We’ve officially reached the month of December and I have one thing on the brain: Cookies.
OK, cookies and somehow convincing John to get a real Christmas tree this year. The old fake one is looking real sad.
Send good vibes and tree care tips, please.
You may remember I made vegan gluten free cookies last year. However, with yet another year of recipe development under my belt, I’ve learned a lot since then and have tried new techniques and gluten free flour blends. The result? I’ve cracked the code on perhaps the most fluffy, perfect gluten free vegan sugar cookies on the planet.
Big claims, I know. But kinda true.
Plus, this recipe is simple requiring just 1 bowl and less than 45 minutes start to finish. Ready to see this wizardly? Onward.
The base of these cookies is vegan butter, organic cane sugar and vanilla extract. For the egg, I went with aquafaba – the liquid left behind in a can of cooked chickpeas, which makes a lovely egg substitute in most vegan baking and whips up like egg whites! Magic, I know.
I hope to do a post on aquafaba soon as I get a lot of questions about it and recipe requests, so stay tuned! But if you follow my instructions below you’ll be fine.
Next comes my special blend of GF flours:
Almond flour (which creates a perfect crumbly texture)
Cornstarch (which puffs them up and provides shape + structure)
And my DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend (for extra binding)
The batter only chills for 15 minutes while the oven preheats, during which time you can make your frosting. These little dudes are also quite delicious plain if you’d rather keep things simple.
And may I add that these cookies are undetectably vegan and gluten free and are eerily reminiscent of Lofthouse sugar cookies!? Yeah, I know. Exciting stuff. Give them a try for yourself and let me know how it goes.
If you try this recipe, let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and (forever and always) tagging a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see. Cheers and happy baking, friends!
Fluffy 1-Bowl Sugar Cookies (Vegan + GF)
Ingredients
COOKIES
- 1/2 cup softened vegan butter* (1/2 cup = 1 stick // or dairy butter if not vegan)
- 2/3 cup organic cane sugar*
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp aquafaba (chickpea brine – the liquid left behind in a can of cooked chickpeas // or sub 1/4 cup (50 g) pumpkin purée* // amount as original recipe is written)
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 2/3 cups gluten-free flour blend*
- 2/3 cup almond flour (not almond meal – the texture and flavor is different)
- 1/3 cup cornstarch or arrowroot
- 1 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk
FROSTING optional
- 1/2 cup vegan butter (softened // 1/2 cup = 1 stick)
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups sifted organic powdered sugar (to ensure vegan friendly)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk
- Natural food dyes (like Watkins or Color Kitchen or my DIY version // optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Add softened vegan butter (make sure it’s softened – not melted or cold) to a large mixing bowl and beat or whisk until creamy and smooth – about 1 minute.
- Add sugar and mix on medium speed until fluffy and light – about 1 minute. Then add chickpea brine (or other egg substitute*) and vanilla and mix again, scraping down sides as needed.
- Add baking powder and sea salt and blend or whisk to combine. Then add gluten-free flour blend, almond flour, and cornstarch and mix on low until the ingredients are combined. I had to switch to a wooden spoon toward the end. Add almond milk and stir once more.
- The dough should be thick, moldable and a little difficult to mix at this point (see photo). If too soft, continue adding a mixture of gluten-free flour blend, almond flour, and cornstarch until a thick, moldable dough is formed. If too thick, thin with a bit more almond milk.
- Transfer dough to the refrigerator and chill for 15 minutes*. Once chilled, use a cookie scooper (I like this one) or a Tablespoon to measure out 1 1/2 Tbsp amounts of dough and gently roll into balls – the dough will still be soft so be gentle. Arrange on the parchment-lined baking sheets with 1 inch room between each and press down gently with the palm of your hand to smash slightly.
- Alternatively, roll out the dough on a well-floured surface until about 1/4-inch thick and dip cookie cutters in gluten-free flour before pressing into the dough. Use a floured spatula to gently scoop onto baking sheets. This recipe works well with both cut outs and traditional circles!
- Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies appear fluffy and the edges are slightly beginning to dry out. Let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a plate to cool completely.
- To make frosting (optional), add softened vegan butter to a mixing bowl and whisk or beat until soft and fluffy – about 1 minute. Then sift in powdered sugar in small amounts and mix. Around the 1-cup mark, add the vanilla extract and whisk. Continue adding powdered sugar until you have spreadable frosting (I used about 2 cups powdered sugar // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). If you prefer a thinner frosting, add a little almond milk to thin. If it becomes too thin, add more powdered sugar. If it becomes too thick, add more almond milk. Add natural food coloring at this time (optional).
- Frost cookies or leave plain! I decorated with some naturally-dyed sugar sprinkles like these. Organic cane sugar as a base should ensure vegan friendliness.
- Storage: Once cooled, store leftover cookies covered at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month.
Notes
*I tested Miyokos vegan butter and Earth Balance soy-free buttery sticks. Both work, but I found Earth Balance gives them a slightly better texture.
*If you’d like to cut back on sugar, sub 1/3 cup of the sugar with 1 packet (~1/4 tsp) stevia extract- I like Trader Joe’s brand (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). This will make the cookies softer, so you may need to add more gluten-free flour, almond flour, and/or cornstarch to help thicken the dough.
*The chickpea brine substitutes an egg in this recipe. In its place, you can also try subbing 1/4 cup pumpkin puree, 1 egg replacer, or 1 small chicken egg if not vegan (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). I haven’t tested it with a flax egg or any of the other substitutes and can’t guarantee the results.
