Gluten Free Sugar Cookies
- Joe S.
- Dec 21, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 16, 2021
Easy to make gluten free sugar cookies!
Prep time: 20 minutes
Inactive time: 1 to 2 hours
Baking time: 8 to 12 minutes
Yield varies by size of cookie
Gluten/Soy/Free and Ovo-lacto vegetarian
Sugar cookies! Better yet: Gluten Free sugar cookies! It is not the holidays until the aroma of freshly baked sugar cookies fills the house, bringing all those memories of holidays past to life.
These cookies are delicious, soft, and actually have a wonderful texture...just like a regular sugar cookie. I really love them. You can flavor or decorate them as you wish. I have made them with different flavors (orange, almond or Mexican vanilla), topped them with maraschino cherries (pictured) or glazed them with icing... and even made them just plain with not toppings at all and every time they have been a success. This particular recipe calls for pure almond extract, but if that is not your thing, you can skip it.
My mother-in-law once made these cookies for me. I loved them so much that I asked her for her recipe. I don't know where she got the recipe from or who the creator of it is, but whoever you are: Thank you!
What is the flavor profile?
It will depend on the flavoring you add to the cookie dough.
What will I need to make these cookies?
Gluten free flour, unsalted butter, milk, vanilla, one egg, sugar, almond extract (optional), and salt.
What else will I need to make these cookies?
A mixing bowl, a mixer or hand mixer, measuring cups and spoons, parchment paper, a rolling pin, baking trays, cookie cutters, a spatula, and a cooling rack.
What kind of gluten free flour do I need?
You will need a gluten free flour with xanthan gum included in the blend.
I made two batches using two different gluten free flour blends: Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour and Pillsbury Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Blend. Both contained Xanthan Gum. However...
I notice I got best results with Pillsbury Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Blend. The cookie texture was better: soft in the inside with a bit of crunch in the outside while holding its shape.
Where can I find Gluten Free Flour Blends?
You can find it at Walmart, Whole Foods, Amazon, Asda, Tesco... or at your local specialty store.
Can I make substitutions?
You can substitute the vanilla with vanilla extract.
Can I make additions?
Yes. You can add any of the following: orange zest or orange extract, almond extract, dried fruit, chocolate kisses, white chocolate, icing, etc... Make these cookies your own!
INGREDIENTS
8 tablespoons (4 oz) of unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons of milk
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla
1 cup of refined sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of almond extract (optional)
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 egg
Method
Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Add the milk, almond extract (optional), vanilla, salt, and egg. Mix well.
Slowly add the flour while mixing a low speed until it clumps together. Use your hands to knead the dough until you form a ball.
Lay out some parchment paper. Place the ball on it and make a cylinder with the dough. Wrap it with the parchment paper and place it in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it rest for about 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 340º F / 170º C.
Line the baking trays with parchment paper.
Cut two extra pieces of parchment paper about 12 inches long each.
Split the cookie dough into two halves. Work on one half at a time.
Place one half between two pieces of parchment paper and roll it out until it is 1/4 inch thick. Use the cookie cutters of your choice and cut as many cookies as possible. Carefully transfer the cookies to the baking trays lined up with parchment paper.
Whatever dough is left, knead it together and roll it out again. Repeat step 10 until all the dough has been utilized.
Bake the cookies in the oven's middle middle rack for 8 to 12 minutes. Each oven is different so keep an eye on the cookies. Once they start to brown on the edges, take them out of the oven.
Using a flat spatula carefully transfer the cookies onto a cooling rack and allow them to fully cool down before decorating them as you wish. The cookies will be soft at first and will become harder as they cool down.
Enjoy!!!
Printable Recipe (PDF) below:
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