This is my family’s GO-TO Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies recipe for soft, buttery cookies with a hint of almond extract that are easy to cut-out into shapes and then decorate for Christmas. You’ll learn all the tips and tricks for getting the cookies to hold their shape and not spread out while baking, as well as the best icing for decorating!
Cut-Out Sugar Cookies (Gluten-Free Recipe)
This is hands down the BEST sugar cookie recipe I have ever tasted… and no one will ever be able to tell that they’re gluten-free. (I know this for a fact because I make these every year at Christmas!)
Not only is the flavor wonderful, full of buttery goodness and hints of almond extract, but the texture is perfectly soft and the cookies don’t spread out while baking.
Making them absolutely perfect to decorate for Christmas or other holidays!
And it’s all thanks to using the right ingredients and a few simple tips: no leavening agents, cold cubed butter, metal cookie cutters, and a dusting of powdered sugar! (Don’t worry- I’ll go over all of these tricks with you below!)
So if you’re ready to make the most impressive gluten-free sugar Christmas cookies ever, keep reading and find out all the tips and tricks!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
The simple ingredients you need to make the best gluten-free sugar cookies include:
- Flour. A gluten-free 1-to-1 blend is the best option for the chewiest, most flavorful cookies. Bob’s Red Mill is easy to find at the grocery store. You can also use regular, all-purpose flour for traditional sugar cookies if you don’t need a gluten-free option.
- Sugar. Regular, white sugar is best. Do not replace with a sugar alternative such as coconut or even turbinado sugar.
- Egg. These will give the cookies their lift. Make sure you get large eggs.
- Salted Butter. This is where a large majority of the flavor comes from. You can try substituting with vegan “buttery sticks” or margarine if you are dairy-free. Avoid unsalted butter if at all possible.
- Extracts. Both clear vanilla extract and almond extract are used to give this recipe a unique taste. DON’T skip the almond extract or you won’t get that classic flavor.
How to Make Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
Please see the recipe card for more detailed ingredient amounts.
Make the Cookie Dough (No Need to Chill!)
First, preheat the oven to 375°F.
Take your butter straight from the refrigerator. Cut it into cubes and load into a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer along with the sugar. (This is the secret to not having to chill the dough!)
Cream the butter and sugar with the paddle attachment on a stand or handheld electric mixer on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, or until the dough resembles coarse crumbs.
Add in the egg and extracts and continue to mix for 1-2 more minutes.
Little by little pour in the flour allowing it to fully combine after each addition.
Once the flour is completely absorbed and the ball of dough sticks together, you are ready to roll. You don’t have to worry about chill time.
If needed, you can either refrigerate the gluten-free sugar cookie dough by covering it in plastic wrap at this stage for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 2-3 months until ready to use.
Roll Out Cookie Dough
Sprinkle powdered sugar over a cutting board before you start rolling. By skipping flour and using powdered sugar you prevent sticking while adding even more flavor to your cookies!
Place half of the dough onto the surface and sprinkle with another 2-3 tablespoons of powdered sugar.
Roll out the cookie dough using a rolling pin until the dough is ¼- to ⅓-inch thick.
Cut into Shapes
Cut dough into shapes with metal cookie cutters. The metal ones make cleaner cuts than the plastic ones and are easier to use.
Use those cute cookie cutters to make these gluten-free gingerbread cookies next! You can use your favorite cookie cutters in any shape you want all year, as well.
Bake in Oven
Place the shapes on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet about 1-inch apart. You can also use a silicone mat, if you’d prefer.
Bake the cookies on the prepared baking sheet in a preheated 375°F oven for 9-11 minutes, or until the crisp edges of the cookie begin to turn golden brown slightly. Cook on the longer side if they are thicker, and for less time if they are thinner.
Let the fluffy sugar cookie batch rest on a wire rack until they come to room temperature. To save on cleanup, spread some wax paper under the rack while these easy sugar cookies cool down.
Sugar Cookie Icing
Mix egg whites on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the butter (for the family icing), vanilla, and 1-cup of powdered sugar. Combine until the sugar is fully incorporated.
Add the remaining sugar incrementally and stir well each time. If the frosting is too thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk until the desired consistency is reached.
Finally, drop in your desired food coloring (gels work the best!) and stir until combined.
Decorating Christmas Cookies
Use a piping bag fitted with a 3M piping tip to outline where you would like the family icing to fill. Then use a toothpick to spread it all over evenly.
You can also just spread it on with a butter knife or a spoon if the kiddos are helping you out!
Once it has set you can pipe designs with the royal icing.
Place white nonpareils on the wet icing with tweezers.
Shake on sprinkles and enjoy!