*You can substitute an equal amount of our NEW 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the gluten-free flour blend in this recipe.
*If not gluten-free, sub the almond flour and gluten-free flour blend with unbleached all-purpose flour, but keep the cornstarch – it helps them puff up.
*You can make the cookie dough ahead of time and refrigerate up to 2-3 days in advance. Simply let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before scooping and baking. It should be soft and moldable.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without frosting.
Aileen says
You made my daughters holiday complete. These cookies are absolutely perfect, no substitutions or additions. I’ve already promised to make them for Valentines, and for easter I will make them a little more ball shaped and make them look like eggs, tooooo cute and delicious!!
Aw, we’re so glad to hear that, Aileen! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Pam says
This is a FANTASTIC recipe. I followed all the directions exactly except I followed another reader’s comments of using Bob’s 1:1 flour to replace the DIY flour mixture, and Tigernut flour to replace the almond flour and it turned out exactly as described. Thank you so much for this recipe; it allowed my daughter to have some holiday desserts!!
Aw, yay! We’re so glad to hear it, Pam. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Malena says
Love how the cookies came out! I made a matcha buttercream to add on top- such a great combo. Thanks for this recipe!!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Malena!
Aleks says
OooOo what a great idea! I will try that too :)
Meg Roberts says
So, so good!!! I made these with King Arthur GF flour, an egg, and cow butter. I was SO impressed. Thank you for taking the time to make this recipe and add all the substitutions that were possible. It made it so easy.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them and found the suggestions helpful! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Meg! xo
Taylor says
Loved these!! I used an egg instead of aquafaba due to chickpea allergy, Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 as others mentioned and used oat flour instead of almond due to nut allergies, and they still turned out to be so delicious. They taste like the store sugar cookies except healthier, so I don’t feel so bad eating lots. I read a comment where someone said the icing recipe made far too much, so I cut the amount in half and it was perfect! Will be making again!
We’re so glad they turned out well. Thanks so much for sharing, Taylor! xo
Pam C says
Just made these little gems and they are delicious! They came out soft and fluffy. I live at 6000 feet and had no issues. I baked them at 350 for 14 minutes. Changes made were I used all purpose flour, added a little nutmeg and used Ener-G egg replacer (worked well!). Had some arrowroot powder so used that. Followed measurements exactly and because of A P flour batter was crumbly so added small increments of almond milk until it was soft and pliable. This is my first attempt at a vegan dessert and it was a big success! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
We’re so glad they turned out well! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Pam! xo
Kelsey says
I love this recipe! I have made it several times already, and will be making them again this Christmas! I use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 GF Flour and they come out beautifully every time. Fair warning though: when I made the frosting, I ended up with *a lot* leftover which is honestly a great excuse to make another batch of cookies for family & friends! Thanks for a hit!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Kelsey! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Kerri says
Hi! I’ve made this and struggled a bit because they don’t sell a dairy free soy free butter STICK in my area and my son cannot have either. We have found and used the Earth Balance Soy free dairy free butter spread. Do you know the the equivalent of using a butter spread in this recipe? I fumbled through it last year but thought maybe you’d have advice on how to measure this out for a butter spread.
Thank you!
Hi Kerri, We’d suggest the same amount. The tubs sometimes have added water for spreadability, which can throw off recipes. But in this recipe we think it should work!
Jade says
These look so great! I don’t need gluten free, do you think they would work with all purpose flour?
Hi Jade, we think it would work! Perhaps slightly less all purpose than GF as it tends to be more absorbent. Let us know how it goes!
Cassidy says
I’m excited to try this recipe! Do you think it would work with regular white sugar, or does it need to be cane sugar?
That should work!
Margarita Gibson says
Can you substitute GF 1/1 flour?
Hi Margarita, are you referring to a store-bought GF 1:1 blend? That should work, but we’d suggest one that resembles the ingredients in our DIY blend for best results. Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 GF Baking Flour is similar.
Liv says
Hi can I use maple syrup as the sweetener without messing it up? If so, how much do you recommend?
Hmm, we’re not sure it would work in this recipe because the sugar adds a textural element. You may need to add more dry ingredients to compensate for the added moisture. If you try it, let us know!
M says
Why butter in frosting? Powder sugar and milk is enough imo…
That would be more of a glaze. The butter makes it a bit more substantial.
Natalie says
I accidentally bought the earth balance original spread . Is that the same as the sticks?
Hi Natalie, it’s not the same. Should still work, but the buttery sticks are best.
Leslie says
I made these with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 GF blend instead of the custom blend of gluten free flour. Also I used the brine of chickpeas I cooked in the crock pot. I think maybe I needed to add more milk because my dough was not delicate and the cookies didn’t fluff up. I cooked 10 minutes but the bottoms were a little brown already. So maybe these are a little drier than recommended. I’m still overjoyed because they’re delicious!
Thanks for sharing, Leslie. For the fluffiness, it sounds like maybe the chickpea brine wasn’t quite as thick as canned. Hope that helps!
Alex H. says
I may going to be making one or two batches of cookies for my friends and their families, but they are going to be these two color twisted rope candy cane cookies. Would that possible to do with this recipe?
Hmm, I’m not sure. This dough is a little delicate. Let us know if you try!
LEANNE says
I made these cookies and they were amazing! Did not taste “gluten free” at all. For anyone with nut allergies, we can’t have nuts so I used tigernut flour instead of almond flour 1:1 and it worked out great.
Prachi thekdi says
HI, chickepea brine – do i put liquid or make adquafuba then add? thank you
Hi Prachi, for this recipe, there’s no need to whip it separately. Hope that helps!
