These gluten-free sugar cookies are made with coconut flour and super easy to make. They have a delicious, buttery flavor and the perfect texture for making cut-out cookies!
How have I not shared a recipe for sugar cookies yet?! I’m honestly not sure, because sugar cookies are a staple in my kitchen every year around the holidays. I love finding new cookie cutters and thinking of new frosting designs. This year, I used these adorable star and snowflake cookie cutters. I like these cookie cutters because they can be used for Christmas or Hanukkah.
For this particular recipe we’re making gluten-free cut-out cookies using one of my favorite healthy alternative flours, coconut flour! I already have a basic coconut flour cookie recipe, but I thought it would be fun to try making coconut flour sugar cookies as well. Turns out, coconut flour lends itself well to cut-out cookies and worked like a charm.
Don’t be intimidated by gluten-free baking, I’m here to hold your hand through this process and it’s really quite easy! However, if you don’t need a gluten-free recipe, try my healthy sugar cookie recipe instead!
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Gluten-free (but you’d never know it) – These cookies are soft, sweet, and so good that no one will guess they’re made with coconut flour! They’re the perfect treat for anyone avoiding gluten, but trust me, everyone will love them.
- Fun to make – Rolling out dough and using cookie cutters is just plain fun. Plus, decorating with icing and sprinkles? It’s basically edible art!
- Simple and versatile – The base recipe is classic and easy, but you can make it your own with fun shapes, colorful sprinkles, or even a drizzle of melted chocolate.
- Perfect for all occasions – Whether it’s a holiday party, birthday celebration, or just a day you feel like baking, these cookies fit the bill.
Ingredients Needed
- butter – you can also use ghee!
- cane sugar – using coconut or brown sugar will give these a darker, more carmely color so I definitely recommend using white cane sugar.
- egg – a binding ingredient.
- baking powder – a levening agent.
- vanilla extract – gives the perfect hint of vanilla flavoring to these cookies.
- sea salt – brings out the vanilla flavor.
- coconut flour – the base of our cookies! Coconut flour is naturally gluten free and works wonderfully in these cookies. I often use Bob’s Red Mill coconut flour brand.
- arrowroot powder – this helps with the consistency of the cookie. You can also use tapioca flour in its place.
Vanilla Icing
- powdered sugar – when making icing, make sure you are using powdered sugar. Regular sugar will not provide the right consistency that powdered sugar does.
- vanilla extract – you don’t need much to make this vanilla icing.
- almond milk – the base of your icing. You can use store bought or homemade almond milk. You can also use whatever non-dairy milk you prefer.
- sprinkles – these won’t be mixed into the icing, but sprinkled on top. Look for ones that are naturally colored.
Substitutions
- Butter or ghee: Need a dairy-free option? Vegan butter or coconut oil will do the trick!
- Organic cane sugar: Swap in coconut sugar or maple sugar for a more natural option, though your cookies might have a slightly darker hue.
- Arrowroot powder: Don’t have arrowroot? Tapioca flour or cornstarch will work just as well for firming up the dough and dusting your surface.
- Egg: I haven’t tried this recipe without an egg, but a flax egg (1 Tablespoon flaxseed meal + 3 Tablespoons water), could be a solid vegan alternative.
How to Make Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
Step 1: Combine the butter, sugar, egg, baking powder, vanilla extract, and sea salt in a large bowl. Slowly add the coconut flour and let the dough rest for about five minutes to absorb the liquid.
Step 2: Sprinkle the arrowroot powder over the dough and knead until fully incorporated. If the dough feels sticky, add more arrowroot as needed.
Step 3: Roll the dough out on parchment paper to about 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut into desired shapes and place them on a baking sheet.
Step 4: Bake at 350ºF for 8-10 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
Step 5: Mix powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and almond milk until smooth. Adjust the thickness as needed for your decorating style.
Step 6: Let cookies cool completely before decorating. Make some hot chocolate to sip on while you’re waiting!
Brittany’s Tips
- Give it a rest: The dough needs a 5-minute break after mixing to let the coconut flour work its magic. Don’t skip this step—it’s the secret to getting a dough that’s easy to work with.
- Be generous with arrowroot powder: Coconut flour dough can be a little sticky, so don’t be shy about dusting your rolling surface and pin. A little extra powder makes rolling and cutting a breeze.
- Customize the icing: Start with just a teaspoon of almond milk when making the icing and adjust as needed. You want it thick enough to stay on the cookies but thin enough to spread easily.
- Cool before decorating: This is the hardest part, but don’t rush it. Frosting warm cookies will lead to a sticky, melty mess (been there, done that).
How to Store Sugar Cookies
If you won’t be eating the cookies right after making them, you want to make sure you store them properly so they don’t get stale! Let them cool completely and then you have two options: frost them or store them unfrosted! You really can’t go wrong either way. If you choose to frost them first, let the icing set/solidify before storing. Lay parchment paper underneath the layers of cookies in an airtight container. If you want to frost right before eating, simply store the sugar cookies in an airtight container.
Frequently Asked Questions
You better believe it! I remember going to my grandparent’s house for Christmas and there were SO MANY Christmas cookies. I always wondered how she baked that many but now I’m wondering if she prepped in advance and froze her cookies?! For sugar cookies or cut-out cookies, I recommend freezing them unfrosted. Let them thaw and frost the cookies right before serving.
More Healthy Christmas Cookie Recipes
Be sure to check out all my dessert recipes on EBF!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below.
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Preheat oven to 350ºF.
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In a medium mixing bowl stir together butter or ghee, sugar, egg, baking powder, vanilla extract and sea salt. Add coconut flour and mix until combined. Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes at room temperature.
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After 5 minutes, sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of arrowroot powder over dough and knead, using your hands until firm. If it is sticky or too wet, add another Tablespoon of arrowroot.
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Dust a clean rolling surface (or a parchment lined surface) with arrowroot and roll out dough, using a rolling pin, until it’s about 1/4-1/3″ thick.
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Use cookie cutters to cut dough into desired shapes and place on cookie sheet.
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Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies are golden. Let cool for a few minutes on the sheet before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Once cookies are cool you can frost and decorate them. To make homemade icing, combine powdered sugar, vanilla and almond milk (start with 1 teaspoon) in a small bowl. Whisk until all lumps of sugar have dissolved and icing is the thickness you desire. You don’t want it to be super thick, but also don’t want it to be too runny where it melts off the cookies. Frost cookies with icing and add sprinkles right away, before the icing has a chance to set.
- Adapted from my coconut flour cookies.
- Storage: Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
Serving: 1cookie with icing | Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Sodium: 144mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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