These gluten free vegan sugar cookies are light and delicious and easy to make for the holidays. This is a simple recipe that results in tasty cookies that hold their shape while baking. Creamy frosting and sprinkles are a festive finishing touch.
When the holiday season rolls around, we start to think about baking. It’s so fun to be able to make and eat holiday cookies together, isn’t it?
Sugar cookies are one of the classic recipes that many families enjoy baking and decorating together. With all of the fun cookie cutters available, you can really get creative with your cookies!
There are some challenges when you have food allergies to contend with, but thankfully, baking cookies doesn’t have to be one of them. We love to bake shortbread, chocolate crinkles, and cut out cookies during the month of December.
These gluten free vegan sugar cookies taste exactly like regular cookies and are very easy to make.
Using a few good substitutes results in absolutely delicious cut out cookies that hold their shape very well and have a delicious buttery flavor. I think you’ll love this tried and true recipe – I’ve been making it for over 10 years!
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Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – You need a gluten free flour blend for this recipe. That means a grain free flour like coconut flour or almond flour will not be a good choice. Try a store bought flour mix like Namaste Perfect Flour Blend or Gluten Free 123 All Purpose Flour.
- Vegan Buttery Spread – I used Earth Balance Soy Free Vegan Buttery Spread. You could also use the Earth Balance Baking Sticks if you prefer. If you have a different brand of buttery spread that you like, that will probably work.
- Applesauce – Unsweetened applesauce helps hold these cookies together. If you can’t have apples, try mashed banana or pumpkin puree instead.
- Sugar – I used organic cane sugar to make these. You could also use traditional granulated sugar. I don’t recommend brown sugar or coconut sugar as that will change the color of the cookies.
- Sprinkles – Sprinkles are optional. Be sure to call and check on any brands of sprinkles to see if they suit your dietary needs. You can also use allergy friendly candy to decorate these cookies. We like chocolate no-no’s (which are an allergy friendly version of m&m’s).
Tips for Success
- This cookie dough needs to be chilled for at least two hours. If you are really in a rush, you can just put the dough in the freezer for one hour.
- If you haven’t rolled gluten free dough before, it can be a bit sticky, so you want to make sure you have enough flour on the rolling pin and on the rolling surface.
- Work quickly once you start rolling the dough – you don’t want it to get too warm. Keep the dough cool helps prevent spreading during baking.
- Line the cookie sheets with parchment paper to keep the cookies from sticking to the pan.
Decorating Ideas
These cookies are very tasty plain, so you don’t have to decorate them if you don’t want to. However, they are also very good with dairy free frosting.
You can spread the frosting on the cookies with a knife or offset spatula or you can pipe it on with a piping bag and decorative tips. You could also make the frosting a bit thinner, like a glaze, and dip the cookies into it.
Once you frost the cookies, you can top them with colored sugar, sprinkles, or candy. Be creative and have fun! If you’re looking for natural food dye and allergy friendly sprinkles, one place to check out is Natural Candy Store.
Step by Step Instructions
- Mix up the cookie dough using an electric mixer. The dough will be quite thick!
- Pat the dough into two discs and wrap with waxed paper. Refrigerate for two hours.
- Coat the rolling pin, dough, and surface with gluten free flour. Gluten free dough can be tricky to work with, and using a lot of flour on the rolling surfaces helps it not to stick together.
- Roll the dough out until it’s about ¼ inch thick. Then you’re ready to cut out your cookies!
- Use cookie cutters in whatever shapes you like to create your cookies. I find that it helps to wiggle the cookie cutter a little bit after you press it down. That makes it easier to lift the cookie up.
- Place the cookies on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Leave a little room in between the cookies. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes.
- While the cookies cool, make the dairy free frosting.
- Once the cookies are fully cooled, frost them. You can use a knife, offset spatula, or piping bag.
- Decorate the frosted cookies with sprinkles or candy if desired.
Storage
Store cookies in an airtight container. They should stay fresh for about 4 days.
Freezing
You can freeze these cookies if you like – place in a freezer safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
You could also freeze the cookie dough if you are planning ahead for the holidays. Place the wrapped discs of dough in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, just thaw the dough in the refrigerator before rolling it out.
