Gluten Free Brown Sugar Cookies

Gluten Free Brown Sugar Cookies are simple to make and incredibly delicious. They have soft, chewy centers, lightly crisp edges, and, of course, the sweet, caramel flavor of brown sugar in every bite. A simple cookie that always hits the spot.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten Free Flour: This Gluten Free Brown Sugar Cookie recipe has been tested with both Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour and King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour. Both blends work beautifully, but each gives a slightly different result. Bob’s Red Mill produces cookies with soft, chewy centers and crisp edges, and they spread a bit more as they bake. King Arthur, on the other hand, yields cookies that stay more compact with a slightly thicker texture.

Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is the star of these cookies. It adds moisture, a hint of caramel flavor, and that perfect soft chew. I use light brown sugar but clearly dark brown sugar works just as well.

Molasses: Adding a touch of molasses enhances the cookies’ rich, caramel flavor and helps keep them soft and chewy. Molasses is the liquid that is left after white sugar is processed from sugar cane juice. It is a thick, dark syrup, high in minerals and lower in sugar than other syrups. It normally can be found in the baking aisle of your grocery store. I recommend using unsulphured light molasses such as Grandma's Molasses. Avoid using blackstrap molasses, as it has a much stronger, bitter taste that can overpower the cookies and create an unpleasant flavor.

Egg Yolk: Adding an extra egg yolk makes cookies richer, softer, and chewier. The yolk adds fat and moisture, creating a tender texture and giving the cookies a more decadent flavor.

Brown Butter: Browning half of the butter adds a deep, nutty, toffee-like flavor that enhances the cookie’s richness without making the dough greasy. It also gives the cookies a slightly crisp edge and a more complex, caramelized taste.

Recipe Testing Notes

The first test bake for these Gluten Free Brown Sugar Cookies was straightforward - but honestly, a little underwhelming. They tasted like chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips. So, for the next round, I decided to brown half of the butter. Just enough to add a rich, nutty flavor and a little extra depth, while keeping the cookies soft and chewy. I was hesitant to brown all the butter, worried it might make the cookies greasy and overpower the warm brown sugar flavor I wanted to highlight. Bingo - this was exactly what I was going for. Chewy cookies with crispy edges and a hint of molasses from the brown sugar. Brown Sugar Cookie Perfection!

How to make Brown Butter

As mentioned in my Recipe Testing Notes, only half of the butter used in this recipe is browned. This way, the brown butter does not overpower the brown sugar, nor will the cookies turn out greasy.

If it’s your first time making it, take it slow and keep the heat low. Use a heavy-bottomed pan - ideally light-colored - so you can see the color change as it happens. Stir often with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon to prevent burning. You can also make brown butter ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to two weeks - just gently melt it before using it in the gluten free brown sugar cookies.

1. Step 1: Add the unsalted butter (straight from the fridge or freezer), cut into smaller pieces, to a heavy-bottomed saucepan. If you have a white or light-colored pan, use it. It makes it much easier to see when the milk solids start to brown.
2. Step 2: Let the butter melt, then simmer at medium heat. Once the butter has melted, it will start to get thick and foamy, and within seconds can switch to a rapid bubble. Make sure to stir it with a heat-proof spatula and get to the bottom of the pan.

3. Step 3: Keep cooking and stirring. The butter will begin to smell wonderfully nutty and turn a deep golden brown color. You’ll notice little brown specks forming on the bottom. Those are the caramelized milk solids. Watch closely here, since brown butter can go from perfect to burnt in no time.
4. Step 4: Remove the pan from the heat and pour the brown butter into the bowl of the stand mixer right away, scraping in all those flavorful brown bits. Let it cool for about 10 minutes before using. For this gluten-free brown sugar cookie recipe, the brown butter should still be liquid and just warm to the touch.

Brown Sugar Cookie Dough

The key to perfect brown sugar cookie dough is balance - the browned butter should be slightly cooled, while the remaining butter stays at room temperature. This combination helps the dough come together smoothly and gives my gluten free brown sugar cookies their soft, chewy texture.

