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!
Omg! These sugar cookies are sooo cute! I wish I had found the recipe before Valentine’s Day. I’m super excited at the idea of giving the recipe a try. I’ve just bookmarked the page.
Thank you so much for sharing the idea with us! You’ve created an amazing blog. You’re an inspiration for us all. Keep up the good work! <3
Aw thank you, Ann! I’m so happy to be inspiring to you in any way. I hope you love the cookie recipe (they make great Shamrock cookies, too!!!).
Happy baking!
~jules
Do you have to use shortening in this recipe or can I just use softened butter
Hi Lisa,
You may use butter, but expect that the dough will have more moisture and may spread more, and therefore be thinner. You may wish to refrigerate the dough for several hours or overnight before rolling out. They will still be yummy, though!
~jules
How does this dough freeze? We love using the cut out sugar cookie mix but I’d love if I could freeze a portion of it for those times I need to bake a couple cookies quick for school!
Hi Dawn, so glad you love this recipe! The dough freezes great, you just have to decide how you want to bake it out. You can do slice and bake which is really easy (form the dough into a log and wrap it tightly) or you could make dough balls and put it into a freezer container, or you could just freeze the dough and know that it will have to thaw before you can work with it. I try to always keep some kind of homemade gluten free cookie dough in the freezer for cookie “emergencies!”
~jules
Thank you so much this cookies was delicious . Very easy.
Wonderful to hear, Miriam! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review! Happy baking!
~jules
This is a favorite cut out cookie recipe. It rolls out so easily. I am loving the spider web design for Halloween, too.
Thanks Amanda! So glad you love it!
~jules
Is there any sugar substitute that i canuse in your baking recipes. I have gluten and diabetes issues.
Hi Mary, I’ve been liking SWERVE or Just Like Sugar as a good sugar sub in my baking. Give one of those a try!
~jules
These are super cute. Thanks for all the gf ideas. You’re a life saver!
Aw, thanks Linda! Enjoy the recipes!!!
~jules
Halloween cookies are just so fun! I love how you decorated yours.
Thanks Erin, I’m definitely no expert decorator, but it’s fun to do!
~jules
I heard you say at an Expo you were speaking at that you can’t hide a bad flour in a sugar cookie. Man were you right. After suffering through trying to make these with the gluten free flours the stores offer (yuck!), I tasted one of yours at that show, and it changed everything! We now only use your gfJules Flour for EVERYTHING that gets baked in our house, and everyone loves everything we bake (and I’m the only one that needs to be gluten free). Thanks Jules, for bringing great sugar cookies back into my life!
Aw, so happy to hear it, Marsha!
~jules
Not a fan.. there wasn’t any flavor in the dough and the suggested baking time was not enough. Cookies tasted doughy. I would at least increase the bake time to 10 minutes …not sure that would help the flavor though..
Hi Charlene, can you tell me what flour you used? And butter or shortening? The flavor comes from the sugar, and using my gfJules Flour, the light and sweet flavor really shines through. It’s very odd that you would need that much extra time to bake – was the dough especially thick when you rolled and cut it out?
~jules
I made this recipe today using the cookie mix. I used shortening and coconut milk. It was very sticky so I put it in the fridge per the instructions on the box. I took it out after about 3 hours. I sprinkled the counter with flour and rolled it out. But when we started cutting out the dough they would stick to the counter. It became a big mess with all the dough stuck to the counter. I saved what I could and wrapped it in wrap again and put it in the fridge. My only guess is that I didnt put enough flour on the counter? I certainly sprinkled but maybe more was required. How do I save my sticky dough? I’m probably down to half of what I started with.
Hi Carolina,
Your inclination is correct that if it’s sticking to counter and you don’t have a silicone mat, you just need to use lots more flour to keep it from sticking on the counter. I do know some people who tape cling wrap to their counter and put flour on that, but I have a hard time with that method, myself. Be sure to use gfJules Flour or a gluten free starch to roll the dough in — rice flour or other similar gluten free flours won’t keep it from sticking as well and will coat the dough with grit. Putting it in the fridge is good, but when you use coconut oil and put it in the fridge, it can make the dough quite hard and difficult to work with, so you’ll need to leave it out at room temperature (covered) for a bit to make it more pliable. I hope those tips help!
