Cut-out sugar cookies are one of life’s great pleasures that no one should have to go without. That’s why I created a vegan gluten free cut-out sugar cookie recipe (and an easy Gluten Free and Vegan Cut Out Cookie Mix!) that makes it easy for everyone to celebrate with cookies at the holidays … or anytime!
When I finally succeeded in developing a gluten free cut-out sugar cookie recipe that could also be made free from soy, dairy and eggs (it’s already nut-free), was pliable and easy to roll and cut out, baked up soft and chewy or crunchy and crispy if baked longer AND allowed me to eat the eggless cookie dough with reckless abandon, I knew I was in trouble!
I had not only created a great cookie recipe that nearly everyone could enjoy, I had made it too darn easy for me to eat the cookie dough!
AND, the dough is soft and pliable, making it easy for little hands to make cookies all by themselves!
Just roll the dough up after they cut out their cookies and roll it out again! It actually makes baking gluten free cookies FUN again!
It may go without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway: you can’t hide a bad gluten free flour in a sugar cookie.
Sugar cookies are light and delicate tasting, and they’re supposed to be sweet and buttery in your mouth. Make ’em with a bean flour or brown-rice flour, and they’ll be gritty and nasty and anything but buttery and light.
So don’t. This is YOUR FOOD we’re talking about! You and your family deserve to eat the best!
That’s one reason why I often sample these gluten free cut out sugar cookies at gluten free shows and expos. It’s a great way for people to taste just how different my award-winning gfJules Flour and my gfJules Cut Out Cookie Mix really are!
Clean, light, not gritty and so good you’ll definitely want another!
This is a recipe I know you and your family will enjoy at every festive season or for no reason at all, except to have awesome cookies!
My family makes gluten free cut-out sugar cookies in December, of course, but we also make them for Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, July 4, Halloween, Thanksgiving … Groundhog Day ….
Are you getting inspired yet?
Enjoy this recipe with your family on any occasion!
Perhaps even build a tree with it?
For an even simpler recipe, just use my gfJules Sugar Cut-Out Cookie Mix!
Grab some cookie cutters or gingerbread family cutters while you’re at it! (Or maybe ugly sweater and winter cutters are more your style?)
With a yummy, resilient gluten free dough like this one, there’s no end to the creative possibilities!
*Note: I include many different egg replacement recipes in my cookbook, Free for All Cooking, but I also note that applesauce or Ener-G brand egg replacer works really well in cookies. If your family avoids eggs, this product should be in your cupboard!
I don’t choose it for every type of recipe, but it does work really nicely in cookies. If you can use eggs, obviously, feel free to use the egg called for in this recipe instead.
Also, if you are looking for a refined-sugar-free version of this recipe, try coconut palm sugar, pulsed in a food processor or blender until fine and smooth.
And while we’re talking holiday cookie recipes, you’ll definitely also want to check out: Gluten Free Italian Taralli Cookies; Gluten Free Candy Cane Cookies; and Gluten Free Spritz Cookies!
And don’t forget to check out our annual Gluten Free Cookie Swap for more recipes and prizes!
Gluten Free Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Recipe
Gluten Free Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Recipe
A delicious cut out sugar cookie is something no one should have to go without. Which is why this gluten free cut out sugar cookie is such a treasure! Many people say these taste even better than the wheat flour version!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegetable or palm oil shortening or butter
- 1 cup granulated cane sugar or palm sugar (see note above)
- 1 egg or egg substitute (e.g. Ener-G Egg® Replacer OR 1/4 cup natural applesauce)
- 1/4 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Food coloring (optional)
- 2 1/4 cups (304 grams) gfJules All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Gluten-free sprinkles or colored sugar (optional)
Instructions
Cream shortening and sugar until very fluffy - several minutes at high speed of the mixer.
Add egg (or egg replacer), vanilla extract, milk, and food coloring, beating until integrated. Add the dry ingredients last, mixing until evenly blended.
Form the dough into a ball and wrap tightly with plastic wrap to make the dough less sticky. Refrigerate until cold and no longer sticky, at least 2 hours. (Note: you may roll the dough out immediately without refrigerating, but if you find the dough too sticky, or if using butter, refrigerate for an hour or two.)
Preheat oven to 375ºF (static) or 350ºF (convection).
Lightly flour the rolling surface, rolling pin and cookie cutters with gfJules Flour. Roll the dough to approximately 1/8-inch thickness and cut shapes, re-rolling dough to utilize all the dough.
Place cut-out cookies onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet and decorate with colored sugar or sprinkles, if desired.
