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 haven’t yet tried your flour but would really like to and I’m wondering if this recipe would work with stamped cookies. I live near the Nordicware factory and those stamps are so enticing! So far, the few gluten free recipes I’ve seen for stamped cookies (including Nordicware’s) have no baking powder or baking soda and use a different GF 1:1 mix. I don’t know much about baking to start with am new to my celiac baking, so I’m not clear why those ingredients might be omitted. Thanks!
Hi Teresa, my flour works in nearly any recipe as a 1:1! Here’s a great gluten free recipe for stamped cookies like you’re looking for. The reason you don’t want the baking powder and baking soda is that you lose the definition in the stamped dough when they rise from the rising agents! 😉
~jules
Thank you! I just noticed you talked about this in your recent podcast so I’ll revisit that as well. I got your flour and sugar cookie mix at a local gluten-free market so I’m ready to try some recipes!
So glad you’re listening to our podcast, Teresa! And how handy that your local market carries my products! Enjoy baking cookies this holiday!!!
~jules
Are these cut out sugar cookies made with vegetable oil, or vegetable oil shortening? Thank you Susie
Hi Susie, with vegetable shortening like this one or with butter or vegan butter.
~jules
GFJules flour makes rolling out sugar cookies an absolute dream! So easy to work with and they taste perfect. I choose refrigerate at least overnight in two separate dough balls, double wrapped in Saran Wrap. They bake for only 7 minutes in my oven, so it’s fairly quick to get all the cutouts baked up. The kids decorate these with store bought frosting tubs and the Halloween sprinkles that come with them. I save the effort for homemade frosting for Christmas cutouts (my mouth is already watering!).
These are SO cute! And I love that the kids got involved with decorating! So glad you find that the dough is truly easy to work with when made with my gfJules Flour. Thanks for sharing your photo!!
Happy cookie baking!
~jules
I’m curious about palm shortening. I thought that was bad for you like vegetable oil. Just wondering your thoughts. Love your videos! I’ve learned so much and ordered my first batches of your flour!
Hi Julie, so happy you’re enjoying my videos and that they’ve been helpful to you! I can’t wait for you to experience my gfJules Flour! I know you’re going to love baking with it!
As for your question about palm oil, as with any fat, it’s no health food, and some are worse/better than others. Palm oil actually has less saturated fat than butter and fortunately it contains no trans fats. I also found this information for you from an article siting Harvard nutrition experts: “palm oil is clearly better than high–trans fat shortenings and probably a better choice than butter. But vegetable oils that are naturally liquid at room temperature, such as olive oil and canola oil, should still be your first choice.” When it comes to recipes like this one for sugar cookies where a solid fat (like butter or shortening) works better for creaming with the sugar, I like the palm oil shortening, but you have options. I hope that helps!
~jules
I have always enjoyed your recipes. My grandson has recently been put on gluten free diet and we are wanting to make cookies together.
Would like to continue with your recipes especially the sugar cookies.
This is a wonderful recipe to make together, Kathleen, I know you all will enjoy the process and the gluten free cut out sugar cookies!! Wishing you a wonderful memory making experience together!
~jules
We loved making these cookies! We made them using the egg replacer and they were wonderful!
Easy to roll out and even easier to eat 🤗.
We used your flour but used Bob’s Red Mill for rolling because your flour is so precious and we reserve it for baking only! 😊
oooooooh the preciousness!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And get them started baking early! I have such sweet memories of my kids in the kitchen with the rolling pins, cookie cutters and sprinkles! These are priceless!!!
~jules
Oh my goodness, I don’t think I have would have the patience (or the steady hand!) to decorate all those tiny candles!! WOW!!!! And I’m so glad to hear that you had success with my gfJules Flour and the egg replacer in this cut-out sugar cookie recipe — that’s the way I make them too — you know, in case we need to nibble any dough along the way! 😉
~jules
I am 12 and this is my first time trying to make anything homemade with your flour. My mother found this flour and we decided to try it out. This flour is an amazing miracle that came to us in the time we needed it. You have made me and my family soo happy. Thank you! Because of my Celiac disease I have not had a decent cookie in years, so I was a little scared to try this recipe. I came in with little hope but came out with 20 amazing cookies that didn’t seem real they were so good. The cookies came out the best me and my gluten eating sibling had ever had. Thank so much for giving me hope that good gluten free food exists. Discovering your flour is the best thing I could have wished for! Thank you so Much!
Hi Cosette, I am thrilled to hear from you, and to know that you gave my gfJules Flour and this recipe a try! So proud of you for baking and for not giving up!!!! We celiac disease folks have to be resilient and keep on trying, you know? It is my hope that with my flour, you will have the power to make anything you want from now on and maybe even be an accomplished baker one day! Maybe even a famous chef! Who knows? You can do and be anything you want to be — never let celiac stop you! Happy baking!!!!
~jules
how long can I keep the cookies in a Tupperware at room temperature?, I’m planning to do it for Easter,
Thank you
They will last for several days in a tupperware at room temp, especially if you roll them a little thicker/bake them a little less so they’re softer. Icing them the day you serve them will also make a prettier presentation. 🙂 Happy Easter, Graciela!
~jules
Hi Jules, can the cut-out sugar cookie recipe be made into a giant cookie like the giant chocolate chip cookie? Thanks so much!
HI Gail, YES! And it’s delish!!! Check out the recipe here with my Giant gluten free Fruit Pizza Recipe … Enjoy!
~jules