These delicate, tender cutout almond flour sugar cookies will maintain any form you want, so you’ll be able to rejoice any vacation and nonetheless eat grain free!
These delicate, buttery cutout almond flour sugar cookies will maintain any form you want, so you’ll be able to rejoice any vacation and nonetheless eat grain free!
Why I really like these almond flour sugar cookies
These gluten free sugar cookies tick all of the bins. In contrast to a number of different gluten free dough, this recipe rolls out superbly, makes it extremely straightforward to chop out any form you need, and the dough holds its form fantastically throughout baking.
And it is so versatile: Christmas cookies, stars, gingerbread folks, Christmas bushes, bells, hearts, any form in any respect. Lovely heart-shaped almond flour Valentine cookies topped with a wealthy pink frosting or glaze can be excellent.
In a nutshell:
- This recipe at all times works to make cookies in any form, for any event.
- The feel is tender however agency.
- The recipe is straightforward to observe.
- The dough is straightforward to deal with, roll, and lower out.
Key elements
- Almond flour: The bottom flour of those cookies; make sure you use a finely floor almond flour. I actually like Wellbee’s model, Blue Diamond model and Costco’s Kirkland model blanched almond flours.
- Tapioca starch: Provides construction, elasticity, and absorbs a number of the fats and moisture of the almond flour.
- Xanthan gum: Helps makes the dough simpler to work with, and the cookies maintain their form. You’ll be able to depart it out, or strive changing it with an equal quantity of konjac powder.
- Baking powder: Offers the cookies some rise.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and brightens different flavors.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar provides sweetness and tenderness and retains the cookies gentle in shade.
- Butter: Provides moisture, taste and tenderness.
- Egg: Binds the cookies collectively and provides some rise within the oven.
- Vanilla: Provides depth of taste.
- Water: Helps bind the dough collectively and make it simpler to roll out.
Learn how to make almond flour sugar cookies
Make the cookie dough
- Whisk the dry elements (almond flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, salt, baking powder, sugar) in a big mixing bowl
- Add melted butter, a overwhelmed egg, vanilla and a little bit of water
- Add extra water till the dough holds collectively nicely in your hand
- Divide the dough in half, press right into a disk and sprinkle with tapioca starch
Put together the dough, and bake the cookies
- Roll out the dough about 1/3-inch thick, sprinkling with extra tapioca starch as wanted to stop sticking
- Lower out well-defined shapes with a cookie cutter
- Place the shapes about 1 inch aside (or much less, they will not unfold) on a lined baking sheet
- Bake at 325°F or till simply set it within the middle.
What makes an awesome cutout cookie?
Cutout cookies are the sort of cookie that require you to roll out cookie dough, after which lower out shapes with a cookie cutter. They’re most frequently gluten free sugar cookies, that are a easy mixture of flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, butter and egg. However they might be gluten free gingerbread cookies or perhaps a gluten free gingerbread home.
A correct cutout cookie will maintain its form simply as you chop it, even when that form has twists, turns, bends, or corners. That implies that it is able to rejoice any vacation, any day of the yr.
Whether or not it is a birthday, and also you wish to shock your 5-year-old by spelling out his title in sugar cookies, it is Easter and also you wish to make eggs and bunnies, or it is Valentine’s Day, and it is all in regards to the hearts, sugar cookie recipe has you lined.
Combining almond flour and tapioca starch/flour into an all-purpose flour
I really like baking with almond flour and infrequently bake with it with out including some tapioca starch/flour to create a correct stability of elements. One of the best ratio of those flours is often 40% almond flour, 60% tapioca starch.
That ratio is the most effective for those who’re making an attempt to create a recipe that carefully resembles the kind that you just’d make with a rice-based flour mix (or standard all-purpose flour). Since almond flour has a number of fats, you may sometimes use about half the quantity of fats that you just may in any other case count on.
Nearly Paleo
More often than not I create a recipe with this superb set of two gluten free flours, it is a Paleo recipe. Which means no dairy, no grains, and no refined sugars. For this recipe, I began with my delicate frosted sugar cookies recipe and largely simply swapped out that almond/tapioca flour mix and diminished the fats by half.
The one means I used to be going to have the ability to create an almond flour sugar cookie that was gentle in shade was to make use of white sugar, and Paleo granulated sugar is brown (coconut palm sugar). Since I am making an attempt to make a “regular” trying and tasting sugar cookie, look mattered.
If you happen to’re on the lookout for a extra virtuous almond flour cookie, strive my almond flour chocolate chip cookies. They’re calmly candy, refined sugar free when made with coconut sugar, dairy free when made with virgin coconut oil, and grain free, too.
Recipe suggestions & tips
Sure, this recipe is a simple one, however I’ve nonetheless received a number of further suggestions so that you can observe to verify your sugar cookies prove excellent each time.
Use finely floor blanched almond flour
Solely use finely floor almond flour. And ensure you go for the blanched almond flour, too, as meaning the skins have been eliminated, so you may get lighter, extra conventional sugar cookies. Whereas easy, this recipe is fairly particular, and coarse almond flour or almond meal simply will not work.