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Recipe
Perfect Gluten Free Vegan Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 cup vegan buttery spread
- 1 cup organic cane sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 3 cups gluten free flour blend I have made these cookies with Namaste Perfect Flour Blend and Now Foods GF Flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the frosting:
- ¼ cup vegan buttery spread
- 2 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1 – 2 Tablespoons non-dairy milk or water
- colored sugar or sprinkles optional
- chocolate candies optional
Instructions
To make the sugar cookies:
- Place the buttery spread and sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat on high speed until it's light and fluffy. Add the applesauce and vanilla and continue to mix.
- Add the gluten free flour blend and salt and mix until combined. If the dough seems too dry, add a bit more applesauce. (I find that with GF flour blends, some of them soak up the wet ingredients more than others. If your dough seems too wet for sugar cookies, add some more flour. The dough should be quite stiff).
- Divide the dough into two discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Spread waxed paper on your rolling surface and sprinkle with gluten free flour. Unwrap one of the discs and sprinkle liberally with gluten free flour as well.
- Roll the dough to about ¼ of an inch thickness. If the dough is too crumbly, add a little water. If the dough is sticking to the rolling pin, add more flour to the pin and the dough.
- Cut out your cookies, and place them on the cookie sheets, leaving a little space between cookies.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for about 9-11 minutes. Switch the two cookie sheets between the top and bottom oven racks halfway through baking time. The cookies should be just slightly golden brown on the edges. The time may vary depending on the size of your cookie cutters.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheets for about 15 minutes before moving them to cooling racks.
To make the frosting:
- Place the vegan buttery spread in a mixing bowl and mix on medium speed.
- Add the confectioner’s sugar a little bit at a time. When the frosting starts to look crumbly, drizzle in the non-dairy milk.
- Add the remaining confectioner’s sugar and mix. If the frosting is too wet, add more confectioner’s sugar. If it’s too dry, add a bit more non-dairy milk. Making frosting isn’t an exact science, and it will turn out just fine! Just make sure it is a nice, spreadable consistency.
- Frost the cooled sugar cookies and top with sprinkles and candy if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Enjoy! You can use this recipe for any holiday. We love to make heart-shaped sugar cookies for Valentine’s Day.
Rhonda Aponno
Are these “cake-like” cookies? I’m looking for a soft sugar cookie. Thanks.
Kelly Roenicke
These aren’t cake like, they are a bit firmer.
Kelly
We have a dairy allergy but no gluten. Do you think I can sub regular flour? If so, do you think it would be the same amount? Thanks!
Kelly Roenicke
Yes, an equal amount should be fine!
Katherine
Where I live- vegan butter isn’t available. Would crisco vegetable shortening work? Or country crock?
Vickie
We love this recipe! Now my son can make sugar cookies like everyone else! We just made Halloween sugar cookies and I know we’ll be using this for the holidays! We are allergic to the top 8 minus dairy.
Thank you!
Zoe
Hi, how long do these keep for? I assume air-tight container?
Kelly Roenicke
About 5 days in an airtight container. You could freeze them if you wish!
Vickie
Hi Kelly! Excited to try this recipe with my son who is top 8+ except for dairy! Can we use real butter for these cookies?
Carol
I used butter and they were great!
Kelly Roenicke
I think it would be fine! Looks like Carol tried it with success!
Brandy
These cookies do not use baking powder? Do they not rise at all? I love your recipes btw… Everytime I do a search for something with all of my family’s food allergies.. You always have a tasty perfect version! Thank you so much. Do you have any published books? If not, you definately should author one.
Kelly Roenicke
No baking powder! Then don’t really rise, it’s more of a firm cookie, but that way it holds its shape really well for cut outs!
Ashley
Hey there, I noticed you don’t specify granulated sugar from beets. It’s been brought to my attention recently that cane sugar is not vegan due to animal by-products being used in the refining process but beet sugar is fine. Hope this helps anyone else who wasn’t aware of the distinction!
Anita
What is a “buttery spread”? Country crock?
Kelly Roenicke
I use Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread.
Michelle
I’m hoping to bake these like normal drop cookies (circles). Any idea how I should adjust the baking and whether this recipe will work that way?