~jules
I have a recipe from before I was GF. It was mostly butter and no oil. Do you know if your cookies would work with butter. I just received my first flour order from you and am so excited to start baking!
Hi Carol- yes they work with butter. I would suggest refrigerating the dough for a couple hours before rolling out though, since butter contains more moisture than shortening does. Enjoy!!
~jules
Have you ever tried baking this dough straight from the freezer? I’m thinking of just forming logs of dough to make quick slice and bake sugar cookies….
Hi Jennifer – yes, that works too! I just love using the cookie cutters, but this method works for the sugar cookies or for my gluten free chocolate chip cookies, too!
~jules
Made small heart shape cookies with a slit to sit on coffee cup. These are delicious! Very easy to make. We are not a GF home, but wanted to make allergy friendly cookies for guests at Wedding Shower – I used Coconut Oil and Coconut Milk. I chilled dough over night. I rolled out dough between 2 pieces of Press’n Seal wrap, cut shapes, placed in freezer again. To keep shape (they got soft quickly). Put frozen dough on cookie sheet and baked about 8 minutes.
I love the idea of cutting a slit in them to sit on a coffee cup!
So glad they turned out well for you – thanks for letting me know!
~jules
These are so cute! I haven’t made Halloween or pumpkin cookies in a few years, since my daughters birthday I think. We use to do them when they were younger. These have inspired me to try to fit them in before Halloween. I love making them for Christmas why not spread the love out year round!
I use the cut out cookie mix all the time for my grandson. The cookies get gobbled up quickly. I have always used the Earth balance shortening, but they no longer make it. What do you recommend as an alternative. I have found that Crisco is not labeled as GF. Thoughts?
Hi Loretta – so happy these are a hit! I have transitioned to using Spectrum *(sustainable) Palm Shortening. It’s kept at room temperature and it’s a seamless substitute for the Earth Balance Shortening we both used to love!
~jules
Can butter be used instead of shortening? I always add an extra 2 TBSP of flour when making cookies with butter to keep them from spreading so much (regular, not GF, cookies). Thank you.
Hi Carolyn, yes if using all butter, you will likely need to add more gfJules Flour to the dough to help keep it from spreading. Happy baking!
~jules
Can I substitute applesauce for egg? I understand that the egg replacer would work, but I may not have a chance to get it. Thanks.
Hi Tanya, I haven’t tried that in this recipe. My fear is that the cookies would spread a lot when using straight applesauce. Maybe try another one of my egg substitution recipes from this list with ingredients you have at home and see how that goes.
Good luck!
~jules
While baking, yet again, another batch of ‘gluten’ sugar cookies this past weekend, I realized just how badly I wanted to make some for myself. I was diagnosed with celiac disease nine years ago. There have been MANY trial and errors throughout that time where cooking is involved. After tons of searching, I found your wonderful flour about 5 years ago. It has been a God send. And so have your recipes. So, in longing for a sugar cookie, I immediately looked to see if you had a recipe, and this is the one I used. It was super quick to make up, and after chilling the dough, when I started rolling it out I was amazed. It was perfect. Very easy to work with. I waited with anticipation for the first pan to come out of the oven. Let them cool for a quick bit, then took my first bite. It was heaven. Way better than I even remembered a ‘gluten’ one tasting. And the rest of the gluten eating family, agreed that they were delicious!!! Thank you, Jules! For making cooking, and eating, a joy for those of us with Celiac, once again.
This makes me so very happy to hear! I’m so glad you finally decided to try the cookies and now you know you can have them any time you like! Thanks so much for taking a minute to review the recipe. I truly hope you have many more such experiences each time you try a new recipe. Happy baking (again!).
~jules