I’m freaking out because I FINALLY developed the BEST gluten-free sugar cookie. Like ever! And just in time for the holidays!
Seriously. I’ve been testing cookie recipes for two years. No joke. Let’s just say baked goods have always been my weak point.
But not today!
I’ve always had a lot of trouble figuring out how to develop an awesome gluten-free sugar cookie. I’m not a fan of real airy and fluffy over the holidays, which is sad because those kind don’t have many ingredients at all. Which I adore.
I DO like them dense and moist and even oily. Almost to a point where you can hear them crunch but they dissolve quickly in your mouth. Even get a little chewy. I’m being really graphic, aren’t I? So, these kind usually have alot of ingredients. And random ones at that! Who wants to go buy xanthan gum or guar gum?
Both of which sound like Pokemon characters.
Not I.
So, these cookies are made from almond flour. I guess you could say they’re an almond flour holiday sugar cookie. But it sounds better just calling them sugar cookies. I mean, they’ve still got sugar in them!
The ingredients here are simple. All you need for these cookies are:
- sugar cane
- brown sugar
- gluten-free flour (I used almond flour in this recipe)
- butter
- baking soda
- an egg
- vanilla
- pinch of kosher salt
A few things about these tasty little things! One: you can substitute with another gluten-free flour but try these the almond flour way. You will LOVE them! If you’re allergic to almonds, obviously do not make them this way. Two: Once you’ve mixed the dough, freeze it for awhile. Roll it up in a long roll with parchment paper then stick it in the freezer.
This cookie dough is very sticky. It’s not like regular dough. And it comes to room temperate FAST. So fast that you need your cookie cutters ready to go! I literally had to roll out a quick sheet and cut the shapes in a matter of seconds. Once the dough started softening, I would put it back into the freezer for five minutes.
I suggest simply making drop cookies with these. It’s much easier. Three: Top these with sugar sprinkles! For Christmas, use up that green and red sprinkle dust. You’ll put all supermarkets to shame with how good these are and how wonderful they look. You know, the sugar cookies sold in stores? In the plastic containers? Every year? These are better. I promise.
I made my dad a few of these and took them over to his condo. He’s in assisted living currently. He kept asking me if I made these and I told him yes!
My kids and husband loved them too. My son has food allergies and now that we’ve found our family’s very own holiday cookie, he is so excited! He loves them so much.
Four: If using almond flour and cookie shapes, your baked goods will BLOW UP! Oh yes. My beautiful little snowflake looked like a freakin’ flower after baking. But it was adorable! And the taste incredible. So I obliged. It was kinda funny actually when I put them in like snowflakes and they came out looking like flower petals with a Christmas color center.
Five: Sprinkle the sugar on before baking. The sugar will stick really well to these before you bake them. Add as much or as little as you want. Your choice! Six: When you take these out of the oven, they will deflate! They’re puffy then all of a sudden it looks like the life gets sucked out of them. But don’t worry! They’re cooling and if they’re deflating, then you’ve done well. Just wait until you taste them! Yummm!!!
Ok so I’m off this week to do some Christmas shopping and putting the lights up out front. Oh, and laundry. Lots and lots and lots of laundry. I am really so behind on it! Crazy. My LEAST favorite thing to do at home is laundry. Well, putting it away, to be exact 🙁
I’ll have to make batches of these gluten-free sugar cookies to keep going and keep folding!! If you make these, be sure to hashtag #feedingglutenfree on INSTAGRAM! These are THE BEST!
Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature, Kroger brand is labeled gluten-free (you can substitute with Earth Balance for a dairy free cookie)
- 3/4 cup sugar cane
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 pinch Kosher salt
- 2 1/2 cups almond flour
- red and green sugar sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- In a large glass mixing bowl and using a hand mixer, mix butter and sugars until very creamy.
- Add egg, baking soda, vanilla and a pinch of Kosher salt, then mix some more until blended in.
- Slowly add almond flour in sections, preferably per 1/2 cup at a time.
- A sticky dough will form. Scrape dough off and center it in bowl.
- Plop dough onto a large piece of parchment paper.
- Roll parchment paper tightly into a long log, closing the ends by twisting parchment slightly.
- Place in freezer for approximately 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- On a baking sheet, drop hefty pieces of cookie dough, about the size of an overstuffed tablespoon. You can also slice pieces, but the dough softens to room temperature very quickly.
- Press down on tops of all the cookies if they're too high.
- Sprinkle colored sugar all over cookies before placing in oven.
- Bake for approximately 8 minutes, or until cookie sides have begun to golden.
- Take out and let cool before eating.
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