Description
These gluten-free sugar cookies are crispy on the outside, and soft and chewy inside, making them the perfect snack or dessert. These cookies are also great for the holiday cookie exchange and your Christmas cookie platter. Totally dairy-free too, but honestly no one would know! Bake a batch or two today!
Ingredients
For the Sugar Cookie Dough:
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your flour blend already includes it)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup coconut oil, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Sugar Coating:
- 1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
- Preheat and Line: Preheat oven to 350F (180C) and line a large baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.
- Whisk Flour Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine the gluten-free all-purpose flour, xanthan gum (if using), baking powder and salt. Whisk well to combine.
- Cream Sugar and Coconut Oil: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the sugar and coconut oil together until you get a light and creamy mixture.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Add the beaten egg and vanilla extract and whisk well to get a smooth light brown liquid mixture.
- Prepare Cookie Dough: Add the flour mixture to the large bowl with the wet ingredients and mix well until a soft dough is formed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Chill the dough for 5 minutes in the freezer.
- Form Small Balls: Once the dough is chilled, scoop out 1 heaping tablespoon of chilled dough, and use your palms to roll the dough into a small ball. Place the ball on a plate. Repeat until all the dough is used up. Chill the dough balls for 5 minutes in the freezer.
- Roll Balls in Sugar: Place the sugar in a small bowl and roll each dough ball in the sugar until evenly coated on all sides. Let the coated dough balls chill for 5 minutes in the freezer.
- Transfer Dough Balls to Baking Sheet: Once chilled, place the sugar-coated dough balls in a single layer on the prepared cookie sheet (at least 3 inches apart).
- Bake: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the edges are very lightly golden, rotating the baking sheet halfway through.
- Cool Completely: Let the gluten-free sugar cookies cool for at least 2 minutes on the baking sheet, before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
Gluten-Free Flour Blend: I recommend using a good-quality gluten-free flour blend that is made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch or potato starch) to ensure a lighter texture. I do NOT recommend using a flour blend that includes heavier flours such as garbanzo bean flour (as that will result in a denser final texture).
Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is the replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours and is necessary for helping the ingredients bind better together. Make sure to add it if your gluten-free flour blend doesn’t already include it.
Baking Powder: In this gluten-free sugar cookies recipe, baking powder is the only leavening agent and is required to ensure the cookies are not too dense. If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure to use certified gluten-free baking powder.
Coconut Oil: I prefer to use refined coconut oil as it has a more neutral flavor (as opposed to extra virgin coconut oil which has a more pronounced coconut smell and taste). You may also use dairy-free butter (vegan butter) if you prefer. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, you may use normal butter instead.
Sugar: I used granulated white sugar, but you may also use cane sugar, light brown sugar, maple sugar, or coconut sugar if you prefer (just bear in mind that the darker the sugar used, the darker the cookies will be). If you are diabetic or insulin-resistant, I strongly recommend using granulated monkfruit sweetener (a 1:1 sugar substitute that has zero glycemic-index and will not cause raise your blood sugar).
Egg: The egg helps to better bind the ingredients together. If you are allergic to eggs, or simply want to keep this recipe entirely vegan, you may also use aquafaba or an egg-replacer instead.
Vanilla Extract: I like adding vanilla extract for extra flavor. However, if you prefer not to, or simply don’t happen to have it on hand, you may leave it out.
Storing/Freezing: To store, place the cooled gluten-free sugar cookies in an airtight container and store for up to a week. To freeze, place the cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Warm frozen cookies in the oven at 350F for 2 to 3 minutes before eating.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Chilling Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
