29 Gluten-Free Christmas Cookie Recipes - Gluten-Free Baking (2024)

Gluten-free Christmas cookies are one of the best parts of the holiday season. And with these recipes, you can make everything from classic sugar cookies to soft and tender gluten-free pumpkin cookies.

1. Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

Get out the cookie cutters because we’re starting with a classic: gluten-free sugar cookies. This recipe makes buttery cookies that hold their shape during baking. (A dairy-free option is included.)

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

2. Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

What part of the gingerbread cookie do you eat first? The head, right? These gluten-free gingerbread cookies are delicate and loaded with that classic gingerbread flavor.

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

3. Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Blossoms

When you see a peanut butter cookie topped with a chocolate kiss, you know the holidays are here. This is BEST gluten-free peanut butter blossom cookie recipe.

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Blossoms

4. Almond Flour Sugar Cookies

Almond flour sugar cookies are fun and easy to make. They’re delicate, taste great and are perfect for friends who prefer grain-free baked treats.

Get the recipe —> Almond Flour (Paleo) Sugar Cookies

5. Gluten-Free Soft Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin isn’t just for Thanksgiving! These soft gluten-free pumpkin cookies are light and cakey with a lovely pumpkin flavor. So good. And so easy!

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Soft Pumpkin Cookies

6. Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Bars

29 Gluten-Free Christmas Cookie Recipes - Gluten-Free Baking (6)

These gluten-free sugar cookie bars are soft and tender. Top them with gluten-free vanilla buttercream. (And some sprinkles… of course!)

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Bars

7. Gluten-Free M&M Cookies

Gluten-Free M&Ms Cookie Recipe. Buttery Sugar Cookies studded with M&Ms. What’s not to like?

8. Gluten-Free Pizzelles

You need a pizzelle iron for this recipe but, if you’re like me, it’s worth it! These gluten-free pizzelles are thin and crisp and perfect for Christmas.

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Pizzelles

9. Gluten-Free Anginette Cookies

These cookies are a Christmas tradition in many Italian-American homes. They quickly become a favorite of everyone who tries them.

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Anginette Cookies

10. Gluten-Free Molasses Cookies

Easy gluten-free molasses cookies. Soft and spicy. Santa loves these. He told me.

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Molasses Cookies

11. Gluten-Free Sparkle Cookies

29 Gluten-Free Christmas Cookie Recipes - Gluten-Free Baking (11)

These gluten-free sparkle sugar cookies are light and crisp on the edges and soft in the center. They’re sweet and buttery (and a perfect recipe for beginners).

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Sparkle Cookies

12. Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles

This recipe makes gluten-free snickerdoodles—a simple sugar cookie coated with cinnamon-sugar—that are crisp on the edge and chewy in the center.

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles

13. Gluten-Free Spritz Cookies

Gluten-Free Spritz Cookies are buttery and tender. A gluten-free flour blend– and good cookie press–makes these one of the easiest Christmas cookies to bake. They are lovely on their own or decorated with a sprinkle of colored sugar.

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Spritz Cookies

14. Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are easy to make. Loaded with chocolate chips!

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

15. Peanut Butter Marshmallow Bars

These marshmallow peanut butter bars are an easy—and tasty—treat to make for Christmas. They look amazing on a cookie platter!

Get the recipe —> 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Marshmallow Bars

16. Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

Gluten-free peanut butter swirl brownies are so easy to make. This recipe, which is loaded with peanut butter, makes the best dessert for any peanut butter cup lovers in your life.

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

17. Gluten-Free Lemon Bars

These are the best gluten-free lemon bars! A rich and tender shortbread base with a thick, lemony topping. Not too tart; not too sweet! Lemon lovers will adore these bars.

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Lemon Bars

18. Gluten-Free Soft Sugar Cookies

This easy recipe makes soft gluten-free sugar cookies. Inspired by the famous Lofthouse brand, these cookies are topped with frosting and finished with sprinkles.

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Soft Sugar Cookies

19. Gluten-Free Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

Easy gluten-free cinnamon-sugar pretzels. They’re a perfect sweet and salty treat.

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

20. Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles

Who says we have to leave pumpkin spice behind in the fall? These thick snickerdoodles, coated with pumpkin spice, are just as welcome at Christmas as they are in October.

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles

21. Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

Cheesecake + Pumpkin + Brownies= A perfect holiday dessert!

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

22. Gluten-Free Cream Cheese Pretzel Bars

Got 5 Minutes? Then you can make these over-the-top cream cheese pretzel bars.

Get the recipe —> 5-Minute Pretzel Cream Cheese Bars

23. No-Bake Gluten-Free Chocolate Orange Cookies

You know that orange-shaped chocolate that’s popular at Christmas? They inspired these easy no-bake cookies.

Get the recipe —> No-Bake Chocolate Orange Cookies

24. Gluten-Free Easy Sugar Cookies

These sugar cookies don’t require a cookie cutter! Make the dough. Roll them in sugar. Place them onto a baking sheet. Annnnnnd….you’re done!

Get the recipe —> Easy Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

25. The World’s Easiest Cookies

You won’t believe how easy these cookies are to make. They’re just almond flour, maple syrup, and baking powder. That’s it. Seriously.

Get the recipe —> The World’s Easiest Cookies

26. Easy Gluten-Free Butter Cookies

These cute buttercookies take only minutes to make! The finished cookies come out of the oven already decorated with a sweet, buttery flavor.

Get the recipe —> Easy Gluten-Free Butter Cookies

27. Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft and tender gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. Also a favorite of Santa’s. (He has lots of favorite cookies. Lots.)

