This is the perfect recipe for making gluten-free cut out cookies that can be frosted and enjoyed on any occasion.
The tested tips below will ensure you get the perfect batch for your holidays or bake-sales.
Table of contents
- Best Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
- Ingredients
- Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Sprinkles and Frosting
- How to Make Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
- Tips for the Best Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Dough
- Troubleshooting Gluten-Free Cookie Dough
- High Altitude Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
- Softened or Melted butter?
- Do You Have to Refrigerate the Cookie Dough?
- How to Preven GF Cookies from Falling Apart
- Preventing “Sticky” Dough When Rolling Sugar Cookies
- Inconsistent Doneness of Cookies
- Does the Egg Have to be at Room Temp?
- Preheating the Oven & Oven Rack Position
- How to Cool Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
- When to Decorate Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies?
- Will this Recipe Make Gluten-Free Drop Sugar Cookies?
- Can You Freeze Gluten-Free Cookie Dough?
Best Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies are perfect for any celebration year-round or a lazy afternoon and enjoyed with a nice mug of homemade hot cocoa.
I’m confident that these are the best gluten-free cookies out there because the dough holds up, doesn’t crumble, can be frozen, and it rolls out perfectly so you can cut it out into any shape your heart desires and frost them!
So in essence, it has everything the classic sugar cookie has without the gluten; and I personally make these regularly to ensure they’re still the best and worthy of keeping on this site.
Ingredients
Using a gluten-free flour mix for baking and classic baking staples is all you need to make epic sugar cookies.
For best results, stick to this ingredients list:
- Sugar: white, granulated, and essential to make these sweet and for texture.
- Butter: softened, not cold, not melted. Leave it out for 30 minutes or overnight.
- Egg: helps bind the ingredients so the dough has structure.
- Water or milk: the liquid this recipe needs. Milk makes these cookies tastier, use your favorite.
- Vanilla: classic and delicious.
- Salt: to enhance all the flavors.
- Ground cinnamon: optional and just a little.
- Xanthan gum: omit from the recipe if your all-purpose gluten-free mix already has it.
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour for baking: the ones made for baking tend to be lower in protein, and higher in starch for a better texture. keep reading for top recommendations.
All the measurements are in the recipe card below.
Best Gluten-Free Flour for Sugar Cookies
The best gluten-free flour for sugar cookies is a mix that has been designed specifically for baking and yields a softer texture. They tend to have the right balance of carbohydrates, starches, and proteins as well as a binding ingredient such as xantham gum.
If making your own gluten-free flour mix, make sure you use one that yields good quick breads and gluten-free pancakes for you. You’ll also need to add the amount of xantham gum listed in the recipe card below.
The three gluten-free four blends I use regularly for these cookies are King Arthur Measure for Measure, Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour, and Namaste Perfect Flour Blend.
Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Sprinkles and Frosting
Like most sugar cookies, you can frost these with royal icing or a mix of powdered sugar, and a little milk plus food coloring to match the shape, holiday, or occasion. This is the food coloring I recommend without artificial dyes.
Homemade buttercream frosting or use a store-bought one like this organic vanilla buttercream frosting or the classic Pillsbury or Betty Crocker you’ll find at nearly all grocery stores are great for sugar cookies too.
Gluten-free sprinkles are always a great idea to dress up these cookies and when it comes to the best, I favor Watkins Sprinkles and their decorating sugars because they hold up very well.
How to Make Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
If you can measure, follow directions, and wait for the dough to chill, you can make these gluten-free sugar cookies. There’s also a video further down.
Here’s the step-by-step:
- Combine sugar and butter
In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter at medium speed. - Mix
Add the egg, water, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon (if using). Blend until mixed well. - Add the flour
Add the xanthan gum (if using) and flour. Mix at a low speed until well combined. - Refrigerate the dough
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. - Prep the oven
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. - Roll out the dough
Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, about ¼-inch thick. - Cut the cookies
Cut out the dough with selected cookie cutters, and place the cookies on the baking sheet. Make sure the cookies are not touching. Reform and roll out the scrap dough, then continue cutting more cookies. - Bake
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing them to a cooling rack. Cool completely before decorating. - Store
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Recipe Video
Whether this is your first time making gluten-free sugar cookies or want to achieve the best results, this step-by-step video shares all the steps to ensure you get great results.
Tips for the Best Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Dough
Great gluten-free sugar cookie dough should feel very similiar to traditional sugar cookie dough: not too sticky, it holds up well, doesn’t crumble, and rolls out easily after chilling.
Make sure to:
Soften the butter
Don’t use the microwave to melt it. Leave it out for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Egg at room temperature
Take out the eggs when you take out the butter to soften.
Chill the dough
Chilling the dough is essential if you want to roll it out and cut it into shapes.
Roll it evenly and not too thin
Use a rolling pin guide or bands to roll the cookie dough at least ¼-inch thick.
Line the baking pan
Sugar cookies are delicate and burn easily when baked directly on the pan. I recommend using parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Troubleshooting Gluten-Free Cookie Dough
Whether you went rogue and made some substitutions or followed the recipe and something isn’t right, here are my tips for fixing some of the most common issues.
Sticky dough
This can happen at high altitudes or due to the gluten-free flour mix you’re using. Add 2 tablespoons more flour to the dough, knead, and check again. Chill and then bake.
Crumbly dough
This can happen from overmeasuring -packing the cup- or sometimes because of the flour mix. Simply add a tablespoon of water to the dough, knead it, and check the texture.
Cookies spread
This often happens because the dough is too sticky or when the microwave is used to soften the butter instead of letting it soften at room temperature. If you have unbaked dough, add a bit more flour, chill, and bake again.
High Altitude Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
If you’re baking at a high altitude, you might notice that the dough is a little sticky when rolling it out after chilling. You can bake one cookie and test it or add 2 tablespoons more flour to the dough, knead it, and chill the dough for another 20 to 30 minutes before rolling.
Softened or Melted butter?
Softened butter works best for this gluten-free sugar cookie recipe. You need it soft, left out at room temperature, to whip it with the sugar and get the desired texture. Do not use the microwave to soften it, or worse, melt it. You’ll never get the right cookie texture from the start, and your cookies will be denser and often spread.
Do You Have to Refrigerate the Cookie Dough?
Yes, chilling is an essential step for making sugar cookies. Refrigerating the dough makes the butter return to its solid stage so it won’t stick to the rolling pin or counter. If it sticks, you may need to add more flour to the surface. This leads to an over-flouring dough and cookies with denser texture. Plus, it’s essential for helping cookies retain their shape and prevent flat cookies.
How to Preven GF Cookies from Falling Apart
Sometimes gluten-free sugar cookie dough falls apart, it crumbles, when you try to roll it out. This is often caused by the differences between gluten-free flour mixes since they don’t all have the same ingredients. Fix this by adding a tablespoon or two of water, knead the dough, and try again.
Preventing “Sticky” Dough When Rolling Sugar Cookies
If your gluten-free cookie dough is sticky after being chilled and it’s difficult to roll it out, add a tablespoon or two of additional flour, re-knead and try again. This can also happen at high altitudes.
Inconsistent Doneness of Cookies
Sometimes, when you get a few crispy cookies and others are soft, it can happen because they were not rolled out the same thickness throughout or some substitutions were made. Don’t fret. If you have more dough, you can always re-roll and improve the next batch. If you’re an avid sugar-cookie baker, owning rolling pin bands is a great idea.
Does the Egg Have to be at Room Temp?
Using cold eggs can make the cookies turn out dense. This is important because these cookies don’t use baking powder so making sure the dough texture is at its best before baking is important. Simply take out the egg when you leave the butter out to soften and you’re good to go.
Preheating the Oven & Oven Rack Position
The oven needs to be fully preheated to 350F before placing the sugar cookies. Otherwise, they will bake slowly, resulting in flat and dense cookies. The middle rack of the oven is the best place to bake the cookies since this allows the heat to cook them evenly.
How to Cool Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
First, let the gluten-free sugar cookies cold down in the baking tray for 5 minutes. Then, transfer the cookies to a cooling rack, especially if you plan to glaze or frost them. You can leave them in the baking tray too, just keep in mind that it will retain the heat longer.
When to Decorate Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies?
You don’t need to decorate these sugar cookies right after baking them. If so, allow the cookies to cool down before adding any frost or glaze. If you store the sugar cookies properly, you can wait up to 3 days to decorate them.
Will this Recipe Make Gluten-Free Drop Sugar Cookies?
While this recipe doesn’t spread, you can easily turn this recipe into drop cookies (round cookies) by rolling about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough between your hands, putting the ball of dough on the lined pan, and using the back of a glass to press them down and mostly flatten them.
The baking time will be about 8 to 10 minutes when the edges are lightly golden, and the middles are still a little soft.
Can You Freeze Gluten-Free Cookie Dough?
This sugar cookie dough can be frozen for future gluten-free baking days! Double the batch and follow these steps:
Prepare the dough
Follow the recipe and instead of chilling, you’ll freeze it.
Freeze the dough
Divide the cookie dough in two balls, or more if you want smaller batches, and form a log-shape. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a labeled zip bag.
Freeze the raw cookies
You can also chill the dough, roll it, and cut out the cookies ahead of time. Place them in a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze them. Once frozen, transfer them into a zip bag, or in a large container separating the cookies with parchment paper between the layers.
Freeze for up to 2 months
Sugar cookie dough and raw cookies can be kept in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Baking frozen sugar cookie dough
When you’re ready to celebrate with gluten-free sugar cookies, remove the dough log from the freezer and thaw overnight in your fridge or for about an hour on your counter, until it’s soft enough to roll it, cut out, and bake as directed in the recipe.
For more gluten-free desserts, check out my latest cookbook, Clean Treats for Everyone. All the recipes are gluten-free and full of amazing flavor.
Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water or milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum, omit if your all-purpose flour has it
- 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling/dusting
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter at medium speed.
- Add the egg, water, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon (if using). Blend until mixed well.
- Add the xanthan gum (if using) and flour. Mix at a low speed until well combined.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, about ¼-inch thick.
- Cut out the dough with selected cookie cutters, and place the cookies on the baking sheet. Make sure the cookies are not touching.
- Reform and roll out the scrap dough, then continue cutting more cookies.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing them to a cooling rack. Cool completely before decorating.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Not all gluten-free flours are the same. I’ve listed the all-purpose flours that I’ve used with this recipe and yielded great cookies.
- Refrigeration is a must, otherwise, your dough will be too sticky to roll, and the cookies will spread. If you roll out your dough, and it’s too sticky to pick up, put it back in the fridge before cutting.