1. Step 1: Add the melted brown butter to the bowl of a standmixer and allow to cool for 10 minutes. The melted butter should still be liquid for this recipe and can be slightly warm.

2. Step 2: While the butter is cooling, combine the gluten free flour (with xanthan gum), baking soda, and kosher salt in a separate bowl. Stir or whisk to combine.

3. Step 3: Once the brown butter has cooled, add the room-temperature butter, brown sugar, and molasses. Using the paddle attachment, cream the mixture on medium speed for 2 - 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Stop halfway through to scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle to ensure everything mixes evenly.

4. Step 4: Next, add the room-temperature egg, egg yolk, and a generous teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. Continue mixing for another minute, until the mixture is smooth and well combined.

5. Step 5:  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl to ensure everything is well combined.

6. Step 6: Cover the mixing bowl with some plastic wrap or transfer the dough for brown sugar cookies to an airtight container and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. This will make scooping the gluten free cookie dough a lot easier.

Baking Instructions

Once the gluten free brown sugar dough has chilled for 30 - 45 minutes, it's time to bake some delicious gluten free brown sugar cookies. If you refrigerate the dough for longer or freeze it, keep in mind that the cookies will spread less. Using a medium cookie scoop (about 1 ½ tablespoons of dough), this recipe will make about 24 - 30 cookies. This always depends on how much cookie dough you snuck before scooping the cookies.

1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set them aside.
2. Step 2: Using a medium cookie scoop, portion the brown sugar cookie dough into equal-sized scoops. I like to portion out the dough first and then bake the cookies in batches.

3. Step 3: Roll each scoop into a ball with clean hands. If the dough feels too sticky to handle, place the scooped dough balls back in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes before rolling.
4. Step 4: To a small bowl add some granulated sugar. Roll each cookie dough in the sugar to coat. Rolling the cookie dough in sugar gives the cookies a lightly crisp exterior that contrasts beautifully with the soft, chewy center. It also adds a subtle sweetness and helps them bake up with that classic, bakery-style sparkle.

5. Step 5: Arrange 6 - 8 of the cookie dough balls on the sheet tray. If you like top each cookie dough with a bit of sugar.
6. Step 6: Bake them at 350F, one tray at a time, for 9 - 10 minutes, or until the cookies are puffy and the edges are just set.

7. Step 7 : Remove the cookies from the oven. If you want them to have a crackle top and have the best chewy brown sugar cookies ever, tap the sheet pan against the counter, they’ll settle into a flatter shape with a pretty crinkled top.
8. Step 8: Use a round cookie cutter slightly larger than the cookies to give them a neat round shape. Allow them to cool on the sheet tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Storage & Freezing

Store fully baked and cooled brown sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 - 4 days. For longer storage, freeze the baked cookies in a sealed container or freezer bag, then thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter for a few hours before enjoying.

You can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough. Portion the dough into balls using a cookie scoop, then arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, about 1–2 hours. Transfer the frozen dough balls to a ziplock bag or airtight container, label with the cookie name and date, and store for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, let the dough balls sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to soften slightly. Then roll them into balls, coat in granulated sugar, and bake as directed. Keep in mind that gluten free brown sugar cookies baked from frozen dough may spread slightly less than fresh ones.

Is Brown Sugar Gluten Free?

Yes! Pure brown sugar is naturally gluten free, made from just sugar and molasses. If you’re baking for someone with celiac disease or a severe gluten intolerance, it’s always safest to check the packaging for potential cross-contamination and choose a brand labeled gluten free.

• Domino Sugar: According to their FAQ, none of their sugars contain gluten. Their powdered sugar does contain cornstarch to prevent caking, but otherwise all products use only cane sugar.
• Crystal Sugar: While their website notes that all products are naturally fat-free, there’s no mention of gluten-free status.
• Pioneer Sugar: All products are labeled gluten free on the packaging. This is the brand I use in my baking.

Note about Salt in my Recipes

I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.

Baking in grams

I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.

Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures

All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.

If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Convection oven can cause baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Since takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.

Substitutions and Modifications

Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.