FAQs
Cut-out sugar cookies are made by rolling out the dough and cutting it into shapes before baking. Drop sugar cookies are simply made by dropping the dough onto the cookie sheet, and are generally thicker.
Sprinkle powdered sugar on a wooden surface and use a rolling pin to press and roll the dough until it is flattened. You can use flour to roll them out, but it will dull the sweetness of the cookies or make them more brittle.
To avoid burnt or undercooked cookies try to roll the dough so that it is ¼- to ⅓-inch thick. You can check the thickness of cookie dough by measuring with a ruler.
The trick to getting cut-out sugar cookies to hold their shape is to use relatively cold or chilled butter. You don’t want the cookie batter to be too warm before it goes into the oven. Also, avoid using leavening agents, such as baking powder and baking soda. These make the cookies inflate artificially; upon deflating they will spread out.
More Gluten-Free Christmas Cookie Recipes
There’s never a bad time for cookies! And these cookies can all be made gluten-free, as well. So whip up a batch today.
PB lovers will go crazy for Peanut Butter Blossoms and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.
The holidays get a lot sweeter with Cinnamon Roll Cookies, Taylor Swift Chai Cookies, and these Easy Gingerbread Cookies.
Or, stick with a classic like Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies or Pecan Sandies.
No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies and Almond Butter Oatmeal Cookies are surprisingly simple.
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Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies (Cut-Out Recipe)
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Ingredients
- ½ cup butter cold, but not frozen, cubed*
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ tsp. almond extract
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 ¼ cups gluten-free 1-to-1 baking blend such as Bob's Red Mill
Family Icing Recipe:
- 2 egg whites
- 2 Tbsp. butter melted*
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 1-2 Tbsp. milk if needed
- food coloring
Royal Icing Recipe:
- 1 egg white
- 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp milk optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In the bowl of an electric mixer combine cubed butter and sugar. Mix on medium for 1-2 minutes, or until butter and sugar are just combined. Add egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt. Continue mixing for 1-2 more minutes.½ cup butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, ½ tsp. almond extract, ½ tsp. salt
- Add in Flour: Slowly add the flour to the butter sugar mixture. Continue mixing on medium until dough starts to form a ball.2 ¼ cups gluten-free 1-to-1 baking blend
- Cut Dough into Shapes: Place dough onto a lightly powdered sugar-coated surface. Use a rolling pin to roll dough to ¼- to ⅓-inch thickness. Cut dough into desired shapes using cookie cutters. (The metal ones work the best!) Place cookies on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet at least ½-inch apart.
- Cook in the Oven: Bake cookies for 9-11 minutes or until edges just begin to brown on the edges. Let cookies cool completely before frosting.
For the Family Icing:
- Mix Whites, Butter, Sugar: In a medium-sized bowl place, mix egg whites over medium speed for 1 minute. Add butter, vanilla and 1 cup powdered sugar. Mix until sugar is incorporated.2 egg whites, 2 Tbsp. butter, ½ tsp. vanilla extract, 3 cups powdered sugar
- Thicken Icing and Add Coloring: Add remaining sugar incrementally and mix well between each addition. If frosting is too thick, add 1-2 tbsp milk until desired consistency is reached. Add food coloring as desired.1-2 Tbsp. milk, food coloring
- Decorate Cookies: Frost cookies while the icing is still wet, using a toothpick to spread it delicately across the cookies.
For the Royal Icing: (optional)
- Beat Egg Whites: Place egg white in a medium bowl. Beat with a hand-held electric mixer for 1-2 minutes or until it becomes frothy. Add vanilla and mix for another minute.1 egg white, ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Mix in Sugar: Add powdered sugar and mix over medium-low speed for 4-5 minutes. If icing is too thick, add milk as needed to reach an easy piping consistency.2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tbsp milk
- Pipe Designs: Place royal icing in a piping bag fitted with a 3M piping tip or another round tip. Pipe designs on cookies and enjoy!
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Video
Notes
- You can also use 1 1/2 cups sweet white rice flour, 3/4 cup tapioca starch, and 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum instead of the gluten-free flour blend.
- Food coloring gel works best when getting really vibrant colors in your icing.
- Use tweezers when placing small nonpareils onto the cookies.
- These sprinkles and these white nonpareils were used to decorate the cookies you see pictured.
- You can also use vegan “buttery” sticks or margarine if dairy-free.
Meal Prep and Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: The cookie dough can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before rolling out.
- To Store: Baked sugar cookies taste best when kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
- To Freeze: Seal in a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi London!
I baked a batch of these last night and they taste great! But they were not smooth on top. They looked like drop-cookies. Is there anything I can do to prevent this? I’ll be decorating with royal icing so I need a smooth surface!
