A great gluten free cut out sugar cookie recipe is a must in our family. We find any excuse to make gluten free cut out sugar cookies to celebrate Valentine’s Day, Christmas and Halloween, of course, but then there’s Ground Hog Day, Arbor Day, St. Patty’s Day, Election Day, Wednesday, birthdays, a sunny day, a cloudy day, rainbows … you get the idea.
The key to any good cut out sugar cookie dough is that it must be easy to roll and cut, resilient, elastic, never crumbly and of course, oh so yummy.
I’ve led gluten free cooking classes with elementary schoolers and pre-teens using this recipe, and they have all had such fun with this dough! It really is a wonderful recipe, rolled thin for crispy cookies, or thicker to make a softer, cakier cookie.
My gluten eating son has recently been on a kick that he wants me to make gluten free sugar cookies “just like the ones in the grocery store!” Eww. Uh, yeah, ok Mr. teenager. Your tastes are weird, and the unpronounceable ingredient label on those store-bought cookies is a mile long, but sure. I’ll make some cookies for you like those store-bought ones.
Not being able to taste those store-bought cookies for myself, I had to rely on him to confirm that when I only roll this dough to about 1/4+ inch thick, these indeed do taste like the ones he’s been craving (not sure if that’s a compliment in this case!), and I must admit, I actually really, really like them that way.
Soft, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth yummy. And at least they have a clean label.
If you need a vegan egg-free dough option, hop over to my GF Vegan Cut Out Cookie Recipe, or for an even easier, delicious cut out cookie dough, try my gfJules Sugar Cut Out Cookie Mix! Roll them thicker to be more akin to this store-bought cookie, and use my easy homemade cookie icing recipe for that perfect crackle-topped icing we all grew up with!
Gluten Free Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil of choice
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cup (236 grams) gfJules™All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3 Tbs. water (as needed)
- food coloring (optional)
- colored sugar or frosting (optional – see below)
Instructions
Cream shortening, sugar and oil several minutes with an electric mixer, until very fluffy.
Add egg yolks, vanilla extract and food coloring, if using. Mix in the dry ingredients, adding in tablespoons of water only as needed to keep the dough together and avoid dryness (err on the side of this dough being wetter).
Pat the dough into a disc shape to roll or to cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate or roll out immediately.
Preheat oven to 350º F (static) or 325º F (convection).
Lightly flour a clean surface or pastry mat with gfJules™ All Purpose Flour. Roll the dough to a little more than 1/4-inch thickness and dust cookie cutters with gfJules flour before using to cut out shapes. You may also roll thin coils of dough of different colors and braid into candy cane or other fun shapes.
Place cut cookies onto parchment-lined cookie sheets and decorate with colored sugar, if desired.
Bake approximately 8-10 minutes, but remove before they begin to brown at the edges. Cool on a wire rack and frost with gluten-free frosting, if desired.
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Based on 17 Review(s)
Was wondering if I can make this recipe but replace it with the same measurement of your Nada Flour? Thanks for all you do to give my family options!
Hi Brandi, I’m so happy to do it! And yes, Nada Flour will work for cut out sugar cookies. You can actually see it in my Gluten Free Fruit Pizza Recipe — I’ve given the measurements. Have fun and be sure to post pics in the comments or as a review for Nada Flour, I’d love to see your cookies!
~jules
This is what it looks like….
What does this mean…(err on the side of this dough being wetter).
Do we want it wetter then normal or just enough to keep it together and not dry?
Yes, just make sure it’s not crumbly when you make the dough. If it holds together well and doesn’t crumble (forms a ball like yours) then it should be good to go! You don’t want it to be sticky or wet.
~jules
Thank you! They came out perfect!
So glad to hear it!!! Happy holidays!
~jules
There’s no need for baking powder? Just checking. Thanks.
Never hurts to check, but no, there’s no baking powder in this recipe. Makes for the perfect cookie texture!
~jules
Could you email me a sugar cookie recipe – either for a drop or rolled cookie? I don’t need a recipe for cut-out cookies. I use your gf Jules flour. Thank you!
Hi Sandy, you can use any of the sugar cookie recipes on my site or my gfJules Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Mix and roll the dough into balls in sugar and bake rather than rolling out and cutting with shaped cutters instead. This recipe for Sugar Cookie “Nests” is also another great option you should try!
~jules
I noticed that the sugar cookie recipe has changed. Just curious why the change?
Hi Barb, I have TWO gluten free cut out sugar cookie recipes — maybe you’re used to using the other one? Here’s the link for my other gluten free cut out sugar cookie recipe to check and see if that’s the one!
~jules