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

28. Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

29 Gluten-Free Christmas Cookie Recipes - Gluten-Free Baking (28)

These gluten-free peanut butter cookies are so easy to make! All you need is one bowl and a few simple ingredients. The recipe calls for gluten-free flour, which gives them crisp edges and a tender center.

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

29. Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

Think of thesegluten-free peanut butter blondies as the perfect marriage between a peanut butter cookie and a blondie.

Get the recipe —> Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Blondies

29 Gluten-Free Christmas Cookie Recipes - Gluten-Free Baking (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep gluten-free cookies from falling apart? ›

Chilling helps the flours and xanthan gum absorb liquid, which makes the dough sturdier and easier to handle. Without a proper rest, your cookies are likely to crumble. Think of mix-ins as the Spanx of the cookie world. They are a sly way to ensure that your cookies look like cookies, not misshapen gluten-free blobs.

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What makes gluten-free cookies rise? ›

2 teaspoons of baking powder per cup of gluten-free flour is necessary to ensure proper leavening. Baking soda and buttermilk can be used to leaven instead of baking powder, but 1-1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar should be added for each 1/2 teaspoon baking soda used.

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How do you thicken gluten-free cookies? ›

Add oats or nuts: Adding oats or nuts to the dough can add texture and help it hold its shape better. Use a different type of liquid: Substituting a different type of liquid, such as milk or cream, for some or all of the water or other liquid called for in the recipe can help the dough thicken and hold together better.

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What types of cookies are gluten-free? ›

Types of gluten-free cookies include:

Chocolate chip cookies.
Flourless peanut cookies.
Shortbread cookies.
Macaroons.
Coconut cookies.

Should I add xanthan gum to gluten-free cookies? ›

Using xanthan gum helps provide some of the stickiness that gluten free goods lack, replacing some elasticity. Xanthan gum mimics some of gluten's most essential properties by sticking to flour and its moisture. This helps create moist goods that hold their shape after being baked.

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What happens when you use gluten-free flour in cookies? ›

Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.

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What to avoid for gluten-free baking? ›

All of the following flours have gluten:

Enriched flour with added vitamins and minerals.
Farina, milled wheat usually used in hot cereals.
Graham flour, a course whole-wheat flour.
Self-rising flour, also called phosphate flour.
Semolina, the part of milled wheat used in pasta and couscous.

What is the secret to gluten-free baking? ›

Keys to Successful GF Baking

Gluten-Free Flours Require Special Measuring Techniques.
Mixing Batters Longer Provides Structure.
Resting Batters and Doughs Has Multiple Benefits.
Visual Cues are Not Reliable; Use an Oven Thermometer and a Timer.
Bake, Then Bake Some More.

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What is a good gluten-free flour for cookies? ›

Almond flour is a grain-free, protein-rich flour that lends well to cookies, cakes, and more! Almond flour is made from blanched almonds, meaning without skins (as opposed to almond meal, which is made from raw almonds with skins). This is why it has a fluffy, light texture and pale golden color.

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Should I refrigerate gluten free cookie dough before baking? ›

4- Chill your dough well before baking! (Particularly when dealing with rolled cookie doughs, although I happen to think it's a good rule of thumb no matter what!) 5- Don't put too many additions into any cookie recipe.

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Why are my gluten-free cookies so dry? ›

Gluten-free baked goods have earned the reputation of being dry and gritty. That grit—that evil grit! —is the result of gluten-free flours that are often high in starches and rice flour, which take longer to absorb moisture than regular “gluten” flour.

Do gluten-free cookies take longer to bake? ›

Gluten-free goods tend to brown faster and take longer to cook through. So they need to be baked at a slightly lower temperature, for a slightly longer time. Every recipe is different, but in general, try lowering the temperature by 25 degrees and baking the item for 15 minutes longer.

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What holds gluten-free cookies together? ›

Binding agents (such as xanthan gum, guar gum, or flax) help give gluten-free baked goods the elasticity needed to create structure — so if your favorite gluten-free flour mix doesn't contain one, you'll probably want to add one.

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Is Nilla Wafers gluten free? ›

Are Nilla wafers gluten free? No! Nabisco brand vanilla wafers are made with wheat flour, so they are not gluten free.

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Does oatmeal have gluten? ›

Yes, pure, uncontaminated oats are gluten-free. The U. S. Food and Drug Administration considers oats a gluten-free grain under its gluten-free labeling regulations and only requires that packaged products with oats as an ingredient contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten overall.

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How do you make gluten-free baked goods less crumbly? ›

One of the most common gluten-free baking tips is “let your batter rest”. Letting the batter rest gives the gluten-free flours and starches more time to absorb the moisture. In theory, it will turn your dry, crumbly cakes into delicious, moist masterpieces.

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How do you keep gluten-free cookies from being grainy? ›

After adding your dry ingredients, mix the dough for a few minutes (instead of just until combined). This will help the dough develop a bit more structure and get rid of any gritty texture from unincorporated ingredients. After all, you can't develop too much gluten if there's no gluten to begin with.

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Why do gluten-free cookies crumble? ›

Gluten-free flour is not a perfect substitute for wheat flour. Each mixture out there is designed to mostly work in certain kinds of recipe, but not in all of them. And yes, it is perfectly normal for a gluten-free cookie to be crumbly, since it is the gluten itself that holds wheat cookes together.

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How to stop cookies from crumbling? ›

How to Keep Cookies on a Baking Sheet from Crumbling and Sticking

Follow Your Recipe. Cookie and bar recipes are generally more forgiving than cakes, but all baking is based on chemistry. ...
Grease Your Pan. Jason Donnelly. ...
Line Your Pan or Cookie Sheet. ...
Give Your Cookies Time to Cool. ...
Cut the Bars and Remove Cookies from Sheet.

Oct 31, 2022

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