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!
I haven’t tried these yet but I was wondering if I could use margarine or dairy free butter.
Hi Sydney, if wanting to replace the butter, we recommend using 1/2 cup of shortening and 1/2 cup of vegan butter. We hope you enjoy the cookies!
I loved it! So yummy!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed the cookies, Olivia! Thanks for your feedback!
I haven’t made sugar cookies for years because the last time was a gluten free baking hot mess: dough sticking to rolling pin, falling apart, sticking to cookie cutters, etc. THIS recipe has me speechless!! Flaky, chewy, sturdy for frosting, just WOW!! I rarely leave comments, but this recipe beckoned me to thank you!! I made a double batch, hubs and I made some last night while watching Elf, and will use the rest to make with my nieces and nephews on Christmas Eve! Thank you thank you!
This makes us so happy, Ginger! Thank you for sharing your kind feedback. We’re so glad the you loved the recipe so much!
These are amazing, Christie! If we leave the cookies unfrosted can they be stored at room temperature for longer than 3 days?
Hi Emma, we’re so glad you loved them! We generally recommend 3 days for the best taste/texture. Uniced, you may find they keep well for a couple more days. Thank you for sharing your positive feedback with us!
For the cookie dough, do the egg and sour cream need to set out at room temperature?
Hi Erika, good question! It’s not required for this recipe, but you can if you prefer. We hope you enjoy the cookies!
When do you add cornstarch?
What does that do for cookies?
Hi Colleen, the cornstarch gets added in step 3 of the “Make the Dough” section and helps to create the ideal texture. We hope you enjoy the cookies!
Just the best yet…. You can substitute sour cream to cream cheese if you choose. Perfect in every shape! Thank! Applause!!!!!
Thank you for the kind review, Quienda! We’re so glad you loved the cookies and that the substitution worked well for you! Happy baking!
Hi Elaina, we’re sorry you had this experience! What kind of flour did you initially use? We really love King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure Flour for these cookies. The chilling process is important for the flour to hydrate and absorb the moisture properly. You could try chilling the dough longer and keeping it cool during the rolling process. Adding a little more measure-for-measure flour if it seems to sticky can help, just add it in little increments and allow it time to hydrate so it doesn’t dry out the cookies. You can also roll out the dough between two layers of parchment paper to make rolling it out easier. We hope these ideas help!
Planning on trying this recipe soon and wondered if you’ve ever tried then without cornstarch or if there is a substitute since one of my sons can’t have it. Thanks!
Hi Dena, you can use more gluten-free measure-for-measure flour or arrowroot powder in place of the cornstarch. We hope you enjoy the cookies!
And GF flour you recommend that doesn’t have rice flour?
Hi Jennifer, unfortunately we haven’t tried a gf flour blend with this recipe that doesn’t contain rice flour. Erin does have a recipe for making your own gluten-free flour blend and it doesn’t call for rice flour, we just haven’t tested it in this sugar cookie recipe to say how it will do. If you decide to give it a try, we’d love to hear how it goes!
How far ahead can you make the dough and store it in the refrigerator?
Hi Kelly, the dough can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. For longer storage, it can be frozen for up to 3 months. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
Even before I was gluten free, I had never successfully made cut out sugar cookies successfully. Baking is not my strong suit. But these? These were incredibly easy and turned out so so amazing. It’s been years since I’ve had sugar cookies and I did a super happy dance as soon as I saw that first batch come out of the oven, and then the taste? 5 stars easily. Absolutely amazing cookies and frosting thank you!
Aww, this makes us so happy, Sonja! Thank you for sharing such kind feedback with us. We’re so glad you loved the sugar cookies this much!
Hi! I made the dough but unexpectedly won’t have time to make cookies in the next few days. Can I freeze the dough? And if so? How do I bake them off after thawing again?
Thank you!
Hi Kelly, this dough freezes really well! After making the dough, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap then place it in a ziploc bag or airtight container. The dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge for at least several hours, ideally overnight, then bake according to the recipe. We hope you enjoy the cookies!
Love them!!! This is my go to Sugar Cookie recipe!!! They are always perfect! Slight crunch on the top and super soft inside. Thank you for sharing!!!
Aww, this makes us so happy to hear! Thank you for sharing your kind feedback with us, Lindsey! We’re so glad you love the recipe!
Before I was diagnosed with celiacs, I made the best sugar cookies. Everyone for years has asked for it, it had whipping cream in the dough, not sour cream. Honestly they are so so good. Do you think you could use whipping cream instead of sour cream??
Hi Lindsey, thank you for your question! We’ve never tried whipping cream in place of the sour cream, but it would most likely require further adjustments to the other ingredients to get the right dry/wet ratio since whipping cream is thinner. If you decide to give it a try, we’d love to hear how it goes!
I have used this recipe for years. Rolling the dough by flouring 1 to 1 flour always made the cookies dense. This year l took tip from you about the uses of caputo flour and used caputo flour to roll the cookies. Oh my not dense! Puffed up beautifully. Nice surprise everyone loved them.
Yay! We’re so glad the tip helped and everyone enjoyed the cookies, Lilli! Thank you for sharing with us. Happy baking!