- Gluten-free flour absorbs less moisture compared to regular flour. As with any gluten-free recipe, using the same amount of flour provided in the recipe is recommended, and substitutions are highly discouraged.
Carrie
Love the gluten free recipe. I have been trying to stay with gluten free diet about 6 months.
Lori
Help please! How big was the cookie cutter used to get 22 cookies?
Laura Fuentes
1-inch to 1.5-inches, depending on the shape.
Ayana Douglas
I’ve been gluten free for 3 years and have missed sugar cookies! These are INCREDIBLE!!!! I bought dinosaur cookie cutters and made these for my brother’s birthday and they were a hit!
Thank you SO much for this recipe! Saving for future use :)
MOMables-Laura
So happy these were a hit! Love that you used dinosaur-shaped cut-outs.
JENNA WALDVOGEL
Wow these are the most delicious GF sugar cookies I have ever had! Perfect for christmas cookies and so easy to make.
Kat
Really good. I made with Bob’s 1-to-1 flour and subbed one flax egg instead of the regular egg and it was still perfect! The dough was a dream to work with, rolled out perfectly and no sticking. Definitely my new go-to sugar cookie recipe, thank you so much
Kat
Forgot to mention in case anyone else is wanting to sub the egg with flax – you will need to add a bit more of the liquid otherwise it will be too dry. I probably added an extra 1-3 TB of milk (in addition to what’s in the recipe) and that was the perfect amount :)
Hillary Szeto
Why is there no baking soda or baking powder in this recipe?
Just curious
MOMables-Laura
Hi Hillary, these cookies are not supposed to be fluffy (which baking powder can do). They are meant to be cut-outs, which tend to be crisp on the outside and soft in the center.
Michelle Tucci
Best GF sugar cookie we’ve found! And we have tried a ton! Beautiful cutouts that don’t swell and so delicious! Thank you!
Michelle Muonio
I use milk instead of water when the dough is too dry… helps bind to the gf flour and adds a little bit to the dough that I love!
I just made these but added cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to the dough! They turned out so delicious and are great for the holidays!
Patti Kubista
I am trying to find a non sugar cookie for some diabetic patients I take care of. I have the flour needed but this recipes calls for sugar. Can I use a substitute sugar (like Stevia) and if yes is the ratio the same. I am excited about making something for the patients since they normally don’t find a home made cookie they can eat.
MOMables-Laura
Hi Patti, I have not made this recipe with a sugar substitute such as stevia, so I’m not certain how they will turn out. The best way to approach this is to use a 1:1 sugar replacement that is meant for baking which you can find on the manufacturer’s website or on the package label.
Linda
You can try monk fruit sweetener (Lakanto brand is one of them).
Shirley
Made cookies to ice/decorate later. Can made cookies be frozen?
Thank you
MOMables-Laura
Yes! You can freeze them in a freezer-safe zip bag and simply thaw out at room temperature.
Heather N.
I followed the recipe exactly and used Pillsburys all purpose flour. The cookies are A.M.A.ZI.N.G!! I love the hint of cinnamon. With or without icing, they are delicious. I am going to try using granulated monk fruit next batch. Thank you for the recipe!
Jaynie
Absolutely delicious and thank you! These are for a kids birthday so I added sprinkles and also sprinkled them with sugar. The dough is great to work with and I completely agree you would never know they were gluten free.
Erin
I followed your x2 recipe to a tee! I used Cup for Cup flower (which has xantham gun), and let me tell you – the cookies are PERFECT!!! I made them while friends were over and they were very concerned about how good gluten free cookies could be. So, we made one batch of gluten free and one batch of regular cookies… YOUR RECIPE WON! Hands down, these cookies are delicious!! Thank you!
MOMables-Laura
Thank you so much, Erin! Super glad these won the test!
Emily
I have used this recipe multiple times now and my cookies turn out amazing! I use the Namaste GF flour blend from Costco and you can’t even tell that these are gluten free.
Willow
Im so happy to find a CONSISTANT g.f. recipe! These are so yummy and easy to roll or pat out. I made some for Christmas and the some for Valentines. Both times they were perfect!
I did a happy accident and substituted brown sugar for regular. Made for a robust cookie :) Also Walmart brand g.f. flour worked perfectly as well…for those looking at other flours. I totally recommend!
MOMables - Laura
Thank you for sharing that the walmart brand worked well!! this is always suuuuper helpful!
Ash
I still gave this recipe a five star even though mine did not come out that great. They tasted really good but I think the mistake was on my part. I don’t know if I overcooked them or if I just rolled them out too thin but mine turned out like crackers. I live at high-altitude so maybe that could’ve been the problem too?! Not sure.
Diane
Cam the recipe be cut in half?
MOMables-Laura
Hi Diane, I don’t recommend cutting this recipe in half since it calls for only one egg. You can make the entire recipe but bake only half the dough and freeze the rest for later. You’ll find directions for freezing the cookie dough in the post.
Jaime
Can you made the dough ahead and refrigerate overnight?
Jaime
*make
MOMables-Laura
Yes! Just wrap it in plastic wrap and bake it the next day.
Jodie
Hi, I’m in Australia, my GF flour has guar gum in it. Does that play the same role as xanthan gum or should I still add some xanthan gum? I’m looking forward to trying these. :)
MOMables-Laura
Hi Jodie, you can skip the xantham gum!
Kelly
With salt being added, is the butter unsalted butter? Thank you – I’m excited to try this recipe!
MOMables-Laura
Yes, typically, the butter will be unsalted, but it’s not essential.
Cindy
I live in Australia too! You can find Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 GF flour for baking at IGA! Recent transplant from USA and so happy it’s available here!
Steve
In terms of creaming butter and sugar and then the mixing part, can I do one or both of those parts in a kitchenaid stand mixer? What tool and speed would anyone recommend for that?
MOMables-Laura
Hi Steve, you can definitely use a stand mixer to cream the butter and sugar. Use the ‘flat beater’ on medium-speed.
Emerson Halley
I was wondering if self raising flower would still work for these
MOMables-Laura
I would not use self-rising flour to make cookies. It’s meant for biscuits, pancakes, and certain quick breads.
Amy
Best cookies ever!!! They taste like frosting, even though we didn’t even frost them. They hold together perfectly, and taste amazing.
We used 50% arrowroot flour + 50% all purpose GF flour (since the rice taste of our GF flour is overpowering).
We refrigerated the dough overnight,
Dumped out onto parchment paper (ok, pried out),
Let warm a bit,
Covered with parchment paper,
Rolled out and cut out.
They came out perfectly with lovely shapes! The slightly-browned edges were especially delightful.
These will definitely be a go-to from now on. :)
Thank you!!!!!
MOMables-Laura
Thank you so much, Amy! Glad they were a success.
Alex
My baby os allergic to eggs, could you use flax egg or something else in place of eggs?
MOMables-Laura
I have not made this recipe with flax eggs, therefore, I can’t say for sure if the cookies will turn out correctly.
Alex
Hi, could you use this recipe for a cookie pan/mold? I cannot find a gluten free sugar cookie recipe for molds :(
MOMables-Laura
Hi, Alex, I’m not quite sure but you can try to bake it in a cookie pan/mold.
Tanja
The cookies turned out delicious, and the dough was easy to make.
Becky
Hi, I’m in the UK, can you tell me how many grams to use for the ingredients measured in cups for this recipe please?
MOMables-Laura
Hi Becky, you’ll need:
225 grams sugar
115 grams butter, softened
1 large egg
15 ml water or milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your all-purpose flour has it)
250 grams gluten-free all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling/dusting
Happy baking!
Becky
Thank you so much, will give this a go!
Jess
They have many sites for converting online
Joyce
Hi I will like to know if the sugar can be replace for lakanto monkfruit
MOMables-Laura
Hi Joyce, I’ve never made this recipe with lakanto monkfruit sweetner but it is generally considered a 1:1 swap for regular sugar. If you do try this recipe with it, let me know how it turns out.
Danielle
Made a batch (using vegan “butter) for a Halloween block party alongside a similar traditional cut out cookie and could barely tell the difference in taste. This recipe is a winner. Mine did puff up and spread slightly compared to the regular recipe I use, but I think if I’d popped em in the freezer a little longer before baking it would have been even better. Will definitely use this recipe in the future!
MOMables-Laura
So happy these were a success for you!
Lise Karpel
I made cutout cookies with this recipe earlier this week and they came out wonderful! I’ll be using it again to make Xmas sugar cookies since I was so pleased with how it turned out. I used Wegman’s brand all-purpose Gluten Free Flour and it was just perfection. Such a simple recipe and so good!
MOMables-Laura
Happy to hear this recipe was a winner for you!
KatieMac
We live in Utah at 5,000ft, so we baked them 12-14 min. They came out absolutely perfect. I added a 1/2 tsp extra vanilla and a dash of almond just for preference. My family ate them as fast as they were iced. This is our new go to!
MOMables-Laura
I LOVE Utah and am glad to hear these were a hit!
Marla
I’m in Colorado. I made the recipe today and the cookies turned out horribly! Should there have been baking power or soda in them? They spread all over the pan, super thin, and very tough. I only cooked about a third of the batch. Is there anything I can do to salvage the remainder? I was very exact with measuring and have reviewed the recipe several times to see what I might have skipped, but I didn’t. I’m very disappointed.
MOMables-Laura
Hi Marla, it could be the high altitude. I am making these from Louisiana. You could try to increase the oven temperature to 375F but watch the cookies since they will bake in around 8 to 10 minutes.
Lisa
This may be a silly question, but can these just be rolled into balls and baked instead of doing cut out shapes? I was hoping to make a sugar cookie that doesn’t need to be frosted.
MOMables-Laura
Hi Lisa, I’ve never tried rolling them into balls and baking with this recipe, so I can’t say for sure.
Nirit
Have you tried this recipe to create a cookie pizza (fruit pizza)?
MOMables-Laura
Hi Nirit, I have not used this to make a cookie pizza. I’m curious how that would turn out, it sounds delicious!
Laura
Hello, do these cookies spread much in the oven once they are cooked or do they hold their shape fairly well?
MOMables - Laura
These cookies will spread some, just like traditional sugar cookies. that said, it’s important to chill them.
Nancy Harkness
These are great! My husband made these for me, substituting chia for the eggs. He has limited baking experience and was still able to turn out a great cookie. We did bake them much longer than instructed, perhaps our oven is off, but we baked until they were dry (but not browned) on top. Thank you to all the comments below that discuss freezing the completed cookies. My only suggestion is to append a frosting recipe. I ended up making a simple butter cream, powdered sugar, milk frosting.
