Amazing 88 Calorie Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies: If you thought amazing, classic sugar cookies were off-limits now that you’re avoiding gluten, I’m here to tell you that you are totally wrong! I’m Anna Kowalska, and here I share tried-and-true homemade recipes that you and your family will love. Everything I put up here is made with heart and flavor, and I truly believe baking should be joyful, not stressful. That’s why I spent ages perfecting this recipe. I wanted a cookie that rolled beautifully, tasted exactly like the ones we made growing up, and required zero weird ingredients. This recipe for perfect Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies delivers that buttery flavor and holds its shape when you cut it—trust me, that’s half the battle!

Essential Ingredients for Your Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

When you’re baking gluten-free, the ingredients list isn’t just about what goes in; it’s about what *doesn’t* – like gluten! But honestly, for these cookies, we keep things pretty straightforward. My focus, as always, is on flavor and making sure the texture is absolutely spot-on so you can’t even tell the difference. We need a solid base for the dough and then a simple, tangy frosting to top it off. Don’t eyeball those measurements, especially with specialty flour blends!

Here is everything you need lined up before you even reach for the mixer. Having it all ready makes the process so much smoother.

For the Cookies	For the Icing
2 \u00bd cups gluten-free flour	\u00bc cup cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon baking powder	\u00bc cup unsalted butter, softened
\u00bd teaspoon salt	1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup white sugar	1 \u00bd cups confectioners’ sugar
\u00be cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Dry Ingredients for Perfect Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

The dry mix is what gives our cookies their structure. You need 2 \u00bd cups of gluten-free flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder for a little lift, and just \u00bd teaspoon of salt to balance all that sweetness. Now, about the flour—I swear by Cup4Cup gluten-free multipurpose flour for this recipe. It’s a fantastic 1:1 blend that just works beautifully in classic recipes like this one. It has the right balance of starches and gums to mimic wheat flour, which is key for rolling out shapes without tearing.

Wet Ingredients and Sweeteners for Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

For the wet side, butter must be softened, not melted! We need \u00be cup of unsalted butter paired with 1 cup of white sugar, beaten until they are light and fluffy—that’s where the air comes from. We use 2 large eggs, added one at a time, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract for that classic sugar cookie perfume. Make sure your eggs are room temperature; they incorporate much better into the creamed butter mixture.

Components for the Simple Icing

The icing is super simple but makes all the difference! You’ll need \u00bc cup of softened cream cheese and \u00bc cup of softened unsalted butter. These two together give the frosting a wonderful tang that cuts through the sweetness. We mix in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and then slowly, slowly beat in 1 \u00bd cups of confectioners’ sugar until it’s perfectly smooth and spreadable.

Equipment Needed for Making Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

You don’t need a thousand fancy gadgets for these cookies, thankfully! But having the right tools makes the job so much easier, especially when dealing with gluten-free dough that can sometimes be a little fragile. You absolutely need an electric mixer—handheld or stand—for creaming the butter and sugar properly. Make sure you have at least two sturdy baking sheets ready to go. And of course, have your favorite cookie cutters and a good rolling pin handy for cutting out those fun shapes!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

Okay, let’s get baking! The real trick to these gluten-free sugar cookies is patience, especially in the mixing and the chilling stages. If you rush the chilling, the dough spreads like crazy in the oven, and we don’t want sad, flat circles! Follow these steps exactly, and you’ll have cookies that look and taste professionally made.

Preparing the Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies Dough

First things first, let’s handle the dry stuff. In one bowl, whisk together your 2 \u00bd cups of gluten-free flour, the 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and that \u00bd teaspoon of salt. Whisking really helps distribute the leavening evenly, which is super important when you can’t rely on gluten structure. Set that aside for a minute.

Now, grab your mixing bowl for the wet ingredients. Beat the 1 cup of white sugar, the \u00be cup of softened butter, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract together. You need to mix this on medium speed for a good three to four minutes until it looks genuinely creamy and pale. This creaming process traps air, giving you that nice texture later. Once it looks light, beat in your two large eggs, but make sure you add them one at a time, mixing well after each addition until everything is smooth. Don’t rush this part!

Finally, bring the two bowls together. Gradually mix in that flour mixture that you set earlier. Mix slowly until a dough just starts to form. Stop the mixer as soon as you see everything come together into a shaggy ball. Overmixing gluten-free dough can make it tough, so just mix until combined.

Chilling and Shaping Your Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

This step is non-negotiable, so please don’t skip it! Take that dough ball, wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap, and tuck it into the fridge. It needs at least 1 full hour to chill. This time allows the flour to fully hydrate and firms up the butter, which is what stops your cookies from spreading everywhere when they hit the heat. Trust me, it’s worth the wait!

When the hour is up, grab a piece of parchment paper and lightly dust it with some extra gluten-free flour. Roll your dough out to about \u00bc inch thickness right on that paper. Grab your cookie cutters and press down firmly to get clean edges. Arrange your cutouts onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats, leaving a little space between them.

Baking the Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies Perfectly

Time for the oven! Preheat it to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) before you even start rolling the dough. Pop those prepared sheets into the preheated oven. They bake quickly—only about 10 minutes, or until you see the edges just starting to turn a tiny bit brown. Here’s a pro tip: halfway through the baking time, switch the racks! This ensures that the cookies on the top rack bake just as evenly as the ones on the bottom rack. When they look done, pull them out and let them sit on the hot sheet for just a minute or two—no more! Then, gently move them over to a wire rack to cool completely before you even *think* about icing them.

