Gluten Free Sugar Cookies (Perfect for Cut-Outs)

Gluten Free Sugar Cookies - so simple to make but so delicious. Follow this recipe for the perfect gluten free cut out sugar cookies which hold their shape and are perfect for any occasion like Christmas and Valentines Day. This gluten-free cookie dough is easy to make and does not require any chill time. If you ask me, this is the only gluten-free sugar cookie recipe you will ever need.

Recipe Ingredients Notes

Gluten Free Flour: I have tested this recipe for Gluten Free Sugar Cookies with my Cup4Cup Copycat Recipe, King Arthur Measure for Measure, Bob's Red Mill 1-1, and my own gluten free flour blend. In comparison, all 4 blends worked without any issues in this recipe. The texture of the cookies with Bob's Red Mill is more chewy than the light and flaky texture of the ones made with King Arthur Measure for Measure or my Cup4Cup Copy Recipe.

If you have Cup4Cup (The Original Blend WITH Dairy), you can also use that blend to make this gluten-free cut-out cookie recipe. All gluten-free flour blends used to test this recipe contain xanthan gum. Single flours like coconut flour or almond flour will not work in this recipe.

Cornstarch: Cornstarch makes gluten-free baked goods lighter and moister. If you are allergic to cornstarch, please substitute the 20g of cornstarch with an equal amount of gluten-free flour.

Butter: We are using cold, unsalted butter for this recipe. Straight from the fridge. Cold butter does not get fully incorporated into the cookie dough. Instead, it gets broken up into tiny pieces throughout the dough. This creates light and flaky layers (similar to pie crust). Dairy-Free Butter can be used.

Egg: To keep things simple, we are using one cold egg in this recipe. No need to bring them to room temperature ahead of time.

Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Bean Paste: I love using Vanilla Bean Paste in this gluten-free sugar cookie recipe. Vanilla paste is a blend of concentrated vanilla extract and vanilla bean powder with the consistency of liquid glue. It is more intense than vanilla extract plus you will actually have vanilla bean specs in your final product. You can also use Vanilla Extract in this recipe.

Equipment Needed to make Gluten Free Cut out Cookies

Cookie Cutters: Please be aware that baking time varies depending on the size of the cookie cutters you are using. So please adjust baking times accordingly. I use a 2.5" for my gluten-free frosted sugar cookies and a variety of Christmas cookie cutters to make gluten-free christmas cookies. Feel free to use your favorite cookie cutter for this recipe.

Rolling Pin: you will need a rolling pin to roll out the gluten-free sugar cookie dough. BUT, you can always use a clean bottle (like a wine bottle) in a pinch

Offset Spatula: I love using Mini Offsets to move unbaked sugar cookie dough from the counter to the baking sheet.

How to make Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Dough

Please make sure to use cold butter and a cold egg in this recipe for gluten-free cut-out cookies. Cold ingredients ensure the dough will not spread. The technique used here is similar to the technique used to make my Gluten Free Levain Style Cookie recipes.

1. In a small bowl combine the gluten free multi purpose flour, cornstarch, and kosher salt. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the granulated white sugar and cold butter. With the mixer running on low,  mix until the hunks of butter are coated with sugar. Under no circumstances cream the butter and the sugar. Incorporating air into those two ingredients will cause the dough to spread.

3. Add the cold egg and a generous teaspoon vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. At a low speed, mix just enough until the ingredients are combined. The mixture may look curdled since clearly there are no dry ingredients added yet to absorb the liquid.
4. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle attachment.

5. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and with the mixer running on low, mix everything together. This may take up to a minute but the dough will slowly come together. While you may consider increasing the speed, I recommend mixing the dough at a low-medium speed to avoid incorporating air into the dough.
6. Once the dough turns into a smooth sugar cookie dough, transfer it to a clean kitchen counter and quickly knead it together into a smooth dough.
7. At this point, you can either roll out the dough right away and bake it or shape it into two flat disks, wrap it in plastic, and place it into a ziplock bag. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

How to bake Sugar Cookies

The beauty of this recipe for gluten free sugar cookies is that one does not need to chill or freeze the dough before baking. I prefer to roll and cut out all the cookies, arrange them on sheet trays and place them in the fridge until I have all the dough rolled out. This way I can focus on the cookies baking and don't need to constantly step away.

