Healthy sugar cookies that still taste delicious are possible! These soft and healthy Gluten Free Sugar Cookies are also dairy free and a fraction of the sugar, all while still tasting amazing.
I’m not usually a sugar cookie fan, I just find them way too sweet. I’m also not an icing girl, it’s always pure sugar- my teeth and tummy start to ache just thinking about it. I’m really excited about these gluten free sugar cookies, though, because they are lower in sugar and utilize sweet potato in the icing (yes, sweet potato!). They aren’t as sickeningly sweet and are still absolutely delicious. Who is ready for a healthy sugar cookie recipe?!
Healthy Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Ingredients
- Sugar: although most of my recipes are refined sugar free, I do find that traditional white sugar yields the softest cookies. You can use coconut sugar, but the cookies will get crunchier faster.
- Coconut oil: instead of butter, we use coconut oil to keep these sugar cookies dairy free.
- Applesauce: be sure to unsweetened applesauce, this allows us to cut down on the added fat.
- Egg
- Gluten free flour: use a 1:1 all purpose gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum for best results.
- Tigernut flour or almond flour: tigernut flour is a nut free alternative to almond flour, but either works. They both add a grounding sweetness without extra added sugar.
- White sweet potato: used in the icing, white sweet potato blends beautifully and adds natural, fiber filled sweetness without more added sugar.
- Maple syrup: stick to pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup for the sugar cookie icing.
- Baking soda, baking powder, vanilla extract, salt
How to Make Gluten Free Dairy Free Sugar Cookies
- Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Beat sugar and coconut oil in a large bowl until smooth using a hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment. Add in the applesauce, egg, and vanilla. Beat until combined.
- Sift in the dry ingredients and mix on low until the dough comes together.
- Gather the cookie dough into a ball and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until firm, but rollable.
- When ready bake, Preheat oven to 350 F. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-1/3 inch thick. Use a round cookie cutter about 2 inches in diameter to cut out cookies.
- Place cut cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet 2 inches apart. Gather dough scraps into a ball and place back into the fridge until ready to bake another tray.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes on the middle rack, until sugar cookies are just set on the edges and just beginning to become golden brown around the edges. Remove and let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Repeat with remaining dough.
- While cookies are cooling, make the icing. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. I like to let this sit in the fridge for a couple of hours after so it’s not too runny before icing the cookies. You can feel free to add food dye to the icing, as well.
- Ice, decorate, and enjoy!
Gluten free sugar cookie notes
Sugar: I have tested this recipe with multiple different sugars. I've found that raw turbinado or granulated white sugar works best to get the crunchy edges with softer middles. Coconut sugar results in a thinner, crunchy cookie, but if you love crunchy then feel free to use coconut sugar in these healthy sugar cookies.
Flour: These gluten free cookies call for a combination of gluten free flour and tigernut flour. You can sub the tigernut flour for almond flour, but I always use a mix of flours when baking gluten free. I find this helps with texture and taste. Baked goods can come out dry tasting or flour-y tasting when just using a gluten free flour blend. I find adding some tigernut or almond flour adds to the sweetness, taste, and texture, allowing me to use less added sugar.
Sweet potato icing
Let's talk about the icing in this recipe. Generally, icing is combo of butter and a lot of powdered sugar. It's overwhelming sweet, in my opinion. We're making a healthy sugar cookie icing this time around that also has some added nutrients in it by using sweet potato. Japanese or white sweet potato is quite sweet on it's own and, when cooked, is perfect for baking with, including making icing!
To make the icing, you use cooked and cooled Japanese or white sweet potato and blend it with some maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla. It pairs perfectly with these sugar cookies. I've had Standard American Diet friends try them and love them! They didn't miss the added sugar at all!
More Holiday Cookie Recipes
Paleo Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Gluten Free Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Healthy Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup coconut oil, softened
- ¼ cup applesauce room temperature
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup 1:1 gluten free flour
- ½ cup Tigernut flour or almond flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Sweet Potato Icing
- 1 cup cooked, cooled, and mashed Japanese sweet potato (about 1 large sweet potato)
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Beat sugar and coconut oil until smooth. Add in the applesauce, egg, and vanilla and beat until combined.
- Sift in the dry ingredients and mix on low until the dough comes together.
- Gather the dough into a ball and refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour.
- When ready bake, Preheat oven to 350 F. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-1/3 inch thick. Use a round cookie cutter about 2 inches in diameter to cut out cookies. Place cut cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet 2 inches apart. Gather dough scraps into a ball and place back into the fridge until ready to bake another tray.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes on the middle rack, until cookies are just set on the edges and just beginning to golden. Remove and let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Repeat the above two steps with remaining dough.
- While cookies are cooling, you can make the icing. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. I like to let this sit in the fridge for a couple of hours after so it’s not too runny before icing the cookies. You can feel free to add food dye to the icing, as well.
- Ice, decorate, and enjoy!
- Keep these cookies stored in the fridge. This keeps them soft and keeps the icing from going bad. They can be stored for up to 5 days.
Cook Plate Fork says
That’s interesting 🤔 Sweet potato frosting 🧁- I just made an Asparagus and Sweet Potato soup yesterday. I love sweet potatoes 😋👍🏼
Lemons 'n Lyme says
Yeah, it's a great way to make a healthier frosting! I also love sweet potatoes, they are so delicious!