Easy and homemade gluten free chocolate sugar cookies! These cookies are so easy to make and roll out, they’re perfect for every holiday. Soft, rich chocolatey flavor, and delicious!
These gluten free chocolate sugar cookies are amazing. They have a rich chocolate flavor, are a breeze to roll out into any shape, and are perfect for frosting for any occasion!
Free from: wheat, gluten, dairy (option), casein (option), fish, shellfish, soy, sesame, peanuts, tree nuts, coconut, corn, celery, and more
Traditionally, the sugar cookie gets rolled out (ha, see what I did there) about once a year for winter holidays. But they are such a yummy cookie, I am a total believer in enjoying sugar cookies all year long. Hearts for Valentine’s Day, Flowers for Spring, and even Skeletons for Halloween!
If you’re looking to make a cookie buffet, make sure you check out my gluten free sugar cookies, sunbutter cookies, or gluten free spritz!
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Ingredients
A few simple ingredients are all you need to make these delicious cookies!
Cream cheese - This is my secret ingredient for gluten free cookies! The richness of the cream cheese and the subtle tang it provides elevates these cookies from okay to AMAZING!
Cream of Tartar - This is an essential ingredient for sugar cookies. It helps to keep the sugar from crystallizing in the oven. That makes it so your cookies will hold their shape!
White sugar and Powdered Sugar - Using both in this recipe helps to sweeten the cookies and prevent them from becoming too bitter from the chocolate.
Best Gluten Free Flour
Different gluten free flours use different blends of ingredients. That’s why I recommend using King Arthur Measure for Measure or my own homemade Gluten free Flour Blend for this recipe. I’ve tested both flours and have had delicious results!
If you use a different flour, you may need to add more or less moisture to the recipe as different flours perform differently.
Best cocoa
For these cookies, you can do something as simple as the Hersey’s cocoa powder you can find in most grocery stores. I find that this cocoa can have a slightly bitter taste so make sure you add an extra spoonful of sugar when using this.
My favorite is King Arthur’s Double Dutch chocolate. It is smooth, rich, and delicious!
If you are daring, there is also black cocoa powder! This will give your cookies a deep dark color. Plus, it won’t stain any of your clothes or hands!
I recommend using black cocoa powder over activated charcoal in cooking and baking. Charcoal can affect how medications work in the body, everything from allergy medications to birth control can be less effective if you eat activated charcoal. If you have any questions, make sure to talk to your doctor!
Instructions
In your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl with hand mixers, mix up the butter, cream cheese, and sugars. Mix this super well until it’s light and creamy. Let it mix for about 5 minutes to get the perfect consistency. Seriously, let it go that long as teh final result will be worth it!
Next, add the egg and vanilla. Again, mix it really well. It will blend best if the butters and egg are both are room temperature. If the egg and butter are different temperatures, the mixture may curdle slightly. Don’t worry! This will fix itself when you add the flour, but your final cookies may not be as light and fluffy but will still be delicious.
Now in a smaller separate bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, cocoa, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt.
Add this flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until it comes together. Mix on low-medium speed. Don’t be afraid to let this take a minute or two because we don’t have to worry about gluten developing!
After it comes together, divide the dough in half to make it easier to work with.
In between two sheets of parchment paper, roll out the dough to about a ¼ inch thick. If you find the dough is sticking, use a little powdered sugar to help you roll out the dough.
Place the cookies onto a parchment lined baking sheet and pop them into the fridge to chill for about 20 minutes.
While the cookies are chilling, preheat the oven to 350F.
When the cookies are chilled, place them into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. It can be a little hard to tell when chocolate cookies are done, but you will know when the edge of the cookie slightly pulls away from the paper.
Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely before frosting!
Allergy Variations
To make these cookies dairy free, swap out the butter and cream cheese for your favorite non-dairy butter and cream cheese. My favorites are the soy free Earth Balance butters and either Trader Joe’s vegan cream cheese or the original flavor by Violife.
If you are allergic to corn, make sure that you are using powdered sugar that is corn free. My favorite is the Wholesome Ingredient Powdered sugar. Additionally, replace the cornstarch in this recipe with either arrowroot powder or tapioca flour and it will work perfectly!
How to Store
These cookies are best the day of baking. You should keep them in an airtight container on the countertop for up to 5 days after baking.
These cookies can be frozen! Place the fully baked and cooled cookies in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. If storing frozen after frosting, place parchment paper or wax paper between the layers so the cookies don't stick to each other.
To serve from frozen, let thaw completely on the countertop before enjoying.
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Recipe
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- mixing spoons
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- stand mixer or hand mixer
- parchment paper
- baking trays
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup white sugar
- 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 8 tablespoons butter of choice
- 1 tablespoon cream cheese of choice
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper or other non-stick baking surface. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together butter, cream cheese, and both sugars. Mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add egg and vanilla, mixing slowly until fully incorporated.
- In a separate medium sized bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt.
- Now slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low-medium speed until dough forms.
- Divide dough in half to make it easier to work with. Roll dough out to about ¼ inch thickness between two sheets of parchment paper. Use a cookie cutter to press straight down into the dough without twisting the cookie cutter. Gently transfer cookies to the baking sheet.
- Place the cookies in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes while the oven preheats.
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookie slightly pull away from the paper. Let cool completely before frosting.
Notes
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