Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Cut Outs Recipe

I finally nailed Gluten Free Sugar Cookies that roll perfectly, cut clean shapes, and actually hold up to royal icing so your decorations won’t melt into sad blobs.

I’m obsessed with these Gluten Free Sugar Cut Out Cookies because they bring that exact crisp edge and soft center I crave. I love how the flavor leans buttery, thanks to unsalted butter, softened and a hit of vanilla extract.

Decorating is the fun part for me, color everywhere, little mistakes that still look awesome. But they don’t fall apart while you’re handling them, which is huge.

I reach for them as Gluten Free Christmas Cookies or a random Tuesday when I want something serious and fun. Short, bold, addictive.

Worth every crumb and every sticky finger. No regrets ever.

Ingredients

• Gluten free flour blend: gives structure and tender crumb you can actually cut.
• Basically xanthan gum brings stretch so cookies don’t crumble apart.
• Baking powder adds gentle lift so shapes keep a bit of height.
• Baking soda helps browning and gives a touch of spread.
• Fine salt balances sweetness and sharpens the overall taste.
• Unsalted butter gives rich flavor and crisp, golden edges.
• Granulated sugar adds crunch and the classic cookie sweetness.
• Egg binds the dough together and adds a little chew.
• Pure vanilla gives warm aroma and a comforting background note.
• Plus milk smooths dough so it’s pliable for rolling.
• Extra gf flour or cornstarch keeps cutters clean while rolling.
• Basically buttercream is creamy, spreadable color and sweet joy.
• Royal icing dries hard for precise, long lasting decorations.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 1/2 cups (about 350 g) gluten free all purpose flour blend (make sure it contains xanthan gum; if not see next item)
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum (only if your flour blend does not already have it)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or dairy free milk, as needed to bring dough together
• Optional for dusting and rolling: extra gluten free flour or cornstarch
• Optional simple buttercream for decorating: 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter softened, 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, gel food coloring as desired
• Optional royal icing for decorating: 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar, 2 large egg whites or 4 tablespoons pasteurized meringue powder plus 6 tablespoons water, few drops lemon juice, gel food coloring as desired

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). If your gluten free flour blend does not already have xanthan gum, add the 1 teaspoon to the dry mix so the cookies hold together.

2. In a bowl whisk together 2 1/2 cups (about 350 g) gluten free all purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp fine salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl beat 3/4 cup (170 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes with a hand mixer. Scrape the bowl, then beat in 1 large room temperature egg and 2 tsp pure vanilla extract.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low until dough comes together. If it seems too dry add 1 to 2 Tbsp milk or dairy free milk, just enough so the dough holds when pressed. Dont overmix.

5. Divide dough in half and flatten each into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in fridge for at least 1 hour, or quick chill 20 minutes in the freezer if you’re impatient. Chilled dough rolls cleaner and keeps shapes better.

6. Line baking sheets with parchment. Lightly dust a piece of parchment or silicone mat with extra gluten free flour or cornstarch to roll out the dough. Roll dough to about 1/4 inch thick for sturdier cutouts or 1/8 inch for more delicate cookies.

7. Cut shapes with cookie cutters, re-rolling scraps once or twice only to avoid getting tough cookies. Transfer cutouts to prepared sheets using a thin spatula; leave about 1 inch between cookies.

8. Bake 8 to 12 minutes, depending on thickness and size, until edges are set and bottoms are very lightly golden but not brown. Let cookies cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

9. For buttercream: beat 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar with 1/2 cup (115 g) softened butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1 to 2 Tbsp milk until smooth; color with gel as needed. For royal icing: whisk 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar with 2 large egg whites or 4 Tbsp pasteurized meringue powder plus 6 Tbsp water, add a few drops lemon, mix to pipeable consistency. Thin with water to flood.

10. Decorate cooled cookies: outline first with thicker royal icing then flood with thinner icing, or spread buttercream with an offset spatula. Let royal icing set fully before stacking. Store in an airtight container at room temp up to 3 days, or freeze between layers of parchment for longer storage.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350 F / 175 C)
2. Mixing bowls (one large, one medium)
3. Measuring cups and spoons
4. Hand mixer (or sturdy whisk if you dont have one)
5. Rubber spatula for scraping the bowl
6. Rolling pin and a piece of parchment or silicone mat for rolling
7. Cookie cutters and a thin metal spatula to lift cutouts
8. Baking sheets lined with parchment or silicone liners
9. Wire cooling rack (and an offset spatula for spreading buttercream)

FAQ

Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Cut Outs Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Gluten free all purpose flour blend: use a cup for cup GF blend that already has xanthan gum, or make your own by mixing 1 cup white rice flour + 1 cup brown rice flour + 1 cup tapioca starch and stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum for every 3 cups of mix. This won’t be exact to store mixes but it works great for cut outs.
• Xanthan gum: if you don’t have it, substitute 1 teaspoon psyllium husk powder or 1 1/2 teaspoons guar gum. Both give structure and help the dough hold together, though psyllium sometimes makes a slightly denser cookie.
• Unsalted butter (for dairy free): swap with an equal amount of vegan stick butter for best texture, or use 3/4 cup (about 135 g) coconut oil solid at room temp. Note coconut oil can add a faint coconut flavor and can be a touch softer.
• 1 large egg: use a flax egg made by mixing 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes, or 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce. Flax gives better binding, applesauce may make cookies a little softer.

Pro Tips

1. Chill the dough longer than you think. If your cutters are squishing the shapes, pop the disks back in the fridge for another 20 to 30 minutes. Cold dough rolls and cuts cleaner and the edges stay crisp when baked.

2. Use a combo of rice flour or cornstarch to dust for rolling, not more of the all purpose blend. That little swap helps the dough not stick and won’t dry the cookies out so fast. Tap excess off, don’t rub it in.

3. Don’t re-roll scraps more than once or twice. Every time you rework the dough it gets tougher. If you need more shapes, press scraps together gently and chill again before cutting.

4. Bake by sight, not strictly by time. Smaller or thinner shapes might be done closer to 8 minutes, thicker ones toward 12. Pull them when the edges are set and the bottoms are very lightly golden. They continue to firm up as they cool.