I love decorating sugar cookies with my kids for the holidays. That’s why I’m excited to say that this gluten-free sugar cookie recipe works like a charm every time. It tastes great, doesn’t spread (if you follow the chill instructions carefully – and see my notes on spreading), and brings holiday joy to all. Please note this post was sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill and contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosures for details.
I keep getting requests for a gluten-free sugar cookie recipe, so I decided this year would be the year I would create one… actually, this is the year I would perfect a gluten-free sugar cookie recipe.
Yes indeed, these cookies are perfect in taste and texture and they’re totally gluten free.
Of course there are a ton of gluten-free sugar cookie recipes available on the Internet, and I’ve tried a lot of them.
Honestly, none of them wowed me. Some were too crunchy and grainy. Some recipes even failed miserably because the cookies spread and didn’t keep their shape as promised.
Having no luck on the Internet, I tried to create a recipe of my own using a variety of gluten-free flours. Some turned out okay … but in all honesty, the ones that turned out the BEST were made with my trusty Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend. This 1:1 gluten-free flour blend works like a charm each and every time I use it.
How to Make Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
You might chuckle at how easy it is to make this recipe.
To make the dough, you cream together butter and sugar for 30 seconds in your standing mixer. Then you add your egg and vanilla until well combined, and then add the 1:1 gluten-free flour. See the recipe card below for full measurements and detailed instructions.
You’ll want to mix the dough until all the flour is just incorporated, but do not overmix. Then wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight. Do not skip this step!
Refrigeration is key to ensuring these cookies hold their shape. Please see notes below for other tips to prevent the cookies from spreading and ensuring they keep their shape.
Tip! Most sugar cookies call for baking powder or baking soda. These ingredients leaven cookies and would interfere with them holding their cut-out shapes. Skip the baking powder and baking soda – you won’t miss it, trust me!
When you’re ready to make the cookies, roll out the dough to about a one half inch thickness and cut the cookies into the desired shapes.
Next, place your baking sheet (with cut out cookies on it) back in the fridge for another hour or even overnight. The cold air will help the cookies keep their beautiful shape so they look at good as they taste. The longer your refrigerate them before baking, the better! (See Notes below to prevent cookies from spreading and losing their shape.)
Tip! You’ll want to use a well-floured surface to roll out the cookies, however, when you do that, it adds more flour to the mixture and dries out the cookies. Instead of using flour, I use powdered sugar to “flour” my surface. Works like a charm!
Once the gluten-free sugar cookies are chilled, place them in a 350º F preheated oven and bake for 13-15 minutes. I suggest cooking them until the bottoms just begin to brown. It’s better to undercook them than overcook them, especially if you’re looking for a chewy, soft-baked texture.
Once the cookies are fully cooled, it’s time to decorate them – the fun part!
To make royal icing, mix egg whites in a standing mixer over medium speed for one minute, then add butter, vanilla and powdered sugar until all ingredients are well incorporated.
Tip! If icing is too stiff, add a little bit of milk; if mixture is too runny, add more powdered sugar.
You’ll then want to portion the icing so you can dye it with different colors. Put a little icing in a variety of bowls and then add desired amount of food coloring to each.
I prefer to use food dye from India Tree because the dyes are vegetable colorants vs. artificial dyes. Keep in mind, though, that when you use natural food dyes, the colors aren’t always as pronounced.
While I use royal icing to “frost” these cookies because it provides a beautiful, glossy sheen to the cookies, you could also make traditional buttercream frosting, which is fluffier and works well too.
How Do They Taste?
These gluten-free sugar cookies are surprisingly soft yet still have a slight crunch to them too. (If you slightly undercook them they will be super soft and doughy – so good!!) They’re sweet, tender and perfect for decorating!
Once you add the royal icing, these gluten-free sugar cookies taste even better. I’m not kidding! Let the icing sit atop the cookies for a few hours (or a day) before serving them because the taste of the cookies intensifies.
It’s because moisture from the icing seeps into the cookies, making them a little sweeter and softer. My mouth is watering thinking about eating these delicious, iced beauties!
I had a lot of fun making these cookies and it was so easy to do with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend. I know I crush on this flour all the time, but I do it with good reason. Bob’s has yet to let me down.
Tips to Avoid Cookies from Spreading
I have tested this recipe dozens of times and the cookies work just fine each time. However, some people have noted that the cookies spread. It always bothers me to hear this, especially since this recipe has been so well tested and loved by my family.
When the cookies spread, it means you took a shortcut or did something different than instructed. If such issues persist, consider if you followed these strategies to a T.
Chilling the Dough is Your Friend. Do not skip chilling the dough both after making it and again after cutting the cookies into their shapes. Chilled dough will be much less likely to spread. Your best chance of getting a cookie that doesn’t spread is to chill the cut-out cookies for a few hours or overnight.