Christine
Thank you for sharing this recipe. My little one is allergic to wheat and it breaks my heart when she sees other kids eating the personalized decorated sugar cookies and she can’t have one. We made these together. She said “these cookies are special for me.” Full heart mommy moment thank to you.
Star
Aww this comment is too adorable. I will be trying this recipe as well.
Claudia P
How long are the cookies eatable?
MOMables-Laura
Hi Claudia, once baked the cookies are good for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container.
Jen
I made these for my family, a big hit! I’m wondering once decorated, iced, how long can they be stored? Do they need to be in the fridge, and can they be stored in the freezer? Good for how long?
MOMables-Laura
Hi Jen, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They can also be frozen in a freezer-safe zip bag for up to a month.
Laila Elimlahi
Hi Laura,
When you say you can freeze them, would you bake them straight from frozen or defrost first?
MOMables-Laura
I’d bake them straight from frozen, the cookies will hold their shape better. Happy baking!
Niki
I made these like you would a normal sugar cookie. I blended the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then added the egg and vanilla. Mixed well. Add the flour and add salt then mix again. Then blended in the milk. It was not a good texture. It Looked dry, so I added 1 more table spoon milk. Blended and then made a ball with my hands. It was then the right texture to roll out. I cut the dough in half and rolled out half of it on a silicon mat lightly dusted with flour.You only want to roll once if possible. I then baked them. They have a good texture but are not very tasty. Maybe frosting will help.
Deb O’Callaghan
Can I bake and freeze to frost a little later, frost and freeze again until needed. Trying to make for granddaughters graduation. Would like do in advance. Thank you for your thoughts.
MOMables-Laura
I’ve not tried this before, I typically bake them, allow them to cool, frost the cookies, and freeze. Unfortunately, I can’t advise on freezing multiple times.
Jo Cruz
I just made them and they are so good!!
I added milk and some sugar frosted cookie coffee creamer.
I’m in love with these cookies.
MOMables-Laura
So happy you love this recipe!
Danielle
Great recipe!! For folks that don’t buy flour mixes, I used 1:1:1, potato starch to millet flour to brown rice flour with the 1/2 tsp of xantham gum that was in the recipe. Chilled for about three hours. They turned out SO SO good!! This is my go to, for sure. Easy to roll, easy to cut out, just perfect. Thank you so much!!
Megan
This has become our go-to recipe for cookie cutter cookies (in fact, before this recipe, I AVOIDED cookie cutter cookies bc they were a pain! This is great!)
I usually follow and make with butter but need to make a batch dairy free – I only have shortening in the house and cannot get out for vegan butter or another sub. Anyone made with all shortening before who can give any guidance? Not sure how it will impact taste or shape!
MOMables-Laura
Hey Megan, you can swap shortening for butter in a 1:1 ratio. Cookies made with shortening tend to spread less and be a little thicker.
Heather
Is it best to use unsalted butter or is salted ok?
MOMables-Laura
You can use both, unsalted is always preferred since the recipe will call for a small amount of salt.
hailey
yes
Beckie Baker
I tried these for the first time over the holidays. I used King Arthur measure for measure flour. Dough was a little crumbly, even after refrigerating overnight. I kneaded a Tablespoon or so of milk, rolled them out and baked. Baked up beautifully and taste, while not exactly like my traditional recipe, they we’re good and not gritty. This is a keeper.
Lori Salisbury
Do you have a special frosting you use on these cookies?
MOMables-Laura
Hi, Lori, I use the frosting from this recipe: https://www.momables.com/gluten-free-valentines-day-sugar-cookies-recipe/
Nicole
This is by far the best gluten free cookie recipe I’ve ever tried. The texture is amazing. I’m thrilled! This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Kimberly
Came out perfect and just like sugar cookies I used to bake. Reduced sugar to 3/4 sugar since my family prefers less sweet and since we were frosting with royal icing. Used King Arthur 1 to 1. Key is to work quickly and keep dough cold to keep the cookies from spreading. I rolled, cut the cookies directly on the parchment, removed excess dough around the cut outs and lifted the parchment directly onto the baking sheet. While first batch of cookies were baking, I’d put the excess dough in a ball in plastic in the freezer for 12 min and repeat.
Sarah
Super good! Couldn’t even tell they were gluten free! They didn’t have the weird gummy texture you get sometimes with gluten free flour. Perfect!
Ruby
I’m curious, but also new to being gluten free, all I could find at the store was a gluten free baking mix by King Arthur, can I use that?
MOMables - Laura
With King Arthur you might need to add a tablespoon or two more water if the dough crumbles. Enjoy!
Melissa
Is it possible to add some sort of flavor extract like vanilla or almond? Not sure if it would alter the texture of the cookie, but I don’t know if anyone has experimented. I was going to try with ube extract since I know that usually compliments coconut really well in Filipino desserts. :-)
MOMables - Laura
Yes, you can add vanilla or almond extract to the recipe, about 1 teaspoon.
Sharon
We actually use lemon extract instead of vanilla extract. The taste is amazing. Coconut extract would be great, too. Just a teaspoon of your favorite extract can make a huge difference in taste. It won’t hurt the consistency of the dough, but it takes the taste to the next level!
Julie
Just tried this recipe with my son, and the result is Perfect! We Followed all the steps, except that I didn’t have vanilla so we replaced it with Rose water. Smelled so good with the cinnamon! Thank you for sharing this recipe and Happy holidays!
Monique
This recipe turned out great. I did 1 tsp vanilla and then the rest almond extract. These did not spread, but I did put them in the freezer for a bit before going into the oven like the other reviewer. These cookies are delicious. Just like the non-GF sugar cookies I make except I can eat these!
Monique
oops I forgot to rate them
Theresa B.
My gluten/dairy allergy son just made these cookies today. He used Pillsbury all-purpose gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum already in it (our go-to flour), and water instead of milk. The cookies turned out light in color, lightly sweet, and did not spread at all. He rolled them out a little thicker than suggested, so they took between 15 and 18 minutes to bake, but they browned perfectly on the bottom and tasted delicious.
MommaD
Thank you for the recipe! We’re GF/DF but also sensitive to some food the cause me migraines. So things like butter alternatives are out! So I tried Coconut shortening and it worked wonderful! but I cooked our for 9m. They came out perfect! Firm enough to stay together, but still nice and tender, but OH SO YUMMY!
Alyssa
These are the best, easiest cookies ever! Hard to not eat them all in a sitting!
Jennifer
The cookies turned out perfectly. Crispy on the edges but soft in the middle. The dough was a dream to work with – pliable and it didn’t fall apart. Thank you!
MOMables-Laura
Cookies with crispy edges and soft centers are the best!
Katelyn
These turned out amazing! I used Bob’s 1:1 so I didn’t add xantham and I used 2% milk instead of water. The cookies held their shape when decorating and were soft when eating. We will definitely make these again! Bonus that the recipe was easy.
Lynn Bacci
These turned out AMAZING! They cookies are the perfect taste and texture. I love that the dough holds it shape when baked. My partner has been gluten free for a few years now and we finally got to decorate and enjoy Christmas cookies together❤
jackson wiese
they were great and I used coconut sugar and they came out perfect
Brittany H
Two things you may be looking for in the reviews:
1: These cookies ARE soft. Yay! Except for the legs of my reindeer cut outs, which are so skinny and expected.
2: My cookies did not spread AT ALL. I did pop them in the freezer for a minute before the oven because I thought the dough was getting a little warm after rolling and cutting out.
When to pull them out? I doubled the recipe so I made 4 separate cookie sheets. When the bottom edge was a little brown those are perfect, but when I let them get more golden brown on the bottom edge they are a little to crunchy for my taste.
They’re good, but next time I will probably experiment with sour cream or almond extract.
MOMables-Laura
Thank you so much, Brittany. Glad they turned out well.
Melissa W.
Hello! I am excited to try these for my Christmas cookie bakeoff with my mother and sister in law. Question – Can I make the dough the night before? Should I freeze or refrigerate if I am baking that next afternoon?
MOMables - Laura
Just refrigerate the dough the night before. If freezing, it will take about 1-2h to fully thaw on the counter.
Amy
Do you use any baking powder or baking soda in the sugar cookie recipe?
MOMables - Laura
this recipe has neither. Enjoy!
Kim
I’m not sure what went wrong with this recipe for me but I didn’t get the results she got. I typically can get recipes to work for me and I’m very meticulous with measuring and following instructions. I used the flour she recommended (a new bag so it wasn’t out of date or anything). I made these twice and both times I definitely did NOT get a crispy exterior. They were more pillowy in texture and had a funny texture on top. I even added baking time to some batches but they never came together. (Unless the time is WAY off). All in all they will work in a pinch but are not anywhere near a normal sugar cookie texture for me. I really wanted these to work but I appreciate that someone tried to get the ever elusive GF sugar cookie to work!
MOMables - Laura
I’m sorry these didn’t turn out for you. I’ve made these dozens of times as written -so have many of the comments- without issues.
Angela
Please help my dough is crumbly. It won’t roll out.
MOMables - Laura
The crumbly dough is because of the flour used. Simply add a tablespoon or two of water, re-knead at try again.
Stacy
Oh my happiness, these are excellent. I have been disappointed by so many other recipes elsewhere, I almost gave up trying. But decided to look again this year and landed here. No need to look further! Thanks so much for bringing something special to our family traditions.
Laura
Is the dough supposed to be sticky? I made the recipe to a tee, even using the flour recommended.
MOMables - Laura
sometimes it can get a little sticky. simply sprinkle a bit more four on the counter to make it easy to roll. Refrigeration is also key.
Lisa
Roll it out between 2 pieces of parchment paper and refrigerate for a little bit and then remove top parchment and cut shapes. Remove the dough around shapes and place parchment on cookie sheet. No crumbled cookies.
Michelle
4 in my family had regular cut out cookies to decorate and thankfully, so did my gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free son. They were great! We used a non-dairy butter and used an egg replacer and with all those changes I had to make, it still turned out so good that I’ll make them again. I’m so happy for my son that I love so much, I hate to see him miss out. So I am grateful for this recipe.
MOMables - Laura
I’m so glad everyone was able to enjoy the cookies!
Lori
Confused? Doesn’t it say sugar free but first ingredient is sugar?!
MOMables - Laura
These are gluten-free sugar cookies. You could use a granulated sugar alternative to make these.
Nicole
Recipe looks great and easy to follow! I just have one question. Can I refrigerate the dough overnight and cut/bake the following day?
