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The Best Vegan Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

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Learn how to make the best easy Vegan Gluten-free Sugar Cookies that are also oil-free, yet so buttery, sweet, soft and delicious! Just 8 ingredients!

overhead shot of vegan sugar cookies on rack with milk and coffee

VEGAN GLUTEN-FREE SUGAR COOKIES

When a cookie is so good, it’s hard to believe there is no oil, butter or gluten in them! These are absolutely delicious vegan sugar cookies! Gluten-free and oil-free! They have slight crispy edges and soft, chewy centers.

These cookies are delicious as is, but if  you want a festive decoration, feel free to sprinkle raw sugar or sprinkling sugar on top and add a simple glaze on top after they bake.

closeup of several vegan sugar cookies with icing and sprinkles

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

First, you’ll need to gather these 8 ingredients (+salt):

  • Coconut Sugar: You will powder this sugar first in a Vitamix or coffee grinder so that it is superfine. This will yield a better color and texture to the cookies. Otherwise, you can use regular white sugar if you like.
  • Maple syrup
  • Baking powder
  • Vanilla
  • Raw Cashew butter: It is crucial to use a raw cashew butter so the texture of these cookies turn out right. Since this can be hard to find in stores and quite expensive. I always make my own in my food processor.
  • Blanched Almond Flour: This is where the cookies get the majority of moisture from and a nice chew to the cookie. I use either the “Superfine” Bob’s Red Mill Blanched Almond Flour, Honeyville Blanched Almond Flour or Nature’s Eats Almond Flour are all good.
  • White Rice Flour: This adds a slight crispness to the exterior of the cookies and also helps to bind them.
  • Potato Starch: This gives lightness and softness.

stack of cookies coffee and cashew milk on table

HOW TO MAKE VEGAN GLUTEN FREE SUGAR COOKIES

Step 1: Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk very well.

dry ingredients in white bowl

Step 2: Add the syrup, cashew butter and vanilla and stir until a thick, cohesive batter forms.

cookie batter in white bowl

Step 3: Roll into 16 balls (heaping tablespoon each) and place on the 2 pans, spaced about 2 inches apart. 

rolled sugar cookie balls on pan before baking

Step 4: Press down each ball down to 1/4 inch thickness, using a patting circular motion with your fingers and form into a round shape. Sprinkle raw or sparkling sugar on them before baking if desired.

collage of before and after baking cookies on sheet pan

Step 5: Bake for about 8-9 minutes until puffed up and golden, with a crackled effect. Do not overbake these. I found past 9 minutes made them dry out quickly. Cool completely before eating.

sugar cookies on round rack with little bowls next to with sugar

front view of stack of the sugar cookies on round silver rack

MORE VEGAN COOKIE RECIPES

  • Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Best Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Vegan Almond Butter Blossoms
  • Vegan Snickerdoodles
  • Vegan Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies
  • Vegan Thin Mints
  • Best Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Vegan Lemon Cookies
  • Coconut Butter Gingersnaps
closeup of several vegan sugar cookies with icing and sprinkles

The Best Vegan Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

Brandi Doming
The BEST Vegan Gluten-free Sugar Cookies that are also oil-free and made with just 8 easy ingredients. Soft, chewy and so perfectly sweet!
5 from 16 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 19 minutes mins
Cook Time 9 minutes mins
Total Time 28 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Gluten-free, Vegan
Yields 16 cookies

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons (40g) coconut sugar, powdered (see directions)
  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (128g) superfine blanched almond flour
  • 7 tablespoons (70g) potato starch (SEE NOTES below for sub) I order mine here and it's very cheap.
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (60g) white rice flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
  • scant 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 6 tablespoons (120g) pure maple syrup OR agave
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (96g) raw cashew butter I make my own here
  • 2 teaspoons (10g) vanilla extract
  • Optional: organic sprinkling sugar for topping if desired.

NOTE

  • Of course, as always, I recommend highly to use a scale to prevent room for error. You don't need cups or to compare the weights to cups, just simply follow the weights listed, as this is exactly how the recipes are tested and made. Make sure to zero out before adding each ingredient.
  • I use this scale.

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • First, you will need to blend up your coconut sugar down to a fine powder. I did this in my Vitamix in about 15 seconds. This gives better distribution of sweetness, and visual, to the cookies since coconut sugar granules are very gritty. It did not work in my food processor, so use a high-powered blender or coffee grinder.
  • Add the ground up sugar, almond flour, potato starch, rice flour, baking powder and salt to a large bowl. Whisk very well.
  • Make sure your cashew butter is very smooth and flowy and not stiff, or the cookies will be dry. Add the syrup, cashew butter and vanilla to the dry and stir until the batter comes together into a thick sticky ball (as pictured in post).
  • Using a tablespoon, scoop out a heaping tablespoon of dough and roll into 16 balls and place on the 2 pans, spaced about 2 inches apart. Press down each ball down to 1/4 inch thickness, using a patting circular motion with your fingers and form into a round shape. See photo in post for how they should look. Sprinkle with sprinkling sugar, if desired.
  • Bake for 8-9 minutes. Mine are perfect at 9 minutes in my humid/hot weather, but drier or cold weather, 8 minutes will probably be better. Going over 9 made mine too dry, but keep in mind ovens vary. They should have puffed up and be golden and a slight crackled effect.
  • Cool for 10 minutes on the pan, as they will be too delicate to remove right away. Use a thin spatula to transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling. They are too gooey immediately but will fluff out as they cool. These are best the first day and start to dry out by the next day, so make sure to store in a sealed container. If you want to decorate some with icing like I have in the photos, follow the "Classic Icing" from these oatmeal cookies and use only half of the recipe.

