Gluten-Free Slice and Bake Sugar Cookies
These gluten-free slice and bake sugar cookies are reminiscent of the classic holiday cookies from childhood. This version is homemade and easily dairy-free. Prepare to be impressed!
Servings: 24 cookies
Equipment
- Stand or hand mixer
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, salted and softened use dairy-free if you prefer. See note below about the dairy-free version.
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2¼ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum I use Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour (blue bag)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt add an extra ¼ teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter
- red gel food colouring
- ⅔ cup sprinkles
Instructions
Make the sugar cookie dough
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for 2 minutes until fluffy. Add the granulated sugar and beat for another 2-3 minutes, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Mix in the egg and both extracts until combined.
- Add the flour, ½ cup at a time, mixing in between each addition. Start on low and gradually increase to medium speed. When half the flour is incorporated, mix in the baking powder and salt. Add all the flour and mix lightly until combined.
Shape the dough
- Remove half of the cookie dough to a separate bowl. Colour one half with red gel food colouring and mix until you reach the desired colour. It may take more food colouring than you think.
- Place each dough ball on a separate large sheet of parchment paper. Sprinkle with gluten-free flour on the top and bottom of the dough. Roll each dough into a rectangle as large as you can. They will be quite thin. You will trim the edges later. Place the parchment-lined doughs in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up slightly. Do not leave for longer because they will be too firm to roll. (If you're using dairy-free butter, they may take longer to firm up).
- Remove from the fridge and trim the edges into a clean rectangle. My rectangles were about 9.5x14". It's okay if yours are larger or smaller, as long as the red and white doughs are even. Combine the scraps for an extra cookie or two!
- Use the parchment paper to help you place the red dough on top of the white dough, dough sides facing each other. Press down firmly to ensure they stick together, and remove the top parchment paper. From the long side, use the bottom parchment paper to help you roll the dough into a spiral. Roll tight and firmly to keep its shape. If the dough is sticking, put it back in the fridge for 10 minutes and try again.
- Pour the sprinkles into a large rimmed baking sheet. Place the log of dough on the baking sheet and roll in the sprinkles to cover the outside. Wrap the log in plastic wrap or parchment paper and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
Slice and bake
- After the dough has chilled sufficiently, preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the cookie dough log from the fridge and un-wrap it. Use a sharp knife to firmly slice the log into cookies about 1 cm thick (⅓-½"). If you see any gaps in the spiral shape, gently press the cookie together. Place the cookies on the baking sheets 2" apart. They will spread a bit. Bake until the edges are set and there is barely any colour, 12-13 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet until you are able to handle the cookies, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. See below for storage instructions and enjoy!
Notes
*Dairy-free option
These cookies can be made with dairy-free butter if that is your preference. Since they are often made from plant-based oils, dairy-free butters are typically a lot softer than regular butter. Here are some tips if working with dairy-free butter:
- Don't let it soften for too long. You want it to be soft but still cool
- You may need to add up to ¼ cup of additional flour to the cookie dough so it is not too sticky.
- You may also need additional flour when rolling out the dough. Try placing a second piece of parchment paper on top if it is too sticky to roll.
- The rectangles may need more than 20 minutes to firm up before rolling into a log. You don't want the dough to be solid, but you want to ensure it won't stick to the parchment paper.
- Watch the baking time. If your cookies are too golden, remove them from the oven.