MOMables-Laura
Absolutely!
Alyssa
These are the best sugar cookies I’ve ever had!
MOMables-Laura
So happy these were a success!
hailey
i can’t make cookies aney more
Megan
Really phenomenal recipe – my 3yo son and 9yo niece were both able to help cut the shapes, which I think is a testament to how well this help its shaped after cutting them! My niece even did some freehand designs with a butter knife and really loved getting to be so creative. I’m the only GFer in the family but everyone loved the taste. Plus the recipe itself is SIMPLE and I can throw together easily. Thanks!
June
Can i make this vegan? I have vegan buddies in need
MOMables - Laura
sure thing. Use an egg replacer for the recipe and a vegan butter substitute.
Corinne Ricci
Could these be decorated with sprinkles before putting in the oven?
MOMables - Laura
You can definitely sprinkle these before baking. Enjoy!
cindy
I just made the dough and did not realize that 1/2 cup butter meant one stick and I used two sticks. I stuck the dough in the fridge. Do you think I can just double all the other ingredients at this point, add it to the existing dough and have it turn out okay?
MOMables-Laura
Hi, Cindy, I don’t think it would hurt to try. The dough might be more forgiving since it’s gluten-free.
Caroline
These were outstanding! Rolled out beautifully, and a taste was much more than I anticipated! Thankyou so much for sharing this recipe!Do you have a recipe for pastry please? I have not had success with this.
Samara
So excited to try this recipe. I was wondering if you can freeze these cookies without negative effects? Want to make a bunch ahead of time.
MOMables-Laura
Hi Samara, you should be able to freeze the dough.
Jillian Porter
Did anyone find that there was a grittiness? The cookies turned out crispy and sort of gritty, especially if I cooked for less time to avoid the crispy. What could I have done wrong? I used bobs mills all purpose (with xanthanum gum).
Melissa
I didn’t find it gritty but I did try this recipe with the bobs red mill 1 to 1 and king Arthur’s measure for measure. I did both batches the same day to do a taste test with the fam and everyone chose the cookies made with king Arthur’s gluten free measure for measure flour. There was definitely a floury taste with the bobs red mill 1 to 1. Also I like to roll my cookies thicker to avoid crispiness.
Carol McDonnell
Jillian,
The Bob’s Red Mill GF All Purpose has garbanzo bean flour in it which is gritty. The Bob’s Red Mill “1 to 1 Baking Flour” does not the gritty texture.
Sandra McCurry
What gluten free flours and gluten free flour blend recipes can you use with this sugar cookie recipe? I have to use nightshade gluten free flours.
MOMables-Laura
I really like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour.
Vanessa
Can I use bobs red mill all purpose baking flour?
MOMables - Laura
Absolutely!.
MsDp
Very easy to follow recipe. Only thing I added a little almond extract just because my daughter loves it. Tasted great with perfect texture. No one even knew these were gluten-free. I will definitely use the recipe again. Thank you!
MOMables - Laura
I use this recipe with almon extract to make “wedding cookies” and they are my personal favorite. I am glad your family enjoyed them.
Veronica Pelaez
Do you put vanilla extract and almond extract? Or do you replace the vanilla extract with the almond extract?
MOMables-Laura
Hi Veronica, you can replace almond extract for vanilla. Measurements will stay the same.
Nancy
Omg this is an awesome recipe & one I will be using for many years
Mary Boeding
Hands down best gf sugar cookie recipe I have tried. Cookies rolled out smooth. Batter chilled nicely & easily rolled out. Not grainy or dry like many I have tried. Great buttery sugar cookie flavor. Keeper!!!!
Jody Boronkay
Could I use earth balance instead of butter?
MOMables-Laura
Yes, I recommend using the baking sticks.
Ashley
My mom is allergic to dairy. Do you have a recommend for a good substitute for the butter?
MOMables - Laura
Hi Ashley, you can use vegan cooking sticks (they look and perform like butter but are made with vegetable oil) or any other vegetable spread for cooking. Enjoy!
Carol
Is there no baking powder or soda in this recipe?
Christy Kim
Will the dough hold in the freezer if I wanna make a double batch and store the rest for later? If so, how long will it stay good for??
MOMables - Laura
You can freeze the dough in an airtight bag for up to 2 months.
shazza
do you skip the step of putting the dough into the fridge, and put it straight into the freezer? :)
MOMables - Laura
You can definitely skip that step and store it in the freezer.
Martina
I am so glad I found this recipe because the gluten free recipe I found before was terrible! I used it for royal icing cookies and baked it for 14 mins since mine are 3/8” and it was perfect. These are so moist and have a great bite!
Candice
Let me just say these are amazing!!!! But then I really wanted to make some for my son too who is also allergic to egg, so we switched it out for 1/4 cup applesauce. They also turned out amazing. I am so happy with this recipe. Thank you
MOMables - Laura
I’m so glad these worked without the egg for you!
ElinA
Hi! I’ve made these twice now and they are soo tasty. They taste just as good are regular sugar cookies. I am planning on making these for my sons bday party, can you recommend a way to keep them fresh if made ahead of time? What is the best way in your experience?
Maria
Hi! These taste great! I noticed that I still had an increase in the size of the cookie. Is that to be expected? Luckily it kept its shape but with a more intricate design, I’m concerned it might lose those details. Any idea what may have gone wrong? Or did everything go right? Lol
MOMables - Laura
Hi Maria, cookies often expand but a few tips to help them keep shape are to start with chilled dough and a hot oven. I hope this helps.
April Hollingshead
The best gluten free sugar cookie recipe. This will be put I’m my recipe book. Been looking for a good gluten recipe that the cookies didn’t fall apart and tasted great. I finly found one. Thanks for sharing.
MOMables - Laura
I’m so glad you liked it April!
Darcy Clevinger
So happy to have a Good Gluten Free option for cut out cookies to share with teams and classmates!
These taste and look great!
MOMables - Laura
I’m glad you found this recipe!
Jessica Moffett
Super sticky dough at first but I put it in the freezer for 6 min (after 1.5hrs in refrigerator) and it worked GREAT. Cookies cut out wonderful and tasted great! So thankful for this recipe
Amber Cok
These were awesome! We LOVE Cup4cup flour. You’d never know these were GF. Loved the texture. Thanks for the recipe.
Only thing I’d do differently is make a double batch next time. ;)
MOMables - Laura
That’s a great option and I agree, one batch isn’t enough! ;)
Lely
Can i replace regular sugar for coconut sugar? Would it still work?
MOMables-Laura
I don’t recommend swapping regular sugar for coconut sugar.
Krystal Bradley
Awesome recipe !! Don’t know if it was just my oven- but baking them at 350 for 10 min burnt them BLACK! I turned the oven down to 300 and baked them for about 7-8 min and they came out perfectly golden brown. Other than that was amazing !!
MOMables - Laura
Oh yes, some ovens run hot and I’m afraid yours might. This cookie recipe is definitely baked at 350F traditionally. I’m glad they turned out!
Jenna
I just made these GF cookies for my mom and they are delicious! I was nervous about the cinnamon but so happy I added it! Did anyone have the problem that their cookies were flaky on the top? I made a royal icing to decorate them and the top layer of the cookie is so flaky that sometimes the icing comes off. I followed the recipe exactly as listed and put my dough in the fridge. Should I have added a bit more milk?
Rebecca
I use to love baking during Christmas. However, 5 yrs ago I was diagnosed with Celiac. At that time I refused to let it stop me, after almost 15 failed attempts I swore off Christmas cookies. These are the first of many batches we will be making this year, I’m so happy that my kids and I can make cookies that they’ll actually eat and not just CC. Thank you so very much for sharing!!
MOMables - Laura
I am so glad these cookies were able to get you back into holiday baking!
MARGUERITE
My issue is that all all purpose gluten free flours either have potato starch or corn starch in them and I can’t do either. so I have created a gluten free blend with flours I can do. All my cookies work great with almond flour and quinoa flour mix. But I am wondering if I will need to add something to make it work for sugar cookies.
MOMables - Laura
Hi Marguerite, unfortunately I’m unable to advise on using your flour blend since I have not tested this recipe with it. Sorry!
Sharon
I wonder if you tried your blend. Your comment piqued my interest. Our daughter has both Celiac disease and type one diabetes. The starches in most gf flour blends can spike blood sugars. We appreciate Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 in savory dishes like gravies. The percentage of bean flour in it is kinder on her blood sugar levels. However, any form of bean flour tends to be less enjoyable in cookies and cakes.
Andrea
Made these today and they are awesome. The dough is easy to work with and my cookies held their shapes perfectly. Wish I could post a picture to prove it, ha! They definitely taste different than regular sugar cookies but still super yummy.
Andrea Miller
Pro tip: after cutting your cookies, put them in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. They won’t spread. :)
MOMables - Laura
You’re 100% right!
Jonna
Hi! I’m wondering how many grams of flour your two cups is? I prefer to use a food scale to bake. Thanks!
MOMables - Laura
It will be approximately 240g, depending on the flour mix you use.
Kim
Bob’s Red Mill GF 1to1 flour is 148g per cup.
Cynthia
My husband and I made these using Robin Hood GF flour and they turned out perfect! We followed your recipe exactly and the dough was very easy to work with. Our Christmas cookie shapes are uniform and will look great when we ice them. Thanks for the great recipe!
Joe Cricenti
hi jus noticing not necessary to having baking powder for this cookie??
MOMables - Laura
No, this recipe doesn’t “lift”
Brigid
Can you freeze the dough to use later? I’ve never made gluten free cookies.
MOMables-Laura
Yes! Directions are written out within the post.
Tamara Patterson
Hi Laura, can you use a sugar substitute in these cookies. I have a nephew who is a type 1 diabetic and also can not eat gluten.
Janice
This recipe is FABULOUS! My son’s girlfriend has Celiac and I wanted to bake holiday cookies that she could eat. They tasted almost exactly like the dough I normally make. Texture was perfect and the flavor was amazing. FYI, I used Good Measures gluten-free all purpose flour, and they pre-measure the flour by cups (one cup per plastic baggie). Didn’t have to adjust a thing in this recipe!
MOMables - Laura
I’m so glad they were a success!
Anna
I have made this with walmart’s generic gluten-free flour and it has turned out amazing! Definitely one of the best homemade gluten-free cookie recipes out there.
Victoria
I followed this recipe to a T and it just crumbled when trying to cut the dough. I even used the same generic gf flour from Wal-Mart. Any ideas why this didn’t work? It’s just crumbs of flour is what Im left with. I’ve never screwed up a recipe before so it’s bothering me that this didn’t work.
