GF, I make these every year with them and we all love them just the same. Have a wonderful holiday season!
Best,
Melissa
Karen says
My dough came out super crumbly not sure why, I used metric and a scale.
Should adding milk help?
Melissa says
Hi Karen,
Sorry for the late reply, we were camping this past week. Adding a little liquid would be fine. I’m wondering what brand of GF flour you used? Unfortunately they are not all created equal and some absorb liquids a lot more, yielding in a drier cookie.
Best,
Melissa
Amber Fletcher says
Anyone know how many cookies this makes? Wondering if I need to make two batches.
Melissa says
Hi Amber,
The number of cookies is in the recipe card – it makes 2 dozen. The colors might be hard to see, so maybe that’s why you missed it. I’ll have to change that!
Enjoy,
Melissa
Julie says
This is my first try at GF sugar cookies so I have no comparison, but I will say these were a hit! Easy to make- I used King Arthur measure for measure flour, did not add any additional xanthan, real butter and dairy milk. One tip to make the chilling process a little easier- split the dough into 2 balls and roll each between 2 sheets of wax paper. Set these “sheets” on a shelf in the fridge for about 45 mins and your ready to go. To prevent sticking to wax paper, loosen the bottom sheet before you cut out dough. The tops of mine crackled a little upon cooling. Will definitely make these again! Thank you.
Melissa says
Hi Julie,
So glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing this tip. I’ll definitely give this a try next time.
Best,
Melissa
Andrea says
Delicious! I baked them for 8 minutes and rolled them with powdered sugar!
Melissa says
Hi Andrea,
Love the idea of rolling them in powdered sugar! Thank you so much for letting me know how much you enjoyed them. 🙂
Best,
Melissa
Patricia Suriano says
I am new to gf baking but wanted to make these cut-out cookies for my son. I am baking them now. Easy rolling and smell wonderful. However, my first batch came out of the oven and looked like the very top layer puffed up and now as they are cooling, that top area is cracking. Is this normal? I am envisioning some difficulty in frosting these with the crumbling.
Melissa says
Hi Patricia,
I’m wondering what gluten free flour you used? If you look at the picture above the recipe you can see the unbaked cookies without frosting. They are slightly wrinkly, but not so much so you wouldn’t be able to frost them. Gluten free flours don’t absorb butter like regular flour does. Perhaps the blend you used had a different ratio of flours that made this more pronounced. I typically use Cup 4 Cup.
I like this recipe because it doesn’t contain baking powder, which does cause cut out cookies to puff up and lose shape. Just to double check, there isn’t baking powder added to the mix?
To help frost these cookies put a very thin layer on (even if it looks crumbly and not smooth). Let it dry completely, like 1-2 hours, and then frost again. It will be much smoother and easier. Cover your frosting with plastic wrap in between and you may have to mix in more milk before using it again.
Hope this helps!
Melissa