The Best Gluten Free Christmas Tree Cookies Recipe
Published Dec 08, 2023
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Introducing the BEST Gluten Free Christmas Cookies – a simple cookie dough cake cut into Christmas tree shapes and decorated with an easy vanilla buttercream frosting. An easy recipe for this fun and festive holiday season!
Table of Contents
What Makes This Recipe Great
Making Christmas cookies is such a fun holiday activity. Don’t get me wrong, I love the good old Classic Sugar Cookies and Cut-Out Cookies traditions, but sometimes you need something even easier to whip up!
If you’re looking for a super fun, festive, and simple recipe, these Gluten Free Christmas Cookies are for you! I was trying to think of a simple holiday cookie recipe–one where no cookie cutters are needed, and it hit me! My gluten-free cookie cake makes the perfect Christmas tree shapes!
You can use storebought cookie mix or my homemade recipe. Whip up a batch of vanilla buttercream and decorate! These gluten-free cookies are perfect for holiday cookie exchanges, festive gatherings, or school parties! You will love how easily they come together, but it looks like they took all day!
Ingredient Notes
This recipe can be made homemade or with a store-bought cookie mix! Take your pick below.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
Full recipe with detailed amounts is located in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Jump to Recipe- Store-bought gluten-free chocolate chip cookie mix: I love King Arthurs, Pillsbury, or Krusteaz’s gluten-free chocolate chip cookie mix. OR the following ingredients below:
- gluten-free flour: I use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free flour blend. It contains xanthan gum, which helps the texture and structure of the cookie in gluten-free baking. You can swap this for all-purpose flour if you’re not gluten-free.
- unsalted butter
- brown sugar packed
- sugar
- vanilla extract
- baking soda
- cornstarch
- egg + 1 egg yolk: This helps offer a more soft texture cookie.
- salt
- chocolate chips: I love Hu kitchen, but feel free to use any brand.
Buttercream Frosting
- salted butter
- confectioner’s sugar: This is another name for powdered sugar.
- clear vanilla extract: Or use regular. Using clear vanilla extract will help make your frosting super white.
- whole milk or heavy cream
Step-by-Step Instructions
Gluten-Free Cookie Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a circle baking dish or 9-inch cake pan. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a circle baking dish or 9-inch cake pan. Either make the cookie dough from scratch (directions below) or mix a box of gluten-free chocolate chip cookie mix according to the package, then continue to step 5.
- Stir dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt together in a bowl.
- In a large bowl, beat the wet ingredients: softened butter and both sugars together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla into the butter mixture until smooth.
- Gradually stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
- Spread the gluten-free cookie dough into the prepared pan.
- Bake until golden, and the cake springs back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Once the cookie cake is completely cool, use a sharp knife to slice it into eight equal wedges, just like you would with a pizza.
- Transfer the triangles to a wire rack or parchment paper-lined cookie sheet for easy decorating.
Buttercream Frosting
- In a stand mixer, add the butter and beat together on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla extract to the butter and continue to beat until well combined.
- Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar to the butter, one cup at a time. Start the mixer on low speed to avoid a sugar shower. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- After incorporating all the sugar, check the consistency of the buttercream. If it’s too thick, add milk or heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, add a bit more confectioners’ sugar. Add food coloring gel if desired.
Decorating
- Using a tipless piping bag, pipe a row of buttercream and swipe up with a small spatula or popsicle stick. Repeat making rows until the tree is filled. I ended up having 6 rows of buttercream. Decorate with sprinkles, sparkling gold or silver dust/glitter, and top each tree with a star.
Mac’s Pro Tips
Expert Tips
- Dairy-Free Option:Swap the milk and butter in the buttercream and cookies for your favorite non-dairy alternative. My favorite brands of vegan butter are Earth Balance or Miyokos. I also recommend using Hu kitchen chocolate chips which are dairy free. Be sure to use a thicker milk like oat milk or cashew milk for the buttercream.
- Substitutions: I don’t recommend making any gluten-free flour swaps for this recipe– like almond flour or coconut flour. I have tested with these specific ingredients and recommend sticking to the recipe!
Serving Tips
Serve these delicious holiday cookies on your favorite holiday cookie platters. They’re fine to sit out at room temperature for a couple of hours but transfer to the fridge if not serving right away.
Storage Tips
Store leftover gluten-free Christmas cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.
Freeze without the buttercream for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQs
You may be able to replace the egg with a flax egg or other egg replacement. However, I have not tested this. If you do, let me know how it turned out in the comments!
For sure! Swap the milk and butter in the buttercream and cookies for your favorite non-dairy alternative. My favorite brands of vegan butter are Earth Balance or Miyokos. I also recommend using Hu kitchen chocolate chips which are dairy free. Be sure to use a thicker milk like oat milk or cashew milk for the buttercream.
This gluten-free sugar cookie recipe has only been tested with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Baking Flour. The measurement and weight of other gluten-free flour may differ from Bob’s Red Mill. If you use another brand, it’s possible your flour-to-fat ratio will need slight tweaking. GF flour can weigh between 122g and 148 grams per cup, depending on the brand.
More Gluten Free Christmas Cookies
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The Best Gluten Free Christmas Tree Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz box gluten-free chocolate chip cookie mix* Mixed according to package
- OR my Homemade GF Cookie Cake Recipe Below
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
- 2 cups gluten-free flour I use Bob Red's Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (2 sticks ) salted butter softened
- 4 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract for whiter frosting or regular vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
Instructions
Gluten-Free Cookie Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a circle baking dish or 9-inch cake pan. Either make the cookie dough from scratch (directions below) or mix a box of gluten-free chocolate chip cookie mix according to the package, then continue to step 5.
- Stir flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt together in a bowl.
- In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter, and both sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla into the butter mixture until smooth.
- Gradually stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
- Spread cookie dough into the prepared pan.
- Bake until golden and the cake springs back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Once the cookie cake is completely cool, use a sharp knife to slice it into eight equal wedges, just like you would with a pizza.
Buttercream
- In a stand mixer, add the butter and beat together on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla extract to the butter and continue to beat until well combined.
- Gradually add the confectioners' sugar to the butter, one cup at a time. Start the mixer on low speed to avoid a sugar shower. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- After incorporating all the sugar, check the consistency of the buttercream. If it's too thick, add milk or heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. If it's too thin, add a bit more confectioners' sugar. Add food coloring gel if desired.
Decorating
- Starting at the long end, use a tipless piping bag, pipe a row of buttercream, and swipe down with a small spatula or popsicle stick. Repeat making rows until the tree is filled. I ended up having 6 rows of buttercream. Decorate with sprinkles, sparkling gold or silver dust/glitter, and top each tree with a star.
Notes
Expert Tips
-
- Box Cookie Mix: Feel free to sub gluten-free box cookie mix. I have tested Pillsbury and King Arthur’s gluten-free boxed cookie mix and they both turned out great.
- Dairy-Free Option: Swap the milk and butter in the buttercream and cookies for your favorite non-dairy alternative. My favorite brands of vegan butter are Earth Balance or Miyokos. I also recommend using Hu kitchen chocolate chips which are dairy-free. Be sure to use a thicker milk like oat milk or cashew milk for the buttercream.
-
- Substitutions: I don’t recommend making any gluten-free flour swaps for this recipe– like almond flour or coconut flour. I have tested with these specific ingredients and recommend sticking to the recipe!
Serving Tips
- Serve these delicious holiday cookies on your favorite holiday cookie platters. They’re fine to sit out at room temperature for a couple of hours but transfer to the fridge if not serving right away.
Storage Tips
- Store leftover gluten-free Christmas cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.
- Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
