These soft, buttery cutout almond flour sugar cookies will hold any shape you like, so you can celebrate any holiday and still eat grain free!
Why these almond flour sugar cookies are so amazing
These gluten free sugar cookies tick all the boxes. Unlike a lot of other gluten free dough, this recipe rolls out beautifully, makes it incredibly easy to cut out any shape you want, and the dough holds its shape fantastically during baking.
And it's versatile – Christmas cookies with almond flour? You betcha. Stars, gingerbread people, Christmas trees, bells, baubles, and more.
Almond flour valentine cookies? Why not? Beautiful heart-shaped cookies topped with a rich red frosting or glaze. Perfect to share with your loved one or just to celebrate love in all its forms.
In a nutshell:
- This gluten free almond flour sugar cookie recipe just works. For any occasion.
- The cookies have a wonderfully tender crumb.
- The ingredients are simple gluten free pantry staples
- The recipe is easy to follow
- The dough is easy to handle, roll, and cut out
What is a gluten free cutout cookie?
Cutout cookies are the kind of cookie that require you to roll out cookie dough, and then cut out shapes with a cookie cutter. They're most often sugar cookies, which are a simple mix of flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, butter and egg. But they could be gingerbread cookies or even chocolate shortbread cookies.
A proper cutout cookie will hold its shape just as you cut it, even if that shape has twists, turns, bends, or corners. That means that it's ready to celebrate any holiday, any day of the year.
Whether it's a birthday, and you want to surprise your 5-year-old by spelling out his name in sugar cookies, it's Easter and you want to make eggs and bunnies, or it's Valentine's Day, and it's all about the hearts, a good sugar cookie recipe has you covered.
Almond flour and tapioca starch/flour as a mostly all-purpose flour
I love baking with almond flour and rarely bake with it without adding some tapioca starch/flour to create a proper balance of ingredients. The best ratio of these flours is usually 40% almond flour, 60% tapioca starch.
That ratio is the best if you're trying to create a recipe that closely resembles the type that you'd make with a rice-based flour blend (or conventional all-purpose flour). Since almond flour has a lot of fat, you'll typically use about half the amount of fat that you might otherwise expect.
Almost Paleo
Most of the time I create a recipe with this amazing set of 2 gluten free flours, it's a Paleo recipe. That means no dairy (but it seems like maybe butter is now Paleo-legal?), no grains, and no refined sugars. For this recipe, I started with my soft frosted sugar cookies recipe and mostly just swapped out that almond/tapioca flour blend and reduced the fat by half.
I do understand that unrefined sugars like honey and maple syrup contain some nutrients, and they're less likely to create a carb craving than refined sugars. But for the most part, sugar is sugar to your body. Plus, I'm really not interested in ever becoming dogmatic.
The only way I was going to be able to create an almond flour sugar cookie that was light in color was to use white sugar, and Paleo granulated sugar is brown (coconut palm sugar). Since I'm trying to make a “normal” looking and tasting sugar cookie, appearance mattered a lot to me.
If you're looking for a more virtuous almond flour cookie, try my almond flour chocolate chip cookies. They're very lightly sweet and quite virtuous.
Tips for making the best almond flour sugar cookies
Yes, this recipe is an easy one, but I've still got a few extra tips for you to follow to make sure your sugar cookies turn out perfect every time.
Use fine almond flour
Only use finely ground almond flour. And make sure you go for the blanched almond flour, too, as that means the skins have been removed, so you'll get lighter, more traditional sugar cookies.
While simple, this recipe is pretty specific, and coarse almond flour, or the coarse almond meal you can make at home just won't cut it.
I always purchase almond flour from either Honeyville (the best price is often on Amazon) or Nuts.com. Bob's Red Mill brand almond flour is not finely ground enough, and it makes an enormous difference in the success of the recipe.
No need to cool the dough
With these almond flour sugar cookies, there's no need to refrigerate or freeze the dough. It's ready to go as soon as you've finished kneading it.
Don't be in a hurry to add water
This recipe is a simple one-bowl-and-a-spoon recipe, which is great. But when you're following along with the recipe, you'll notice that the dry ingredients severely outnumber the wet ingredients. Don't worry—I promise it works.
When you add the melted butter, egg, and vanilla, you may think the dough will never come together. It will, but it will likely need a bit of water to bring it together. It's all described in the recipe, and the how-to video shows precisely what I mean.
