Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

4.67 from 12 votes

Introducing the BEST Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies! These no-spread cut-out cookies make the most delicious treat for any holiday season! Simple ingredients, easy steps, and perfect cookies every single time.

Prep Time10

Total Time9

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: gluten-free sugar cookies, royal icing

Method: Oven

Servings: -22 cookies

Author: Ashley McCrary

Equipment

Ingredients

2 1/3 cup gluten-free flour* 345.3 grams I used Bob's Red Mill 1:1 GF Baking Flour
1 cup sugar 220 grams
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 sticks butter 1 cup or 226.8 grams
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

Preheat + Measure Flour:
Heat the oven to 375F. Mix the flour and baking powder in a big bowl. Don't press the flour when measuring. It's better to use a scale for accuracy. Wrong measurements can make cookies spread too much.
Cream The Butter:
Put the soft butter and sugar in a big bowl. Use a mixer (standing or handheld) to beat until it's light in color, about 3-4 minutes. This is such an important step, but be careful not to beat too much because it can make the butter too soft.
Make The Dough:
Add eggs and vanilla extract. Mix well. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the flour mixture. Mix until it turns into dough.
Roll The Dough:
If it's sticky, use a bit of powdered sugar on the surface. Cut the dough in half. Put each half on parchment paper. Roll it out with a rolling pin. This prevents sticking. Remember, the more you roll, the warmer and softer the dough gets. To avoid this, you can sprinkle powdered sugar on the surface.
Chill The Dough:
Place the rolled dough in the fridge for 30 minutes. Chilling the dough is a MUST.
Cut & Bake:
Take the chilled dough out. Use cookie cutters to make desired shapes. Put the cut-out cookies on a baking sheet, leaving space. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes until the edges start turning brown. If you want softer cookies, take them out at 7 minutes.
Enjoy:
Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 1 minute after baking, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve as is or add icing if you like. Keep them in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Notes

Expert Tips

Making the Dough

- Don't overmix. As soon as it begins to clump together into a dough, it is ready.

- Don't over-knead. This will make the cookies spread and not hold their shape. If you over-knead, you will melt the butter, and the dough will become too soft when baking.

- Use parchment paper and plastic wrap for rolling. This will help with sticking. Additionally, add a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the dough to ensure no sticking to the rolling pin.

- Re-roll the dough only once. As you roll, it will begin to warm up and become too soft to work with.

- Roll the dough evenly so you get the same-sized cookies throughout.

- Chill the dough for 30 minutes in the fridge or 15 minutes in the freezer before cutting. This step is super important for getting no-spread cookies.

- Preheat oven: Always make sure your oven is completely preheated before adding in the cookies. This will ensure an even bake.

- Gluten-Free Flour: This 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

- Say NO to cooking spray: Avoid adding cookie spray to your cookie sheet pans or hands. The excess grease can lead to the cookies spreading.

- Don’t substitute! This recipe has been tested and retested to make sure they are absolutely perfect. For best results, I don’t recommend substituting any dry ingredients or wet ingredients for this reason.

Shaping the Dough with Cookie Cutters

- Dip the cookie cutters into flour so they won't stick and make a mess if you choose not to chill the dough before cutting.

Baking the Cookies

- Don't Overbake. I always pull my cookies out of the oven at around 8-9 minutes. I watch the edges and take them out before they start turning golden brown because I like my cookies to be a little softer and cake-like.

Storage Tips

Store these gluten-free sugar cookies for up to two weeks in an airtight container on the kitchen counter or pantry. You can also freeze it in an airtight container for 6 months.

To freeze sugar, simply place parchment paper between each layer of the cookies in an airtight container or freezer-safe ziplock bag. Thaw on the counter on top of parchment paper until room temperature. You can freeze decorated or undecorated cookies with this method.

*See Recipe FAQs in the post for additional troubleshooting!

Nutrition