17 Gluten-Free Christmas Cookie Recipes
The holidays shouldn’t mean missing out on beloved cookie traditions just because you’re avoiding gluten. These festive cookie recipes prove that gluten-free baking can be every bit as delicious and satisfying as traditional versions.
From classic sugar cookies perfect for decorating to rich chocolate crinkles that nobody would guess are gluten-free, these recipes ensure everyone can enjoy the magic of Christmas cookies. With simple ingredient swaps and foolproof techniques, your holiday baking will be inclusive and absolutely delicious.
Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
These classic sugar cookies are tender, sweet, and hold their shape beautifully for decorating with royal icing or colorful sprinkles. The texture is remarkably similar to traditional sugar cookies – crisp edges with a slightly soft center that melts in your mouth. Using a quality gluten-free flour blend is key to getting the perfect consistency. They’re surprisingly easy to work with and roll out without becoming tough or crumbly. Kids love helping cut out festive shapes, and the decorated results look absolutely professional on holiday cookie platters.
Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies
Warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and molasses create deeply flavorful cookies that smell like Christmas itself. The dough is sturdy enough for building gingerbread houses or cutting intricate shapes, yet bakes up with the perfect chewy-crisp texture. These actually benefit from being gluten-free since the flour blend creates an even more tender crumb than traditional versions. The spice blend is warming and complex without being overwhelming. They keep well for days, making them perfect for gift-giving or cookie exchanges where you need treats that travel well.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Rich, fudgy chocolate cookies with distinctive crackled tops that look like they’re dusted with snow. These are intensely chocolatey with a brownie-like texture that’s incredibly satisfying. The gluten-free flour actually helps create an even more tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture than traditional versions. They’re surprisingly simple to make – just mix, chill, roll in powdered sugar, and bake. The dramatic appearance makes them look fancy, but they’re forgiving enough for beginning bakers. Nobody would ever guess these are gluten-free; they’re just perfectly delicious chocolate cookies.
Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles
Soft, chewy cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar that taste like childhood comfort in cookie form. The texture is perfectly tender with just the right amount of chew, while the cinnamon sugar coating adds a lovely crunch and warm spice flavor. These are remarkably easy to make using simple pantry ingredients and a good gluten-free flour blend. The dough comes together quickly and doesn’t require any special techniques or equipment. They bake up with those characteristic cracked tops that make snickerdoodles so visually appealing and delicious.
Gluten-Free Peppermint Bark Cookies
Chocolate cookies studded with white chocolate chips and crushed candy canes that taste like eating peppermint bark in cookie form. The chocolate base is rich and fudgy, while the peppermint adds refreshing coolness and delightful crunch. These are perfect for people who love the classic peppermint-chocolate combination during the holidays. They’re straightforward to make – just fold candy cane pieces into chocolate cookie dough and bake. The red and white candy pieces make them look festive and cheerful on any cookie tray or gift box.
Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies
Buttery, crumbly shortbread with that melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes these cookies irresistible. The simplicity of ingredients – just butter, sugar, and gluten-free flour – allows each component to shine through perfectly. These are surprisingly easy to make despite their elegant appearance and sophisticated taste. The gluten-free flour blend actually creates an even more tender, delicate texture than traditional shortbread. They’re perfect for dipping in tea or coffee, and they keep exceptionally well in airtight containers, making them ideal for gift-giving or preparing ahead for parties.
Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies
Tender butter cookies with jam-filled centers that look like little jewels on cookie platters. The cookie base is rich and buttery with a slightly crisp exterior and soft interior that perfectly complements the sweet-tart jam filling. These are fun to make with kids who love pressing their thumbs into the dough to create the wells. You can customize them with different jam flavors – raspberry, apricot, and strawberry are classics. The technique is simple and forgiving, and the results always look professional and bakery-worthy.
Gluten-Free Candy Cane Cookies
Festive red and white striped cookies shaped like candy canes that taste like vanilla with a hint of peppermint. The dough is easy to work with and doesn’t crack when shaped, making the striping process actually enjoyable rather than frustrating. These are perfect for cookie decorating parties since kids love rolling the different colored doughs and creating the striped pattern. The peppermint flavor is gentle and not overwhelming, appealing to both adults and children. They look absolutely stunning on holiday cookie platters and make wonderful gifts.
