Gluten free sugar cookie sandwiches are so pretty for spring! Filled with naturally dyed icing and dusted with powdered sugar, these are perfect for a special occasion. This is a sweet cookie that’s sure to be a crowd pleaser.
If you’re anything like me, you’re ready to embrace all things spring! Bring on the daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, and pastel colors.
I think that it might be a chilly Easter here, but that’s no reason not to bring some flowers inside, and to enjoy a pretty, delicate dessert with pink and lilac frosting. These sandwich cookies are low stress – you can make the dough one day, then bake the cookies the next day, then frost them the day after that. Take your time!
You can even freeze this cookie dough if you like. Just pat the dough into discs and wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for up to three months.
I like holiday recipes that you can make ahead of time – if you’re a food allergy parent, you know that the holidays are already stressful enough!
These cookies would be so sweet on a gluten free cookie tray with other varieties like gluten free Linzer cookies, chocolate lace cookies, and frosted lemon shortbread.
Top Tip
Be sure to chill this gluten free cookie dough so that the cookies retain their shape while baking.
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – I like Namaste Perfect Flour Blend for these cookies. I always have nice crisp shapes that don’t spread during baking when I use Namaste. Gluten Free 123 and Living Now Foods Gluten Free Flour are also good choices and will yield a good result.
- Vegan Buttery Spread – We like Earth Balance Soy Free Vegan Buttery Spread, but you could also use the Earth Balance Baking Sticks.
- Unsweetened Applesauce – Applesauce acts as a binder, holding these cookies together. If you can’t have apples, you can use mashed banana instead.
- Powdered Sugar – We like Wholesome Sweeteners Powdered Sugar, which is corn free and vegan. Feel free to use any brand that works for you.
Naturally Dyed Icing
These gluten free and vegan sugar cookie sandwiches are filled with dairy free icing that’s been dyed with fruit. Strawberries and blueberries turned this icing the prettiest shades of pastel purple and pink.
If you have other colors in mind, there are ways to naturally accomplish that, too. For example, you can use spinach to make a pale green, or beets to make a deep pink. This article has a lot of ideas for making natural food dyes.
Variations
You can vary this recipe if you like – fill these sugar cookie sandwiches with vegan chocolate frosting, or vanilla dairy free buttercream, or even fruit jam.
Storage
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should stay fresh for about 5 days.
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Recipe
Sugar Cookie Sandwiches (Gluten Free, Vegan).
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 cup vegan buttery spread
- 1 cup organic cane sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened apple sauce
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups gluten free flour blend See notes.
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the filling:
- ⅛ cup vegan buttery spread
- 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons fruit puree of your choice See notes. I used strawberry for the pink filling, and blueberry for the lilac filling
For the topping:
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place the vegan buttery spread and the organic cane sugar in a mixing bowl and mix on high speed. Add the pure vanilla extract and unsweetened applesauce, and mix to combine.
- Add the gluten free flour blend and salt, and mix on low speed until combined. If the dough seems too dry, add a little more vegan buttery spread.
- Divide the dough into two, and pat into discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for two hours, or in the freezer for one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Cover your work surface with parchment or waxed paper, and sprinkle gluten free flour on the surface and the rolling pin.
- Working with one disc of dough at a time, roll it out to about a ¼ inch thickness. Use linzer cookie cutters or round cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
- Place the cookies on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 9-11 minutes. You don't want to overbake these, especially since they are sandwich cookies. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Once the cookies are done and cool, make the filling. Place the vegan buttery spread and half the powdered sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed.
- Alternate adding more powdered sugar and the fruit puree until you have a spreadable consistency. If the filling is too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- Frost the bottom of the cookies, and place another cookie on top of each one. Dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy! Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Ashley
I love this recipe! I used them for some of my boyfriends friends. They absolutely loved it. I wouldn’t suggest this if you are someone who loves salty things though because this is very…, sweet! I’ve used everything from baby food to apple juice. And they still turn out show stopping. I love this recipe and will continue to use this in the future, for I am a sugar loving person.
Katie
Delicious recipe!
Kathy
Thanks. These are so pretty. I want to try them soon.
Kelly Roenicke
I hope you love them!