Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

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!

gluten-free Cookies – Perfect for Christmas & Holidays!

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 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. They work well for Christmas, 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

1. In a large bowl beat together sugar and butter until very light and fluffy.
2. Add the egg, milk, vanilla, and salt to the butter / sugar mixture. Beat again until very well combined.
3. 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.
4. 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. 
5. 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 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

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. Gluten-free cookies 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.

Making Dairy-Free Cookies

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.

Easy 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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step-by-step web story instructions for this recipe!

More Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes 

• Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe has a simple trick to make the most soft, chewy, and gooey cookies! 
• Flourless Chocolate Cookies an extremely decadent, chocolate fudge cookie that only takes 5 ingredients to make!
• Chewy Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies are a quick and easy recipe for grain free and gluten free cookies. 
• Easy Nutella Cookies only use three ingredients for a quick and easy gluten free cookie.
• Soft Ginger Snap Cookies are an update on a classic with the perfect amount of spices and rich, dark chocolate chips mixed in.
• Gluten-Free Biscotti flavored with almond, orange, and chocolate makes the ideal Christmas treat!
• Soft Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies taste so much like old fashioned peanut butter cookies you won’t believe they are naturally gluten free.

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