Make the BEST Gluten Free Sugar Cookies with a treasured family recipe passed down for three generations. These thin, crispy cut-out cookies are easy to make and simple to decorate using a 3-ingredient confectioners’ icing.
Though perfect for Christmas, these cookies are delightful any time of year. Roll and cut the dough into festive shapes for Valentine’s Day, Fourth of July or Halloween, or make simple rounds for an everyday treat.
Table of contents
- Ingredients
- Instructions
- How to make confectioners icing
- Notes on the icing
- Tips and tricks
- More family recipes
There’s nothing that reminds me more of the holidays than these sugar cookies. Baking and decorating these cookies around the kitchen table has become a family ritual and a favorite way to make memories.
In 2010, a family member developed a gluten allergy, so we adapted my mom’s original sugar cookie recipe to be fully gluten free. The result keeps the same sweet, crispy texture and flavor you expect from a classic cut-out sugar cookie—only now they are safe for anyone avoiding gluten.
Ingredients
- Gluten free flour – Use a 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour that contains xanthan gum. If the blend you use does not include xanthan gum, add 1/2 teaspoon to the recipe. A rice/tapioca/sorghum-based 1-to-1 blend works well.
- Baking powder – for lightness
- Salt – to balance sweetness
- Unsalted butter – room temperature for easy creaming
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Milk – a few tablespoons to bring the dough together
- Vanilla extract – for flavor
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream the room temperature butter and granulated sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, milk and vanilla extract and mix until evenly combined.
- Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until the dough comes together. Form the dough into a ball, wrap or cover, and chill in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
- Lightly dust a sheet of parchment paper with gluten free flour. Place one quarter of the dough on the parchment and dust the top with flour. Cover with another sheet of parchment and roll the dough to about 1/8 inch thickness. These cookies are intended to be thin and crispy, so roll thin.
- Use cookie cutters to cut shapes, then transfer the cut cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet or baking stone. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Bake for 5–8 minutes, depending on your bake surface. On a regular baking sheet they can finish near 5 minutes; on a baking stone they may take closer to 8 minutes. Watch closely—when the edges just start to brown, they are done.
- Remove cookies from the baking sheet immediately to prevent over-baking and place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, either dust with granulated sugar or ice and decorate as desired.
How to make confectioners icing
- Add 4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar) to a large mixing bowl.
- Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1/4 cup milk.
- Mix with a rubber spatula until smooth and creamy. Adjust texture: add 1 teaspoon milk at a time if too thick, or 1/4 cup powdered sugar at a time if too thin.
- To color the icing, divide it into bowls and stir in a few drops of food coloring. For brown icing, add a little cocoa powder.
Notes on the icing
- Too thick? Add milk one teaspoon at a time until it spreads easily.
- Too runny? Add sifted powdered sugar in 1/4 cup increments until it holds its shape.
- Sifting: Measure confectioners’ sugar after sifting for the most accurate texture and consistency.
Tips and tricks
- Make ahead: Dough can be made and refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days in advance. If refrigerated longer than an hour, let the dough sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before rolling so it’s easier to handle.
- Dough thickness: These cookies should be rolled to 1/8 inch to achieve the intended thin, crispy result.
- Baking times: Because the cookies are thin, they bake quickly. Watch them during the final minutes and remove when edges begin to brown.
- Cutting delicate shapes: Keep a butter knife and toothpicks handy to lift shapes gently from parchment and to clear small details like reindeer antlers.
- Flouring surfaces: Use plenty of gluten free flour to dust the work surface and dough. If you run low, cornstarch can be used as an alternative dusting agent.
More family recipes
From our family kitchen—other beloved recipes to try:
- Dad’s Famous Red Sangria
- Mom’s Cherry Pie
- Dad’s Captain Crunch Fried Chicken
- Meme’s Cherry Coke Jello Salad
- Dad’s BBQ Baked Beans
- Mom’s Famous Strawberry Pie
- Family friend Barb’s Peanut Brittle (also gluten free)
Gluten Free Sugar Cookies
Thin, crispy gluten free cut-out sugar cookies that are simple to make and easy to decorate with a basic confectioners’ icing.
Servings: 72 cookies
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 8 minutes
Author: Whitney Bond
Ingredients
Gluten Free Sugar Cookies
- 3 cups gluten free flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Confectioners Icing
- 4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk
- Food coloring (optional)
Instructions
Gluten Free Sugar Cookies
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar for 2 minutes, then add egg, milk and vanilla and mix to combine.
- Mix in the flour mixture until dough forms. Chill the dough for 15 minutes.
- Roll dough between parchment to 1/8 inch, cut shapes, and transfer to parchment-lined sheets.
- Bake 5–8 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.
- Dust with sugar or ice and decorate.
Confectioners Icing
- Place sifted powdered sugar in a bowl, add vanilla and milk, and mix until smooth.
- Adjust consistency with milk or powdered sugar as needed. Divide and color if desired.
Notes
Gluten free flour: Choose a 1-to-1 gluten free baking blend that contains xanthan gum. If yours does not include it, add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum to the dry ingredients.
Storage: Dough will keep up to 3 days refrigerated. Allow dough to warm slightly before rolling if chilled longer than an hour.
Nutrition Facts (per cookie)
Calories: 78 kcal | Carbohydrates: 13 g | Protein: 1 g | Fat: 3 g | Sugar: 10 g