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! This recipe has earned hundreds of 5-star reviews and earned thousands of smiles!
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5-Star 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 glossy sugar cookie icing and blanketing 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! And I’m so happy it’s not just my life that has changed, but hundreds of readers have written in with their own success stories. 😊
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 for cookies. They work well for gluten-free Christmas cookies, (along with another old school classic – GF peanut butter blossoms!), Valentine’s Day, graduation, or to cut out in any shape! Plus, I guarantee no one will even know they are gluten-free!
By far the BEST sugar cookies! These are just perfectly soft and delicious. The dough is so easy to work with. I could not even critique this recipe in the slightest. My family and I love these cookies! I’m grateful to have this recipe and it’s the only cut out cookie recipe I’ll use
—Sunny
My go-to gluten free sugar cookie recipe!! The recipe is detailed, well explained and beginner friendly! I am not good at cooking and baking but my first attempt turned out amazing!! People cannot tell it’s gluten free which makes me feel really satisfied. Within two months, I made sugar cookies following this recipe three times.
—Minatsu
Watch The Recipe
Free Guide! 5 easy tips for baking like a gluten-free pro!
Simple hacks for fail-proof gluten-free dishes every time!
Let’s Make This Together!
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
Creamiest creamed butter (and sugar)
When creaming butter and sugar together, beat it until very light and fluffy. This will take about 3 minutes, which seems like a long time when you are holding a mixer, but it will reward you with some damn good cookies.
Other liquids and more mixing (Yeah!)
Add the egg, milk, and vanilla then beat again until the mixture is smooth. At first it may look a little curdled. Have faith and keep mixing!
GF flour and chill baby chill
See, I told you it was easy! Mix in the flour, salt then cover the bowl and chill for at least 1 hour. If you are in a time crunch, I’ve also frozen it for 30-40 minutes. The colder the dough is the easier it will be to roll.
Roll Sugar Cookies Like A Pro
Okay, you got me. I know the hardest part about making homemade sugar cookies isn’t the dough, but the rolling it out…especially when it comes to GF cut-out cookies. But that’s not something you have to worry about anymore!
- Sprinkle GF flour onto a rolling surface or silicone mat. The trick is to not use too much flour or you will dry out your dough. Usually I sprinkle some on my work surface and then rub the rolling pin with some to keep it from sticking.
- Use half the cold dough and roll out to about 1/4″ thickness. If the dough is very cold, let it sit out about 5-10 minutes until it’s a little more pliable.
- Cut out the dough with cookie cutters and transfer the cut out cookies to prepared baking sheets. If you aren’t baking the cookies straight away, I recommend storing the baking sheets in the fridge because they are best baked from cold dough so they don’t spread.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cookies are set. If you want them extra crispy, some readers have said they let them bake a few minutes longer.
Sugar Cookie Icing Options
If you struggle with runny icing, then use this easy recipe for sugar cookie icing that hardens to a glossy sheen. It’s my absolute go-to because it takes 5 minutes, dries so the cookies can stack and store without ruining, and I always have the ingredients on hand.
Some other options include using cream cheese icing, which with add a bit of tangy sweetness. Use royal icing if you really want to get precise and creative with your decorating. If you love an airy frosting, then this heavenly fluffy buttercream frosting is my absolute go-to. You will only need half the recipe to frost a batch of cookies.
Note About Gluten-Free Flours
Not all gluten-free flour blends are created equal. Typically I make gluten-free cookies with Cup4Cup (highly recommended!), 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.
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.
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Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa
No Fail Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies (Cut Out)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (113 g) 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 (292 g) gluten-free all purpose flour, Cup4Cup all purpose gluten-free flour highly recommended
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. TIP: If the dough is very cold you may have to let it sit out 5-10 minutes for the dough to become more pliable. 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.
Notes
Funfetti Sprinkle Cookies
Add 2/3 cup gluten-free sprinkles (not nonpareils) to the dough after mixing in the dry ingredients. Scoop the dough. Use large 2 tablespoon cookie scoop and roll into balls. If desire, roll tops in additional sprinkles. Flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass. Transfer the balls to a parchment-lined plate or small lined baking tray, cover, and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour (can freeze for faster chilling). Preheat oven to 350℉ and position balls 2 inches apart on parchment or silicone-lined baking sheets. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until bottoms are very lightly browned, but middles are still soft. Cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack. Makes 20 cookies.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. However, let it sit for 5-10 minutes before rolling to soften slightly.
