These gluten free sugar cookies are the classic rolled cutout cookie, made without butter or wheat flour. The dough needs no chilling, rolls out easily at room temperature, and holds its shape in the oven. Perfect for Christmas cookies, fall leaf cutouts, or any occasion that calls for a cookie cutter. Top them with dairy free powdered sugar icing for a classic sugar cookie, or dairy free maple icing for a fall version.
PREP TIME
20 minutes
TOTAL TIME
27 minutes
YIELD
About 40 cookies
Inspired by my old Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook from my pre-gluten free days, I set out to create the same results while being gluten and dairy free so that food allergies wouldn’t stop us from enjoying our favorite holiday cookies.
Why You’ll Love These Rolled Sugar Cookies
- Easy to make with one bowl and a hand mixer
- Soft and delicious with no gluten and no butter
- No chill dough that is ready to roll as soon as it’s mixed. No waiting makes this a great recipe to make with kids!
- Rolls and cuts cleanly with no extra flouring needed
- Cookies hold their shape and barely spread in the oven
- Works year round for Christmas cutouts, fall leaves, spring flowers, and everything in between
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Microwave safe bowl
- Hand mixer
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutters
- Cookie sheets
- Parchment paper
Key Ingredients for Gluten and Dairy Free Success
- Refined coconut oil: Make sure you are using REFINED. Refined coconut oil has a completely neutral flavor, so your cookies won’t taste of coconut at all. Unrefined coconut oil has a noticeable coconut flavor. If you use unrefined, your cookies will still be delicious, but they will taste and smell like coconut.
- Oat milk: I use Oatly brand Original oat milk. Any dairy free milk can be substituted 1:1.
- Gluten free flour: I get the best results with King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free flour. I have tried other brands and the texture of the finished cookie just isn’t as good
No Chill Sugar Cookies Without Butter
Traditional rolled sugar cookies rely on butter and the dough has to chill before it can be rolled. This recipe uses melted refined coconut oil instead and yields the same soft cookie without any dairy. Because there’s no butter to firm up, the dough does not need to chill. In fact, it should be rolled and cut at room temperature. Cold, the dough is crumbly and won’t hold together. At room temperature it is soft and easy to work with. If you make the dough ahead, let it warm up to room temperature before rolling it out.
The one place to be careful is mixing. To prevent the coconut oil from resolidifying when colder ingredients are added, the mixing order matters. Follow the steps as written to avoid any clumping issues.
Process Notes
- The dough may be crumbly when you first start working with it. Use your hands to press it into a ball and knead it a bit. It will soften and come together as it warms up in your hands.
- Don’t skip any of the mixing steps or dump everything in the bowl at once. Mixing between additions keeps the coconut oil from resolidifying when colder ingredients like the oat milk and egg go in.
- Roll the dough to about ¼ inch thick. I roll directly on a clean countertop. You can lightly flour the surface if you like, but I don’t usually find it necessary.
- These cookies barely spread, so they can be placed ½ inch to 1 inch apart on the cookie sheet.
Gluten Free Christmas Sugar Cookies
This is the cookie recipe we make as a family every December. The dough holds its shape well enough for detailed Christmas cutters like snowflakes, stars, angels and trees. Since it doesn’t need to chill you can go from mixing bowl to oven in one session. Frost cooled cookies with dairy free powdered sugar icing and finish with sprinkles or sugar that fit your allergen needs. I use India Tree Nature’s Colors Decorating Sugar because we try to avoid food dyes when possible.
Storage
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Gluten Free Sugar Cookies (Dairy Free Cutout Recipe)
Soft rolled sugar cookies with a no chill dough. Gluten free, dairy free, and perfect for cookie cutters.
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup refined coconut oil
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp oat milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups gluten free flour. I get the best results with King Arthur Measure for Measure.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Add ⅔ cup refined coconut oil to a microwave safe bowl and heat 30 to 40 seconds until melted.
- Pour the melted coconut oil into a large mixing bowl and add ¾ cup granulated sugar. Beat with a hand mixer on medium high for 30 seconds until well combined.
- Add 1 tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt. Beat on medium high until combined.
- Add 1 egg, 1 tbsp oat milk, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Beat on medium high until fully incorporated.
- Add flour 1 cup at a time, mixing on low after each addition. The dough will separate into crumbly pieces; this is normal. Use your hands to press it into a ball and knead until it forms a smooth dough.
- Working with a section at a time, roll the dough to about ¼ inch thick. I do this directly on a clean granite countertop. Lightly flour the surface only if needed.
- Cut out shapes and place on the parchment lined cookie sheets ½ inch to 1 inch apart. These cookies do not spread much.
- Bake at 375°F for 7 minutes. Cookies will be soft and pale with no browning when done. Set the tray on a heat safe surface and let the cookies cool completely on the tray before moving them; they will break if transferred while warm.
- Frost cooled cookies with dairy free powdered sugar icing or dairy free maple icing, or enjoy plain.
Notes
Coconut Oil: Use REFINED coconut oil. It has a neutral flavor and will not give the cookies a coconut taste. (Unrefined coconut oil will give the cookies a coconut flavor.)
Working With The Dough: Do not chill this dough. Roll and cut at room temperature. If made ahead, let it come to room temperature before rolling.
Oat Milk Substitute: Any dairy free milk that meets your allergen needs can replace the oat milk 1:1.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days
Allergens: This recipe is free from dairy, mustard, gluten, sesame, peanuts, and tree nuts. Always check every ingredient label for your family’s specific allergens, as formulations and facilities can change.
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