MOMables - Laura
Hi Victoria, I have not tried this recipe with Walmart’s gf four. I am sorry this didn’t turn out for you. Crumbly dough means that you need to add a bit more liquid to your dough -next time, add a few tablespoons of water until you have a cohesive dough. All gluten-free flours are different so recipes might need to be adjusted. For this reason, I always try to suggest the brand I used. I hope this helps.
Melanie
We needed to add more butter, we used pillsbury gf flour and it crumbled until we added more butter
MOMables - Laura
I’ve never made these with Pillsbury flour. All GF flour “mixes” will vary by ingredients use. Glad they turned out ok!
peter
Best sugar cookies I’ve had.
MOMables - Laura
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Peter
Heather pettus
I use pillsbury best gluten free all purpose flour blend. And my cookies have like a grainy feeling in your mouth when you eat them. Any ideas why this might be?
MOMables - Laura
Hi Heather! It’s the flour. Pillsbury’s flour mix is high in rice flour and it has a grainy consistency. I recommend switching flours (that’s why I use BRM’s).
Lely
Can i substitute egg with something else?
MOMables - Laura
Yes, an egg substitute of 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons of warm water per egg.
Katelyn Pratt
I think it is wonderful that you are offering gluten free options. I am not gluten free myself but am baking for some of my friends. Looks like an awesome recipe, as most of yours are.
Donna
Hello,
Due to Graves’ disease I cannot have dairy, gluten or egg yolks. I read the comments and will use flax eggs and of course gluten free flour. Can I use almond milk instead of cows milk?
Michelle
Hi, love this recipe! How long will these last if refrigerated?
MOMables - Laura
Hi, Michelle, these will last up to a week in the refrigerator before they need to be frozen.
Mama
Hi can I use coconut sugar? We don’t eat refined sugars
MOMables - Laura
Yes you can. However, the cookies won’t be as white. enjoy!
Amy
Love this recipe!! I have Celiac and use Cup 4 Cup flour. My kids and neighbors can’t tell it’s GF. Super easy to work with and tastes delicious! How long ahead do you think I can make, decorate and bag using a food saver? Thank you!
Also, do you have a GF chocolate sugar cookie recipe or GF gingerbread cookie recipe?
MOMables - Laura
These cookies keep up to a week in food saver bags. I often make them, decorate, and freeze up to 2 months.
Julia
Since my daughter became gluten intolerant I have been searching for a good sugar cookie recipe. I met my perfect match here…I made these last night for Halloween…they rolled out so nicely and taste so good! These our my family’s new “Christmas” (Any Holiday) cookie….Nummmm!!
MOMables - Laura
I’m so glad these went over so well Julia! Thank you for sharin!
kenya
Hi!
I was wondering, if there was something I could use instead of egg? Can I use applesauce? Or a different egg replacement?
MOMables - Laura
Use a flax egg or egg replacement. I have not tried it with applesauce. Enjoy!
Beck
???? I have 2 grand babies who have food allergies, but not gluten, so I’m NEW to gluten-free. Just started babysitting a GF child and his diet is so limited it is awful. His parents are professionals, who commute a long distance to/from work, and they aren’t comfortable in the kitchen even if they had the time. I swear the day care he was in only fed him baked chicken 5 days a week!!! The good thing is the parents are willing to reimburse me for ingredients I play with: however, we are so remote there’s not many GF choices. I have been able to find GF Bisquick 40 minutes from my home and I’m playing with that (and checking their web site).
QUESTION: Does oat flour measure 1 to 1 in recipes vs using other flours?
QUESTION: If subbing with corn starch vs that other powder is that 1 to 1 ratio also? (I grew up using corn starch at home so I’m comfortable using it).
I’m trying to research some easy recipes that that the parents can get into cooking. Poor baby had never had GF gravey or helped make PNB cookies till this past week. He loved both by the way. Thanks in advance for any help you can give.
MOMables - Laura
I suggest you head over to Amazon and let Amazon deliver everything to you. I recommend Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour for all your gluten-free baking. Stick to rice (it’s gluten-free!) potatoes and sweet potatoes (if using frozen they aren’t always gluten-free so from the produce is best) and protein and veggies and fruit -those are gluten-free. I’d stay away from sauces and gravies. Basic FRESH foods are what I would focus on.
Julie Lowry
I have done a ton of GF baking. I found out I had celiac disease in 1996 so there was very little gf foods around then. I had to make everything from scratch.
I made these with the Grandpas Kitchen flour , it is wonderful, it is made in UT. I think will be sold other places soon. It makes the most wonderful light angel food cake. I made these cookies with coconut oil, as I can’t have dairy. I used one tsp lemon flavor and 1/2 tsp vanilla. After I refrigerated them the dough was too crumbly and wouldn’t stay together so I added about 3 TB more coconut oil a little at a time so it wouldn’t be too much. It made the dough nice and soft and pliable. They came out perfect when I baked them . I did eat a bunch of the dough though so it didn’t make very many cookies. oops ha ha . Thanks , I have made many GF sugar cookies through the years and these are my favorite.
MOMables - Laura
I am so glad these came out well and you liked them. As you know, sometimes dough vary with the flour mix used -no doubt that Grandpas kitchen flour is great, just that gf flour mixes aren’t all the same. glad they are your favorite. ours too!
Tara
What non-dairy option can I substitute for butter (would the earth balance baking sticks work)?
MOMables - Laura
Absolutely. Those will work for this recipe. Enjoy!
Kit Kellison
I made these about a dozen times so far with Namaste Gluten Free Perfect Flour (from Costco, no less!) and it worked great. I like my cookies to brown a little so I mixed 1 tsp baking soda in with the flour and salt before adding to butter batter.
I roll each one into a golfball sized ball in my hands, then rolled the ball around in a small bowl (1/4″ deep) cane sugar before pressing between 2 hands and lying flat on parchment paper to bake. Fantastic! Thanks for the recipe.
MOMables - Laura
I love that flour blend for cookies as well!
Nicole Allard
Hands down the best gluten free sugar cookie recipe ever. Thank you so much for making this. I just got diagnosed with celiac in March 2020 and have been looking for recipes as needed. Well I needed to make Halloween cookies for the kids. These turned out perfect. I made the dough, rolled out and cut the cookie shapes then put them in the freezer until I was ready to bake them. Wow! They are amazing! I can’t wait to make these for Xmas. Now that I know I can freeze them, I’m starting early.
Tip: If they became crumbly when I was rolling the dough, I added a spray of vegetable oil and reworked it into the dough. Then rolled it again. I used pillsbury gluten free all purpose flour. It’s hard to find anything else where I live.
MOMables-Laura
So glad this recipe was a winner for you, Nicole!
Sarah Melby
No Baking soda or baking powder for this recipe? I have never made COOKIES without using baking powder or soda. Thanks
Nicole
Great recipe! I have a small home based baking business and I used this recipe for my first gluten free royal icing cutout cookies.
I doubled the recipe and used a mix of 1c. coconut flour and 3c. Tapioca flour.
The cookies held their shape well and puffed up a bit in the oven. When they came out of the oven, I gently pressed them flat with the back of a spatula. Be sure to do this when they’re still warm… otherwise you risk breaking them.
Definitely a recipe I’ll use again.
MOMables
This is a great tip! Thank you for sharing my cookies with your community.
Rachel
Loved this recipe! We made these for Christmas and everyone loved them! So delicious!
Jessica Niznik
So excited to try these out! I have a few GF clients and I hope these are comparable to the gluten packed ones I already make.
GF Daughter
Made these cookies for my GF mom on Christmas. Used only 3/4 cup of sugar and substituted cinamon for zest from 1/2 grapefruit* and 1 orange. Dusted with potato start for rolling. Cookies were excellent! Mom’s happy :) Great recipe, will be baking these cookies again! Thank you!
* adding grapefruit zest in my baked items makes them ‘zestier’ than if i use lemon or orange zest alone.
Nicole
Hi MOMables,
I read all the comments, and am about to start prepping the recipe. I noticed you mentioned that you have frozen after baking. Was that before or after icing/sprinkles? I have a New Years Party, wanted to make them and ice them, and then just defrost day of, but was not sure if this would work? Your thoughts would be appreciated!
MOMables
Ideally, you freeze the dough prior to baking. You can freeze the cookies after baking, but I would ice them after defrosting so the icing doesn’t crack.
Shelley
Just wanted to say that we tried these with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 and they turned out perfectly! We used Christmas cookie cutters and everything stayed perfectly formed for decorating! Thanks so much!
Jennifer V.
I made this with a chia egg and they worked perfectly. Thank you!.
Pammy
Can these be rolled into a log before refrigeration then sliced instead of rolling?
MOMables
yes. you can make the dough ahead of time and roll later.
Jeannette
I am STRUGGLING with the rolling! Hard, crumbly dough is what I have despite following the directions exactly. I did leave the dough in the refrigerator overnight, covered with plastic wrap. It seems like that should be ok. How did others manage this?
MOMables
Try dusting and hand rolling with a little extra gluten-free flour. It sounds like the dough was a little too wet. You can always hand roll between two pieces of parchment paper.
Kate
I made an Einstein-like discovery this Christmas cookie making season: I took small parcels of the freshly made dough, only as much as I knew I’d want to roll out before it got too warm, and put them between two pieces of Saran wrap and rolled them out THEN, not AFTER they were cold as rocks the next a.m. Put them in the fridge overnight all stacked up and took them out one at a time. Worked great! I ALSO added the zest of a half a lemon rind, delish! I ALWAYS LEAVE OUT THE SALT, because who needs that, and I follow a low sod diet. Turned out nice and thick, not hard or flat. BEST NEW RECIPE IN MY BOOK! I always use unsalted butter, so with THIS recipe, no salt is *needed*. The lemon zest, with a fine, fine zester made them superb!!!
Julie Lowry
Mine came out like that also after I had put them in the fridge. I needed to add more butter ( I used coconut oil,since I can’t have dairy) I added a little at a time till the dough was soft and pliable. Then they will roll out well. Otherwise the dough just keeps crumbling and won’t roll out. I have cooked GF since 1996 so I have made a LOT of things from scratch.
Jennifer Rembrecht
I substituted “I Can’t Believe It is Vegan for the butter. My son is also dairy free. The dough is very sticky after 1 hour in the refrigerator. I am guessing that the butter could not be substituted. Disappointed.
MOMables - Laura
The butter can be substituted but I recommend Country Crock’s vegetable sticks. Spreadable substitutes are not the same. Sorry!