Bake approximately 6–8 minutes, but remove before they begin to brown at the edges; make sure to err on the side of cooking less if you want them to remain soft and chewy.
Once completely cooled, frost with icing,* if desired.
Store in tupperware-type containers or freeze to keep for longer.
Notes
To make spider webs, ice cookies with white, then draw circles with black icing. Using a toothpick, pull through the black circles from the center out to create the web design.
Icing options: Easy Cookie Icing or Royal Icing (whip 1 2/3 sifted confectioner's sugar together with 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar and 1 egg white or vegan meringue powder)
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I hope you pin it and save it for all kinds of special cookie-baking occasions!
I typically buy the cut-out cookie mix, but I tried this recipe when the mix was out of stock. It was actually quite simple to make and the cookies turned out great. My 3 year old daughter and I had a fantastic time making and decorating them. I have Celiac disease and she is allergic to eggs and tree nuts. I use EnerG egg replacer in place of the egg. Thank you for this recipe!
I’m so glad you found the recipe easy, as well! The sugar cookie mix will be back in stock this week or next, so now you’ll have options for holiday baking! So happy to hear the Ener-G works for you, too. I always use it when I make this recipe or my mix … so we can eat the dough! 😉
~jules
These cookies look delicious!
Thanks! We sure love them – I look for any excuse to make sugar cookies! 🙂
~jules
Where can we find the flour?
Katjy, my flour and mixes are available at select stores around the country, but most people find it super convenient just to order on-line. We deliver my flour & mixes right to your door! You can also try a sample of my flour for only $5, if you like.
~jules
I’m using an all purpose gluten free flour – do I need to add xantham gum to this recipe?
Thank you
Janet
Hi Janet, this recipe was written for my gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour which already includes the right amount of xanthan gum. If you are trying to use another blend, understand that all gluten-free flour blends are quite different, so the recipe might not turn out exactly as you’d hoped. Either way, if the flour you’re using does not include xanthan gum, you’ll need to add it here. I would suggest adding 1 teaspoon. Happy baking!
~jules
How do I store the cookies that have been iced overnight so I don’t ruin the icing?
Great question, Amy! The best way is to store them in a single layer in tupperware or a similar type of container. If the icing is totally set, you can stack another layer on top if you put wax paper or parchment between them, but you are risking some smudges with the icing that way. Happy baking!
~jules
Is it ok to refrigerate over night ?
Hi Jenn, I assume you mean the dough? Absolutely! Just make sure it’s wrapped tightly so no air gets in to make the dough hard. Enjoy!
~jules
I have now made my second batch of these cookies, and they are fantastic! The only modification I use is to add a tsp. of butter flavoring, in addition to the vanilla. My (future) son-in-law is gluten sensitive, and now he can enjoy my goodies along with the rest of the family. Thank you, Jules!
Oh Yay! Carolyn, that’s wonderful to hear! The butter flavoring sounds delightful, too! My kids finished off our last batch of these cookies tonight, and were lamenting that they were gone, so I guess it’s time for us to make another batch as well! Thanks for spreading the GF holiday cheer to your future son-in-law. You probably have no idea just how much that means to him that you are thinking of him and want to include him in the holiday goodies!
~jules
What is the best egg replacement for this recipe? I usually use flax seed/water, will that work here or should I usue something different? Thanks!
Hi Beth, as I noted in the recipe, in place of 1 egg, you could use Ener-G Egg® Replacer or whisk together: 1 Tbs. milk powder or DariFree Milk Powder + 1 Tbs. cornstarch + 2 Tbs. warm water). Enjoy!!!
Hi, I was wondering if I could substitute either coconut flour or almond flour for the regular flour that was mentioned… I need a recipe not using regular flour.
Hi Bunny, I don’t work with almond or coconut flour exclusively, so it’s hard to say. You could try a blend of the two (it’s always better not to just use one flour to replace wheat flour or in this case, a blend of 5 GF flours + xanthan gum). I know coconut flour can suck up extra moisture, so be aware that you might have to add more milk to get the dough to hold together.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU ,THANK YOU. My Granddaughter was diagnosed with a mild case of Asberger’s and my Daughter controls some of her symptoms with her diet. For 4 years now we have been cooking and baking Gluten,Dairy,Corn Syrup Free to name a few. YOU ARE A GOD SEND. My Granddaughter and I now baking every weekend thanks to you. At 7 Sugar Cookies are a big deal. You have made one Grandmother and Granddaughter very happy, you cannot tell that the cookies are Gluten free…no grittiness, no after taste. JUST WONDERFUL
Thank you for your dedication.