You will certainly have to knead the dough with clean hands to integrate everything. You may be tempted to add water a tablespoon at a time, and keep going until the dough comes together easily with a spoon. Instead, add the water very, very slowly and let touch be your guide.
When the dough holds together after kneading, it will roll out cleanly and the cookies will keep their clean lines during baking. Too much water will cause the cookies to spread during baking. Remember, you can always add more water, but you can't take any out.
Stick to the recipe
Baking is science. With some recipes, there's a certain amount of leeway when it comes to experimenting, substituting, adding, or removing ingredients. But not with these almond flour sugar cookies.
Remember, the dough has to be suitable for cutting and absolutely must hold its shape while baking. So, as with many gluten free recipes, the right ratio of ingredients, and the properties each brings to the mix, are critical.
So stick to the recipe and avoid the temptation to switch things up too much. Avoid adding almond extract, coconut flour, coconut oil, or date sugar, and stick to the recipe I've laid out in this post if you want successful almond flour cookies.
If you add extra flavorings, even just almond extract, you change the wet to dry ratio. Similarly, if you remove the vanilla extract, you'd change the wet to dry ratio.
Or if you change from almond flour to coconut flour, the texture and consistency of the mixture changes, and you'd need to change the amount of liquid you use to compensate for the thirstier coconut flour.
Trust me. Trust the recipe. Trust the process. Save your experimentation for the toppings!
How to store almond flour sugar cookies
You can store these almond flour sugar cookies, unfrosted, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you've frosted them already, they should still go in the fridge in an airtight container, but they'll only last a day or two before they're past their best.
You can freeze the dough, or the baked, unfrosted cookies, too. Just wrap tightly, place in a freezer safe container, and keep in the freezer for up to three months.
Ingredients and substitutions
This recipe is naturally gluten free as it doesn't contain any wheat flour or other gluten grains, but it does contain eggs and dairy.
And, while I said above that you should stick to the recipe, I've listed below the best options for substituting some of the ingredients, like vegan butter, to accommodate different dietary needs.
Tapioca starch/flour: Tapioca starch has no substitute, I'm afraid. It's a unique flour (sometimes called a starch, but there is no difference regardless of the name). Like almond flour, quality varies tremendously among brands of tapioca starch.
I almost always buy tapioca starch/flour from Nuts.com since it's great quality at a great price. Authentic Foods also makes a great quality product, but it's much more expensive.
Sugar: You can use granulated coconut sugar in place of refined granulated sugar, gram for gram. To make sure that the coconut sugar dissolves completely, though, grind it first in a blender or food processor.
The cookies will turn brown, though, since coconut sugar is very dark brown in color. The coconut sugar will also add some flavor. The edges of the cookies will also likely not be as clean.
If you'd like to try making these cookies sugar free, I have a really good feeling about Lankato granulated monkfruit sweetener, gram for gram. It's a mix of monkfruit and erythritol. It does tend to be drying, though, so expect to add more water to bring the dough together.
Butter/dairy: In place of melted butter in the cookie dough, try using butter-flavored Spectrum nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening. Virgin coconut oil (the kind that is solid at room temperature) should also work as a dairy-free substitute, but the cookies may spread. If you're making the glaze and want to make it dairy-free, be sure to use dairy-free chocolate.
Egg: In place of the egg in this recipe, you can try using a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel). However, you may need to add a little more water, and you'll likely find that the dough doesn't bind together quite as well. If you go this route, you may want to refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes before rolling and cutting.
Xanthan gum: I do consider the xanthan gum in this recipe to be optional, but it is essential to a clean edge on your cutout cookies, and a smooth texture. I tried compensating for the omission of xanthan gum with more tapioca starch (which does sometimes work in a recipe like this), but it was a fail every single time.
Chocolate glaze: The chocolate glaze is not very sweet at all, and really balances the sweetness of the cookie itself. You can leave it out entirely, try using the Paleo 7-Minute frosting from these Paleo chocolate sandwich cookies, or really use whatever frosting, icing or glaze you like.
The light corn syrup in the glaze (which is not the same as high fructose corn syrup) helps thicken the glaze so that it tops the cookies, rather than simply coating them like a thin mint. In place of the corn syrup, you can try using honey, which will add some unwanted flavor but should still work.