Carlie
Can you freeze the cookies?
MOMables-Laura
Yes! Both baked cookies and unbaked cookie dough will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Be sure to pack them in an airtight container or freezer bag.
Renee
Wondering if the butter could be substituted for a diary free “butter”?
MOMables
It sure can. Enjoy!
Hannah
These cookies turned out absolutely perfect and tasted fantastic. Not too sweet for the first few bites and then a bit of sugar kicks in at the end, They rose perfectly and did not spread out much at all. I live at a higher elevation (3,200 ft) and reduced the cooking time to 8 minutes. I used an Ancient Grains flour blend and let the dough rest in the fridge overnight before rolling out. I also beat my egg before adding it with the other wet ingredients to the butter mixture. So happy I found this site and that the cookies turned out so wonderfully!
Janet Bohn
Made a double batch for Christmas this year…one batch I finished, baking to decorating, about a week and a half ago and ran out of time to complete….the rest of the dough has been in the fridge (triple wrapped) until this morning when I completed cooking and decorating them. Dough once it warmed up slightly rolled out just as beautiful as the first batch. I specifically made these for my father in law with a gluten allergy however everyone I’ve given out these cookies to were surprised they were gluten free…I didn’t say anything until after they ate them including to my hubby. Excellent recipe and one I intend to make again and again regardless of if there’s an allergy involved or not as these are in my opinion just as good or better than standard sugar cookies.
Angie M
These rolled out beautifully! I had my doubts for a moment when I grabbed a crumbling hard rock of dough. But it really did. My 3 youngest ages 6, 5, and 2 are over the m
Karen
I was wondering if you can freeze the dough or leave it in the refrigerator for four days? Made up dough for family decorating time today but we had to cancel because of icy weather!
MOMables
yes you can. Have fun!
Jessica Furubotten
Can you put white chocolate chips in these?
MOMables
In the dough? they won’t roll out.
Katie
I’m so excited to try your cookie recipe. Do you weigh your flours or do the scoop method?
MOMables
Always the scoop and swoop method for a recipe like this one. Others I weigh.
Missy
Hello!
Is there any need for cream of tartar or baking powder? My mom’s old recipe used cream of tartar and I was curious if this would benefit the cookie at all?
MOMables
This recipe works best as written. Enjoy!
Nikki
So delicious! And so easy to roll out and cut! Thank you for this amazing recipe. My holidays are great again.
Heidi
Hello there, this looks like a good recipe. We are new to the gluten free world. I was wondering is ‘Cloud 9 gluten-free all purpose baking mix’ an okay flour to use for this recipe?
MOMables
I’ve never tried that particular kind Heidi.
Vera
OMG these cookies are the best! This is the first time I tried the recipe and I can’t stop my husband from eating them!
Stephanie Schneller
Thank you for sharing that you guys loved them Vera!
Marcelle
Thank you . This recipe is wonderful. Everyone loves it, they can’t tell it’s GF. I did double the cinnamon, but that is because I didn’t read the recipe correctly, but is was a good error. I haven’t made it at Christmas yet, just for whenever I need a biscuit that will hold it’s shape. I will be making this over and over again.
MOMables
A little extra cinnamon is never a bad thing. :) I’m so glad everyone loved these!
Rachel
I’m new to the GF world. Can I make a royal icing for these cookies? My recipe is: powdered sugar, meringue powder OR egg whites, and water. I occasionally add almond extract for flavoring, but since I see it listed in other GF recipes, I assume I can add it. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
George
The recipe worked perfectly. I used Cup4Cup flour and Almond Milk rather than water. I then added 1/4 teaspoon almond extract instead of the cinnamon. The first time I tried the recipe I did not add the Xanthem Gum because there is some in Cup4Cup, but added 1/2 the recommended amount this time. The cookies rolled perfectly.
I read all of the comments before trying the recipe. I do agree that cooking until you see them turning slightly brown causes them to get very hard. I kept our cooking time to just at 10 min (even though they had not browned at all when I took them from the oven). They turned out perfectly – crispy on the outside and slightly tender on the inside. My whole family enjoyed them and we had a blast continuing out Christmas tradition of baking and decorating sugar cookies!
Thank you!
MOMables
I’m so glad you could keep up the Christmas tradition! Taking the cookies out when they’re slightly undercooked makes for a perfect cookie. Thanks, George!
April
Cookies look great. Made dough and covered with plastic wrap in bowl in fridge overnight. We can’t have eggs or rice, so used even parts oat, tapioca, sorghum and millet. Used EnerG egg replacer, extra half tsp. Vanilla, coconut milk for the liquid, and real butter. My daughter kept eating the dough. Would have liked a crunchier cookie, but very tasty.
MOMables
I’m glad you found what works for you, April! You could try rolling them out thinner and cooking them for slightly longer for a crunchier cookie.
Mandy
I have had so many problems finding a sugar cookie recipe that tastes right and is rollable…to the point that I threw away my rolling pin 2 years ago and gave up. I decided to give your recipe a try using unsalted real butter like the recipe says (instead of margarine) and substituting orange juice for the milk/water. The dough tasted just like my mother’s “butter cookies” so I got really excited. We put the dough in the fridge to firm up and it got rock hard. I let it sit for 20 minutes and it was still rock hard so I put my rolling pin away (again) and got out the ice cream scoop to make round cookies. As I was working the dough into round cookies, I realized it was rollable and we got 27 beautiful and tasty (before the kids decorated each one with ten pounds of sugary sprinkles and icing!) cookies! Thank you so much because it worked!
Monja
I made these a few days ago and they are sooooo tasty. I read thru all the commends before I started the process. I am very new to this gluten free lifestyle and there is much to be learned. Thank you to everyone for your suggestions, ideas, hints and tips. Those were so helpful! Right there I received a whole education in itself. I used the Pilsbury brand GF flour. I made sure I chilled the dough plenty before rolling out and before baking. You would never have guessed that these were gf cookies. We did the taste test with my hubby and kids and they cannot determine which is which. All in all a super success and a wonderful way to continue our cookie baking tradition around Christmas. THANK YOU!
Heather
Awesome!! I made this recipe with 1/2 the xanthan and next time I’ll try no xanthan since I read the previous comment. Thanks for a great recipe!
Elizabeth
Thank you, thank you! I am (very) recently diagnosed with gluten intolerance (and awaiting celiac test results) and have been feeling a little sorry for myself. I’m an avid baker and cook and wasn’t sure how to move forward. My daughter requested Christmas cookies today, and I took the plunge with this recipe. They came out perfectly (I used C4C), and you can’t tell they are gluten free. Thank you for giving me hope that I can make tasty baked goods gluten free!!
Mary
Has anyone tried freezing these? Baking today but won’t be ready to decorate until next week. Just hoping they will hold their texture after being frozen and thawed.
MOMables
You can freeze before or after baking. Enjoy!
Michelle
Don’t use Namaste all-purpose flour. They were just okay. I’ve been wanting to try cup 4 cup, but I live in a small town so I’ll have to order it online and try these again.
MOMables
I really like cup4cup, bob’s red mill 1:1, and King Arthur. (luckily, all available online! woohoo!)
amber
Namaste worked great for us and I was surprised at how good they were. It was our first time to try gluten free sugar cookies and our first time using Namaste Perfect Flour Blend. We cooked at 375 for 11 minutes.
MOMables
I’m glad you found a brand that you like! I hope you loved the cookies, Amber!
Lydia and Virginia
Um…..I don’t know what happened to our cookies. Words cannot describe the horror that my friend who has Celiac and I witnessed, but I will try my best. Everything was going great, the dough was the right texture and the shapes cut out easily. Then, we put the cookies in the oven, and disaster struck. First, the cookies puffed up so much that they covered the entire baking sheet. All of our little stars and sleighs merged into one devistating monster. Then, without a warning the monster cookie suddenly deflated into a extremely thin sheet of burnt dough. It was dark brown and super crispy, and about the same width as a piece of paper. So we tried again, and the exact same thing happened. We were very disappointed in the outcome of what looked like a delicious cookie.
MOMables
I am not sure what happened. If you “cut” the cookies then I am going to assume that the dough was chilled. Runny shapes occurs when the dough goes into the oven too warm. Sorry this didn’t turn out for you.
Grace
I’m so very confused :( I made these last year and words cannot discribe how amazing they were. This year…tasteless and puffy soft breaking cookies…:( I’m so confused. Last year I used the philsbury gf flour this year King Arthurs NEW flour blend with gums…and also it has baking soda in the blend. I think the king Arthur blend without gum is a totally different blend then the new one. Can you specify you used the king Arthur without gums? I’m gonna try again tonight. I feel really disappointed. Nothing is more upsetting than repeating steps and getting a different result. And wasting a lot of money in the process
MOMables
I’m so sorry!! I use KAF all purpose baking flour for this recipe all the time. It does not have gums. Although, I’ve also used Bob’s red mill 1:1 gf and it does have gums for this recipe. I have not tried the new one from KAF. so sorry!
Julie
Hi~Thank you for sharing this great sugar cookie recipe! This is our first gluten free Christmas with our 15 year old son who was diagnosed with Celiac disease in May. This recipe helped make our first family gathering of the season more “normal” for him. The cookies were a hit with everyone and they tasted like a regular cookie. Had great success with “Pamela’s All Purpose Artisan Blend Flour” too. We chilled the dough in the freezer for about 30 minutes since we started late in the evening and needed them to be baked/decorated for early morning. Tip for newbies like me: I have found that gluten free cookies do not brown until overcooked so take them out at 10-12 minutes even if they look a bit under cooked. They firm up as they cool and look perfect with a simple powdered sugar frosting glaze (powdered sugar, tiny bit of vanilla extract and water added until desired consistency & then make colors). My daughter piped thicker frosting on all of them and they looked really cute! This frosting gets hard so you can easily stack them between wax paper layers for transportation or on a platter for a buffet. Merry Christmas to all and Happy 2016!
Emilie Hebert
Thanks for those tips, Julie! I’m glad your son could join in on the Christmas cookie fun this year. Merry Christmas to you!
Geri
I have been missing good sugar xmas cookies for 2 years now, no recipe seems to be right. My kids and i made these tonight they were awesome. I am the only gf in the house, but everyone said they tasted great couldnt even tell they were gf. I shared the recipe on fb and with friends. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Was a little sticky when rolling out sprinkling with gf flour and perfect. I used cup 4 cup .