Sue
Oh Sue, you just made my day!
Thank you so much for taking the time to write to me and share your experiences with my flour and recipes. You and your granddaughter are why I do what I do. All the best to you and your girls!!!
I made these with my toddler for Christmas and they were a huge success. success. I froze half the dough in our deep freeze since then. Will it still be good for Easter cookies?
Sarah, if well sealed in your deep freeze, the dough should be fine for Easter cookies. So glad you loved them at Christmas, too!
Help! I followed the directions, but the mixture curdled when I added the almond milk (which was fresh). What did I do wrong?
OK, so I went ahead and added the flour and other dry ingredients and it all turned out smooth. I just didn’t expect the curdling!
Hi Jennifer – I’m not sure what you mean about the curdling. When and what curdled? There shouldn’t be anything in this recipe that would cause that. Did you bake out the dough anyway?
When I added the almond milk to all of the wet ingredients it made them curdle. However, after I added the dry ingredients it returned to a smooth consistency.
Wow, Jennifer – that’s really interesting! I’m glad the dough worked out in the end!
i made these with the kids. i put in the freezer for 2+ hrs but they were still very sticky, so I added a bit more flour. when baked they are very tasty but oh so crumbly and break easily. any suggestions? thanks.
Adding more flour is a good idea, but will make them more crumbly when cooked. I’d suggest taking small amounts of dough out of the refrigerator to work with, leaving the rest in the fridge until you need it. The longer it sits out and warmer it gets, the stickier it gets. Also try baking less time in the oven. Since there are no eggs, there’s no worry of under-cooking them (food safety-wise). The longer they cook, the more crumbly they get. Take them out just before you think they’re done. Glad you loved the taste!!
Thanks Jules ! I’m glad I checked with you before making them.
I posted this question on your other recipe, but thought I would post it here too since this recipe is newer.I live in Canada and I have never seen your flour blend here. Is it possible to make this with Bob’s Red Mill All purpose flour blend ? Thanks.
Hi Nathalie – I wouldn’t try it with Bob’s Red Mill Flour – that blend is substantially different from my blend, as it has bean flours in it and no xanthan gum. I don’t think you’ll like the results of that flour with a recipe written for my blend which is lighter, has no aftertaste, and already includes xanthan gum. The only other suggestion I have for you is to make your own similar blend. I have recipes for such blends in my newest cookbook, Free for All Cooking, if you want to check those out. You should be able to find the ingredients near you to make a blend like this for better results!
Jules, I made Pizzelles using your flour. I was so happy to once again taste these yummy cookies! I used Almond flavoring instead of Anise. Some I left flat & some I quickly rolled in powered sugar. I want to make some Rosettes now. My irons have layed around long enough! I’m hoping they will also come out just as good. I will be making the Cut-Out Cookies, also. Thank You so much for your hard work.
Katie, that’s wonderful! I have been wanting to get an iron for so long now, I need to just DO it! So glad to hear that you’re back in the cookie-making fun!
My son (diagnosed with Celiac over a year ago) is coming up on his third birthday. Along with a gf cake, these will be a great treat. Plus we can have the kids decorate as they wish.
It is always interesting when we have a party to see if anybody can determine that the cake or cookies they are eating are gluten free. Usually nobody knows unless we tell them (thanks to your great flour).
Ah, Neil, that is so great to hear! Fantastic to have fun gluten-free options for our kids, isn’t it? Sounds like it’ll be a great party!
Thanks so much for this recipe! I have multiple food allergies, but my aunt and cousin have even more (wheat, corn, oats, nuts, soy, egg, dairy, cane sugar), and I always try to bake them something they can eat for holidays. I bake traditional Italian cookies every Christmas, and this year I used your roll-out cookie dough recipe (with a few adaptations for our allergies) to make cuccidate, which is kind of like an Italian fig newton. I need to make a few more tweaks so that the dough will be sturdier when it is rolled and formed, but it was much easier to work with than I expected, and tasted good! My aunt said she was in hog heaven and didn’t feel deprived. Thanks for the recipe!
Elizabeth – that’s fantastic! Thanks so much for letting me know about your success! I love to hear when people no longer feel deprived!!!! Please share your tweaked recipe when you make if final – would love to try it!
Jules, I loved my cream cheese sugar cookies, and miss them. Is there a way to add it in here so I get the flavor?
Stevie – why don’t you send your cream cheese cookie recipe to us at [email protected] and we’ll see if there’s a good way to convert it for you!