Best Paleo Cut-Out Sugar Cookies (Gluten Free)

Dec 7, 2020 | Desserts

The Best Easy Paleo Cut-Out Sugar Cookies made with cassava flour and coconut oil for easy gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free holiday cookies!

The Best Easy Best Paleo Cut-Out Sugar Cookies made with cassava flour and coconut oil for an easy gluten free, dairy-free, and nut free holiday cookie!

Best Paleo Cut-Out Sugar Cookies (Gluten-Free)

Is there anything more quintessentially holiday than making cut out sugar cookies while listening to Christmas music? For so many years this had become something I no longer fully got to participate in. Sure, I still helped roll out the dough and make the cookies, but the actual eating of the cookies was something I had to give up. I don’t have to tell you how hard it is to find a gluten-free sugar cookie recipe that you can actually use cookie cutters on. And then when you try to make it completely grain-free things only get more complicated and tricky.

Baking with cassava flour has totally changed the game for me in terms of recreating paleo versions of the recipes I grew up loving. I couldn’t believe what a difference it made not only in the taste of the cookies but in the process, too! The dough is much easier to handle, which means you can make these gluten and grain free cookies with your kids and they can actually participate.

A note on cookie cutters: while you can certainly use any cookie cutters you want, I find that less intricate cutters are a bit easier to use. Aim for bigger shapes with fewer thin pieces involved to reduce your chances of the dough breaking.

Tips for Easy Cassava Flour Sugar Cookies

The thing I love most about cassava flour is that it acts almost just like regular flour. In other words, this dough is easy peasy to work with! I used to give up every time I made gluten free cut out cookies because everything would stick and fall apart, plus te

  • Remember to line your baking dish with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
  • Roll your dough out between two sheet of parchment to help for easy, stick-free rolling.
  • Use room-temperature ingredients so everything mixes correctly.
  • Dust your rolling surface with a bit of cassava flour if anything sticks too much.
  • Let your cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
  • Dust your cookie cutter with cassava flour if it is sticking too much.

Ingredients for Paleo Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

These one-bowl cut out sugar cookies are quick and easy to whip up whenever you have a cookie craving! You’ll just need to mix together your ingredients, chill the dough until it’s moldable, roll out the dough, cut your cookies, and then bake at 350 F for about 10 minutes. That’s it! Here’s what you’ll need to make it all happen (and yes, only 7 ingredients!)

Coconut Oil: You can also use ghee, but I have not tested other oils in this recipe.
Coconut sugar: this is a lower inflammatory sweetener that I use in all of my paleo baking. Can be subbed for regular sugar if needed.
Baking Soda: to give a bit of rise to the cookies
Egg: 1 egg helps bind and gives rise to these cookies. I haven’t attempted a flax egg, but let me know if you do!
Coconut flour: Just a touch helps to bind the cookies and keep them the perfect balance of soft and crispy.
Cassava flour: This is key to a gluten-like texture and grain free sugar cookies that will taste just like the ones you made growing up!
Turbinado sugar: I like to sprinkle this on for a crunchy, sweet finish.

The Best Easy Best Paleo Cut-Out Sugar Cookies made with cassava flour and coconut oil for easy gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free holiday cookies!
The Best Easy Best Paleo Cut-Out Sugar Cookies made with cassava flour and coconut oil for easy gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free holiday cookies!

Dairy-Free and Paleo Frosting for Sugar Cookies

I grew up in a no-frosting zone, and while I totally understood and appreciated it, I always got a secret burst of joy when I saw cookies with frosting on them out in the wild. Now that I’m older I’ve definitely stuck on the side that tries to avoid frosting. but I still have a small part of me that wants a touch of frosting on my sugar cookies when I make them.

For dairy and gluten-free frosting: Thankfully, dairy-free frosting is super easy to make! I get grain-free powdered sugar and just mix it with a bit of water until it forms a frosting consistency. You can then put it in a piping bag and pipe along the edges, or spread a bit on each cookie to coat.

For paleo frosting: use softened coconut butter! This is my personal favorite option.

For easy decorating: I also love Simple Mills Vanilla Frosting for cookie decorating (it’s paleo!). I mix it with a bit of coconut cream to soften and then use it to decorate my sugar cookies.

How to Store Paleo Sugar Cookies

These cookies keep well in an airtight container on the counter for 5 days. If you live in a humid environment I would keep them in the fridge. I’ve never seen them last that long, though 🙂

These sugar cookies are also a great candidate for freezing if you’re into that kind of thing. To freeze baked cookies, allow them to cool and then freeze between layers of parchment.

The Best Easy Best Paleo Cut-Out Sugar Cookies made with cassava flour and coconut oil for easy gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free holiday cookies!

More grain-free cassava flour treats:

Without further ado, it’s time to make my favorite Paleo Sugar Cookies! I’d love to see your beautiful creations so don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Facebook!

Best Paleo Cut Out Sugar Cookies

The Best Easy Best Paleo Cut-Out Sugar Cookies made with cassava flour and coconut oil for easy gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free holiday cookies!

COURSE Dessert
PREP TIME 10 minutes
COOK TIME 10 minutes
chill time 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME 50 minutes
SERVINGS 16

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 c coconut oil softened
  • 1/3 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbsp coconut flour
  • 1 cup cassava flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda

For Frosting

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 4-6 tbsp water
  • Turbinado sugar for sprinkling

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a large bowl whisk together softened oil, coconut sugar, egg, and vanilla. In a separate bowl whisk together sifted cassava flour, coconut flour, and baking soda.
  2. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until well combined.
  3. Use a spatula to scrape all dough into a ball. Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and chill the batter in the fridge for 30-40 minutes if the batter is too soft. If you chill it overnight, leave it out on the counter for half an hour to soften.
  4. Preheat your oven to 350 F and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  5. Place another sheet of parchment paper on the counter, (or wrap a cutting board in plastic wrap). Roll out the dough on the parchment paper to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use wet fingertips to help smooth the dough as needed, or roll bwteen two sheets of parchment paper if the dough is sticking too much.
  6. Cut out the dough with cookie cutters and place the cutouts on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Roll out the dough and repeat as many times as needed.
  7. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until just slightly brown.
  8. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. To make frosting, slowly stir water into powdered sugar, 2 tbsp at a time, until you reach the right consistency.

  10. Once cookies are cool, pipe frosting over the edges of the cookies and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

The Best Easy Best Paleo Cut-Out Sugar Cookies made with cassava flour and coconut oil for easy gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free holiday cookies!
The Best Easy Best Paleo Cut-Out Sugar Cookies made with cassava flour and coconut oil for easy gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free holiday cookies!

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MEET THE AUTHOR

Hey! I’m Moriah– a commercial and editorial food photographer and creative entrepreneur who is perpetually drinking coffee and covered in dog hair. I write this blog from New York City where I run my creative agency, The B Edit. I write this blog in the hopes that you can one day have your creative dream job, too!   

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