Olivia says
I made these for my boyfriend’s birthday and liked them so much, I had to make more the next weekend for myself. Love how fluffy and soft they are. I used 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour and 2/3 cup almond flour, and they turned out beautifully.
The second time I made it I forgot to add the cornstarch until I had already mixed everything, so added it in last. I also left the cookies in the oven too long, about 18 minutes, so I just transferred them to a plate right away instead of cooling on the hot tray. No problem, came out great. These are foolproof!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Olivia! xo
Ann Wolfe says
These look delicious and I am excited to try for my little one with lots of allergies. She is also allergic to tree nuts, what would you suggest using in place of the almond flour? Thanks so much!
Hi Ann, I would either try a 1/2 and 1/2 mixture of more cornstarch and some potato starch, OR coconut flour but use half the amount as it’s much more absorbent than almond flour.
Leanne says
We have nut allergies too. I substituted tigernut flour (tuber not a nut) for almond flour and they turned out so great! New favorite cookie recipe.
We’re so glad it worked well. Thanks for sharing, Leanne!
Felisa says
I have had a more limited diet for about 3 years. I have not had good luck with cookies of almost any kind. These cookies were absolutely fantastic when I made them today! The only tweak I made was that I substituted 1/4 cup of tapioca flour for 1/4 of a cup of sifted homemade oat flour (because I can’t do tapioca) in the Minimalist Baker gluten-free flour blend that I used in this recipe. I can’t wait to make them again! Thank you for the wonderful recipes!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Felisa! Thank you so much for the lovely review! xo
keekrock says
We live in the House of Many Allergies and these are hands-down the best holiday cookies we’ve ever made. We followed the recipe exactly except that we substituted Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free 1 to 1 Baking Flour (in the blue bag) for the DIY GF flour blend. We encountered no problems. It almost seemed too easy! Thanks for a great and delicious recipe!
Aw, yay! We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed them. Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Judi Lockemer says
Hi Dana, I was so excited to find this recipe, except that it has corn starch in it and anything with corn is not on my very restricted diet. Can I make them without the corn starch? Thanks, Judi
Hi Judi! I believe you can sub potato starch or arrowroot starch in place!
Ashley L says
Hi these look amazing! Is there any other sugar replacement that would work? I do not bake with refined sugars so would maple sugar or coconut sugar work at all? What would you recommend to be best in this scenario? :-)
Hi Ashley, Coconut sugar should be okay, but we do find it can impact the texture and make them darker in color. Let us know if you give it a try!
Ariyal says
Oh, just saw this! Thank you!
Ariyal
eliana says
loved these! i subbed regular sugar with coconut sugar in the cookies. I had to add just a little more milk because the coconut sugar made it a bit more crumbly in the first batch, but other that it was great. even non-gluten free & vegan friends loved them :)
Whoop! So glad you and your friends enjoyed them, Eliana! Thanks so much for the lovely review.
Ariyal says
How much extra milk did you use? :)
Jen Lumish says
Could you please tell me what I can sub for the almond flour in the snickerdoodle cookie recipe? We have nut allergies in the family.
Thanks so much
Hi Jen, we haven’t tried it this way, but perhaps more GF flour blend or a lesser amount of oat flour. Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Eliana K says
Can I sub cane sugar with coconut sugar? Thank you!
Hi Eliana, Coconut sugar should be okay, but we do find it can impact the texture and make them darker in color. Let us know if you give it a try!
Maia says
We are allergic to almonds. Can I use just GF flour instead of almond flour? Coconut milk instead of almond milk? Thank you!
Coconut milk instead of almond should be fine! If you use all GF flour they will have a stronger flavor and denser texture. But not sure! If you try it let us know!
Olivia says
Hello! These cookies have been on my mind pretty much since you released the recipe! What a surprise when they poped up in my search for slice and bake cookies. With Halloween and the holidays approaching, I would want to make some of those pumpkins or Christmas tree slice and bake cookies. Do you think this recipe would work?
I think so though they may be a bit more fragile! Let us know how it goes!
Melissa says
Hi! This look lovely. I have followed your blog for 7 years due to my son’s special diet. Now I need to get on a GF DF EF almond and cashew free. I am thinking on making my own pecan butter to use instead of almond butter on your most of your recipes but I am a bit at a loss with almond flour or meal. What do you recommend? Would pecan flour do the trick? What about oat flour?
Hi Melissa, we’re so glad our recipes have helped so far! In this one, we’d say maybe try a mix or pecan flour and a little more GF blend? Pecans have more fat in them than almonds so may make it more oily. Let us know how it goes!
Britney says
Hi,
When you say 1 2/3 cup of gluten free flour blend does that mean 1 cup PlUS another 2/3 cup of gluten free flour? Or does it just mean 2/3 cup of gluten free flour?
Hi Britney, it means 1 cup plus 2/3 cup.
Sapna says
It was very delicious and yummy.
Thanks, Sapna! Next time would you mind adding a rating to your review? It’s super helpful to us and other readers! xo
Kailyn Willows says
Hi, what brand of vegan butter do you use?
We find Earth Balance buttery sticks tend to work best for baking.
Kelsey Jackson says
Hi!
I searched the the comments and found different answers.
One says use the chickpea brine straight from the can (liquid form) and add it to the recipe.
Another answer from you says, to whip the chickpea brine (similar to whipped egg whites).
Just wondering which one is correct for this recipe :)! Thanks so much!