Elizabeth
Hi – I’m excited to find this recipe! My son is allergic to dairy, egg, wheat and a lot of other things. Can I sub in King Arthur Flour Baking Mix and omit xanthum gum? And can you tell me what egg and butter substitutes you’d recommend? thank you so much.
MOMables
I make these successfully with KAF baking mix. I have not tried them without egg but dairy is easy to substitute with a dairy free alternative. Sorry!
Erin
Perfect for Halloween cookies. I cut the, into the shape of pumpkins and added buttercream frosting with a hint of pumpkin spice.Delicious!
Elisha
Hi My daughter is gluten, dairy and egg free. Will these work with Earth Balance butter and applesauce in place of the egg? I’ve made dairy and egg free sugar cookies with them before and never had a problem but haven’t done it with gf flour.
MOMables
Elisha, this recipe will work with a flax egg instead of the regular egg. Applesauce came out too runny of a dough.
Irahappy1
I keep tapioca flour on hand to use for dusting the board while rolling out cookies and pies. And I use hardly any gums in my four mix, with some cream of tarter, and 1/3 confectioners/powdered sugar in place of all regular granulated sugar, and a dab of honey for flavor. Instead of spices, I use vanilla and almond flavorings.
Carla Webb
HI, my son is gum and soy free, what home made flour mix would you recommend and could we use baking powder or cream of tartar instead of xantam gum? totally excited to get him baking but so hard when he is so limited. Thanks
MOMables
Yes, definitely use a “gum” free flour and try a mix 50/50 cream of tartar and baking powder.
Julie S.
THANK YOU for sharing this recipe. I was diagnosed Celiac in March and am going to dedicate summer to finding great recipes so we can continue our tradition of baking cookies at Christmas time. I used cup for cup as I prefer this flour. I did omit the cinnamon. These turned out perfect! One would have no idea that they’re gluten free!
MOMables
Cup4Cup and KAF are my go-to for baking. Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Angela Greenwell
I made these today with my children. We followed the recipe exactly, using Jules Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour. They are absolutely the best GF sugar cookies I’ve made! I’ve had to have my husband hide them from the kiddos and myself because we just can’t get enough. We used Christmas cookie cutter shapes and spaced them far apart and they all retained their shapes – no blobs for us. I mixed a little powdered sugar with the flour that we used to roll out the dough and it helped make the outside of the cookie taste perfectly sweet. Thank you for this recipe. I’ll definitely be using again!
MOMables
I”m so glad it was a success and everyone loved them!
Annie
Hi! I’m about to make these cookies and I have a question before I start. I see you have reduced the butter to 1/2 cup because you were using a GF flour that had cornstarch. I am using a GF flour blend that does not have cornstarch, it’s superfine rice flour, potato starch and tapioca. How much butter should I use? Thank you!!
MOMables
Your flour mix has a starch: potato. The recipe should work just as well. Enjoy!
Jennifer
Just to clarify, should I use 1/2 cup butter if using GF King Arthur flour?
MOMables
Yes, 1/2 cup butter should be the right amount!
Stephanie
The cookies in the picture look like they have an uneven surface, is it possible to make them flat topped? Or do all Gluten Free sugar cookies have that texture? I’m new to this and planning on making some for a gluten free bridal shower, just trying to make everything look as perfect as possible
MOMables
Mine are not perfectly fat because I did not flatten them perfectly. Good luck with planning the shower!
Stephanie
Oh perfect so if i flattened the dough before putting them in the oven they should turn out?
So excited to try them!
MOMables
Please watch the video and you’ll see how they are made. thanks
Emily
I recently went GF and you can definitely NOT tell that these are GF. Some of the GF cookies you can buy in store are just awful but these are awesome. I used 1 tsp of vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp of almond extract and the flavor was amazing. Definitely a big hit at the office. I also made a batch into adorable shark cookies for a friend. I was so worried about the shapes spreading so after I cut out the sharks, I put them on the baking sheet and chilled the whole thing in the fridge for about 20 minutes. Worked like a charm! Also, for those wondering about GF flour, I picked some up at Trader Joes and had no problems!
MOMables
I’m so glad you loved them!
Nancy Baker
Thank you for the tip on helping sugar cookies to hold their shape when using cookie cutters. I am going to try this!
kelly
A piece of advice–DONT USE Bob’s Red Mill all purpose flour. The garbanzo bean flour that’s in it has a really strong flavour that totally overpowers the cookies.
I used King Arthur Flour and they tasted fantastic, but that Bob’s Red Mill flour totally ruined it.
MOMables
Kelly, you are 100% correct. BRM doesn’t work with our pancake recipe either. They come out grainy and well… not delicious. Glad that KAF saved the day! (that’s what I use too)
Heidi
I wouldn’t go so far as to say BRM flour ruins it, but (especially if you aren’t used to bean flours) the taste of beans can come through. I used extra sugar with my second batch and they were a lot better. Adding the cream cheese helped, too. It probably just depends on the person, although I’m sure the rice/starchy flours do taste better. There are some of us who have to avoid/limit the grain flours as well as gluten, so that’s why I used it. Just wanted to clarify that for others who may have to use it for health reasons and want to try this recipe. You may need to tweak some things, but it can work. :)
MOMables
you are right… but the cream cheese definitely masks a lot! your way sounds delicious.
Teodora
Do these cookies sit out well? I’m looking for a gluten free cookie to decorate with royal icing, and as they require a lot of drying time, I want to be sure these cookies will be sturdy enough to be left out. I also don’t want to end up giving people stale cookies
MOMables
Teodora, I made these last week for my kids’ classroom party where they decorated them with all sorts of icing. They worked perfectly.
Heidi
Great recipe! Very moist, soft and chewy! I experimented by using Bob’s Red Mill (I usually mix up by own blends but was in a hurry). I also added cream cheese in place of half the butter just to see what that did. I’ve noticed putting something thick and moist like cream cheese, canned pumkin, etc, really helps GF foods taste better/be moister. It worked although using all butter would have been fine too. I didn’t add any extra flour..actually maybe a little less (I go by weight and it felt heavy enough…Bob’s AP flour is heavier than rice blends.) As I was in a hurry I popped the dough in the freezer for maybe 30 mins or less and rolled/cut out half the dough. The dough was thick and a little tough, but not too sticky or hard to work with. I just flattened with my hands (not too thin) because it did stick to the rolling pin. I put the 2nd half of the batch in the fridge for later and shaped/baked them a couple hours later. Again no problems..even better. One note: if you aren’t use to bean flours you might taste it. I ran out of sugar and only had 3/4 cup so they bean flour taste came through a little. I rolled the 2nd batch in sugar after buying more, and that helped, but one of my kids wouldn’t eat them. Will try again with other flour blends soon!
MOMables
so glad this worked for you! and great idea on using cream cheese!
Stephanie
These were delicious! My 10 year-old made them by herself, and they turned out perfectly. My son who can usually tell if something is gluten free had no idea! We used Namaste flour and refrigerated the dough overnight.
Monica
We are making these this weekend. Did you use additional xanthan gum with the Namaste flour?
Amy
I made this recipe and had no issues whatsoever. 2 important things- you MUST liberally flour your surface when rolling out the dough. And FREEZE the dough- I did this before and after I cut out the shapes.
I found a GF flour mix called Auntie’s Flour Blend, and will never use anything else again. It’s a cup for cup substitution, and made for a great texture in my sugar cookies.
Jenna
I live in Australia and would love to know what brand of GF Flour you would recommend using? I’ve been searching like mad for a GF sugar cookie recipe to make for Christmas.
MOMables
this recipe works with most all-purpose gluten-free flours that tend to be rice + starch based.
Jesse
I’m looking to bake some gluten free sugar cookies for my class and these sound great, I bought the robin hood gluten free nutri flour blend and was wondering if anyone else has tried it and how well it worked for you?
Barbara
Hi. Can these be baked and frozen to decorate later? I want to make the cookies and have my granddaughter decorate them when she comes to visit in two weeks. Thanks!
MOMables
I freeze them all the time both pre-baked and after I bake them.
Barbara
I just finished baking these! I used KIng Arthur gluten free multi purpose flour and added xanthum gum. I refrigerated the dough for two hours and when rolling the cookies I only took a small amount out of fridge at a time. After cutting out the shapes I put the cookie sheet in fridge for a few minutes before baking. They kept their shapes. I did notice the texture to be a bit gritty, but they taste good and will be fun to decorate next week with frostings and sprinkles. I’ll put them in freezer until then. I’ll let you know how they turn out!
Amy
Any one else with this gritty dry dough? I am afraid to bake them! I DID NOT see the notes wrote down below the complete recipe, so I only used 1/2 cup butter. Now, I just seen the note and I am wondering if I can incorporate another 1/2 cup butter somehow? ANYONE PLEASE ???
Today is 12/16/2014
Thank you! Even if too late, please send any advice on what glutenfree flours, non-dairy butters, etc….
I used King Arthur Glutenfree All Purpose Flour and Ghee for my non-dairy butter, and just plain cane sugar. Followed RECIPE AS WRITTEN! Not knowing about the notes…oops!
MOMables
Amy, KAF works fine with this recipe. I made sure to make a list of all the flours we’ve used to test this recipe and it comes out great. One of the reasons your dough came out crumbly is because Ghee does not act as “softened butter”. Ghee is either liquid or solid and won’t bind the same. For a dairy free alternative you’ll have to use a vegetable based spread. Try taking the dough at room temperature (so it’s softer) and add a tablespoon of water to bind it. In the future, please read the entire recipe (including notes) before you get started. It helps your outcome tremendously. Good luck!
Theresa
I made a dairy free variation with Earth Balance vegan butter sticks and soy milk. (I know you said no subbing, but it worked for me!) I also used the Pilsbury Best Gluten Free Flour mix with xantham gum already in the mix. And to be honest. I only chilled it 40 minutes. I thought I would go the rest of my life without sugar cookies on such a strict diet. I am so excited because I have so many kids that I teach who are also on a gluten free diet. I am definitely sharing this recipe! Mine turned out great. I used little violin shaped cookie cutter, too!
Asia
This may sound like a silly question but is it okay to leave the dough in the fridge overnight?
MOMables
It’s not a silly question. Absolutely you can refrigerate overnight! :)
Abby
I made these with my 3 year old (heart shaped) for Valentine’s Day. I used Bob’s Red Mill GF AP Flour & had to add a little more flour to get the right consistency, but once that was done, they were great! They were a big hit with my GF and non-GF friends alike! I will be saving this recipe & using often! Thank you!
MOMables
thanks for giving feedback on the one that you used and how you had to add a little more! this is helpful to others since not all gf flours are made equally.
