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Gluten Free Sugar Cookies

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Soft, tender bakery style gluten free sugar cookies with a sweet buttercream frosting. You can make circle shaped cookies or cutout sugar cookies with this gluten free sugar cookie recipe.

Do you love cookies? You’ll want to make these classic Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies. These Gluten Free White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies are also a reader favorite.

Gluten Free Sugar Cookies with colored sprinkles on top on a marble backdrop

Gluten Free Sugar Cookies

This recipe for gluten free sugar cookies is from my cookbook. I’ve published a gluten free Halloween sugar cookie version, but I want you to know that these gluten free sugar cookies can be made any time of the year, and for any occasion.

 

We typically make these gluten free frosted sugar cookies for every holiday, including Easter, Mother’s Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

We decorate them to match the holiday or occasion.

These gluten free sugar cookies are soft, tender, and they are better than any bakery style sugar cookie. They get softer as they sit, due to the frosting.

We like to enjoy them a few hours after we frost them, when they start to soften.

Gluten Free Sugar Cookies with colored sprinkles on top with a bite out of one cookie

We’ve topped these gluten free sugar cookies with buttercream frosting and occasionally cream cheese frosting. I’ve only included the recipe for buttercream frosting since it’s usually everyone’s go-to frosting for cookies.

Working with Gluten-Free Flours

When working with or measuring gluten-free flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level. Do not scoop your measuring cup into the gluten-free flour.

The best method really is to weigh the gluten-free flour but I don’t have the ingredient weights for all my recipes yet.

Dairy-Free Option

You can use dairy-free milk in this gluten free sugar cookie recipe, and dairy-free milk with dairy-free butter for the frosting.

Back in the early 1900s bakers used shortening and sugar to make frosting because it was less expensive to make. If needed you can use shortening for the frosting but it’s not my favorite type of frosting.

eight numbered photos in a collage showing how to make gluten free sugar cookies

How to make gluten free sugar cookies?

  1. Add shortening, sugar, vanilla and egg to a large mixing bowl.
  2. Using an electric mixer, mix until combined.
  3. Stir in the milk.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt and xanthan gum.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix.
  6. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
  7. Roll dough into 1½-inch balls, or use a rounded tablespoon. Place the dough balls onto the cookie sheet two inches apart. Press each one down with the bottom of a cup until the cookie is round and approximately ½ inch thick.
  8. Bake as directed. Cool and frost.

Can I make cutout gluten free sugar cookies?

Yes, you can use this gluten free sugar cookie recipe to make gluten free cutout cookies. Simple roll the dough into a ball, cover it, and chill the dough for 2 hours.

Once the dough is chilled, roll it out between two pieces of parchment paper and cut your shapes. Carefully transfer the cookies to your baking sheet and bake as directed.

Let them cool completely before frosting.

Gluten Free Sugar Cookies with white frosting and colored sprinkles on a cooling rack

What gluten-free sprinkles do you recommend?

Sweetapolita makes great gluten-free sprinkles. Let’s do Organic has a couple of varieties as well.

Most sprinkles don’t have wheat or gluten in them but they are usually processed in a facility that processes other glutinous ingredients. Make sure to check labels for allergen information.

What gluten free flour blends do you use?

For these gluten free sugar cookies I use my blend plus 1 teaspoon of xanthan, or I use Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 + 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum.

Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 has xanthan gum in it but because these cookies are high fat I recommend adding 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum.

a round cookie with white frosting and colored sprinkles on a cooling rack with the words gluten free sugar cookies

Can you freeze gluten free sugar cookies?

Yes, you can freeze them frosted or un-frosted. I like to freeze them frosted so they don’t dry out too much in the freezer. Store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Did you make these gluten free sugar cookies? Let me know if you cut them into shapes. Leave a comment below letting me know what you thought.

Yield: 24

Gluten Free Sugar Cookies

Gluten Free Sugar Cookies with sprinkles

Soft, tender bakery style gluten free sugar cookies with a sweet buttercream frosting. You can make circle shaped cookies or cutout sugar cookies with this gluten free sugar cookie recipe.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the cookies:

For the frosting:

  • ½ cup butter (1 stick), room temperature
  • 1½ teaspoons gluten-free vanilla extract
  • 4½ cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Position the oven rack in center of oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, cream shortening, sugar, vanilla and egg. Stir in the milk.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt and xanthan gum. Make sure to mix well to evenly distribute the ingredients.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until combined.
  5. Roll dough into 1½-inch balls, or use a rounded tablespoon.
  6. Place the dough balls onto the cookie sheet two inches apart. Press each one down with the bottom of a cup until the cookie is round and approximately ½ inch thick.
  7. Bake for 8–10 minutes until light brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Using a spatula, carefully remove the cookies from the cookie sheet to a cooling rack.
  8. Finish cooling on a wire rack. Once completely cool, frost with butter cream or cream cheese frosting. Store cookies in an airtight container.
  9. For the frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, beat together butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well. Alternate one cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk until all ingredients are blended. Beat in additional milk if needed to obtain desired constancy. You can store frosting in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to a week.

Notes

  • Cutout Cookies: Roll the dough into a ball, cover it, and chill the dough for 2 hours. Once the dough is chilled, roll it out between two pieces of parchment paper and cut your shapes. Carefully transfer the cookies to your baking sheet and bake as directed. Let them cool completely before frosting.
  • Dairy-Free Option: You can use dairy-free milk in this gluten free sugar cookie recipe, and dairy-free milk with dairy-free butter for the frosting.
  • Working with gluten free flours: Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level. Do not scoop your measuring cup into the gluten-free flour.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 118Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 56mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 0gSugar: 6gProtein: 1g

This nutrition info is based on the exact ingredients and brands that I used a the time. It may not be 100% accurate. Please check your ingredients nutrition labels.

© Chrystal
Cuisine: American / Category: Gluten-Free Cookies
three photos of round cookies with white frosting and colored sprinkles in a collage with the words gluten free sugar cookies in the center

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Hi Jillian,
      I haven’t personally tried either yet in this recipe. Butter coats flours differently, so I’m not sure how it would turn out.

      Sorry I couldn’t answer your question.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  4. I see that you added Xanthan Gum to the recipe although Bob’s Red Mill GF Flour already has it in the ingredients. Are you adding 1/2 tsp more to the recipe? Thank you!

    Reply

  5. These cookies are delicious. I made them a couple of weeks ago, and my daughter made them again this week when we were craving something sweet. They are super easy and do not have the weird texture some g-free cookies have. Super yummy with or without frosting.

    Reply

  6. I’ve just recently gone gluten free for health reasons and these sugar cookies were my first gluten free baking experience and OH MY GOSH they are delicious!! Having a recipe turn out so well on a first try really gives me the confidence to keep going with this dietary change. Even my husband who refuses to eat gluten-free has eaten several and has been shocked that he likes them so well, that’s such a big deal! Thank you for this amazing recipe and I can’t wait to try everything else you have offered!!

    Reply

  10. Do you think you could chill them for just one hour rather than two and still roll them out okay? My previous recipe (not GF) called to chill the dough for just one hour before rolling out. I didn’t want to do it too early, though, and mess up the cookies. 🙂 I’m excited to try them. Your cupcake recipe was great!

    Reply

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