These gluten free Christmas cookies are healthy, dairy free, sugar free, vegan and make the perfect gluten free holiday cookies! The crunchy texture, the even edges, and the lovely smooth surface of these gluten free Christmas cookies resembles the classic cut out sugar cookies which are one of the traditional recipes that many families enjoy baking and eating together during Christmas.
There are some challenges when you have food sensitivities to deal with, but thankfully, baking these vegan gluten free Christmas cookies isn’t one of them!
The holidays wouldn’t be the same without sugar cookies cut out in the shape of reindeer, snowflakes and Christmas trees. And a person with allergies would really appreciate some egg free, dairy free and gluten free Christmas cookies.
Gluten Free Christmas Cookies With A Healthy Twist
These healthy gluten free Christmas cookies are dairy free, egg free, nut free, soy free and even sugar free, if you leave out the chocolate glaze.
Which is a pretty healthy and allergy friendly recipe, perfect for those with food allergies, including kids. The white chocolate decorations and coconut sprinkles gives them a delicious finishing touch so I think it shouldn’t be omitted.
If you want an easy simple Christmas dessert or a delicious breakfast the following morning, make sure to check this Holiday Snowflake Cake – Gluten Free, Dairy Free Recipe, it’s moist and fluffy and melts in your mouth.
Gluten Free Christmas Cookies – Why You Should Make Them
- They are tasty and keep their shape while baking
- They’re ideal for shipping as a gift or serving on a cookie plate
- They’re made with healthy wholesome ingredients
- They’re sugar free, dairy free and vegan
Gluten Free Christmas Cookies Substitutions
Using a few good substitutes results in absolutely delicious, perfectly shaped vegan gluten free Christmas cookies.
Most cut out cookies start with a 1:2:3 dough – one part sugar, two parts fat, and three parts flour by weigh, that’s what makes them hold the shape.
In order to make these gluten free Christmas cookies dairy free sugar free and vegan I replaced the sugar with stevia extract, the butter (fat) with coconut cream and the regular flour with a mix of gluten free flours. Instead of eggs I just used some ground flax seeds.
Gluten Free Christmas Cookies Decoration
As far as decorating goes, I complimented these gluten free Christmas cookie trees, mittens and star cut outs with white chocolate, coconut sugar and coconut shreds.
But you can add a signature twist with your own unique decorating ideas. I’m making my own white chocolate with cacao butter because is loaded with wholesome ingredients, and is also dairy, soy and sugar free + vegan, unlike the store-bought versions.
I bought some cacao butter a while ago so it was the perfect time to use it. I melted it in a improvised double boiler and to sweeten it a little bit I used stevia extract and powdered sugar. Honey works too if you’re not vegan.
Gluten Free Christmas Cookies In The Making
Once all ingredients for these gluten free Christmas cookies are combined, the final result (dough) should be smooth and somewhat firm. A little bit sticky, but not too much.
Let it to rest for 30 min to an hour at room temperature before rolling. This will allow the ingredients to bind together better and will make it easier to cut out perfectly shaped cookies. Rolling it out between two parchment papers, will make your work less messy and quicker.
Where to find Christmas cookie cutters?
Check your local craft store. Usually they are out of stock in December, so try looking online too, you can find a few options on amazon.
Gluten Free Christmas Cookies – Tips For Making The Best Cookies
- Roll the dough to 1/4-inch thick. If it’s too thin – the dough will be really fragile, bake faster and will have a dry texture. Roll it too thick, and the cookies will not cook properly in the middle.
- Fat is essential in making gluten free cookies especially if they are vegan, it’s what makes them tender. So make sure you use the full fat coconut cream and not the milk.
- Do not over-bake. Pull the cookie sheet from the oven as soon as they’ve set and gained some color, but not too much, do not wait the wedges to turn brown. These gluten free Christmas cookies should be looking only slightly more golden than they were before.
- If you rolled out the dough and it feels a little too soft and sticky, chill it in the fridge for 20 minutes. Chilled dough cuts more precisely, clings less to cutters, and retains its shape better during baking.
- Keep on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.The cookies must be completely cool before you begin decorating.
Gluten Free Christmas Cookies – How To Store
Allow cookies to cool. This keeps them from getting soggy.
These gluten free Christmas cookies stay fresh up to 4-5 days in a sealed container with a tight-fitting lid, even with the decorations.
Gluten free Christmas cookies (Vegan Sugar Free)
Ingredients
Christmas Cookie Dough
- ½ cup white rice flour
- ½ cup brown rice flour
- ½ cup amaranth flour
- ⅓ cup cassava flour
- 3 tbsp flax seeds - (ground)
- 1.5 cup coconut cream
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of stevia powder extract
Chocolate Glaze
- ½ cup /100g cacao butter - (organic)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar - (organic)
- pinch of stevia extract powder
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 360 ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, mix together the coconut cream and the flax seeds, let the seeds absorb the moisture for 5 minutes.
- Then add the rest of ingredients and mix again until the dough starts coming together. Knead the cookie dough briefly until it’s smooth and only very slightly sticky.
- Roll out the cookie dough between two sheets of parchment paper.
- Using a cookie cutter of choice, cut out the cookies and transfer them onto the lined baking sheet.
- Bake in the pre-heated oven at 360 ºF for 20 minutes.
- Allow to cool. In the mean time, prepare the chocolate glaze.
- Place the cacao butter in a double boiler over low heat. Measure the powdered sugar and powder stevia extract and then sift it over the cacao butter. Stir into the melted butter until smooth.
- Remove from heat and allow to harden a little.
- Transfer to a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of bag. Pipe designs on cookies.
Video
Gluten Free Christmas Cookies – Vegan Sugar Free (Video)
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Sryr-KTmcU[/embedyt]Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
The holidays seem to bring out the cookie baker, maker and decorator in so many of us, and it’s such a great time to make and share the cookies we love.
If you make these vegan gluten free Christmas Cookies, leave a review below, take a picture and tag it with #healthytasteoflife – it’s really helpful for me and readers!
Su
Friday 11th of October 2019
Hi, what can I use instead of Amaranth flour? Maybe sorghum or almond flour?
HealthyTasteOfLife
Saturday 12th of October 2019
I think sorghum should work, I don't know about almond flour it has a grittier texture. You can try on a smaller batch and see what happens :)
Letty
Saturday 22nd of December 2018
I have a lot of food allergies. My trick to not being excluded from parties is to bring my own food. This way I know it's safe and I won't go home sick. Thank you for sharing. Its such a struggle to find a decent recipe without processed stuff!
HealthyTasteOfLife
Saturday 22nd of December 2018
I'm glad I could help, I struggled a lot myself and I understand you perfectly. That why I'm sharing these recipes to make people enjoy their life without worrying about food safety!
Pam
Friday 21st of December 2018
Finally some healthy allergy friendly Christmas cookies, made without vegan butter or high starch flours.. it's literally in every recipe I looked over the web. Thanks for sharing!
HealthyTasteOfLife
Saturday 22nd of December 2018
My pleasure, it's so great that more and more people recognize highly processed unhealthy foods. I hope you like the outcome!
NellyB
Tuesday 27th of November 2018
I would love to try these cookies for a holiday dessert platter, they look lovely! Thank you for sharing!
HealthyTasteOfLife
Wednesday 28th of November 2018
My pleasure, happy holidays!!