I’ve been on a mission to make gluten free versions of my favorite treats for over a decade. These sugar cookies are based on my mom’s recipe I’ve been using for over 30 years, and I finally made a gluten free version to rival those. These are GOOD. And not just “good — for gluten free sugar cookies”.
These are the Best Gluten Free Sugar Cookies
I had big dreams for this cookies, and I’ve been tinkering with this recipe for years. I wanted them to have the same soft texture as the originals, not overly crumbly or gritty.
I wanted them to be able to join a potluck spread of desserts seamlessly without the “cone of shame” stigma of gluten free baked goods.
I wanted them to be easy with ingredients that are convenient to find.
Friends, I did it. I waited until they were just right and, despite the protest of my children when they realized I was making a gluten free version of their favorite cookies, even they admitted they really loved them.
Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Recipe ingredients
- Butter – I use salted butter, but you can use unsalted if you prefer. Just increase the amount of salt by 1/4 teaspoon.
- Sugar – I use organic cane sugar from Costco. Any granulated sugar will work in this.
- Eggs
- Sour cream – Use full-fat sour cream if possible.
- Namaste Gluten Free Flour – This is the flour I use for all cookie recipes, and I think that it creates the best chewy, thick texture that I love in a cookie. Costco carries this locally for us, but you can find Namaste Gluten Free Flour on Amazon. If you have a tried and true gluten free flour blend that you like to use in cookies, feel free to use yours, but I can’t guarantee the same results.
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
How to make GF Sugar Cookies
The method for these cookies is pretty straightforward and similar to other cookie recipes you’ve probably made.
- Cream the butter and sugar REALLY well. This is important.
- Add in the eggs, sour cream and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients — flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Chill the dough for at least 2 hours up to overnight.
- Roll out the dough to 1/4-1/2 inch thickness and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Re-roll the scraps and cut more cookies out until you run out of dough.
- Lay them on a parchment lined baking pan and bake at 350 for about 12 minutes.
- Beat the frosting ingredients and frost the cookies when they’re completely cooled off.
- Store in an airtight container.
Gluten Free Sugar Cookies Recipe tips
- Use Namaste Gluten Free Flour to get the best results for this recipe. I can’t guarantee the results will be the same if you use a different type of flour. It’s easy to order from Amazon if you can’t find it in a grocery store.
- Beat the butter and sugar for a long time. Getting those blended together really well and some air incorporated into it will give your cookies a really great texture.
- Use full-fat sour cream. The sour cream really makes these cookies super soft with a yummy flavor!
- Chill the dough. Don’t skip this step. It will make the dough MUCH easier to roll out using less flour which will make softer cookies that hold their shape better in the oven. You can let it chill overnight if you like!
- Roll the dough out evenly. If some of your cookies are thick and some are thin you’ll end up with some crunchy ones.
- Beat the frosting for a long time. I like to beat my frosting for a good 2-3 minutes to get it nice and fluffy. I love the texture this way.
- Eat the cookies tomorrow. I noticed after I made these that we all loved them even more the second day. If you can wait that long. Go ahead and frost them and cover them. Letting them sit for several hours frosted is a good thing.
- Make sugar cookie bars! If you don’t want to roll out the dough, press all of it into a big parchment lined baking sheet. Add a few extra minutes of baking time to make sure it
How to store a Gluten Free Sugar Cookie
Store these cookies in an airtight container for 4-5 days for best flavor. We actually liked them better the second day, so keep that in mind.
Can I freeze this GF Sugar Cookie Recipe?
You can freeze the cookie dough if you wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.
When you use it, transfer the dough to the refrigerator for a day or two until it’s no longer frozen. Then roll out like usual.
Gluten Free Sugar Cookies Recipe FAQs
If you use the gluten free flour recommended in this recipe, your cookies won’t fall apart. This flour works well in other cookie recipes, too. I linked to some of them below.
The flour I recommended helps this, too, as well as not adding too much flour into the dough. Because flour is added when you roll out the dough, you’ll want to make sure you don’t add too much when you’re making the dough itself. Chilling the dough helps to reduce stickiness. So stick to the measurements in the recipe.
Did you use the flour I recommended? Did you use enough flour? Did you chill the dough beforehand? All of these things will help the cookies hold their shape.
More Gluten Free Sugar Cookies on Perry’s Plate
All of these cookies use the Namaste Gluten Free Flour as well!
Gluten Free Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies
Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies
If you make one of my recipes, be sure to post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!
GF Sugar Cookies
I've been on a mission to make gluten free versions of my favorite treats for over a decade. These sugar cookies are based on my mom's recipe I've been using for over 30 year, and I finally made a gluten free version to rival those. These are GOOD. And not just "good -- for gluten free sugar cookies".
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 5 cups Namaste gluten free flour blend
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
For the frosting:
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl and an electric hand mixer) add the softened butter and sugar. Beat it very, very well. Like, let it run for 2-3 minutes until it's lighter in color and looks more voluminous.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each one. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat well.
- Add the flour to the bowl with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Run the mixer on low until everything is incorporated. Don't overmix the dough. Check the texture. The dough should be fairly sticky, but will clump around the beater.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 24 hours.
- When you're ready to roll them out, preheat your oven to 350F and line a couple of baking pans with parchment paper or prep with nonstick spray.
- Lay another piece of parchment paper on your counter. Sprinkle some gluten free flour on the paper and transfer half of the dough to the paper. Sprinkle a little flour over the dough.
- Roll the dough out gently moving from the center outwards in every direction until the dough is roughly the same thickness -- 1/4 to 1/2 inch.
- Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into shapes, transferring them to the prepared cookie sheets. Gather up the dough scraps and roll them out again. Repeat until you've rolled out all the dough.
- Bake each pan for 11-12 minutes. Cookies should be just BARELY light brown on the bottom. Don't bake them until they're golden or they'll be crispy later.
- Transfer them to a baking sheet and let them cool completely before frosting them.
- To make the frosting, add the frosting ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low until all of the powdered sugar has been incorporated. And then turn the mixer up to medium high and beat it for another 2 minutes until lighter and fluffy.
- Add any food coloring, if you like, or divide the frosting into smaller bowls to make several different colors.
- Spread the frosting on the cookies and decorate how you like!
- Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days for best flavor. (We liked them better the day after we baked and frosted them!)
Notes
- I used a 2-inch biscuit cutter for these cookies and had about 4 dozen.
- This recipe can easily be halved if you don't need that many cookies.
- See recipe post for other helpful hints.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information
Yield 24 Serving Size 2 medium cookiesAmount Per Serving Calories 414Total Fat 18gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 62mgSodium 289mgCarbohydrates 60gFiber 1gSugar 40gProtein 4g
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.