Quick and Easy Gluten Free Sugar Cookies

Name: The Best Gluten Free Sugar Cookie recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 9 min
Total time: 79 min
Ingredients: 2 cups gluten free flour blend (* see note); 1 teaspoon baking powder; dash of salt; 2/3 cup sugar; 10 tablespoons butter (* see note); 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 2 tablespoons water; 2 tablespoons course baking sugar (optional)

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These Gluten free sugar cookies are a delicious treat at any time. This simple gluten free sugar cookie recipe makes delicious soft buttery cookies with crisp edges, just as a cookie should be!! These cookies start in your mixing bowl and into your mouth in about 20 minutes!

A stack of five sugar cookies next to a spool of white and red striped string.

Table of Contents

Drop sugar cookies are one of my favorites because they have all that famous sugar cookie taste with half the work. No cookie cutters are needed; you get yummy cookies. If you prefer to use cookie cutters, you will want to try my Gluten Free Cut-Out Cookies recipe!

These gluten free sugar cookies are so good you can even use them for ice cream sandwiches! I will keep nibbling on these delicious, soft gluten free sugar cookies until summer comes.

What makes these gluten free sugar cookies so good:

Crispy edges. This gluten free sugar cookie recipe makes cookies with those perfect crisp edges. They hold together beautifully.
You can freeze these delicious cookies to enjoy anytime.
They are made drop style, so they are easy to make
I include a dairy-free option, too!

They are easy to decorate with gluten free sprinkles to make them fancy! I believe this is the best gluten free sugar cookie recipe I’ve made.

I made some yesterday and didn’t tell my husband they were gf. Just told him they were sugar cookies. He’s still eating them.”
sharon G., Facebook Comment

Allergen Information:

These homemade sugar cookies are gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and oat-free. Make them dairy-free by using dairy-free butter.

The top view of a stack of sugar cookies.

Okay, I know we talked about the crispy edges…and the rich, buttery taste. Let’s talk about how to make this simple gluten free sugar cookie recipe. First, gather your ingredients.

Photos of the gluten free sugar cookies ingredients.

Ingredient Notes:

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

Gluten free flour blend – II 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.
If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, you must add it so your cookies hold together.
Vanilla – please make sure you use pure vanilla extract and not imitation.
Butter – use dairy-free butter if you want this recipe to be dairy-free too!

Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:

You are going to love these cookies!! It is so easy to make these cookies from scratch!

Step 1: Pulse the flour mixture and butter in a food processor until it looks “grainy” and crumbly.

To measure your gluten free flour, I recommend using the spoon method or leveling method. In a perfect world, people weigh their flour, but most do not own a kitchen scale. Every gluten-free flour blend has a different weight, making a scale even trickier. Put the measuring scoop into the flour and fill. Do not pack the flour. Use a knife to scrape along the top to remove the extra flour. You can also use a spoon to fill the measuring cup. Use a knife to level along the top to remove the extra flour.

Step 2: In a small bowl, add your wet ingredients and whisk to blend.

Pictures of steps 3 and 4 process shots.

Step 3: Add the wet ingredients and mix well. Your dough should form a stiff ball. So far, everything is going according to plan! Wrap the gluten free sugar cookie dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

📢 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.

Step 4: Take the dough from the refrigerator and then preheat the oven to 350º F. Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Use a cookie scoop to drop cold dough balls onto a parchment-lined cookie baking sheet. Press down in the middle of each sugar cookie and add thick baker’s sugar to each middle.

Bake the cookies at 350º F for 8-10 minutes.

A picture of a rack of sugar cookies cooling on a wire rack.

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.

Why do my gluten-free cookies taste gritty?

This grit you experience is from the rice flour in the gluten-free flour blend. Not all companies mill their flour extra fine. To eliminate the grit, I recommend letting the cookie dough rest for 15 minutes. This extra time will allow the rice flour to soften, eliminating the grit.

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:

Do you need to refrigerate the cookie dough?

You don’t have to refrigerate the dough, but it definitely makes the cookies better if you do. I refrigerated these for 1-2 hours.

Can you use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar?

I do not recommend using powdered sugar in this recipe. Your cookies will not turn out well.

How long will these cookies keep fresh?

These cookies will keep fresh for up to 4 days in an airtight container or up to 4 months in the freezer.

You may also love these Gluten Free Cinnamon Sugar Cookies. They are perfect for using cookie cutters!

Fun Variations:

Add frosting and sprinkles
Colored icings are a pretty way to decorate these gluten free cookies.
Add sprinkles to the actual cookie dough for funfetti cookies

Gluten Free Vanillekipferl Cookies
Gluten Free Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Gluten Free Pfeffernusse Cookies
Fun Halloween Cut Out Cookies
Here is a roundup of the most popular cookie recipes on my blog!

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!

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