These are my all-time favorite gluten-free sugar cookies! I think you’re going to fall in love with it too. They are soft and flavorful, but like classic sugar cookies, hold their shape while baking. They’re great for decorating with frosting and sprinkles.
This recipe also includes my all-time favorite sugar cookie frosting (hint it has sour cream) which takes these cookies to the next level.
Why You’ll LOVE this Recipe
- Soft sugar cookies with crispy edges
- Almond extract for amazing flavor
- Hold their shape while baking
- A little sour cream (secret ingredient!) for moist cookies
- Easily made dairy-free with vegan butter and dairy-free sour cream
- Freezes great!
Ingredients for Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
Here are a few notes on the key ingredients to make these best gluten-free sugar cookies. If you have any additional questions leave me a comment/
- Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour: Also known as gluten-free measure-for-measure flour. I like to use a gluten-free all purpose flour blend that contains xanthan gum. King Arthur flour is my favorite brand.
- Cornstarch: A little cornstarch gives these cookies a lighter texture.
- Sour cream: Sour cream imparts a richness to the cookie dough and helps create a chewy texture in gluten-free baking. You can easily use dairy-free sour cream if you prefer.
- Vanilla extract/almond extract: The combination of these two extracts gives this the cookie dough amazing flavor!
Dairy-free? To make these cookies dairy-free I recommend using 1/2 cup shortening and 1/2 cup vegan butter in place of the 1 cup of butter. You can also use Forager dairy-free sour cream.
For an almond flour version, try these almond flour sugar cookies!
How to Make Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
Make the Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use a large bowl with a hand mixer) add the butter and white sugar. Cream together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the egg, almond extract, vanilla extract, salt and baking powder. Mix until well combined.
- With the mixer running on low, add half of the sour cream followed by the cornstarch. Add 1/2 of the gluten-free flour blend to the wet ingredients followed by the other 1/2 of the sour cream. Mix until combined then add the other 1/2 of the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.
- Scrap down the sides and bottom of the bowl then mix again until totally combined.
Roll and Bake the Cookies
- Divide the dough into two flattened balls and wrap the dough balls tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- Chilled dough creates cut-out cookies that hold their shape. The chilling time also gives the gluten-free flour time to hydrate for a non-gritty dough.
Tip: If you prefer drop cookies and don’t want to roll out the dough, try these gluten-free Christmas cookies.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Lightly sprinkle a clean counter or work surface with gluten-free flour. Roll out the chilled dough with a rolling pin to the desired thickness on the lightly floured surface. For a soft sugar cookie, roll the dough until it is about 1/4-inch thick. For crisper cookies you can roll the dough thinner to 1/8 inch. I prefer 1/4-inch thick cookies!
- Cut out the cookies with desired cookie cutters, then use a thin spatula to transfer the cookies to the cookie sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes until set. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
You also might like these gluten-free funfetti sugar cookies!
Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Frosting
These gluten-free sugar cookies are perfect for any holiday! We like making them as Christmas cookies during the holiday season. They also make great hearts for a Valentine’s cookie, pumpkins for a Halloween cookie and more.
You can use any frosting you like to decorate these cookies. They work well with royal icing or buttercream frosting.
I’ve included my favorite recipe for buttercream frosting (that has a secret ingredient) in the recipe below. Once you try sour cream in buttercream frosting you’ll never go back! It’s so delicious.
Storage/Freezing Instructions
To Store: Store the cookies in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days.
To Freeze: Plain gluten-free sugar cookies freeze well up to 3 months. To freeze, layer the cookies between sheets of parchment paper and place in a freezer-friendly container or Ziploc. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
More Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes
Making gluten-free sugar cookies is one of our favorite holiday traditions! I hope you like this recipe as much as we do! If you try it be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!
Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies (Tried & True!)
Video
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1 cup butter softened, 227g
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 cup sour cream 60g (dairy-free sour cream works!)
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 1/2 cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour 380g
For the Frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter 113g
- 1/4 cup sour cream 60g (dairy-free sour cream works!)
- 3 cups powdered sugar 390g
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 tablespoons milk or almond milk
- food coloring optional
Instructions
Make the Dough:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use a large bowl with a hand mixer) add the butter and granulated sugar. Cream together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the egg, almond extract, vanilla extract, salt and baking powder. Mix until well combined.
- With the mixer running on low, add half of the sour cream followed by the cornstarch. Add 1/2 of the flour followed by the other 1/2 of the sour cream. Mix until combined then add the other 1/2 of the flour and mix until incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl then mix again until totally combined.