1. Preheat the oven to 325F and arrange the racks the oven in the middle. This way the cookies will bake evenly. Line two baking trays with sheets of parchment paper. The amount of sheet trays needed depends on the size of your cookie cutters. Don't overcrowd the sheet tray, make sure to leave enough room between the cookies for an even airflow.
2. Divide the dough into half and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the gluten free sugar cookie dough out to about ¼” thick (6 mm). The dough should not stick to the rolling pin unless your kitchen is very hot. Which will clearly for the dough to be soft and sticky.
3. Use a cookie cutter to cut the dough into desired shapes. Make sure to cut the cookies are close as possible to get a better yield each time you roll out the dough. You can re-roll the scrapes 2 times but I wouldn't go more than that. Otherwise, the cookies will start to shrink while being baked (they will still be delicious)

4. Using a small offset knife, transfer the cut-out cookies to the prepared baking sheets.
5. Bake the gluten-free cut-out cookies one tray at a time at 325F for 10-14 minutes depending on the size of the cookie cutters used. The cookies will be light in color and should appear matte and dry. The edges should NOT be brown.
6. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the sheet tray for a few minutes before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.

Sugar Cookie Frosting Ideas

This gluten free sugar cookie recipe works wonderfully with all sorts of icings. You can use a simple American buttercream, a royal icing or if you are in a pinch, even store-bought products work well. Make sure they are gluten-free. I have a super simple icing recipe with my Gluten Free Animal Cracker Recipe: Easy Cookie Icing.

Personally, I enjoy Sugar Cookies plain as is or with a generous amount of American Buttercream Frosting and some sprinkles. Since I rarely ever keep the food colorings on hand, I use freeze-dried fruit such as raspberries or strawberries to color and flavor my frostings.

Storage & Freezing

Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Dough: I only refrigerate the gluten-free cookie dough for up to 3 days. I experienced that after longer storage the dough becomes crumbly and dry. And unpleasant to work with. Make sure to tightly wrap it in plastic wrap to limit drying out.

Baked, frosted/unfrosted Cookies: Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Depending on the frosting you chose, make sure to place pieces of parchment paper between the layers of cookies in your container. This way they don't stick together.

Freeze Baked Cookies: Transfer the sugar cookies to an airtight container and freeze up to 4 weeks. When ready to eat or decorate them, allow them to thaw at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.

Unbaked Cookie Dough: Arrange the unbaked gluten-free cut-out cookies on a parchment lined sheet tray and place in the freezer until fully frozen. Once frozen layer them in an airtight container with parchment paper between them. Freeze up to 2 months.

Why do gluten free cut out cookies spread?

We all know gluten-free baking can be tricky. There are a few reasons why sugar cookies spread while baking. Some of the most commons issues are:

Using room temperature ingredients. This recipe specifically calls for cold butter and a cold egg. Cold butter does not get fully incorporated into the cookie dough. Instead, it gets broken up into tiny pieces throughout the dough. This creates light and flaky layers (similar to pie crust) and makes the best gluten-free sugar cookies.

Measuring Issues. Make sure to weigh your ingredients with a digital kitchen scale and not with a measuring cup. If you use the number of ingredients stated in the recipe card and follow my instructions your gluten-free sugar cookies will look as pretty as mine.

Not using parchment paper. There are several sources who claim that using a silicone mat is the secret to no spread cut-out cookies. I beg to differ. Parchment paper works perfectly fine here since it absorbs any butter or moister the cookie dough evaporates while baking.

FAQ about Gluten Free Sugar Cookies