Thank you!
Hi Dakota! So happy you enjoyed the taste! A simple fix could be to soften the butter in the microwave SLIGHTLY. Too much and they will become a runny mess. But my guess is that your butter was a bit too cold. Thanks for your question!
I bake sugar cookies often and freeze them without an issue in regards to taste/texture. I have never baked GF sugar cookies, do they freeze just as well? Thanks!
Hi Kelly! Yes, these cookies should freeze similarly to gluten-filled cookies. Thanks so much for your question!
I found this recipe before Valentine’s. I wanted to make them with the grandson who is not GF but his Mom is. I wanted her to be able to enjoy them too. I was amazed at how well they held up. They weren’t dry or gritty and they tasted like Non GF sugar cookies.
Fast Forward to today as I was making them for Easter for the same reason. I used the Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Flour as I had the first time as well as all the other ingredients.I also followed the recipe to the letter as before. But, the dough was dry and while it came together it was in 3 pieces. I mixed it a little longer (not much) to see if it would come together but it didn’t. When I rolled it out it rolled out fine but it was cracking. Any idea what went wrong this time? We’re going to use them but we will have to be careful when decorating. We are in Central Texas and as you can imagine it’s already humid. i don’t think that has anything to do with it though. Any thoughts?
Hmmm. Not quite sure what went wrong, Kathy? The one thing I can think of is the softness of the butter. Since there are so few ingredients in the recipe, having the butter be too cold could slightly affect it. Next time I would let the butter sit out at room temp for about 20 minutes before using so it softens slightly. Hope this helps!
Great recipe. Perfect for my 5 year old Celiac warrior! Only suggestion I would make, if you’re not using parchment paper, absolutely DO NOT use icing sugar to roll out the cookies. They will stick to the cookie like cement. I learned the hard way.
Hi Terri! So glad you and your little one enjoyed the cookies so much. And great tip about the icing sugar! Thanks so much for your comment 🙂
It was very easy to make. It was very tasty too. It made our desserts look fancy. Thanks!
So happy you enjoyed the recipe, Cara! Thanks for the comment and rating 🙂
These cookies are fantastic! I made a batch for my GF son to decorate with this non-GF friends. They giggled, decorated and munched down the whole batch before one friend exclaimed, “Wait, can you eat these?” She thought they were glutinous cookies. As a side note, I had Bob’s brown rice flour and used that in place of the white rice, and it worked out just fine. Thank you!
Hi Lisa!! I am SO happy to hear the little ones enjoyed the cookies so much. It’s great when they can’t tell they’re GF 🙂 Thanks so much for your comment/rating!
love these cookies, they almost don’t taste gluten free. Thank you for this Christmas gift!
Yay!! So happy you got to enjoy some Christmas cookies, Kat! Thanks so much for your comment and rating 🙂
Mine spread. What brand white flour did you use? I used Bob’s Red Mill. Could that be why? I use cold Challenge butter.
Hi Shari! I used Bob’s Red Mill white rice flour and tapioca flour. Did you use a GF 1-to-1? This could be the issue since different flours have varied results.
This was the third batch of cut out sugar cookies I had attempted this year. I was about to give up before trying this recipe. I’m so grateful I decided to give this one a go. The cookies are perfect. I rolled them out with powdered sugar which helps the flavor, but my family actually enjoyed that the cookies aren’t overly sweet. My mister saved some to eat sans frosting.
Speaking of frosting, we used your “Family Recipe” for frosting/decorating our cookies and it was delicious. My boys are excited to share their creations with Santa tonight.
My mother in law even commented that she couldn’t tell they were gluten free.
I didn’t have fancy flour to use (or my own blend – most stores in my area are out of the good stuff) so I legit made these cookies with walmart GF flour and they turned out great! I’m sure using a “fancier” blend would yield even better results so after the holidays I’m going to make this recipe again and again! Thank you!
Hi Katrina! Wow!! I am SO happy you and your family enjoyed the cookies so much. My mister enjoys eating the cookies sans frosting, too! Can’t wait for Santa to get to taste a few of the cookies tonight, too. Hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!!
These cookies are incredible. Easy to make and roll out really well. I followed the recipe exactly. I tried a second batch with Bob Mills 1-1 baking flour and they were difficult to roll out and dry tasting. I’ll stick to the original recipe! I tried the family icing but I wasn’t happy with how long the icing took to harden up so I bought the royal icing powder mix and just added colouring and water to it.
Hi Susan!! So happy you enjoyed the cookie recipe. Yes, using GF flour mixes can lead to varying results. Thanks so much for your comment and rating!