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By Amanda Paa – Updated December 11, 2023
5 from 3 votes
2 comments
Plan your holiday cooking baking with these 18 gluten-free Christmas cookie recipes! You'll find everything from classics like cut-outs for decorating and peanut butter blossoms, to gluten-free gingersnaps and sugar cookies. There's also my favorite gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe which is a family favorite, and snowy peppermint crinkles! Includes gluten-free baking tips and tricks to make things easy.
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It’s holiday baking season! And these are the 18 fabulous gluten-free Christmas cookies that I make each year to build holiday cookie platters and share with friends and family.
From classic cut-out cookies to my favorite peppermint crinkles, chocolate dipped caramels, and gingersnaps, they’re proof that gluten-free cookies can be just as delicious as their glutenous counterparts. (Or if you’re looking for a cake, pie, or tart check out these 25 gluten-free dessert recipes!)
Gluten-Free Cooking Baking Tips
- Don’t use an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend that has bean/legume flour in it. Bean flours have a very strong, savory flavor that does not bode well for cookies. I highly recommend Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 Gluten-Free Flour in the blue bag, which is very neutral and versatile, and reacts most similarly to all-purpose flour of all the brands I’ve tried.
- Use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients rather than measuring cups for the best and most accurate gluten-free cookies. Measuring by volume (can produce varying, disappointing results—a cup of flour (which should weight 4.25 ounces) can vary by an ounce or more depending on how you measure in those classic cups, which can lead to dry cookies, or ones that can’t hold their shape.
- After adding your dry ingredients, mix the dough well, as it actually helps the dough develop a bit more structure and get rid of any gritty texture from unincorporated ingredients. With gluten-free cookie dough, you don’t have to worry about over-mixing your dough because there’s no gluten to overwork!
- After mixing, let the dough rest. Resting time, preferably in the refrigerator, gives the gluten-free flour enough time to absorb the liquid and set the cookie’s structure. This is because gluten-free flours and starches need more time to absorb liquid than regular flour. Chilling also solidifies the fat so that the cookies hold their shape in the oven.
Pantry Ingredients to Have on Hand for Gluten-Free Baking
- tapioca starch
- peanut butter or almond butter
- oat flour
- gluten-free oats
- dates
- gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum, likeBob’s Red Mill 1-1 Gluten Free FlourorCup 4 Cup Flour
- allergy friendly chocolate chips
Packaging Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies for Mailing or Gifting
Preserving moisture is especially important for gluten-free cookies, so when you pack them for gifting, use a sealed container or plastic wrap. I like to put mine in an airtight bag first, and then inside a cute gift box or tin.
If you’re shipping Christmas cookies, choose a cookie that last longer naturally, like shortbread or gingerbread. Biscotti is great too, or things like the chocolate dipped caramels.
Use packing peanuts, crumpled newspaper, or bubble wrap to give the containers extra padding inside a heavy duty corrugated cardboard box.
1
Best Gluten-Free Andes Mint Cookies (no chilling!)
These Gluten-Free Andes Mint Cookies are every bit of fudgy, chocolate bliss, combined with the cool and creamy peppermint nostalgia of Andes Mints candies swirled on top. Their centers are chewy and rich with chocolate flavor. These are easy to make, no chilling of dough needed!
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2
Big, Chewy Gluten-Free Ginger Molasses Cookies
These are the best gluten-free ginger molasses cookies, with chewy centers and crisp, rippled edges (from the easy pan-banging technique)! They are full of warm flavors including cinnamon, ground ginger, and mild molasses.
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3
Favorite Chewy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cookies
With beautiful crackled tops, crisp edges, and chewy centers, these gluten-free chocolate cookies do not disappoint! Rich with cocoa powder and a handful of chopped milk chocolate. Easy to make, no chilling of dough required.
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4
Rippled, Chewy Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles
These delicious gluten-free snickerdoodles have the chewiest center and buttery, rippled edges. Extra vanilla, a touch of cream of tartar, and a roll in cinnamon gives them incredible flavor to match the melt-in-your mouth texture. These cookies are anything but boring!
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5
Foolproof Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting
These gluten-free sugar cookies are so easy to make and the dough doesn't have to be chilled! The cookies hold their shape perfectly as they bake and do not spread, which is important for cut-outs. Finish them with a fluffy buttercream frosting.
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6
Best Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Blossoms
These soft and chewy gluten-free peanut butter blossoms are filled with extra peanut butter flavor and have a piece of dark chocolate pressed into their centers! Roll them in colored decorating sugar for Christmas, or plain sugar anytime of year.
