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Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

These delicious gluten-free sugar cookies keep their shape and are topped with decadent cream cheese icing. Great for the holidays and gifting!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 40 people
Calories 4060.9 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Electric Mixer Stand or hand-held, essential for creaming butter/sugar and making smooth icing.
  • 2 Mixing Bowls One for dry ingredients, one for wet, and one for icing.
  • 2 Baking Sheets For baking cookies in batches, lined with parchment or silicone mats.
  • 1 Rolling Pin For evenly rolling out the cookie dough.
  • 1 Cookie Cutters For shaping the cookies as desired.

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 2 ½ cups gluten-free flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup cream cheese softened
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar

Instructions
 

  • Gather all ingredients. Allrecipes/Diana Chistruga
  • Make the cookies: Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Allrecipes/Diana Chistruga
  • Beat white sugar, butter, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until mixture is smooth. Gradually mix in flour mixture until a dough forms. Allrecipes/Diana Chistruga
  • Form dough into a ball. Wrap ball with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Allrecipes/Diana Chistruga
  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats. Allrecipes/Diana Chistruga
  • Roll dough on a lightly floured surface and cut into shapes using desired cookie cutters. Arrange cookies on the prepared baking sheets. Allrecipes/Diana Chistruga
  • Bake in the preheated oven until edges begin to brown, about 10 minutes, switching racks halfway through. Cool on the baking sheet briefly before removing to a wire rack to cool, 8 to 10 minutes more. Allrecipes/Diana Chistruga
  • While the cookies are cooling, make the icing: Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a bowl using an electric mixer until well combined. Slowly beat in confectioners' sugar until icing is smooth. Allrecipes/Diana Chistruga
  • Spread icing onto cooled cookies. Allrecipes/Diana Chistruga

Notes

For superior texture in gluten-free baking, always measure your GF flour blend by weight (grams) rather than volume. Gluten-free flours vary significantly; too much can lead to dry, crumbly cookies. Ensure your butter and cream cheese for both cookie dough and icing are genuinely softened at room temperature to achieve a light, creamy consistency without lumps. Do not skip the chilling step; it's vital for preventing spread and helping the cookies maintain their distinct shapes. When baking, watch for just a hint of golden at the edges; overbaking will result in a dry cookie. Sifting confectioners' sugar for the icing is key to a silky-smooth finish. A pinch of finely ground cardamom or lemon zest can elevate the flavor profile of the cookies.