Do Not Use Cooking Spray. Make sure you put the cookies on parchment paper or a silicone mat. The cookies need to “stick” to the parchment paper or silicone mat whereas cooking spray is greasy and may cause them to slip and spread out.
Do not Melt Butter. The butter should be soft but still solid at room temperature. If you use melted butter or hot butter, your cookies will spread. If you need to quickly bring your butter to room temperature, cut it into cubes and let it sit on your counter for 30 minutes. You can also grate the butter with a cheese grater and it will come to room temperature faster. Avoid using your microwave.
Add More Flour (if needed). If your cookies are spreading, it’s possible you have too much fat to flour ratio. Add 2 tablespoons more flour to your batter. To get the best chance at a no-spread cookie, weigh your flour. This recipe has only been tested with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend. If you use another brand of 1:1 gluten-free flour, it’s possible your flour-to-fat ratio needs a little tweaking.
Do Not Overmix Dough. Mix the dough only enough until all the ingredients are incorporated. When you cream the butter and sugar together, only do it until the ingredients are well combined, about 30 seconds, no more. Whipping the cookies too long will add more air into the dough and cause it to collapse when baking. Remember, there is no gluten to develop here either, so no need to overmix.
Use a Large Egg. Make sure you use a large egg. It makes a difference.
Bake One Cookie Sheet at a Time. Bake the cookies in batches, keeping the cookie dough in the fridge to continue to cool until you’re ready to bake them.
Make Sure Your Oven is Preheated. Cookies will be less likely to spread if you bake them in a hot oven. Make sure your oven is fully preheated before baking.
Looking for a Grain-Free Sugar Cookie Option? My friend at Abra’s Kitchen will show you how to make almond flour sugar cookies that are made with paleo-friendly ingredients.
More Recipes
If you love baking, try these holiday cookies on for size.
Chewy Gluten-Free Molasses Cookies: These tasty cookies are filled with deep molasses notes and hints of holiday spice.
Gluten-Free Maple White Chocolate Chip Cookies: These beautiful cookies work well for all white chocolate lovers. Yum!
Gluten-Free Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies: These chunky cookies are full of chocolate-y goodness and turn out great every time!
Simple Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies: Looking for an easy drop cookie? These are your soft and sweet sugar cookie treats, made with a delicious buttercream frosting.
More Recipes! Also, be sure to visit my post, 15+ Classic Recipes Made with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour. Yes, I’m obsessed!
Easy Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
Cookies
- 12.5 ounces Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend about 2 1/4 cups of flour
- 1 cup salted butter at room temperature (2 sticks)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- Powdered sugar (for flouring surface)
Royal Icing
- 2 large egg whites
- 2 Tbsp butter melted
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tsp milk if needed
- Food coloring as needed
Instructions
Cookies
- To make the dough, cream together butter and sugar for 30 seconds (just enough until the butter and sugar are incorporated). Add egg and vanilla and mix until well combined. Add the flour and mix until all flour is incorporated, about 30 seconds. Do not overmix. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat and lightly "flour" a clean surface with a dusting of powdered sugar.
- Roll dough until about 1/2 inch thick, then use your cookie cutters to cut desired shapes. Place cookies on cookie sheet. Once all cookies are cut out, place cookie sheet in the fridge for at least 1 hour to cool. This is an essential step to prevent the cookies from spreading when baking. (See Notes for additional tips to avoid spreading.)
- Preheat oven to 350º F and bake cookies for 13-15 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies are slightly brown. Remove cookies from oven and cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack. Allow cookies to fully cool before icing.
Royal Icing
- Mix egg whites in a standing mixer over medium speed for 1 min. Add butter, vanilla and powdered sugar until all ingredients are well incorporated. If frosting is too stiff, add a little bit of milk; if mixture is too runny, add more powdered sugar.
- Add dye (as desired) to frosting and decorate cookies. If decorating with multiple colors, divide icing into separate bowls before adding food dye(s). Enjoy!
Meant to thank you last year but never did. About to mix up a batch to go in the fridge for my now 6-year-old grandson to cut out, bake and decorate. Have photos but not sure how to post them here
Yes!
Thanks for sharing! Do they freeze well?
This looks so good! What a great way to make sure everyone can enjoy the Christmas treats!
Another delicious cookie recipe! Thank you Jenny!
I mixed up a batch of dough. It was very soft so I placed it in the refrigerator for several hours overnight, It was very hard so I let it sit on parchment paper for 15 minutes or so, then i rolled it out. To prevent dough sticking to the rolling pin, I tried powdered sugar and then flour (I prefer flour but sugar works great, too) Be careful when cutting out the cookies as the dough can be fragile. After baking and cooling and frosting, the cookies are delicious and I am happy!
Yes, wheat flour for those who are not celiac is MUCH easier to bake with, but the 1 to 1 flour makes a delicious cookie that does not taste GF. I will be using this recipe often.
Not sure I can help with the milk question. You can feel your dough to help it along as you need. When I roll it out I use parchment paper or powdered sugar to avoid adding more flour to the cookies. Good luck!