Hi Kelsey! In step 3, you add the aquafaba and vanilla to the sugar and butter and mix until combined, for about a minute. No need to whip them up fully like egg whites for this recipe!
Abby says
So, if I happened to already mix up the chickpea brine into aquafaba, how much of the whip would I use?
Hi Abby, if you whipped the amount listed in the ingredients, you’d probably want to add it all – but we haven’t tried this recipe with pre-whipped aquafaba so we cannot guarantee results!
Elana says
Hi there. I’m not gluten-free but I do have almond flour I would like to use. Do you think I could do the almond flour with regular flour instead of gluten-free flour? And if so, how much regular flour do you think I would need? Thanks!
Hi Elana, we haven’t tried that, but we think it would work! Perhaps slightly less all purpose than GF as it tends to be more absorbent. Let us know how it goes!
lily winegardner says
I want to make this amazing recipe, but I do not have gluten free flour. what measurements of regular flour would you suggest?
Hi Lily, we would suggest this recipe instead: https://minimalistbaker.com/1-bowl-vegan-sugar-cookies/
Karen C says
Great Cookies! First, I am NOT a baker but with this COVID 19 I am in and looking for things to do!
My husband is vegan and these were perfect. The only change I made was I used 3 T of applesauce for the aquafab because I didn’t want to open a can of chickpeas….(Lazy)…but they were fine. Half of them I rolled in cinnamon sugar like snickerdoodles. Enjoyed! I may even bake some more.
Kaitlin says
Can you use maple syrup instead of cane sugar because I can’t have very much refined sugar?
Hmm, we’re not sure it would work in this recipe because the sugar adds a textural element. You may need to add more dry ingredients to compensate for the added moisture. If you try it, let us know!
Meghan Bogart says
Instead of your gluten free flour, can I use a store’s?
Yes! We’d suggest Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 Baking Flour as it is the closest to our DIY blend.
Christina says
I have made this recipe for the past 4 years and have this page bookmarked. However, this Christmas when I went to make these cookies, the recipe seemed different. It was crumbly and WAY too dry. It has been absolutely perfect in the past. I thought I must have missed something, but then I went to make them again today and the same thing happened. I had to add 3-4 Tablespoons more almond milk to make it work. You may want to double check your recipe posted here. Otherwise, this cookie is awesome!
Hi Christina, we aren’t sure what could be causing that as we haven’t changed the recipe! Is it possible that you used a different gluten-free flour blend or that the formula changed?
Madi says
The same thing happened to me. I used tapioca starch instead of corn and oat flour instead of almond. I ended up adding 4 tbsp milk and about 2 Tbsp extra butter.
Hi Madi, it’s likely due to the oat flour swap. It’s more dense and absorbent than almond flour.
Erinn says
I actually had the same exact issue. Why does it require so much arrowroot/cornstarch?
Hi Erinn, so sorry to hear that! What GF blend did you use? The arrowroot/cornstarch helps keep it light and fluffy.
Hi Christina, we retested recently and weren’t able to replicate these issues. If you try it again and still have issues, we’d love to see if we can help troubleshoot!
Miriam-Rachel Newman says
Thank you so much! I’ll try it.
Miriam-Rachel Newman says
I’ve made this recipe five times and the cookies are always delicious. I’d never know they were gluten-free or vegan. I’ve just had one problem with them—they come out rough-looking and cracked after they’re baked, even when I use the scoop. Any thoughts? Thanks for this recipe. Love the cookies, even if they don’t look as perfect as yours!
It sounds like they may need just a touch more liquid. We would say try adding a little more almond milk. Let us know how it goes!
Bryn says
This was a great, easy recipe. The dough was surprisingly easy to roll out and do Valentine’s sugar cookies. We have printed out the recipe and tucked it into our Minimalist Baker cookbook because this is going to be our go-to now! They are tender, not too sweet and perfect! We made the frosting too! I made them with my little neighbor friend and her mom told me they were so good! Our neighbors aren’t gf or vegan so that’s pretty good feedback!
What would you suggest to sub out almond flour if someone was nut free?
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Bryn. We are so glad you enjoy this recipe! We would say maybe try more gluten-free blend? Let us know how it goes!
Henri Mar says
Hi Dana! I love your website, but I notice that you often use almond flour in your recipes. I’m trying to bake some cookies for someone with a nut allergy. I usually use King Arthur’s GF flour when making cookies, but I’m not sure what ratio I might be able to use if I tried to use that flour. Would it be possible to use ground sunflower seeds or ground oats instead? Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes!
Hi Henri, that might work! Or maybe just use all King Arthur’s GF Flour? Let us know how it goes!
Taylor says
It was definitely fluffy, the taste however, wasn’t what i expected, not necessarily in a good way. I made sure to read all the comments, and decided to make it. i am a little disappointed in the way it turned out. The taste of the flour really stands out. It didn’t taste like the sugar cookies from the store, like the comments said.. they are very pretty, instagram worthy
Hi Taylor, sorry to hear that was your experience! Maybe you were looking for a sweeter version? You could play around with increasing the sugar, if desired.
Mary Michell says
My gluten and egg allergy friend said that these were the best cookies she has ever had! Thanks for making her day and mine. I love baking yummy food! :)
So great! Thanks for sharing, Mary!
Melissa says
I made the dough for these cookies nine days ago, and just baked them this morning. I used egg replacer and added almond extract. They are soft, have a wonderful texture, and are delicious!
Great! Thanks, Melissa!
Asha says
I’ve been making this recipe for over a year! Hands down my fav sugar cookie recipe. Thank you!!!