Do not chill the dough
With these almond flour sugar cookies, there is no have to refrigerate or freeze the dough. It is able to go as quickly as you have completed kneading it.
Add water slowly
This recipe is a straightforward one-bowl-and-a-spoon recipe, which is nice. Once you’re following the recipe, you may discover that the dry elements severely outnumber the moist elements.
Once you add the melted butter, egg, and vanilla, chances are you’ll suppose the dough won’t ever come collectively. It is going to, however it would possible want a little bit of water to deliver it collectively, you may knead the dough with clear arms. You might be tempted so as to add water extra shortly, and maintain going till the dough comes collectively simply with a spoon. As a substitute, add the water very, very slowly and let contact be your information.
When the dough holds collectively after kneading, it would roll out cleanly and the cookies will maintain their clear traces throughout baking. An excessive amount of water will trigger the cookies to unfold throughout baking. Bear in mind, you’ll be able to at all times add extra water, however you’ll be able to’t take any out.
Keep on with the recipe
Baking is science. The dough must be appropriate for slicing and completely should maintain its form whereas baking. Keep on with the recipe as greatest you’ll be able to, even for those who’d slightly get began instantly and never must order, for instance, tapioca starch. It is such a helpful ingredient!
If you happen to add further flavorings, even simply almond extract, you alter the moist to dry ratio. Equally, for those who take away the vanilla extract, you’d change the moist to dry ratio so change it with some further water or one other flavoring.
Standard ingredient substitutions
This recipe is of course gluten free because it would not comprise any wheat flour or different gluten grains, however it does comprise eggs and dairy. Listed here are my solutions for the most effective choices for substitutions to accommodate totally different dietary wants.
Tapioca starch/flour
Tapioca starch has no exact substitute, I am afraid. It is a distinctive flour (generally known as a starch, however there is no such thing as a distinction whatever the title). You’ll be able to generally change it with superfine candy white rice flour, also called glutinous rice flour.
Like almond flour, high quality varies tremendously amongst manufacturers of tapioca starch. I virtually at all times purchase tapioca starch/flour from Nuts.com because it’s nice high quality at an awesome worth. Genuine Meals additionally makes an awesome high quality product, too.
Sugar
You should utilize granulated coconut sugar instead of refined granulated sugar, gram for gram. To be sure that the coconut sugar dissolves utterly, although, grind it first in a blender or meals processor.
The cookies will flip brown, although, since coconut sugar may be very darkish brown in shade. The coconut sugar may even add some taste. The perimeters of the cookies may even possible not be as clear.
If you would like to strive making these cookies sugar free, I’ve a very good feeling about Lankato granulated monkfruit sweetener, gram for gram. It is a mixture of monkfruit and erythritol. It does are usually drying, although, so count on so as to add extra water to deliver the dough collectively.
Dairy
Instead of melted butter within the cookie dough, strive utilizing block-style vegan butter like from Soften model or Miyoko’s Creamy model. Keep away from the kind in a bath, which will not work. Virgin coconut oil (the sort that’s strong at room temperature) must also work as a dairy-free substitute, however the cookies could unfold.
Eggs
Instead of the egg on this recipe, you’ll be able to strive utilizing a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon floor white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, blended and allowed to gel). Nonetheless, chances are you’ll want so as to add somewhat extra water, and you may possible discover that the dough would not bind collectively fairly as nicely. You might also wish to refrigerate the dough for half-hour earlier than rolling and slicing.
Xanthan gum
I do contemplate the xanthan gum on this recipe to be elective, however it’s important to a clear edge in your cutout cookies, and a easy texture. If you happen to do not wish to use xanthan gum or cannot have it, you’ll be able to strive utilizing an equal quantity of konjac powder instead. Guar gum works, too, simply not fairly as nicely in baked items as in smoothies and different chilly purposes.
Storage directions
You’ll be able to retailer these almond flour sugar cookies, unfrosted, within the fridge for as much as 5 days. If you happen to’ve frosted them already, they need to nonetheless go within the fridge in an hermetic container, however they’re going to solely final a day or two earlier than they’re previous their greatest.
You’ll be able to freeze the dough, or the baked, unfrosted cookies, too. Simply wrap tightly, place in a freezer protected container, and maintain within the freezer for as much as three months.
FAQs
No, these cookies have to be made utilizing a mixture of blanched almond flour and tapioca starch. No different flours will work.
Tapioca starch is exclusive in its skill to offer elasticity to baked items. You’ll be able to’t change it with one other starch, like cornstarch, and get good outcomes. However you may be capable of change it with superfine candy white rice flour, also called glutinous white rice flour.
No, almond meal is made with coarsely floor almonds that also have their skins intact. It will not work on this recipe.
I made gluten free royal icing with meringue powder as a result of I wished one thing that will arrange utterly and make transportable stackable cookies. However you can too make this straightforward cookie icing with gentle corn syrup instead of meringue powder.
Almond Flour Sugar Cookies Recipe
These delicate, tender cutout almond flour sugar cookies will maintain any form you want, so you’ll be able to rejoice any vacation and nonetheless eat grain free!