Notes

  • POTATO STARCH: If you do not have or cannot find potato starch, then you can sub with cornstarch and it works just as well! The mouthfeel is slightly more starchy, but still delicious. You will use 70 grams (same weight amount) which is equivalent to 9 tablespoons. The tablespoon measurements are different than potato starch because they weigh differently, which is why you'll need 2 more tablespoons of cornstarch. For best results, I always recommend weighing for baking.
  • CASHEW BUTTER: It is crucial to use a raw cashew butter (with no added oil/sugar) so the texture of these cookies turn out right. Since this can be hard to find in stores and quite expensive. I always make my own in my food processor. 
  • SUGAR: If you prefer, you can sub regular white granulated sugar for the coconut sugar (not powdered white sugar, just regular). I have not tested this personally, but it should work fine. Due to the difference in sweetness and flavor though, it will change some. Coconut sugar has more of a deep caramel flavor.
  • ALMOND FLOUR: This is where the cookies get the majority of moisture from and a nice chew to the cookie. It replaces butter, so it cannot be subbed. I use either the "Superfine" Bob's Red Mill Blanched Almond Flour, "Superfine" Bob's Red Mill Blanched Almond Flour or "Superfine" Bob's Red Mill Blanched Almond Flour are all good. 
  • White Rice Flour: This adds a slight crispness to the exterior of the cookies and also helps to bind them.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 142kcalCarbohydrates: 18.4gProtein: 1.7gFat: 6.9gSaturated Fat: 0.8gSodium: 64mgPotassium: 73mgFiber: 1.2gSugar: 7.6gCalcium: 35mg
Tried this recipe?Tag @thevegan8brandi on Instagram and use tag #thevegan8!
Keyword gluten free sugar cookies, gluten free vegan sugar cookies, vegan gluten free sugar cookies

The Vegan 8 is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my full disclosure policy here.

Filed Under: Christmas, Cookies/Bars, Dessert, Gluten-free Tagged With: almond flour, Christmas, Coconut sugar, Cookies, dessert, Gluten free, maple syrup

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Comments

  1. Sara

    October 16, 2024 at 1:54 pm

    Hi, I’m excited about this recipe! Is there a recipe for the white icing I see in the picture?
    Thank you!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      October 17, 2024 at 4:20 am

      Hi Sara! Yes, it’s linked under step 7 in the directions!

      Reply
  2. Tammy T

    September 29, 2023 at 3:37 am

    5 stars
    I’ve made these several times over the past couple of weeks and they always come out delicious! They’re crispy on the outside and perfectly moist on the inside. I’ve tried several variations and can’t seem to mess them up. First time, I subbed brown rice flour for white rice flour, powdered the coconut sugar in Vitamix & used 7 Tbs cornstarch instead of potato starch.. On subsequent batches, I used oat flour instead of rice flour & didn’t blend the coconut sugar. I’ve had success with both almond butter & peanut butter instead of cashew butter. I scoop 18-19 balls onto parchment and press wax paper onto them to flatten. I know with all the variations it probably doesn’t seem like the same cookie but I can’t believe how much they taste like a true sugar cookie and I want to encourage others to make them because they are so easy. Thank you for a foolproof cookie that come out perfect every time.

    Reply
  3. Tammy T

    September 16, 2023 at 6:10 am

    5 stars
    These are SOOOO decadent & delicious!!! I subbed white rice flour for brown rice flour, used 7 Tbs cornstarch instead of 7 Tbs potato starch & used all natural peanut butter because I was out of both cashew butter & almond butter. Even with the substitutions, I was astounded at how “buttery” and rich they came out. Cooked 1st batch 8 minutes and it had perfectly crispy edges and soft inside. 2nd batch cooked 9 minutes and was a bit more crispy throughout. This recipe really needs doubled or tripled because these won’t last! lol Thanks so much for such a satisfying treat!

    Reply
  4. Jenny Morgan

    November 3, 2020 at 1:12 am

    5 stars
    Did you ever try a Starbucks vanilla scone before you went vegan and think to yourself, “Man, I really miss those, but now I’m vegan…”? Well guess what? LOOK NO FURTHER. These taste like an even BETTER version of those! And they are healthier! My daughter loves these so much she told me not to make them for a while because she can’t stop eating them. That’s how good they are.