Whoop! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Asha. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Becki says
These cookies were so good! I made three cookie recipes from your site for Christmas: these, the 1 bowl snickerdoodle cookies, and the no-bake peanut butter thumbprint cookies. All of them came out well and were easy to make. For the sugar cookies I just used store-bought frosting. These were simple to make, rolled out really easily and baked up nicely. They were easy to decorate and traveled to all of our Christmas festivities well. I received many compliments on them. Thanks for a great recipe!
Wonderful! Thanks, Becki!
Joanna says
Wow! Thank you so much for this. I had to give up dairy and eggs right before Christmas, in honor of my nursling’s digestive system, and I was feeling a little sorry for myself. The only thing I changed was using orange juice as the liquid (instead of the almond milk) so they would taste like the sugar cookie recipe I grew up with. And they totally do!!! They’re amazing!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Joanna! Thanks so much for sharing!
Brandi Wilson says
I am wondering if I can substitute coconut flour va almond (making them for someone with an allergy to nuts)
Hi Brandi, we haven’t tried it, but that might work. You may need to would reduce the amount by half because coconut flour is quite absorbent. Let us know how it goes!
Jillian says
Hi!! Made these for the second year in a row. This time I rolled them out and cut into Christmas trees. But coming out of the oven they look speckled, like grey dots on them. Maybe i overolled them? I did everything the same in your recipe except that i used larger grain sugar (raw cane) and all purpose flour. Maybe its the sugar im seeing. Any ideas?
P. S. Im sure theyre still yummy and will be icing them anyway ?
I’m guessing it was the larger grain sugar!
Davina says
Do you store at room temp even with the icing? I wasn’t sure because of the butter. Thanks!
Yes, the icing can be stored at room temp. As long as it isn’t too warm, it should be fine for a few days!
Mel says
Made them! So easy and the kids love them!!
Followed the recipe to a T and used Melt for the butter.
Thanks!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Mel. We are so glad your kids enjoy them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Vicki says
Have you tried all almond flour? I am staying away from all starches when possible.
I haven’t! I think they would work. Let us know if you do!
Mel says
I’ve made these many times.
They are always delicious!
I started making them with coconut oil and and coconut sugar and I use the aquafaba.
They are brown but the flavour is delicious and I love how healthy they are.
If you don’t mind a brown sugar cookie these are to die for.
Thanks!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy them, Mel! Thanks so much for sharing!
Deanne says
What is the best way to store these cookies. I’m making them now for a cookie party at my daughters school tomorrow. Thank you
Hi Deanne, we recommend storing leftover cookies covered at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month.
Lise says
These look like a wonderful GF/Vegan alternative to one of our family holiday favourites, thank you! Would love to try the recipe. What could we use instead of almond flour (allergic to almonds)?
Hi Lise, maybe a blend of GF flour and arrowroot or cornstarch? We haven’t tried it though. Let us know if you give it a try!
Sarah says
Could I sub shortening for vegan butter since coconut oil won’t work?
Hi Sarah, we haven’t tried that and aren’t sure whether it would work. Let us know if you give it a try!
Michelle says
Hi! Do you have to use an electric mixer for these or can you use a whisk or by hand? Also do you think coconut sugar would work ok instead of the cane sugar? Thanks!
Hi Michelle, a whisk by hand should work. Coconut sugar should be okay, but we do find it can impact the texture and make them darker in color. Let us know if you give it a try!
Zoe says
Made these today with my mum and they were delicious! I can’t find the super fine almond flour you use up here in Canada but i used ground almonds and they turned out perfectly. Thanks!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Zoe! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Amanda says
When adding the chickpea brine, should it already be whipped and fluffy or is it supposed to be directly from the can in liquid form?
Directly from the can.
Kary says
We cannot use almond anything in our home due to having a tree nut allergic grandchild in our family. Hence I would love to know if I can use regular flour and make this recipe? I’d rather use the recipe as is but we cannot since we are hosting all 9 grandchildren in our home for this event. Thx so much!!
Regular flour should work! Let us know if you give it a try.
Laurence says
I tried those with regular flour and the result was really not as expected. :( Maybe reduce the quantity of flour if you think of replacing it, because it was way too doughy. I might have done something wrong, but anyway, I love your blog and your recipes!
Bummer! Thanks for sharing, Laurence!
Brenna says
Hi Dana! LOVE this recipe! But I also really loved your recipe for crispy gluten-free/vegan sugar cookies. I used to make them every year but now I can’t find my hard copy and I can’t seem to find that recipe on your site anywhere now. Could you help? Thanks!
Is it this one?
Jackie says
I think you’ve posted a link to the fluffy recipe accidentally. I’d also like to try the crispy recipe!
Megan says
Is it this one? https://minimalistbaker.com/1-bowl-vegan-sugar-cookies/
susan murphy says
I also need the other recipe-PLEASE!!!! The one with thhe pumpkin puree and bobs gluten free flour 1:1. IT isnt on your site or anywhere. I saved the link and it now takes me to this recipe. I really would like to have the orginal one:-)
I think we had users who had issues with that recipe, so we rerouted to this one. Sorry, Susan!
Jessica says
Could I substitute coconut flour for the almond flour? Or what other types of gluten free flour?
Hi Jessica, we haven’t tried it, but that might work. You may need to would reduce the amount by half because coconut flour is quite absorbent. Let us know how it goes!
Rachel says
Hi! I am not gluten free and want to use regular all-purpose flour. I see your note to sub just all-purpose flour for the almond flour and gluten-free flour blend. This would then be 2 and 1/3 cup flour, which just seems like too much to me. What do you think?