Thanks – would adding a bit of milk be a bad idea?
Just leave it out on the counter for 30 min. It’ll become more pliable as you work with it.
Hi! I just took my dough out of the fridge after sitting overnight – it is so hard!!! No way I’ll be able to roll it out. Any quick tips to save it??
Omg my kids were so excited to make cookies even though they can’t have Grams cookies anymore. I missed the step to cool after cutting and they spread a bit but the kids like that they are just bigger!
I made these twice, thinking the first time I made some mistake. Followed the directions exactly and same second time—spread out all over. Still tastes pretty good but no use for the purpose I made them for—to give to my granddaughter who needs gluten free products.
Thank you for this recipe! I made 3 batches and learned as I went… The more powdered sugar you kneed into the dough, the less it spreads. The dough softens as it warms up but stayed together just fine as I added more powdered sugar. I’m very happy with how this turned out once I figured out how much extra powdered sugar it needed. Also, super important to use parchment paper and let them sit for at least 5 minutes before moving them to the cooling rack. Thanks again!
I’m so sorry Lindsey. It’s hard for me to know what happened. We make them all the time with no issues. I’m sorry again.
I tried these today and they did not work! I put the dough in the freezer for an hour and then we cut the shapes..the dough got sticky fast. I put them in the fridge for an hour before baking and they just spread into thin blobs. We tried twice and they didn’t work. All went in the trash. Everyone was so disappointed. I followed everything to a tee..not sure what happened.
I’m sorry it didn’t work. It’s key to cut the dough into shapes and then refrigerate the dough again before baking. We make them all the time but it definitely takes patience. I have another sugar cookie recipe that is easier but isn’t for cutting shapes. You can still have fun decorating them too. https://www.goodforyouglutenfree.com/gluten-free-frosted-sugar-cookies/
Missed the step where you had to cool again after the cut out shapes. Also trying to get them into shapes was a disaster bc the dough warms so quickly. I cooled the dough overnight and it warmed within 5 minutes. This recipe was not easy for me at all 🙁
Yes for sure
I don’t have a stand mixer, can I used a hand held mixer?
They spread when not chilled throughout.
I followed the recipe but they spread like crazy. What could I have done wrong?
I used Cup4cup all-purpose end 12.5 ounces turned out to be about 2 cups. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly and these turned out amazing!
They came out delicious, thank you!
It’s so hard to say. You definitely want that dough cool. I notice the more I work the dough, as is the case with reused already rolled out dough, the more likely it would spread.
Hi Jenny – I’m having an issue with my cookies spreading. I followed the instructions, cooling before and after. Any suggestions on what might be causing them to still spread?
Oh no! The dough must be fully cooled after mixing and again cooled before baking.
Idk what I did wrong they spread completely. I followed the directions to the t. 😪
Hi! Where do you find Christmas sprinkles to use on sugar cookies if you have Celiac? All the ones I’m finding have the disclaimer that they’re processed where wheat is processed. Since I’m new to GF, I’m not sure what to use. I can’t wait to make these cookies! Thanks!
Each stick weighs 1/4 pound/4 ounces/110g. One stick contains 8 tablespoons
Hello.
How much is 2 sticks of butter in weight? We don’t use sticks in Denmark.
Hope you Can help me.
Thank you
Yes, I think it will work just fine although I haven’t tried it personally. Just follow refrigeration instructions in the recipe.
Can you use non dairy butter?
Yay. Yes I think you can freeze it just fine. I haven’t done that bc we eat them up so fast! Good to know the earth balance works too.
I must admit, I was afraid of how these would turn out on my first attempt and having to swap out real butter for Earth Balance. But these cookies did not disappoint in taste or texture! My son and I loved them. Since there was a lot of batter for just the two of us, I wonder if the dough can be frozen?
Wow thanks Kathy. So happy it worked for you!!
Hey Jenny, I made the cookies with coconut sugar and they were great! I have a marble rolling pin and granite counter top, so it stayed cold enough. I didn’t have to use anything to roll them out. I only refrigerated the dough overnight not after rolling them out and they kept their shape while baking. Thank you for a fabulous recipe. My husband said they reminded him of a shortbread cookie.
All great questions. I haven’t tested with coconut sugar so I don’t know. You could use flour to roll out.
Could you use coconut sugar? We don’t use white sugar any longer. Could I roll out on something different than powder sugar?
I used salted butter. If you use unsalted butter, just add a pinch of salt to the recipe. Good luck!
Does the recipe for the gluten-free sugar cookies call for salted butter? Just want to confirm before I begin making them.
I’m not sure if Splenda will work bc I haven’t tried. Another option is ZenSweets monk fruit sweetener bc it measures cup for cup with real sugar. I haven’t tried it though but it’s worked in other recipes. Good luck!
Is it OK to make with Splenda? GF and diabetic, here.
LOVE your posts and recipes.