Gluten Free Sugar Cookies

Why You'll Love These Cookies

I love a simple, classic cookie and these gluten free sugar cookies more than fit the bill. I add them to my yearly platter of gluten free Christmas cookies, but I also make them around Halloween and Thanksgiving (using pumpkin and turkey cookie cutters!). You can serve them plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or topped with a vanilla icing and sprinkles. Here's why you'll love this recipe:

• Great for beginners. This is a one-bowl recipe made with minimal ingredients - it's so easy that even the most novice of bakers can achieve gluten-free baking success.
• Kid-friendly. Get the little ones involved in every step of the process, from making the dough to rolling it out to cutting the cookies. My younger daughter had so much fun making these.
• Easily gluten free. Like that sugar cookie recipe you've been making for years - but super easily made gluten free with gluten free flour and a little time to rest the dough so that it hydrates and bakes up perfectly.

Ingredient Notes

The full ingredient amounts and detailed instructions are included in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

• Butter - I used unsalted butter, softened to room temperature. You can use salted butter but you may then wish to adjust the amount of added salt.
• Granulated sugar
• Egg - A large egg brought to room temperature so it blends easily into the dough.
• Vanilla
• Gluten free flour - I always use my homemade gluten free flour blend. You can use your favorite blend in these cookies.
• Baking powder - Check to make sure its fresh!
• Salt - I use a hefty pinch of fine sea salt (table salt works, too). Add more salt for a sweet-salty flavor contrast.

Sugar Cookie Variation Ideas

• Brown sugar sugar cookies - Swap light or dark brown sugar for the granulated sugar (note that the color of the cookies may be a bit darker).
• Add a hint of spice - For holiday-spiced cookies, add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of ground ginger, cardamom, or nutmeg or a combination. Or try 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice!
• Citrus zest - Rub some citrus zest like lime, orange, or lemon zest into the sugar to release their oils before creaming it with the butter!
• Chocolate - You can add chopped chocolate or mini chocolate chips to the dough. I love semisweet chocolate.
• Nuts - Fold in ½ cup of chopped almonds, walnuts, or pecans.
• Candy canes - My girls love crushed candy canes added to the dough for a festive touch!
• Maple sugar cookies - Add 2 tablespoons maple syrup to the dough.

Tips and Substitution Suggestions

• Rest the dough: Let the dough rest and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes before baking, or up to 3 days in advance of baking. Oat flour, like all gluten-free flours, benefits from a rest to let it absorb liquids. This
• Use room temperature ingredients: Bring ingredients to room temperature before using. This is particularly important for the butter - if it's nice and soft, it will incorporate better into the batter, making for a smoother and more uniform cookie.
• Don't worry if the dough is crumbly. When you're combining the dough, it may seem a bit dry and crumbly. Don't worry! Keep beating the ingredients until they come together. If needed, you can use your hands to squeeze and knead the dough together a few times.
• Make them dairy-free: You can easily make these oat flour cookies dairy-free. Swap a non-dairy butter or slightly softened coconut oil for the butter.
• Make them refined sugar-free: I love to use maple sugar when I make sugar cookies. The subtle, natural sweetness of the maple sugar take them over the top (and, make them refined sugar-free!).
• Use a single-origin flour. You can easily make these into sorghum, brown rice, or oat flour sugar cookies by substituting 300 grams of a single gluten free flour of your choice.

Decorating Suggestions

• Sprinkles - Any kind of sprinkles or decorating sugar will do! You can add the sprinkles to the tops of the cookies before baking, or add them after the come out of the oven. Let the cookies cool a bit, then lightly brush them with milk or water to help the sprinkles stick, then sprinkle away.
• Chopped nuts - Toasted, chopped nuts or candied, chopped nuts are SO good sprinkled over the tops of the cookies.
• Sugar glaze or icing - Add an easy light glaze or a thicker white icing made from vanilla whisked with a little powdered sugar or milk (adjust the sugar and milk until it reaches your desired consistency).
• Buttercream - Any kind of buttercream is delightful on top of gluten free sugar cookies. Try my chocolate buttercream recipe!
• Candy - Chopped candy, M&Ms, or your favorite chopped chocolate bar added to the tops of the cookies right when the come out of the oven gives a flavor boost (and who doesn't love candy?). Press in the candy lightly so that it sticks to the cookies.

Can I Make Gluten Free Sugar Cookies Ahead?

You can definitely prepare sugar cookie dough ahead of time and/or bake the cookies and freeze them for later gift-giving. Here's how:

• Dough - You can prepare the dough and hold it in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze the dough for up to 3 months. In either case, form the dough into a ball, place it on a piece of plastic wrap, gently press the dough down flat to form a disc, and wrap it in plastic. If you freeze the dough, defrost it in the fridge before rolling it out.
• Baked cookies - Place the cooled, baked cookies in a freezer-safe container or sealable bag with the air pressed out and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw the cookies in the fridge before decorating or serving.

Proper Storage

• Counter - Store gluten-free sugar cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.
• Fridge - Place the container of cookies in the fridge and keep it for up to 7 days.
• Freezer - Store the cookies in freezer-safe container or bag in the freezer for up to 2 months.