Yield: 24 cookies
Stop your display from going darkish
Substances
For the cookies.
- 1 cup (120 g) finely floor blanched almond flour
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) tapioca starch/flour plus extra for sprinkling
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (elective; makes the cookies extra secure)
- 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, overwhelmed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- lukewarm water by the half-teaspoonful
Directions
Make the cookie dough.
-
In a big bowl, place the almond flour, tapioca starch, elective xanthan gum, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar, and whisk to mix nicely.
-
Add the butter, egg, and vanilla, and blend to mix. Add no less than 1/2 teaspoonful of water, and blend it into the dough.
-
If the dough has any spots that appear dry or crumbly, add extra water by the half-teaspoonful and blend to mix.
-
Utilizing clear arms, knead the dough collectively till it types a ball. Will probably be thick and comparatively stiff. Sprinkle in additional water as essential to deliver the dough collectively.
-
Divide the dough in half and set one half apart, draped with a tea towel to stop it from drying out.
Form the cookies.
-
Place the primary half of the dough on a calmly floured floor, sprinkle the highest calmly with extra tapioca flour, and roll it out a bit lower than 1/3-inch thick.
-
Transfer the dough usually to stop it from sticking, sprinkling calmly with extra tapioca flour as crucial.
-
Utilizing a 2 1/2-inch spherical cookie cutter or different shapes, lower out shapes of dough. Pull off the surplus cookie dough away from the shapes you have lower.
-
Place the cutout shapes of dough about 1-inch aside from each other on the ready baking sheets. The cookies will not unfold throughout baking, so simply be sure they don't seem to be touching.
-
Collect and reroll the scraps, and repeat the method with all of the remaining dough till it’s all been used.
Bake the cookies.
-
One by one, place the baking sheets within the middle of the preheated oven and bake till simply set within the middle (about 10 minutes).
-
The perimeters of a number of the cookies could brown barely, however take them out earlier than there's any important browning.
-
Take away the cookies from the oven and permit them to chill on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes or till secure earlier than transferring them to a wire rack to chill utterly.
Put together any icing
-
As soon as the cookies are cool, you'll be able to ice, glaze, or frost them them as you'll some other sugar cookie.
Notes
Initially printed on the weblog in 2019. In 2022, plenty of new textual content sources added; recipe, photographs, and video unchanged.
Almond Flour Sugar Cookies Recipe
These delicate, tender cutout almond flour sugar cookies will maintain any form you want, so you'll be able to rejoice any vacation and nonetheless eat grain free!
Yield: 24 cookies
Stop your display from going darkish
Substances
For the cookies.
- 1 cup (120 g) finely floor blanched almond flour
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) tapioca starch/flour plus extra for sprinkling
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (elective; makes the cookies extra secure)
- 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, overwhelmed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- lukewarm water by the half-teaspoonful
Directions
Make the cookie dough.
-
In a big bowl, place the almond flour, tapioca starch, elective xanthan gum, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar, and whisk to mix nicely.
-
Add the butter, egg, and vanilla, and blend to mix. Add no less than 1/2 teaspoonful of water, and blend it into the dough.
-
If the dough has any spots that appear dry or crumbly, add extra water by the half-teaspoonful and blend to mix.
-
Utilizing clear arms, knead the dough collectively till it types a ball. Will probably be thick and comparatively stiff. Sprinkle in additional water as essential to deliver the dough collectively.
-
Divide the dough in half and set one half apart, draped with a tea towel to stop it from drying out.
Form the cookies.
-
Place the primary half of the dough on a calmly floured floor, sprinkle the highest calmly with extra tapioca flour, and roll it out a bit lower than 1/3-inch thick.
-
Transfer the dough usually to stop it from sticking, sprinkling calmly with extra tapioca flour as crucial.
-
Utilizing a 2 1/2-inch spherical cookie cutter or different shapes, lower out shapes of dough. Pull off the surplus cookie dough away from the shapes you have lower.
-
Place the cutout shapes of dough about 1-inch aside from each other on the ready baking sheets. The cookies will not unfold throughout baking, so simply be sure they don't seem to be touching.
-
Collect and reroll the scraps, and repeat the method with all of the remaining dough till it’s all been used.
Bake the cookies.
-
One by one, place the baking sheets within the middle of the preheated oven and bake till simply set within the middle (about 10 minutes).
-
The perimeters of a number of the cookies could brown barely, however take them out earlier than there's any important browning.
-
Take away the cookies from the oven and permit them to chill on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes or till secure earlier than transferring them to a wire rack to chill utterly.
Put together any icing
-
As soon as the cookies are cool, you'll be able to ice, glaze, or frost them them as you'll some other sugar cookie.
Notes
Initially printed on the weblog in 2019. In 2022, plenty of new textual content sources added; recipe, photographs, and video unchanged.
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Hello, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that basically work and style pretty much as good as you keep in mind. No extra making separate meals when somebody is GF, or shopping for packaged meals that aren’t ok to justify the worth. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” simply isn’t ok! Come go to my bio!