I’d say start with 1 1/2 cups and work up from there!
Mindy says
I made these cookies today with an equal amount of whole wheat pastry flour (2-1/3 cups). I subbed 1 Tblsp ground flaxseed plus 3 Tblsp water for the aquafaba. I used Miyoko’s cashew-based vegan butter. I made mini sandwich cookies, 1/2 Tblsp each, and put 2 together with Dana’s vegan nutella in between. Baked in a toaster oven at 350 degrees for 10 min. They turned out great! Thank you, Dana!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Mindy! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Jessica says
Made these for the first time this weekend. Used coconut sugar, which tinted the cookies a bit brownish but they turned out lovely! Delicious!
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
Jane Eden Hartle says
Can the dough be frozen?
Yes!
Anna Soman says
These are fantastic! I needed to make sugar cookies for my 1st grader’s school party this Friday, and I try to do vegan and gluten free most of the time, so I thought I’d try some recipes. I’m so glad this is the first recipe I tried!! Skipping to the end, the cookies turned out DIVINE. My roommate swears they taste like the most delicious regular sugar cookies, and I agree. Slightly soft inside, slightly crisp on the edges, just like the perfect cookie should be. My changes: I substituted organic virgin coconut oil instead of vegan butter (I can’t eat canola oil, and I haven’t found a vegan butter that doesn’t use it), I used almost a tablespoon of organic alcohol-free vanilla extract instead of the vanilla and almond extract, and I used a tablespoon of bobs red mill egg replacer instead of the arrowroot powder (I was out of arrowroot). I ended up using three tablespoons of almond milk. I rolled them out slightly thick before using the cookie cutter (they almost taste like short bead and a sugar cookie had a baby). I put a sprinkle of the organic cane sugar on top before baking, and voila! By the way, I feel like they still got a nice hint of buttery almond flavor from the almond flour. Thank you for this fantastic recipe!!
We’re so glad everyone enjoyed them, Anna! Thanks so much for sharing!
Sarah Brasher says
These are crazy good! I swapped and just used an egg and the trader joes gluten free flour and they were a hit! I only cooked 10 min and next time I will prbly do 9 min. I like mine a little undercooked :)
Anne says
Hello! I was wondering if I could substitute the almond flour for tigernut flour? I don’t have almond flour on hand…. Also, the gluten free flour blend I have is without xanthum gum (I don’t tolerate it well), so would I need to adjust the recipe at all to compensate?
By the way: I love your website! It’s always the first place I look for recipes for baked goods. I’m vegan and I have IBS, so if I ever want something sweet, i have to figure out how to make it myself…thank you so much for including so many gluten free and vegan recipes!
So kind! Hi Anne. So I’ve never used tiger nut flour, but let us know if it works out! I’m not sure how it behaves or I’d give more instruction. As for the xanthum gum, it’s not really needed here!
Melody Datz Hansen says
I realized I only comment on recipes if something doesn’t turn out, and that’s super lame, so here I go. These cookies are easy and amazing–they remind me of The Joy of Cooking’s “rich roll cookies” my mother made when I was a kid: fluffy, rich flavor, and easy to roll out and decorate. We’ve made them twice and they turn out much better with the MB gluten free flour blend than the store-bought blend, which made the cookies mealy and too dense.
Michelle says
These were delicious. I made them as recipe states and just formed them into little balls with my hands. Everyone loved them. I made the icing as directed ( 1/2 recipe) and I added about 1 t of lemon extract and decorated them with a little yellow sugar. They were the perfect summer time cookie. YUM!
julie says
Hi.
Do you have to pisk the agfaba or can you just use mix in the liquid?
Jennifer says
So your saying to add the brine unwhipped into the bowl and whip? Or whip the brine and add to bowl and whip? Also, to what level should the brine be whipped, soft peaks or stiff?
Sorry for the confusion, Jennifer! Add the brine unwhipped and then blend/whisk. I will correct that comment!
Julie says
My son has a tree nut allergy. Can I use all gluten free flour blend? Any other suggestions?
Thanks!
Hi Julie, we haven’t tried that, but it should work! If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!
Julie says
We made them and they are GREAT! All Bobs Redmill gluten free flour worked great! Thank you so much! I love having new recipes my son can eat! Tomorrow we are having 13 kids over to decorate cookies for Easter and I’m so happy to have delicious cookies that everyone can enjoy! You have no idea what that means to an allergy mom?
So glad to hear it, Julie!! xo
Megan says
Thank you for sharing this! We cannot do nuts either, but I’ll try this with Bob’s or King Arthur flour this weekend and see how it goes.
Megan says
We can’t eat tree nuts either, and I tried this today with oat flour and oat milk instead of the almond. They turned out great! I love baking but have not had much success since we had to edit out wheat, dairy, egg and nuts from our diets. It’s a real treat to find a recipe that works so well. Thank you!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!
Olivia says
If I wanted to use an egg (since I’m just vegetarian), what would be the proper amount to substitute ?
Hi Olivia, Generally 3 tbsp of aquafaba to one egg, but this really depends on whether your aquafaba is close to the right consistency. It should be a bit slimy, but not too thick, and not too runny. Ideally it should be the same consistency as egg whites. Hope this helps!
Nicki says
I’ve been wanting to make these for a while, and boy, am I glad I finally did! Five stars! My 4 year old and I made them for Valentine’s Day. We made some as balls and some rolled out and cut, just to try them each way. After trying a couple of other vegan roll outs I was pleasantly surprised at how well these kept their shape! Not sickening sweet, these are so perfect. These will be in our holiday rotation from now on! Thank you!!