Making and Applying the Simple Icing

While those cookies are cooling down—and they must be completely cool, or the frosting melts into a puddle—we make the icing. In a clean bowl, beat your softened cream cheese and softened butter together with the electric mixer until they are smoothly combined. Add the teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Now, slowly beat in the 1 \u00bd cups of confectioners’ sugar. Start slow so you don’t create a powdered sugar explosion everywhere! Keep mixing until it’s perfectly smooth and spreadable. If it seems too thick, add half a teaspoon of milk at a time until you reach the perfect consistency for spreading. Once those cookies are totally cool to the touch, grab a small offset spatula or even a butter knife and spread a nice, even layer of that simple icing on top. Enjoy the aroma!

Why You Will Love These Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

I know you might be skeptical about gluten-free baking, but I promise you, these cookies are a game-changer! I wouldn’t share a recipe that didn’t pass my own family’s taste test. These aren’t just *good for gluten-free*; they are genuinely fantastic sugar cookies, period. They hold their shape beautifully, which means clean edges for all your cookie cutters!

• Taste Fidelity: Seriously, no one will guess these are gluten-free. That buttery vanilla flavor shines through!
• Easy Preparation: The steps are simple, relying on basic creaming and mixing techniques, not complicated binders.
• Family Appeal: These are the perfect holiday cookies because they are fun to decorate and everyone—gluten-sensitive or not—will ask for seconds.
• Perfect Texture: They bake up sturdy enough to handle icing but stay tender on the inside.

Tips for Success with Your Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

Even with a straightforward recipe like this, gluten-free dough can throw a little curveball if you aren’t ready for it. Trust me, I learned these little secrets the hard way over many batches!

• Don’t Skip the Chill Time: I cannot stress this enough. Chilling for that full hour makes the dough firm enough to cut cleanly. If you try to roll warm gluten-free dough, it gets sticky and tears easily, and you end up with blobs instead of shapes.
• Flour Your Surface Well: When you roll out the dough, use a little extra gluten-free flour on your surface and your cutter. Gluten-free dough doesn’t have the elasticity of wheat dough, so a little dusting helps prevent sticking when lifting the shapes.
• Watch the Edges for Doneness: These cookies bake fast! Don’t wait until the entire top surface browns. If you see the edges just starting to get that light golden color, they are done. They continue setting up on the hot pan, which prevents a dry cookie.
• Icing Consistency Check: If your icing seems too stiff to spread easily after mixing, add milk just half a teaspoon at a time. You want it smooth enough to glide but thick enough that it doesn’t immediately run off the sides of the cookie.

Frequently Asked Questions About Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

I get so many questions about these cookies, especially around the holidays when everyone is trying new things in their gluten-free baking adventure! Here are the answers to the ones I hear most often.

Can I substitute the gluten-free flour blend in this Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies recipe?

That’s a great question! For this specific recipe, I really, really recommend using a 1:1 style blend that already contains xanthan gum, like the Cup4Cup I mentioned. Since these are rolled cookies, the structure is everything! If you use a blend that doesn’t have gum, you might need to add about half a teaspoon of xanthan gum yourself, or the dough will just crumble when you try to cut shapes. Stick to a good quality 1:1 blend for the best results.

How long should I chill the Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies dough?

You absolutely must chill the dough for a full 1 hour. I know it feels like forever when you want cookies right now! But that chilling time is crucial because it hydrates the gluten-free starches and firms up the butter. If the butter is soft when it goes into the oven, the cookies will spread into giant, thin discs instead of holding those cute shapes you cut out.

Can I make these Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies ahead of time?

Yes, you totally can! This is great news for holiday cookie prep. You can bake the cookies completely, let them cool fully, and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days *before* you ice them. Once they are iced, they are best eaten within a couple of days, but they keep well for holiday cookie platters!

Storing Your Delicious Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

Once you’ve frosted these beautiful cookies, you want to make sure they stay perfect until it’s time to serve them! Storing them correctly is super important, especially because the icing has both butter and cream cheese in it. If you plan on icing them later, the un-iced cookies are incredibly resilient and keep wonderfully.

For iced cookies, you need to be a little more mindful of temperature and moisture. The best approach is to let the icing set up completely at room temperature for a few hours before sealing them away. Here is a quick guide on how I keep mine fresh:

Cookie State	Storage Method	Maximum Time
Un-iced, Baked	Airtight container at room temperature	Up to 1 week
Iced	Airtight container, room temperature (ensure layers are separated by wax paper if stacking)	3 to 4 days

If you need to store them longer than 4 days, the refrigerator is okay, but I always bring them back to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. Cold temps can sometimes dull the flavor of the butter!

Understanding the Nutrition in These Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

Now, I know that when we’re baking classics like this, we aren’t really aiming for a health food, right? We are aiming for pure joy! But I always like to give a little nod to the numbers, just so you know what you’re working with when you enjoy one of these treats. Since this recipe uses a specific gluten-free flour blend and we are using real butter here, the numbers reflect that rich, satisfying flavor.

Please remember that these values are just estimates based on the ingredients listed and the serving size of one cookie. If you cut your cookies huge or use a different brand of flour, these numbers will shift a bit! But this gives you a good ballpark idea of what’s in this wonderful holiday cookie. For more general information on dietary guidelines, you can check resources like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Nutrient	Estimated Amount (Per Cookie)
Calories	88
Carbohydrates	10g
Fat	5g
Protein	1g

See? They are perfectly portioned for enjoying with a cup of coffee or hot cocoa! The fat content comes mostly from the butter and cream cheese, which is what makes them taste so incredibly rich and satisfying. Enjoy them guilt-free—they are homemade, after all!

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