Gluten-Free Linzer Cookies
Elegant sandwich cookies with almond-flavored shortbread and raspberry jam centers visible through cut-out tops. The almond flavor is subtle and sophisticated, while the raspberry jam adds tartness that balances the sweet, buttery cookie perfectly. These look incredibly professional and bakery-worthy despite being manageable for home bakers. The gluten-free flour creates an even more tender, delicate texture than traditional linzer cookies. They require a bit more time due to the sandwich assembly, but the stunning results make them perfect for special occasions or gift-giving.
Gluten-Free Eggnog Cookies
Soft, cake-like cookies infused with eggnog flavor and warm spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. These taste like drinking eggnog but in cookie form – creamy, spiced, and perfectly festive. The texture is tender and almost muffin-like, making them incredibly satisfying to eat. They’re topped with a simple eggnog glaze that enhances the flavor and adds a beautiful finishing touch. These are fairly easy to make using store-bought eggnog, and they fill the kitchen with the most amazing holiday aromas while baking.
Gluten-Free Almond Crescents
Delicate, buttery cookies shaped like crescents and rolled in powdered sugar while still warm. The almond flavor is rich and nutty without being overpowering, and the texture is incredibly tender and almost melts in your mouth. These are traditional European-style cookies that feel elegant and sophisticated. The shaping technique is simple once you get the hang of it, and they bake quickly. The powdered sugar coating gives them a beautiful snow-dusted appearance that’s perfect for holiday presentations. They keep well and actually improve in flavor after a day or two.
Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Cookies
Chewy cookies bursting with tart cranberries and bright orange zest that taste like sunshine in winter. The cranberries provide lovely texture and tartness that balances the sweet cookie base perfectly, while orange zest adds freshness and brightness. These are perfect for people who want something fruity and less heavy than chocolate during the holidays. They’re straightforward to make using either fresh or dried cranberries. The combination is sophisticated enough for adult gatherings but still appealing to kids who like the colorful cranberry pieces.
Gluten-Free Pecan Snowball Cookies
Rich, buttery cookies loaded with chopped pecans and rolled in powdered sugar to look like snowballs. The pecans add wonderful nuttiness and crunch, while the butter creates an incredibly tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. These are also known as Russian tea cakes or Mexican wedding cookies, and they’re beloved for good reason. The gluten-free flour actually makes them even more delicate and crumbly in the best possible way. They’re surprisingly easy to make and always disappear quickly from cookie platters because they’re so addictively delicious.
Gluten-Free Molasses Cookies
Soft, chewy cookies with deep molasses flavor and warm spices that taste like old-fashioned comfort. The molasses creates incredibly moist, tender cookies with complex sweetness and slight bitterness that’s absolutely delicious. These are perfect for people who love gingerbread flavors but want something softer and chewier. The dough is easy to work with and doesn’t require any special techniques. They bake up with beautiful cracked tops and stay soft for days when stored properly, making them ideal for gift-giving or preparing ahead for parties.
Gluten-Free White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies
Chewy cookies studded with creamy white chocolate chips and buttery macadamia nuts that taste like tropical luxury. The combination is rich and indulgent, with the macadamia nuts adding wonderful crunch and the white chocolate providing sweetness and creaminess. These feel like a special treat rather than everyday cookies, making them perfect for holiday entertaining. They’re fairly straightforward to make, though macadamia nuts can be pricey. The gluten-free flour creates an even chewier, more tender texture that many people actually prefer to traditional versions.
Gluten-Free Cinnamon Star Cookies
Delicate almond-based cookies shaped like stars with a cinnamon-spiced meringue topping that’s traditional in European baking. These are naturally gluten-free since they’re made primarily with ground almonds rather than flour. The texture is unique – slightly chewy with a crisp meringue top that adds sweetness and beautiful appearance. They’re more complex than basic cookies due to the meringue component, but the results are incredibly sophisticated and bakery-worthy. The cinnamon flavor is warm and comforting, and they look absolutely stunning on holiday cookie platters.
Gluten-Free Coconut Macaroons
Sweet, chewy coconut cookies that are naturally gluten-free and incredibly simple to make. These have intense coconut flavor and a wonderfully chewy texture that’s satisfying and unique. They can be plain or dipped in chocolate for extra indulgence. The technique is straightforward – just mix shredded coconut with egg whites and sugar, then bake until golden. They’re perfect for people with multiple dietary restrictions since they’re naturally gluten-free and can easily be made dairy-free. They keep well and actually improve in texture after sitting for a day.