- Prefer crispier cookies? Roll out the dough slightly thinner. If you like softer cookies, roll it out slightly thicker.
- 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.
- For dairy-free cookies, replace the butter with vegan butter sticks and the milk with a non-dairy substitute.
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. Recipe adapted from MOMablesThis post contains affiliate links. My opinions are always my own. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I make a small commission – at no cost to you. Read full disclosure policy here.
Hey Melissa!
This recipe is fantastic! I get so many compliments on how great these are and no one can tell they’re gluten free!
Wondering if I make these and decorate with royal icing if I could heat seal them to prolong freshness?
Thank you!
Hey Kristi!
I don’t think that would be an issue at all! Great idea! I’m glad you are enjoying the recipe.
Best,
Melissa
Have you / anyone/ tried the recipe with an egg substitute? I have a child with a bad egg allergy. I am going to try it, but wondering if anyone else had before I start experimenting. Thanks !
Hi Carole,
I haven’t personally tried it, but my audience on Pinterest has commented on making it with an egg substitute and it worked for them!
Best,
Melissa
Can I use brown sugar instead of white sugar?
Hi Michael,
You can, but it will change the color of the cookies and they will be a little chewier because brown sugar contains more moisture.
Best,
Melissa
LOVE that you put the ingredients and amount at the end of each step of instructions! Game changer!
These were awesome to make for Easter with my toddler!
Thank you!
You’re welcome, Nicole! Thanks for writing!
Best,
Melissa
I made my dough a day ahead. It was in the fridge maybe 28 hours. When I took it out of the fridge, it was hard as a rock. What do you think I did wrong? I used the King Arthur measure for measure and oat milk. TIA
Hi Carrie,
You didn’t do anything wrong. The butter re-solidifies and becomes hard again after refrigerating. Simply leave it on the counter for about 10-15 minutes and then you can roll the dough. Hope this helps!
Best,
Melissa
These turned out amazing! Used salted butter and did not add the salt.
Just made these today. They roll out beautifully. Made shamrocks for St. Patrick’s Day. I iced with buttercream … so delicious.
Thank you, Jan! I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know!
Best,
Melissa
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 🙂
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
Has anyone tried making these with Almond flour? I can only use almond and coconut flour, and I know for a fact that coconut flour isn’t good for recipes like this.
Hi Audrey,
I haven’t, but I wouldn’t recommend it for this recipe. Almond flour is quite different than GF flour so I would look for a recipe specifically made for almond flour.
Best,
Melissa
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.
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
These turned out so delicious! I’ve been gluten free for years and these cookies are 5 star in taste and how they bake!!!
Yay! So happy to hear this!
Best,
Melissa
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!!
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,.
So glad to hear, Hanna! Thanks for sharing!
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!
So glad to hear non-GFers even enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing!
Best,
Melissa
My cookie are very hard. I followed the recipe exact. Any suggestions
Thank you
Love the taste
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?!
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
Hi there,
I’m wondering if I can make the dough ahead and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days?
Thanks,
Erin
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
Has anyone tried making this with vegan butter? Thank you.
Hello,
I personally haven’t, but I’ve gotten comments on Pinterest that people have with success!
Best,
Melissa
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!
Thanks, Lynn! I appreciate you chiming in!
Best,
Melissa
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?
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
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.
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!!
Thank you, Michelle. I really appreciate it!
Best,
Melissa
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!
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
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!
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??
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?
Hi Gina,
I personally haven’t, but hopefully someone else can help!
Best,
Melissa
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.
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
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!
Thank you so much, Patricia! I appreciate you taking the time to let me know!
Best,
Melissa
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!
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
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!!!
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.
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
Love, love, love this recipe!! The dough was very soft and did not crumble every time I rolled it out for our Chrysugar cookies!
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
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!
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
My dough came out super crumbly not sure why, I used metric and a scale.
Should adding milk help?
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
Anyone know how many cookies this makes? Wondering if I need to make two batches.
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
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.
Hi Julie,
So glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing this tip. I’ll definitely give this a try next time.
Best,
Melissa
Delicious! I baked them for 8 minutes and rolled them with powdered sugar!
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
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.
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