    Reply
  5. Diane Bolton

    September 30, 2020 at 8:25 pm

    5 stars
    Hey Brandi, it’s me again I was wondering if I could add Cocoa powder to bake them chocolate this way I could satisfy whoever feels like having one of each flavor, or how about a swirl of chocolate on the top before baking, would that work? I know you’re going to come with the best suggestions 😉 can’t wait to see what you suggest. .

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      October 1, 2020 at 11:11 pm

      Hi Diane! I wouldn’t add cocoa powder because that will be adding a dry ingredient and will likely dry them out. You could add a square of chocolate to the tops of each before baking or after they’ve done baking and cooled, dip half of them in melted chocolate and let them cool on wax paper. That way it would have a nice chocolatey taste to them. Or, I also have some chocolate cookies on the blog as well. These https://thevegan8.com/vegan-double-chocolate-espresso-almond-cookies/ or these https://thevegan8.com/grain-free-chocolate-coconut-cookies/

      Reply
  6. Diane Bolton

    September 27, 2020 at 2:46 am

    5 stars
    OMG I can’t believe I made those cookies!! They are soooo delicious, perfectly sweet soft just a dream please don ‘t wake me up lol WOW I’ll have to make them a lot and for everyone I know, first, they’ll never believe I made them actually they’ll probably think they come from a bakery lol thanks again for a full proof guarantee success cookies recipe. You’re a Angel and we love you xxoo

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      September 27, 2020 at 7:07 pm

      So so happy to hear this, thank you so much Diane! You are too sweet!

      Reply
  7. Aly

    September 5, 2020 at 4:53 pm

    5 stars
    So delicious! I made your older version, which I still loved, but I enjoy this one a bit more because it is a little less sweet! Thank you for always providing such delicious vegan, gluten-free, and wholesome recipes!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      September 6, 2020 at 8:11 pm

      That is so wonderful to hear Aly! Yes, I’ve found that some recipes I wrote years back were a bit sweetener than they needed to be. I still found these plenty sweet, thank you for making them!

      Reply
  8. Maggie

    August 26, 2020 at 2:02 am

    Would this work with raw almond butter? (My kid is allergic to cashews but can have almonds.)

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      August 26, 2020 at 6:52 am

      Hi Maggie! Yes, it should, but a couple of things to keep in mind. Almond butter is runnier/more oily, so the batter will end up more wet/sticky and probably not as easy to roll into balls, so you may need to use a cookie scoop to plop them on the pan and then use a small piece of parchment paper to flatten them as noted in the directions. Also, the sugar cookie flavor won’t be as classic since cashew butter leaves a vanilla taste and of course, almonds are much stronger. The texture will change a bit too. Let me know if you try them!

      Reply
  9. brandi.doming@yahoo.com

    February 15, 2020 at 8:44 pm

    Hi Bri, no, the potato starch is crucial to the texture of these cookies. It performs very differently than other starches, especially in larger amounts. They would be very wet and almost too thin or uncooked without it. I do have another sugar cookie recipe that does not use potato starch though here: https://thevegan8.com/gluten-free-vegan-sugar-cookies-oil-free/

    Reply
  10. Janice

    February 19, 2019 at 7:38 pm

    Thrilled!!! All my cookie recipes have butter. Sooo looking forward to this year’s Christmas cookies – sugar, gingersnaps, cardamom pecan cookies. Thanks so much for your persistence in getting these cookies right.

    Reply
  11. Amanda

    December 11, 2018 at 5:22 pm

    5 stars
    These cookies are amazing, thank you so much for sharing such a detailed recipe. Ive made them 3 times and they always turn out perfectly.

    Reply
  12. Michelle

    December 29, 2017 at 8:48 pm

    Hi- My grand daughter cannot have nuts. What can I substitute for nut butters?

    thank you

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      December 29, 2017 at 9:09 pm

      Hi Michelle, unfortunately since this recipe is based on a large amount of nuts, both in the almond flour and cashew butter, it will not work without them. The texture, taste and moisture all come from the nuts because it is the fat in the recipe. Subs will not work in place. You would do better to just find a basic vegan sugar cookie made with regular vegan butter if your granddaughter can’t have nuts since this one uses so much.

      Reply
  13. Estee

    December 22, 2017 at 12:04 am

    5 stars
    I made these again and it still amazes me that there is no butter in these sugar cookies. They totally remind me of a true sugar cookie, very soft and buttery tasting. I can’t keep them in the house or make them fast enough.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      December 29, 2017 at 9:07 pm

      So awesome to hear Estee, thank you so much for the wonderful review!

      Reply
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I'm Brandi, cookbook author of The Vegan 8 Cookbook and latest cookbook, Vegan Wholesome, now available to preorder!. Many of my recipes focus on 8 ingredients or less, not counting salt, pepper or water, but not all of them. I love to create health-focused recipes, using whole foods to improve fitness and muscle-building, with the occasional comfort meal thrown in there! I'm an expert on oil-free cooking and baking!

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