Nicki says
P.s. I used all purpose flour in place of gluten-free, but did use the almond flour as written in the recipe.
Edith-Nicole Cameron says
Turned out great. I used all-purpose flour in place of GF and almond flours; had to add about 2 tablespoons more soy milk (instead of almond) to get a malleable dough. Worked great, thanks! I’m loving all these aquafaba recipes.
Lara says
Dana! These cookies are amazing – your recipes make me feel like a super-baker. Seriously! This was a very easy recipe to get together and it came out beautifully. We used cookies cutters and they were just perfect. My son has a gluten allergy and it’s such a gift to have a good go-to recipe, with ingredients that are safe for him, without compromising taste and texture. You’ve given us that with so many of your recipes. Thank you!
Shana C says
I doubled the recipe for the cookies, but not the frosting. I colored the frosting pink with pomegranate juice which made it less thick and allowed me to cover more cookies. Yum!!
Yum indeed!
maria says
Great recipe for my vegan family! We made them multiple times already this season. We substituted the gluten free blend with pastry flour but kept the almond flour. We also used cultured vegan butter made with cashews, yummy! Thank you! Happy Holidays!
Rebecca says
I made these cookies exactly as laid out. I have made tons of your recipes with great success. My cookies didn’t really puff up or become fluffy at all… the taste great but hard and crisp. Any suggestions for what might have caused this?
Hi Rebecca! Sorry to hear that happened.. There are several reasons that your cookies came out flat, but here are a couple possible culprits!
Christina Olson says
These were delicious!!!!! I used sunflower flour instead of almond flour because of a nut allergy. Used pumpkin purée because I didn’t have canned chickpeas. Used coconut milk instead of almond milk. These were soft the next day and that’s what I was looking for. I’m going to make another batch but going to try palm shortening instead of soy-free Earth Balance tub butter. Just to try to make it more “clean”. I’ll report back!
Chris says
I just finished making this. Turned out fabulous. These are the following minor tweaks/subs I used. I used earth balance soy free butter in the tub (instead of stick), one egg (instead of aquafaba), and 1/4 cup cornstarch (instead of 1/3 cup). All other ingredients as listed in the recipe. I followed recipe process as written, used same oven temp and baking time. I can’t wait to decorate but have to until tomorrow. This recipe made 33 cut out cookies for me. I really am pleased with the results. Thank you for the research and recipe.
Joanne says
I’m very happy with these cookies! The recipe was easy to follow and the cookies are delicious. I used my husband’s aerolatte milk frother to make the aquafaba and it worked perfectly. I also pushed one vegan chocolate chip into the top of half the batch. It made a nice subtle chocolate flavoring.
Brandy Thompson says
These are awesome! So easy to make. They have a wonderful texture and the dough is really easy to handle(always a plus with gf). I used pillsbury gf mix for the flour blend and these turned out perfectly. I loved how many small cookies I got out if a single batch! Thank you!
Meme says
THANK YOU, THANK YOU for this recipe! We make my grandmother’s sugar cookies every Christmas and I can never enjoy eating them, so this year I decided to make my own that I can actually eat! These are SO delicious, don’t taste GF/Vegan, and the icing is tasty as well! You’ve definitely perfected this recipe my dear- they don’t crumble or fall apart when cutting out shapes. And I sure do love a thick sugar cookie. You NEED to publish a cookbook! Thanks again!
Jackie says
Hi there. I like given cookies as xmas gifts, does it actually only keep for max 4 days??
Hi! They’re best during the 4 days but will keep longer. I’d recommend freezing for longer storage!
Sam says
I am so excited to make this recipe! Do you have any suggestions on how to make this taste lemon flavored? Or even just the icing lemony?
Deb says
For non vegan, what do I use instead of a 3tbsp of aquafaba? Thanks
Meme says
She says in the recipe “notes” area that you can substitute for one egg. I did that and they turned out great.
M-M says
How do they turn out if I substitute Neat Egg for the aquafaba?
We haven’t tried and can’t say for sure, but if you experiment with the recipe, report back on how it goes! Good luck :D
Hebba says
Made these today with a few changes and they turned out great! I subbed self-rising GF flour mix for the 1 2/3 cup and then reg. Gf flour where it calls for 2/3 cup almond flour because I have a nut allergy and soy milk in place of the almond milk. And the chick pea brine fluffed like a dream. I have to play a bit with the flour and the soy milk adding to get the right consistency but I was even able to cut out stars and they didnt fall to pieces like a lot of gf vegan things. So thankful for people like you who paved the way for us newbies and allow us to share in the sweet treats and traditions like Christmas cookies ?
Jessica says
I made a double recipie of this for Thanksgiving. I had four kids ages 7 (x2), 5, and 3 help make them. They had so much fun. More importantly, these stood up really well to cutting with cookie cutters, and were stable enough for small children to frost them. Not a single one broke or cracked, which is my experience with every other recipie like this. Also, I took them to Thanksgiving, and everyone loved them, and said they were better than most wheat and milk cookies! I used two eggs (because doubled), but otherwise followed the recipie exactly (at least as exactly as small kids measure things). I’m so grateful that my son who is gluten and dairy free could have fun with his friends and impress his family members while enjoying baked goods himself. Thank you, although this is my first comment, I’ve made several things from this site and I’m so grateful for you and your recipie.
Right? I love this recipe too! Glad you tweaked it for your needs. xo!