Krista
I also used Bob’s Red Mill GF AP for my first ever gluten free sugar cookies an they were great! A little extra flour and a little more like 2 hours in the refrigerator. They were perfect hearts! They were a little tricky to get off the cookie sheet so I will be trying parchment paper next time. Great recipe! Thank you so much!
Krista
I forgot the stars!! Sorry. 5 stars for sure!
MOMables
thank you Krista!
Trisha
I plan on using Bob’s Red Mill AP GF flour. About how much more needs added for them to turn out right?
Megan
I noticed this recipe does not have any baking soda or cream of tartar, does the gf flour mixes you use have something like that in them or do they not need either of those things?
MOMables
yes, the GF flour mixes have Xantham gum. the recipe as shown works amazing. just made some today!
Missy
I love these cookies! We made ours using the all-purpose mix we got from The Bloomfield Farms, chilled the dough for an hour or so and it was perfect! They held their shape very well and tasted great too. Thanks!!
Beverly
Has anyone made these sugar cookies using Namaste Perfect Flour Blend? It’s all I have in the house… Thanks!
MOMables
you should be fine, just make sure that you chill the dough.
Michelle
I’ve made these a couple times with the Namaste Flour blend (we need to avoid anything with potato), and they worked great. I’ve been experimenting with several GF cut out cookie recipes and this is my favorite so far. They do spread out a bit, so you don’t get a super sharp shape, but that’s not such a big deal, and they have a good texture and taste.
jennie rintala
I have been trying different cut out cookie recipes and my searching is over!! I love this recipe and the cookies turn out amazing! Thank you!
MOMables
thank you so much for letting us know this came out great for you Jennie!
stacey
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I’m not a baker, but have been gluten free for long enough to know how much I miss cookies. People Remember Gluten free Anything is tricky. I have read all the posts and am excited to try. Thank you for all the tips and suggestions. One question: xmas gift was a cookie press – instead of rolling out the dough can I just cheat and use the press?
MOMables
I’ve never tried it with a press…. but i don’t see why not. the dough performs as any sugar cookie dough.
Kim
I live in Australia where the recommended flours are not sold. I had to add quite a bit more flour to the recipe to get the proper consistency. It probably depends on what mix you’re using. I didn’t measure, just kept sprinkling more and mixing til I got the right consistency. I’d guess I added at least 1/2 cup more. the cookies tasted good, but were pretty heavy due to the extra flour.
After some research, I discovered that all 3 recommended flours for this recipe contain potato starch. That must be the key!
MOMables
Hi Kim, anytime you make a gluten free “mix” it’s two parts grain one part starch. the starchy flour adds the stretch it needs… otherwise you get small bricks. lol
Melody
Made these last night with King Arthur GF flour blend and they turned out great. I omitted the cinnamon since I wanted a more true sugar cookie flavor. I found that it needed slightly more flour than the recipe stated… I used about a quarter cup more.
They took quite a bit longer to bake, probably because I was using Pampered Chef baking stones and parchment paper. The first batch took about 18 minutes, the others were quicker.
I frosted them with Pillsbury creamy frosting and they taste even better the next day. Moist and delicious!
Jessica
These did not hold their shape at all
MOMables
were any substitutions made Jessica? did you chill the dough?
Beth
I had the same problem with the first batch. I was rolling them too thin. If you make them thinner you need to reduce the time to 7-8 min. I also only pulled out enough dough for one cookie sheet at a time. That really helped to keep the rest of the dough refrigerated. My family didn’t even know these were gluten free! :)
Leah
I was so excited to to make these. I followerd the recipe exact and spent all the time rolling out the dough and using cookie cutters. They are in the oven right now and have spread out so much and turned into blobs- many have run together making a giant cookie. I just now read some comments and see other people have had the same problem. Just wanted to let you know.
MOMables
leah, did you chill your dough long enough? I realize others are having the same issue, but it also comes out perfect for many including myself.
Amy Holland
I highly recommend placing your cookie sheet with cut cookies in the freezer for about 10 minutes before baking. This almost always helps them hold their shape.
Tthayer
Thank you for the great recipe. I just made these with the following changes:
1) I subbed 1/4 c country crock and 1/4 c butter flavored crisco for real butter because my son is also dairy free.
2) After my first cookie sheet came out of the oven having spread a little more than I’d hoped, I took another reviewer’s suggestion to pop my cut cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking. This worked perfectly!
My whole family is pleased with these sweet and light cookies but the look on my gluten & dairy free preschooler’s face when he bit into one – was priceless. Thank you for making our Christmas a bit yummier and sweeter with this great recipe!
MOMables - Laura
I’m so glad they worked out for you!
Brenda
These did not turn out. They did not hold their shape despite following the recipe and refrigerating the dough.
1 star :(
MOMables
Brenda, i’m sorry they didn’t come out for you. the comment above you came out perfect (as they do for us). Can you tell me if you made any substitutions?
Keisha
I made thes today using better batter gluten free flour and they came out perfect! Thanks for the recipe. I’ll be making them with my children for years to come.
Laurie
These cookies came out beautifully when I baked them yesterday with my granddaughter. They kept their shape and did not meld together with the other cookies when baked. Skipped the xantham gum as it was “optional”, and used Red Mill gluten free flour. FYI, Red Mill does not have cornstarch for anyone who is concerned about GMO’s. I lined the baking sheets with parchment paper. This may have helped the “spreading” issue mentioned by other bakers. Will definitely use this recipe again.
Christine
Will the recipe turn out better using xantham gum? I have all the ingredients but that. Where do I buy it? Thanks!
MOMables
Christine, if a recipe calls for Xantham gum it’s necessary. If you omit it, I can’t guarantee how your cookies will come out. That said, it really depends on the GF flour you use. most mixes have xantham gum in it so you need to check the ingredients. if it doesn’t, you need to add it in. you can get xantham gum in the baking section of some groceries where the gluten free flours are stored. Otherwise, check your natural grocer (like whole foods).
Christine
Ok, thanks! I got some yesterday, so I’m going to try them today. I have a gluten free guest coming for dinner :) I’ll let you know how they turn out!
Jennifer
Gluten free cookies are really particular about the flour composition. If you don’t have it just right for the recipe, they will spread out like crazy and be super thin and impossible to remove from the pan decent (gluten free flours don’t absorb/adsorb the butter the same as gluten flours). I have a chocolate chip cookie recipe that comes out beautiful – it uses 5 cups of flour (and I use 3 cups white rice (bobs red mill stone ground) and 2 cups sweet rice). I might try these using that ratio and see how they come out, but I have tried and tried many GF cookie recipes over the years and have had most of them do not turn out quite right, but it usually has to do with using exactly the SAME flour mix that the person who wrote the recipe.
Caroline Knox
I love the taste of these cookies but they didn’t hold their shape at all! I cut them into shapes and they all ended up as blobs. They didn’t run into each other as I spaced them far apart but all the edges softened so much that you can hardly tell what they are. Fortunately they are just for us, so the kids won’t care. :) I used a mix of GF flour substitute and rice flour. It was almost like the recipe calls for too much butter?
KeeleyMcGuire
Hi Caroline! I have made this recipe at least 20 times since posting it here and I can tell you the recipe amounts are correct. That being said, having made it so many times, I also know why the spreading might be happening. :)
1) Rolling the dough too thin. I know that if I roll the dough out too thin and cut it, they will spread when baking. Make sure you are keeping it thick enough to hold its shape.
2) Make sure when you are making the batter, your butter is softened (as called for) not melted. There is a big difference in baking and the outcome you’ll achieve.
3) Making sure your dough chills long enough in the fridge. This is also true when rolling out the dough and cutting. If it sits out too long and is over worked during that process, then again, it will spread and not hold its shape. After chilling, you may want to break off half the dough and roll it out and cut half at a time.
Hope this helps!! Happy Holidays!
Julie
These seem more like snickerdoodles since they have cinnamon in them. If I just omit the cinnamon will it still taste good or should I add more sugar?
Thanks,
Julie
MOMables
i use these the same way i would use sugar cookies. I like a little cinnamon in my cookies…but if you don’t… you can omit and leave recipe as is.
Brittany
What gluten-free flour did you use? Most often, I use Pamela’s, but I am so sick of everything being sticky. I also don’t want to have any “blob” or “melting” issues.
MOMables
I love cup4cup and KAF.
Brittany
Thank you so much!
Jocelyn w
Made the recipe exact. Had to refrigerate as too sticky. Rolled and cut, put in oven at 350 and everything melted into one cookie. Help!
MOMables
did you space them apart? when they are baked they will melt down but i’ve never had them run into one cookie. I only put a max of 9-12 per pan
MOMables
the recipe says to refrigerate -that eliminates the “sticky” problem.
Cindy
Although I enjoyed the taste of these cookies, when I baked them they spread into big blobs no shape would stay in place, no matter what I tried. Any suggestions?
EJ
Hello, my son had an egg allergy. What would be the best substitute for this recipe? Thank you!
MOMables
I have not tried making these with an egg replacer or a flax egg. Please let me know if you do achieve success!
Brittany
Just found this on Pinterest. They are baking in the oven now getting ready for our Christmas Eve meal with a “gluten-free guest” in mind. I used the Red Mills flour. A tad sticky when rolling out but otherwise SO GREAT! Thank You and Merry Christmas.
Laura
Thank you Brttany! So nice of you to accommodate for your guest! Merry Christmas!
mandy
Hi,
the sugar cookies look great but do you have a dairy and egg free recipe for the gluten free sugar cookies?
Laura
Hi mandy! We are testing a couple of recipes that should be ready just in time for Valentine’s day. If you are subscribed to our newsletter or follow us on FB you’ll be one of the first to know!
Alice Kelly
I just made these sugar cookies using King Arthur flour and no xantham gum because I did not have any on hand. I chilled the dough for six hours. I cut just a little dough at a time and put the bowl back in the refrigerator. When I rolled out the dough, I rolled the dough first in flour and rolled the dough quite thin with a rolling pin covered in flour. Then I used my heart shaped cookie cutter. Before I put them in the oven, I sprinkled them with red sugar, then baked them. They turned out perfect. My granddaughter will be thrilled, and my husband loves them, too. Great recipe.
MOMables
thanks for letting others know what you used and that it was successful!
ervin
hi I’m From Malaysia, as was wondering if i could substitute xantham gum with cornflour. Would that be okay? if yes how much do i use?
MOMables-Laura
Yes, you can swap the xantham gum for the same amount of corn flour!
MOMables - Laura
So glad you liked them!