Gluten Free Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

Name: Gluten Free Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 9 min
Total time: 19 min
Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups gluten free flour blend (* see note); 1 teaspoon baking powder (aluminum-free); 1/8 teaspoon salt; 1 1/4 cups cane sugar; 2 large eggs; 1/4 cup cream cheese (* see note); 10 tablespoons unsalted butter (* see note); 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1/3 cup sprinkles

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4.85 from 13 votes

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! Make a batch in under 30 minutes!

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A stack of cream cheese sugar cookies with rainbow sprinkles.

Table of Contents

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.

A gluten free cream cheese sugar cookie coated in red and green sprinkles on a plate.

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!

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 and 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!

I made these yesterday and they turned out so so good. Better than regular sugar cookies. I used king arthur measure for measure and I chilled the dough over night. Instead of Sprinkles right on the cookie I frosted them and put Sprinkles on top of that. No one else is gluten free in my family and everyone loved them.”
Alicia K., Blog comment

Allergen Information:

This yummy cookie recipe is gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and oat-free. You could make them dairy-free using plant-based butter and cream cheese, but please note I haven’t personally tested the dairy-free ingredients in this cookie recipe yet.

A sprinkle cookies on a cookie sheet. One has a bite taken out.

Are you ready to try this easy gluten-free cream cheese sugar cookie recipe? Grab your ingredients!!

Photos of the cream cheese sugar cookies ingredients.

Ingredient Notes:

For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.

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 3/4 teaspoon.
Baking Powder – Please use aluminum-free baking powder for best results.
Cream Cheese – I recommend using full-fat cream cheese.
Butter – Use unsalted 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.)

Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:

The cream cheese sugar cookies photos of steps 1 and 2.

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Step 1: Add all your dry ingredients (except the sprinkles!) to a large mixing bowl and use a whisk to blend.

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. That is fine if you prefer a standing mixer for this cookie recipe. 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.

The cream cheese sugar cookies photos of steps 3 and 4.

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.

📢 Sandi says: Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the batter. If your cake batter is too runny, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquids.
Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.

The cream cheese sugar cookies photos of steps 5 and 6.

Step 5: Use a small cookie scoop to get cookie balls. Roll them into circles and put them onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.

Step 6: Pour some sprinkles into a shallow dish. Roll each cookie dough ball in the sprinkles. Press the cookies down with the bottom of a drinking glass.

Step 7: Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes until done. Let the cookies sit on the cookie sheet for a 3-4 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack. The cookies will be slightly golden. Note: The cookies may feel soft when you touch them with your finger, but they firm up as they cool. Enjoy!!

The a cooling rack with sprinkles cookies.

Why are my cookies flat, aka spread too much?

This is one of the most common questions I get from my readers. There are several reasons for flat cookies, including:

Check to see how long you chilled your cookie dough. If you use partially melted or softened butter, you must chill it to prevent spreading.
How did you measure your flour? Measuring your flour accurately is important. I don’t often weigh my ingredients because every flour blend has a different weight, and my readers all use different gluten-free flour blends. I recommend using either the Spoon Method by using a spoon to add flour to the measuring cup. Use a knife to level along the top to remove the extra flour. Leveling Method by putting the measuring scoop into the flour and filling it with flour. Do not pack the flour. Use a knife to scrape along the top to remove the extra flour.
Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. This can affect the moisture levels in your cookie dough, resulting in flatter cookies. In this situation, you would need to add more flour.

How do you make cookies the same size?

The best way to ensure your cookies are the same size and look uniform is to use a cookie scoop. I really like my XOXO brand medium-sized cookie scoop. It is the only scoop I have used that has lasted a long time and hasn’t broken. Check out all of my favorite gluten-free cookie tools.

For more cookie troubleshooting, read my Gluten-Free Cookie Troubleshooting Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can you use different sprinkles?

You can, but many sprinkles will melt when baked. I use the little round sprinkles pictured above, which will hold their shape through baking.

How long will these cookies keep fresh?

These cookies will keep fresh for up to 4 days in an airtight container.

Can you freeze these cream cheese sugar cookies?

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.

Love This Recipe?

If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!

sprinkle cookies on a cookie sheet. One has a bite taken out

Sandi Gaertner