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7
Gluten-Free Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies
These gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies are super chewy, and fudgy, with a hint of peppermint! They're a holiday favorite, coated in powdered sugar that creates a beautiful snowy cookie.
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8
Gluten Free Pan-Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies
The ultimate chewy and wrinkly gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe, made using the pan-banging technique!
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9
Salty Chocolate Date Caramels
These easy to make caramels are made with dates, almond butter, and vanilla. They're dipped in chocolate and topped with flaky salt!
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10
Fudgy Gluten-Free Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
Fudgy red velvet cookies rolled in powdered sugar to create a crinkled look while they bake. These chewy chocolate cookies taste like a delicious brownie!
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11
Crispy, crunchy gluten-free gingersnaps with warm spices, just like Anna's Swedish Ginger Thins! They're a lovely Christmas cookie.
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No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Balls
Chocolate dipped peanut butter cookie balls that taste like a Reese's bonbon!
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13
Soft Cinnamon Pecan Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies
Made with almond flour and ground pecans, these warmly spiced gluten-free christmas cookies are reminiscent of snickerdoodles, with hints of butter pecan. Drizzled with white icing.
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14
Gluten-Free Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
Made with a combination of all purpose gluten-free flour and almond flour, these cut out cookies roll out with ease and bake up softly, their edges crisping just a bit. They’re the kind that are thin and have a soft chew, sturdy enough for your favorite sugar cookie icing.
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15
Chewy Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies with Cranberries
The chewiest gluten free oatmeal cookie, studded with dried cranberries and poppy seeds. Uniquely different and so good!
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16
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chips
These chewy, flourless peanut butter cookies are filled with your favorite mix-in's like chocolate chips, coconut, and pecans.
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17
Soft, Chewy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies
An easy recipe for chewy gluten-free pumpkin cookies, with warm spices. They're the perfect fall cookie, and you can add a simple icing to make them extra beautiful!
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18
Chewy Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies (no mixer!)
Chewy gluten free chocolate chip cookies, with perfect buttery edges and a gooey center. Easy to make with melted butter, no stand mixer needed! A cookie that everyone will love.
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19
Mini Walnut Caramel Chocolate Cups
These dark chocolate cups are filled with caramel and crushed walnuts, making them the perfect after dinner treat, or addition to a Christmas cookie plate!
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20
Best Gluten Free Monster Cookies
These gluten free monster cookies are easy to make and full of peanut butter! Their super chewy texture is complimented by oats and chocolate.
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21
5-Ingredient Flourless Almond Butter Cookies
These flourless almond butter cookies are easy to make in one bowl, no mixer needed! Crisp edges with a dense chewy center and nutty, vanilla flavor.
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21 Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies + GF Peanut Butter Blossoms
These soft and chewy gluten-free peanut butter blossoms are filled with extra peanut butter flavor and have a piece of dark chocolate pressed into their centers! Plus 20 more delicious gluten-free Christmas cookies for your holiday baking.
5 from 3 votes
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Prep Time :20 minutes minutes
Cook Time :11 minutes minutes
Resting Time :37 minutes minutes
Yield: 20 cookies
Author: Amanda Paa
SCALE:
Ingredients
- 210 grams Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour in the blue bag
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt if using unsalted peanut butter, 1/4 teaspoon fine salt if you’re using salted peanut butter*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 tablespoons softened organic unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup (160 grams) natural peanut butter*, stirred well (the drippy kind of PB)
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) organic cane sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) lightly packed organic brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 tablespoons milk of any kind
- 24 dark chocolate feves or discs
- extra decorating sugar for rolling the cookie
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Sift together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
Using an electric mixer (stand or hand mixer), cream together butter, peanut butter, cane sugar and brown sugar for 2 minutes, stirring side downs halfway through. Mixture should be lighter in color and fluffier.
Add egg, vanilla, and milk; beat until well blended. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing well for one minute. Let dough rest, covered, for 20 minutes on counter.
Roll dough into 1-inch balls and roll in sugar.
Place dough balls 2 inches apart on cookie sheet, pressing down with your thumb just a tiny bit. Bake until light brown and puffed, 8 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and lightly press a chocolate candy into center of each cookie, allowing cookie crack slightly. Return cookies to oven for another 2 minutes. Do NOT overbake. Remove from oven, cool completely and store in an airtight container.