- Divide the dough into two flattened balls and wrap each ball tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
Bake the Cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Lightly sprinkle a clean counter with gluten-free flour. Roll out the chilled dough to the desired thickness on the lightly floured surface. (Tip: For a soft sugar cookie, roll the dough until it is about ¼-inch thick. For crisper cookies you can roll the dough thinner to ⅛ inch. I prefer ¼-inch thick cookies!)
- Cut out the cookies with desired cookie cutters, then use a thin spatula to transfer the cookies to the prepared pan.
- Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes until set. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Make the Frosting:
- In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Using a hand mixer, whip until light and fluffy. Add a little more milk if the frosting is too thick, or more powdered sugar if it’s too thin.
- Frost the cookies as desired. Enjoy!
Its Christmas eve here…my daughter, her little friends and their parents LOVED the cookies we made tonight. Used greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Absolutely amazing! A Really BIG THANK YOU!!!
These really are the best, they taste just like Lofthouse sugar cookies! Perfect texture, don’t crumb everywhere, keep their shape and taste great.
I’m so glad to hear that! Lofthouse sugar cookies are definitely an ideal standard. Thanks for the comment!
Can you freeze the dough cutouts and bake later?
Yes that will work great! Let me know how it goes for you 🙂
These are delicious! Perfect texture. My favorite regular sugar cookie has cornstarch and when I saw this recipe had cornstarch, I had a feeling I would like them. Did not try the icing, because I plan on using a royal icing to decorate. One batch I just rolled and then tossed in colored sugar. Very excited about how good this recipe is. My niece has Celiac, and my son’s boyfriend and myself are very sensitive to gluten. These are going to be very popular in my house. Can’t wait to try your other recipes
I’m so glad they turned out for you! So fun you have gluten-free eaters to make them for 🙂 Thanks for the comment!
Recipe sounds great but I also have to do nut free. Can I increase the vanilla extract and not use almond extract?
Yes for sure!
I’ve loved to bake a long time, but have NEVER liked sugar cookies. Never. I make them because my kids like decorating them and had to find a new recipe since my daughter’s Celiac diagnosis. I tested one (obviously not this recipe) last Christmas and was all, eh, okay, another borrrring sugar cookie.
NOT ANYMORE! I am officially a convert. THESE ARE SO GOOD. I need to add that we didn’t even make the frosting because I was bringing these into school for her to decorate (turns out I didn’t need all of them so here we are). Two more things: 1) left the almond out because I was taking them to my daughter’s class with no nuts – no worries, amazing without too! and 2) it’s day FOUR – I baked these Sunday night and they’re still soft and delicious and delightful in every way.
THANK YOU ERIN! Can’t wait to try the frosting when I make these again for uhh..Thanksgiving? Everyone needs Thanksgiving cookies, right?
Amazing! I’m so happy they turned out for you! Yes please to Thanksgiving cookies 😉 Thanks for the comment!
I need to make gluten free sugar cookies for an important event. I always decorate my regular sugar cookies with royal icing. But seeing that these are a lighter (less dense) cookie, would I still be able to frost and decorate with ROYAL ICING??
Great question! Yes I think these cookies would hold up great with royal icing. Let me know the results if you try it!
I never Comment on these but I had to stop by to say how AMAZING these are!!!! I’m new to the DF GF lifestyle and these are so soft and delicious!!! I get compliments from everyone on them. Thanks so much for the recipe!!! 🙂
I’m so happy to hear you like them! Thanks for the comment!
Finally, a really tasty GF/DF sugar cookie. Thank you so much, these cookies are amazing!!
I’m so glad they turned out for you! Thanks for the comment 🙂
These cookies are amazing!!! My kids couldn’t tell they were GF!
These are so good! Taste just like sugar cookies I can remember. My husband and son who both have Celiac, approve as well! Should they be stored in the fridge if frosted because of the sour cream, or at room temp fine if serving the same day?
Would you be able to use this recipe for drop cookies and just skip rolling the dough?
Yes you could definitely do that! You might also like this recipes for drop style sugar cookies – https://meaningfuleats.com/gluten-free-christmas-cookies/
Can you suggest a substitution for the cornstarch? I generally use tapioca or arrowroot, but that is for thickening. I suspect it adds to the crispiness in these cookies, so I’m not sure what to use. Thank you!
Tapioca starch will work great! Yes the starch adds a little crispness and lightness to the cookies.
How much xanthan gum is required if your flour mix doesn’t include it?
Great question! You should use 1 teaspoon xanthan gum if your blend doesn’t have it.
Is your sour cream frosting a crusting frosting?
Can’t wait to make these!! My old favorite non GF sugar cookies called for whipping cream. I bet the sour cream in these make them delicious!! Excited to try them! Thank you for sharing!