The Best Almond Flour Sugar Cookies (Perfect Taste and Texture)
Ingredients
For the cookies.
- 1 cup (120 g) finely ground blanched almond flour
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) tapioca starch/flour plus more for sprinkling
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅜ cup (125 g) granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg at room temperature, beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Water by the half-teaspoonful as necessary
For the chocolate glaze.
- 6 ounces dark chocolate chopped
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) virgin coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons (63 g) corn syrup
- Coarse salt for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.
Make the cookie dough.
- In a large bowl, place the almond flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar and whisk to combine well.
- Add the butter, egg, and vanilla, and mix to combine. If the dough has any spots that seem very dry, add water by the half-teaspoonful and mix to combine.
- Using clean hands, knead the dough together until it forms a ball. It will be thick and relatively stiff.
- Divide the dough in half and set one half aside, draped with a tea towel to prevent it from drying out.
Shape the cookies.
- Place the first half of the dough on a lightly floured surface, sprinkle the top lightly with more tapioca flour, and roll it out a bit less than 1/3-inch thick.
- Move the dough often to prevent it from sticking, sprinkling lightly with more tapioca flour as necessary.
- Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out rounds of dough and pull off the excess cookie dough around the rounds.
- Place the rounds of dough about 1-inch apart from one another on the prepared baking sheets.
- Gather and reroll the scraps, and repeat the process with all the remaining dough until it’s all been used.
Bake the cookies.
- One at a time, place the baking sheets in the center of the preheated oven and bake until just set in the center (about 10 minutes).
- The edges of some of the cookies may brown slightly, but take them out before there is any significant browning.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool until set.
For the glaze.
- In a small, heat-safe bowl, place the chopped chocolate.
- Melt it in the microwave in 30-second bursts (stirring in between) or over a small simmering pot of water until melted and smooth.
- Add the coconut oil, and mix to combine. The mixture will be quite thin.
- Add the corn syrup and mix to combine. The mixture will thicken a bit after you add the corn syrup.
- Spoon the glaze on top of each cooled cookie and spread into an even layer, leaving a 1/4-inch border clean on the top of each cookie.
- Sprinkle the cookies lightly with coarse salt, if you like.
- Allow the glaze to set at room temperature or in the refrigerator before serving.
Notes
The Best Almond Flour Sugar Cookies (Perfect Taste and Texture)
Ingredients
For the cookies.
- 1 cup (120 g) finely ground blanched almond flour
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) tapioca starch/flour plus more for sprinkling
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅜ cup (125 g) granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg at room temperature, beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Water by the half-teaspoonful as necessary
For the chocolate glaze.
- 6 ounces dark chocolate chopped
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) virgin coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons (63 g) corn syrup
- Coarse salt for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.
Make the cookie dough.
- In a large bowl, place the almond flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar and whisk to combine well.
- Add the butter, egg, and vanilla, and mix to combine. If the dough has any spots that seem very dry, add water by the half-teaspoonful and mix to combine.
- Using clean hands, knead the dough together until it forms a ball. It will be thick and relatively stiff.
- Divide the dough in half and set one half aside, draped with a tea towel to prevent it from drying out.
Shape the cookies.
- Place the first half of the dough on a lightly floured surface, sprinkle the top lightly with more tapioca flour, and roll it out a bit less than 1/3-inch thick.
- Move the dough often to prevent it from sticking, sprinkling lightly with more tapioca flour as necessary.
- Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out rounds of dough and pull off the excess cookie dough around the rounds.
- Place the rounds of dough about 1-inch apart from one another on the prepared baking sheets.
- Gather and reroll the scraps, and repeat the process with all the remaining dough until it’s all been used.
Bake the cookies.
- One at a time, place the baking sheets in the center of the preheated oven and bake until just set in the center (about 10 minutes).
- The edges of some of the cookies may brown slightly, but take them out before there is any significant browning.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool until set.
For the glaze.
- In a small, heat-safe bowl, place the chopped chocolate.
- Melt it in the microwave in 30-second bursts (stirring in between) or over a small simmering pot of water until melted and smooth.
- Add the coconut oil, and mix to combine. The mixture will be quite thin.
- Add the corn syrup and mix to combine. The mixture will thicken a bit after you add the corn syrup.
