Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Recipe
Photo: Rachel McGinn
Sugar Cookies
Yields 12 cookies
½ cup coconut oil, solid
¾ cup coconut sugar
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1¾ cups Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Vanilla Frosting (recipe below)
Note: The frosting recipe takes at least 6 hours to prepare, including freezing and refrigeration time. Plan accordingly.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl (preferably a standing mixer set on medium), combine together the solid coconut oil and the coconut sugar. Once incorporated, add in the applesauce and the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, xanthan gum, and sea salt.
Add the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir them until well-combined. Once all ingredients are incorporated, form the batter into a ball shape with your hands. (If the dough is too sticky to handle, then coat the dough and your hands with a little all-purpose flour or place the dough into the refrigerator to solidify for 10 minutes.)
On a piece of parchment paper, roll out the dough into a thin sheet (¼ inch thick). Using cookie cutters, cut out shapes and place them onto the lined cookie sheet. (If you have trouble rolling the dough out, place the dough ball into the refrigerator to solidify for 30 minutes, or the freezer for 15 minutes, until it is firm enough to be rolled out.)
Bake the cookies for 9 minutes. Rotate and bake them for 2 additional minutes, or until they turn golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool fully before decorating them with frosting or toppings of your choice.
Sweet Freedom’s Vanilla Frosting
Yields enough to frost 48 cupcakes or 4 8-inch cakes
I’m going to give it to you straight: Coming up with a frosting recipe that was free of dairy, eggs, gluten, soy, and common tree nuts was not easy. It took a lot of trial and error to say the least. But I finally landed on this one and I am so happy that I did. I’ll be honest, though, it’s not the quickest of recipes to make. It requires a bit of planning and forethought, which is something that I don’t always have when a craving strikes me. Suddenly I’m in the kitchen whipping something up on a random Tuesday after dinner because I just had to have something rich and chocolaty that involved a creamy topping. This is why I always make a double batch of this vanilla frosting base and keep it in the freezer or fridge, depending on which stage I leave off. That way I am always prepared. In fact, as I write this, I think I have four frostings in various colors and flavors sitting in my refrigerator. Once you get this recipe down, you’ll find it really is worth the time and effort—I promise!
2 cups coconut milk (canned, full fat)
2 cups agave nectar
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup + 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon arrowroot, divided
2 tablespoons water
2 cups melted coconut oil
¼ cup vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon natural food coloring (optional)
1½ cups sweet rice flour (superfine)
In a medium saucepan, heat the coconut milk, agave nectar, and sea salt and simmer on medium heat for exactly 10 minutes.
In a separate small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon of the arrowroot and water to form a smooth paste. Begin to beat the saucepan contents with a hand mixer while slowly drizzling in the arrowroot mixture to avoid lumps forming. Continue to beat the contents of the saucepan with a hand mixer until they come briefly to a boil.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and very gradually mix in the melted coconut oil, using the hand mixer on low to medium speed, over the course of 10 seconds. (The end result should be an even, gel-like consistency.) Transfer the frosting base to a 2-quart container and place it into the freezer until the frosting solidifies, about 4 hours or overnight. (The mixture will turn white.)
Remove the container from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator until the frosting base softens. (This will take about 2 hours in the refrigerator, or you can leave it at room temperature for about an hour to achieve the same results.
To finish the vanilla frosting, mix the base until fluffy (preferably with a standing mixer or hand mixer on medium speed). Slowly add in the vanilla extract, food coloring (if using), sweet rice flour (½ cup at a time), and 1 cup of the arrowroot (¼ cup at a time). Mix together until the frosting reaches a creamy and smooth consistency.
Note: Frosting can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container with a lid for several weeks, or frozen for several months until ready to thaw in the refrigerator and be used. Stirring the frosting well post-storage is recommended before using.
Excerpted from Baking You Happy: Gluten-Free Recipes from Sweet Freedom Bakery by Allison Lubert (Peter Pauper Press, 2014).
Make more holiday cookies:
Ina Garten’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Healthy Christmas Cookies
Cool New Holiday Cookie Ideas