Kay says
I only want to know how to make cookies with the aquafaba in a regular sugar cookie recipe with regular flour and regular butter.
Sandra G says
I’ve made these twice now and they are delicious. Easy to make and fun to decorate.
I love that they are crunchy too.
Cait says
These cookies are DYNAMITE, and so so easy to make!! Definitely a crowd pleaser. I subbed an egg for the aquafaba and it worked perfectly.
Question — could I add some vegan chocolate chips to this dough? Would it affect the texture or bake time at all?
That should work, Cait! We are glad you enjoy this recipe!
Amy says
I made these for a Halloween tea party i put on for my boys, mom, sister, and nieces. Everyone loved them! They remind me of my grandmother’s spritzer cookies she would make every Christmas and I have missed so much since going gluten, egg, and dairy free 5+ year ago. These will definitely be happening for Christmas and other special occasions from now on! I colored the frosting with activated charcoal for a black Halloween look and it worked perfectly. I will probably be halving the frosting next time as I like things a little less sweet/less frosting (personal preference) and this recipe makes a lot, guess i need to make more cookies:). This recipe is so good and easy (even the free range eaters loved them) thanks you for sharing!
We are glad to hear that everyone loved them, Amy! Activated charcoal is a brilliant idea for a Halloween themed cookie :)
Cat says
Amazing!!! I have a corn allergy so I used tapioca starch instead of corn starch. Also used coconut sugar instead of cane sugar, pumpkin puree instead of aquafaba, and coconut oil instead of vegan butter. I did have to add a bit more almond milk. These taste EXACTLY like those lofthouse sugar cookies that I used to LOVE! Thank you!
Heidi Horchler says
Thanks for the tapioca tip! We are ok with gluten, but no corn, so this helps!
Holly says
For your DIY flour blend…my daughter cannot have white rice. Can I just use more brown rice flour? Or can you recommend another substitute?
Hi Holly! Another reader mentioned in the comments of this recipe that they successfully substituted with quinoa flour! I haven’t tested it myself, but if you do try, let me know how it turns out.
Katy says
These sound divine, being from the UK, we don’t really do sugar cookies, but I’m really interested in making these! I’m wondering about adding some lemon zest/extract/juice in to the mix though? Any thoughts on which might be best to add? Thanks, Katy :)
Yes, some lemon zest or extract would be delicious! Let us know how it goes, Katy!
Hannah Meisenheimer says
Hello! I REALLY want to make your sugar cookies – unfortunately, I’m on the Keto-Diet, so I can’t have any of the components (rice -white or brown, potato, &/or tapioca) listed in your homemade g/f flour mix. Do you by chance know of another brand or mix of g/f flours that would still work well for the recipe, but also fit into the Keto-Diet parameters?! Thanks so much in advance!
Sally fitzgibbons says
I have be been gluten free since 1970 and this is the best cut out cookie recipe that I have come across.
like you, I was a christmas cookie addict and have tried all these years to find a good recipe.
I have made them several times and plan of making them a million more. You have made my day and days to come lol
I would serve these at the north pole they are so authentic tasting, just like I remember them tasting as a little girl.
We’re so glad to hear that you are a fan of this recipe, Sally!
Soo Min Ahn says
I’ve been looking for soft vegan sugar cookies that don’t contain weird ingredients that I can’t find around me – like vegan ricotta, cottage cheese… nope.
And then – BAM!
I made this cookie recipe, halving it, with buckwheat flour (to sub for the gluten-free flour and cornstarch, as I didn’t have any at home, and an extra 1/3 cup of almond flour, because of the moisture content without the cornstarch), and a chia egg (I’m allergic to flax haha and always forget to ask my mom to save the aquafaba!), and it worked fantastically well! It seemed to be not done enough in the oven after 10 minutes, but your recipes always work out wonderfully (I once cut your cinnamon bun recipe in 24th as a snack, and it still worked amazingly – you have my trust haha), so I stuck to the recipe and brought them out. Once they cooled, they’d finished cooking with the residual heat, and stayed beautifully soft, with a nice, thin but slightly crisp crunch. I didn’t cool it, because it was getting late and the dough got me pretty impatient for the results, but they were awesome!
Yay! Thanks for sharing you recipe changes!
niki says
is this cake before baking is hard that I can cutt the shape in it?
Yes, you can cut shapes out of the dough! (Step 7)
Emilia says
I love these! They turned out perfectly & as I hoped… replaced aquafaba with egg replacer. Toddler & family loved them. Not just for Christmas but any time of the year. Good for beginner bakers
Sabina says
Hi I’m a home baker and I’m looking at things to lengthen the shelf life of the cookies I give to people and I’ve stumbled onto Aquafaba which has made my cookies more open to people allergic to egg(like my mother) so I loved this recipe. I wanted to know how you found out the nutrients/nutritional composition of your cookies?! I saw the nutrition facts/panel at the bottom of your page and I was wondering how you found these details out? Is there a calculator online?
Hi Sabina! We use caloriecount.com
J.C. Bokow says
Please change your Print Version parameters so the text is BLACK and not GRAY; it’s too hard to read! Thanks.
Hi! I will pass along your request – thanks for reaching out!
April says
Can I use rice milk instead of almond milk?
Yes that will work, April!
Holly says
Hi…if I can’t use almond/rice/coconut milk, do you think soy would work?
Yes!
Anjelica says
Dana you are a vegan wizard! I’ve probably made 90% of your recipes and these are the best sugar cookies I’ve ever had! I was completely blown away! Thank you for all your amazing recipes!!