- Spoon the glaze on top of each cooled cookie and spread into an even layer, leaving a 1/4-inch border clean on the top of each cookie.
- Sprinkle the cookies lightly with coarse salt, if you like.
- Allow the glaze to set at room temperature or in the refrigerator before serving.
Alice says
Delicious just plain!! I used non dairy butter flavor shortening.
Thank you!
Nicole Hunn says
Glad you enjoyed them, Alice!
Doreen Hewitt says
So I went with the grams measurement for the sugar. I wish I could add a photo. These snowflake cookies turned out great. They are crispy and taste great. Thank you my daughter will be thrilled with these.
Doreen says
Is the number of grams of the sugar correct? I just measured 125 gm og white sugar and it almost filled my 3/4 cup measure. I usually always weigh ingredients but the cup measurement did mot seem equivalent and I have been trying for years to find a gf recipe for cutout sugar cookies.
Nicole Hunn says
Doreen, the whole point of weight measurements is that they are consistent and produce consistent results. There is variation in volume measurement sizes, and unavoidable human error. Please always use the weight measurements and ignore the volumes. I include them because otherwise people get very, very upset, but there are decorative.
Maureen says
I’m just curious, why do you always use unsalted butter, would it hurt to use salted butter?
and why do you always have the weight of in grams? is it important to weigh the egg? Thank you for all these great recipes.
Nicole Hunn says
Using unsalted butter is standard in baking, Maureen, since it allows you to control the amount of salt in the recipe. The weight measurements are given because the only way to bake precisely and get consistent results is by measuring by weight. Volume measurements are inconsistent as there’s no real standard, and human error is unavoidable, regardless of how experienced the baker (myself included).
Meghan says
This was my first time making these they were very good! Just curious if you can freeze them and if they age well? Can they be frozen?
Thanks
Nicole Hunn says
Yes, they freeze really well, Meghan. Please see the section of the blog post titled “How to store almond flour sugar cookies.”
Heather M. Whipple says
This looks good but can I use cassava flour and n place of the almond flour and arrow root starch in place of the
Tapioca starch . My husband is on this diet put out by
A dr Steven gundry. And tapioca startch is out and
arrowroot startch is called for and he can have
almond flour and cassava flour. I would rather use cassava flour with arrowroot startch just to give my
Husband Joseph some sort of normalcy on this diet
That takes away the regular four from him. And
pastured eggs
and replace your sugar for swerve white sugar and top the baked Cooke with 72% cocoa dark chocolate
And grass fed butter.
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid these flours aren’t easily replaced as you suggested. All of the information on ingredients and substitutions that I have is listed in that section of the post!
Gabriela Martinez says
Nicole, thanks for this recipe.
I’m a huge fan f your work. I’ve prepared several of your recipes and I find them fail proof (and foolproof )
I live in Colombia, where gf mixes are very expensive (if tu could find them at all) and your different mixes are a staple in my pantry
This cookies are soooo good, I’m gavien trouble deciding which version I like most: vegan butter or coconut oil, they both are delicious
Thanks and a warm hug to you
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so glad you’re able to make recipes like these, that don’t rely upon a traditional all purpose gluten free flour, Gabriela!
Carole says
My daughter-in-law makes sugar cookies, not gf, my husband really likes them. She puts lemon zest in the dough and makes balls and bakes them. They flatten while baking. When cool she makes a glaze with powered sugar and fresh lemon juice and drizzles it over the cookies. Could I do that with this Recipe?
Nicole Hunn says
This is not that sort of sugar cookie, no, Carole. This is a cutout recipe. I have a recipe for drop sugar cookies on the blog, though. Just use the search function.
Chris says
Out of curiosity: why do chefs and cooks always say “cover with a tea towel”? Does anyone in these modern times even know what a “tea towel” is? Since I personally never (as far as I know) owned a tea towel, I just use a clean dish towel. Never had a failure yet!
Nicole Hunn says
A ‘tea towel’ is simply a flat weave cotton towel, as opposed to a textured towel that is more likely to stick to the raw dough, Chris.
Mylan says
Hi! I tried to subscribe to your website but it kept saying “fatal error”. Please let me know how I can subscribe!
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Mylan, Oh no so sorry about that! Where did you attempt to subscribe? The sidebar or the popup? You can also try using the form on this page. Please let me know so I can make sure you get on the list.