Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
This gluten-free sugar cookies recipe is always a favorite for many occasions, from Christmas, to birthday parties, to bridal showers. The cookies have a delicate texture that perfectly balances between tender and crisp, with a buttery richness complemented by the subtle hints of almond and vanilla extracts.
These cookies are so versatile. They’re a fantastic canvas for various decorations, from simple powdered sugar dusting to intricate royal icing designs. You can even dip them in some melted chocolate for an easy treat.
You’ll love this recipe because:
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Unsalted butter – Ensure the butter is softened to room temperature for easier creaming with sugar. Unsalted butter allows better control over the saltiness of your cookies.
- Powdered sugar – Also known as confectioners’ sugar, it gives a smooth and sweet flavor to the cookies. It’s finer than granulated sugar and helps create a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Almond extract – Provides a distinctive, nutty flavor to the cookies. It’s quite potent, so measure carefully. If you’re not a fan of almond flavor, you can omit it or use lemon zest for a citrus twist.
- Vanilla extract – Adds a classic, sweet flavor to the cookies that rounds out the almond extract. Pure vanilla extract is recommended for the best flavor, but artificial vanilla can be used in a pinch.
- Salt – Enhances the flavors of the other ingredients. I use regular table salt for this recipe since it is finely ground.
- Egg – Ensure the egg is at room temperature for better incorporation into the dough. I used a large egg, which is 50g. If you use a medium or extra large/jumbo egg, your dough may change consistency.
- Gluten-Free flour blend – This recipe uses Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (in the blue bag), which already contains xanthan gum, a crucial ingredient for gluten-free baking as it mimics the binding properties of gluten. This specific blend is formulated to be a direct replacement for wheat flour in recipes, making it an excellent and convenient choice for gluten-free baking. You can find it at most local grocery stores and major retailers, like Target and Walmart.
- Frosting – You can use royal icing or homemade buttercream to frost these sugar cookies. If you want, you can even use store-bought frosting, which is typically gluten-free.
For the most accurate and consistent results in baking, especially with gluten-free recipes, use a food scale to measure your ingredients. Measuring by weight rather than volume ensures precision, which is vital for the balance and texture of gluten-free baked goods. For instance, 1 cup of Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour should weigh about 140 grams. Whereas a different brand of gluten-free flour may be closer to 120 grams. This approach minimizes the risk of adding too much or too little flour, which can significantly affect the outcome of your cookies.
Step-by-Step instructions
These gluten-free sugar cookies are a breeze to make, but it’s always helpful to have a visual guide. The following steps, accompanied by photos, are designed to show you key points in the recipe. Remember, these are just snapshots to aid you in the process and not the complete recipe. Use them as a handy reference to ensure your cookies come out perfectly every time.
For the ingredient list with measurements, full instructions, printable recipe, and additional notes, please scroll down to the recipe card.
Recipe FAQs
I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour in the blue bag, which already contains xanthan gum. I recommend using this blend for my sugar cookie recipe for best results.
Spread can be affected by the temperature of the dough and the oven. Chilling the dough adequately before baking helps prevent excessive spreading.
Yes, you can prepare the dough in advance and store it in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze it for longer storage. Just be sure to let it thaw slightly and become pliable before rolling and cutting.
Sugar cookies are done when the edges are slightly browned, and the center looks matte and no longer shiny. You don’t want the cookies to brown on the top as that means they are over-baked and will be dry and crumbly.
Absolutely! What better way to eat sugar cookies than decorating them? Royal icing or buttercream frosting works well, but you can also just dip half of the cookie in dark chocolate or white chocolate if you prefer.l. Just ensure the cookies are completely cooled before decorating to prevent the icing from melting.
expert tips
Storage instructions
Room temperature storage
Once the cookies have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will remain fresh for up to a week. If you decorate the cookies with royal icing, they will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks since the royal icing seems to lock in the freshness.
Freezer option
You can freeze both the baked cookies and the unbaked cookie dough.
- To freeze baked cookies, ensure they are completely cool, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container, separating layers with parchment paper. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To freeze the dough, either freeze the entire recipe in a 1-inch thick circle or you can roll out the dough and cut into shapes with a cookie cutter and freeze the individual shapes. Freeze shapes on a baking sheet for an hour and then transfer to a freezer bag. Dough can be frozen for up to 3 months and baked straight from frozen, just add an additional 2-3 minutes to the baking time. If you are freezing the entire batch of dough, let it thaw in the refrigerator until you’re able to roll it out.
Looking for sugar cookie inspiration? Check out these designs for every holiday or occasion!
- Christmas Sugar Cookies
- Ugly Sweater Sugar Cookies
- Snowflake Sugar Cookies
- 4th of July Sugar Cookies
- Easter Sugar Cookies
- Wedding Cake Sugar Cookies
- Cactus Sugar Cookies
More gluten-free cookies to try
Did you make this recipe?
I’d love to know! Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also share your pictures and tag @adashofmegnut on Instagram.
Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened (227g))
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt (5g)
- 1 egg (50g)
- 2 1/4 cups gluten-free flour blend (315g)
- royal icing or buttercream (for decorating)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Then, add egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt; beat until smooth, about another minute.
- Gradually mix in the gluten-free flour blend, half a cup at a time, mixing until no more streaks of flour remain.
- Scoop the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper and pat into a circle about 1 inch thick. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least an hour to firm up for rolling.
- Lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin with powdered sugar. Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness and cut with cookie cutters.
- Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches in between each cookie. If you really want the cookies to hold their shape when baking, you can freeze them for 10-15 minutes or refrigerate for another 30 minutes.
- Bake cookies at 375°F (190°C) for 8-10 minutes until they are lightly browned on the edges and the center of the cookie is matte and no longer shiny. The cookies will not be browned completely.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Cool completely before frosting with royal icing or buttercream.
Notes
- The servings are based on 24 cookies, which may vary depending on which cookie cutters you use.
- The nutritional facts are calculated without any frosting, as the type of icing or decorations you use will greatly vary.
- If you have celiac disease or are on a gluten-free diet for any reason, be sure to double check that your ingredients are gluten-free as manufacturing practices and recipes can change over time.
- I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour in the blue bag, which already contains xanthan gum. I cannot verify that other flour blends will work in this recipe as I have not tested them.
- For best results, weigh your flour and powdered sugar using a food scale. They only cost about $10 and are the most accurate way to measure your ingredients to ensure that these cookies turn out perfectly every time.
- This recipe doubles beautifully if you plan on making a large batch for Christmas cut out cookies during the holiday season!
Nutrition
I’m Megan
A gluten-free food blogger from Chicago and lover of all things food, showing you gluten-free can be easy and delicious, too. Let’s make gluten-free stress free together! Read more…
