Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

Ingredients

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• 2 3/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (about 385 g), plus more for rolling Shop
• 1 tsp xanthan gum (skip if your blend already contains it) Shop
• 1/2 tsp gluten-free baking powder Shop
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar Shop
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (for the cookies) Shop
• 1/2 tsp pure almond extract Shop
• 4 cups (1 lb) powdered sugar, for the royal icing Shop
• 3 tbsp meringue powder
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (for the icing) Shop
• 9-10 tbsp warm water, plus more for flooding consistency
• gel food coloring (optional) Shop

Instructions

1. 1 Whisk the gluten-free flour blend, xanthan gum (if using), baking powder and salt in a bowl.
2. 2 Beat the butter and sugar on medium until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla and almond extract. Mix in the dry ingredients on low just until a soft dough forms.
3. 3 Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disc between two sheets of parchment, roll it 1/4 inch thick, and refrigerate the sheets flat for at least 1 hour.
4. 4 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment. Peel off the top parchment, cut shapes and move them to the sheets. Freeze the cut cookies for 10 minutes so the edges stay sharp. Reroll scraps between parchment and chill again.
5. 5 Bake for 9-11 minutes, until set with the edges just starting to color. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then on a rack until completely cool.
6. 6 For the royal icing, beat the powdered sugar, meringue powder, 1/2 tsp vanilla and 9 tbsp warm water on medium-low for 4-5 minutes, until glossy and stiff. Keep the bowl covered with a damp towel.
7. 7 Tint the icing if you like. Pipe outlines with stiff icing, then thin some icing with water a few drops at a time until a ribbon disappears back into the bowl in about 10 seconds, and use it to flood inside the outlines.
8. 8 Let the iced cookies dry uncovered at room temperature for 6-8 hours, or overnight, before stacking or packing.

Tips & Notes

• Roll the sugar cookie dough between parchment before chilling it, not after. Cold gluten-free dough cracks when rolled, but dough rolled while soft and then chilled cuts cleanly.
• Cover royal icing with a damp towel or plastic wrap pressed on the surface whenever you are not using it. It crusts within minutes and the dry bits clog piping tips.
• Pop any air bubbles in freshly flooded icing with a toothpick, then leave the cookies flat and undisturbed so the surface dries smooth and shiny.

Common questions