If you love soft, flavorful cookies, these homemade gluten free cream cheese sugar cookies will quickly become your favorite! They are fun to make, just grab your favorite sprinkles!
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For years before we went gluten free, we used to get cream cheese and sugar cookies from the local bakery. When we went gluten free, I forgot about them. Now I question why because the cream cheese adds such a delicious smooth creaminess to these cream cheese sprinkle cookies.
One of the keys to this recipe is almost stealthy. Many don't realize that some sprinkles are made in facilities that process wheat. It is important to know which sprinkles are gluten free. Check this list of gluten free sprinkles to make sure your sprinkles are gluten free if you plan to use them to make these cookies.
These cookies are hard to resist, and you can vary the color of sprinkles you use depending on the holiday. Use red and green for Christmas, pastels for spring and Easter, or orange and black for Halloween!
If you love cookies as much as we do, check out all of my easy Gluten Free Cookie Recipes!
Why these cookies are so good:
These butter sprinkle cookies seem to melt in your mouth. They are soft sugar cookies that are rolled in colorful sprinkles. Kids love to make these because they get to use their hands to roll the cookies into balls, then roll them again in the sprinkles.
If you want more fun cookie recipes that involve your hands, give these Gluten Free Russian Tea Cookies or these Gluten Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies recipes a try!
Are you ready to try this easy gluten-free cream cheese sugar cookie recipe? Grab your ingredients!!
Ingredient notes:
- Gluten free flour blend - I tested this recipe using Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend and King Arthur's Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. That doesn't mean others will not work; I just have not tested other flours.
- Xanthan gum - If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add one teaspoon.
- Cream cheese - I recommend using full-fat cream cheese. This recipe will work with vegan cream cheese if you are trying to make this recipe dairy-free as well.
- Butter - To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
- Sprinkles - As mentioned above, make sure to read the label to ensure yours are gluten free. (* Note that Wilton sprinkles are made on shared equipment.)
Recipe step-by-step directions:
Step 1: Add all of your dry ingredients (except the sprinkles!) to a large
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients to a smaller bowl and whisk to blend.
Many ask can use a standing mixer to make this cookie recipe. If you prefer to use a standing mixer for this cookie recipe, that is fine. Just add the wet ingredients to the bowl. Mix it at low speed for 2 minutes. Slowly add the dry ingredients until all of the dry ingredients are mixed in.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix. You may notice little bits of cream cheese, but that is okay! They work as you mix your dough.
Step 4: This is what your cookie dough will look like.
Step 5: Use a small cookie scoop to get cookie balls. Roll them into circles and put them onto a parchment paper-lined
Step 6: Pour some sprinkles into a shallow dish. Roll each cookie dough ball in the sprinkles. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press the cookies down.
Step 7: Bake the cookies for 8-9 minutes until done. Enjoy!!
If you are looking for another delicious bite-sized treat, try my baked Gluten Free Cannoli Bites too!
Expert TIPS and Recipe FAQ:
You can easily make them dairy-free with vegan cream cheese and butter.
You can, but many sprinkles will melt when baked. I use the little round sprinkles pictured above, which will hold their shape through baking.
The cookies will be slightly golden. Note the cookies may feel soft when touching them with your finger, but they firm up as they cool.
These cookies will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container.
You can definitely freeze them. They should keep fresh for 4 months in the freezer. I freeze mine by placing them into a Zipper freezer bag.
More delicious gluten free cookies:
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups gluten free flour blend * see note
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 2 eggs large
- ¼ cup cream cheese * see note
- 10 tablespoons butter * see note
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- In a large mixing bowl, add your dry ingredients and whisk to blend.
- In a smaller bowl, add your wet ingredients and mix. *Soften the butter and cream cheese until almost liquid so they blend in easier.
- If you prefer to use a standing mixer, add the wet ingredients to the bowl. Mix on low and build the speed up to medium. Whip for 1 minutes.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing on low.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop out cookies and roll with your hands into balls. Line them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
- Take each ball and roll it in the sprinkles and place back on the cookie sheet.
- Take a flat bottom glass and press each ball to ¼ to ⅓ inch thickness.
- Bake for 9 minutes. Remove when they are baked and allow to cool on a rack.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter and use a vegan cream cheese.
- It is critical to make sure you use gluten free sprinkles. Some are made on shared equipment so check to make sure your sprinkles are gluten free.
- These cookies will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn't test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Deborah G
Great recipe; easy and fun to make! My only comment is I wonder if I could increase the cream cheese (while reducing butter I assume) to get more of that flavor.
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Deborah. I am glad you love the cookies. That is a great question about the cream cheese. In theory, it should work. I will have to test more cream cheese and less butter the next time I make the recipe.
Beth
Made these today rolled in sanding sugar instead of sprinkles because I prefer the sugar. They turned out amazing! So soft and fluffy. This is my new favorite cookie recipe
Sandi Gaertner
I am thrilled you loved these cookies. I will have to try the sanding sugar next time I make them :-).
Jdr
Used my own gf flour blend. Turned out good and fluffy.
Sandi Gaertner
I am really glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Bunny Thompson
I made the cookies with my own gluten free flour blend. White rice flour,potato starch.tapicopa starch and pamelas zanthan gum sub. Also using monk fruit instead of sugar and no sugar sprinkle. The cookies came out fantastic. Looking beautiful and tasting wonderful.
Thanks so much
Sandi Gaertner
They sound delicious. I am so glad you came back to let us all know monk fruit sweetener worked. I get asked about it a lot.
Lisalia
Such a delicious and creamy flavor. I haven't made cream cheese cookies before. And I won't stop now. Thanks for this delicious new cookie recipe!
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad you are enjoying them Lisalia. You made my day coming back to let me know.
Helga
I'm loving the King Author flour. What a great recipe and the sprinkles make them so fun!
Sandi Gaertner
I find their gluten free 1 to 1 blend is so easy to use in recipes. I am glad you enjoy it as well 🙂