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Crisp on the edges yet soft inside, Valentine’s Day gluten free sugar cookies are a simple and festive way to bake for loved ones. Made with a blend of gluten-free flour and cornstarch, the dough rolls easily and cuts into shapes that hold perfectly while baking. Butter, sugar and vanilla give classic flavor, while chilling the dough ensures it bakes evenly. These cookies are fun to decorate and taste just as sweet and buttery as the traditional version.
Valentine’s Day gluten free sugar cookies bake into crisp yet soft cutouts with buttery vanilla flavor, perfect for decorating and sharing with loved ones.
You might also like red velvet sugar cookies, amaretti cookies, heart-shape donut holes, and vegan gingerbread apple cake.
Why You’ll Love It
Gluten-free friendly: Made with a 1:1 gluten-free flour that works like regular.
Easy dough: Rolls out smoothly and holds cut shapes well.
Classic taste: Buttery vanilla flavor that rivals traditional cookies.
Perfect for decorating: Shapes stay neat for icing or sprinkles.
Valentine Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Gluten-free flour: A 1:1 blend that mimics traditional flour while keeping cookies tender.
Corn starch: Lightens the texture so cookies aren’t dense.
Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances flavor.
Butter: Provides richness and a soft crumb.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough and creates structure.
Eggs: Bind the dough and add moisture.
Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and classic sugar cookie flavor.
How to Make Valentine Sugar Cookies
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Mix dry ingredients: Sift flour, corn starch and salt together.
Cream butter and sugar: Beat until smooth and fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla: Mix in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla.
Combine: Slowly add dry ingredients until dough forms.
Chill dough: Divide, flatten, wrap and refrigerate.
Preheat oven: Line baking sheets with parchment.
Roll and cut: Roll chilled dough and cut into shapes.
Bake: Place cookies on sheet and bake until lightly golden.
Cool: Transfer to a rack and let cool fully before decorating.
Substitutions and Variations
Dairy-free option: Swap butter for dairy-free margarine or plant-based butter sticks.
Flavor boost: Add almond extract or lemon zest for variety.
Festive twist: Use heart-shaped cutters or tinted icing for Valentine’s.
Sugar swap: Try coconut sugar for a slightly caramelized flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizer: Begin your Valentine’s Day dinner with some heart-shaped pork potstickers.
Main dish: Prepare a cute heart-shaped pizza and serve air fryer onion rings and a charred zucchini salad too.
Dessert: Enjoy these Valentine’s Day gluten-free cookies with a strawberry sour candy cocktail or a Hawaiian lava flow cocktail.
How to Store Gluten Free Sugar Cookies for Valentine’s Day
Store: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Wrap baked cookies tightly and freeze up to 2 months.
Thaw: Bring to room temperature before decorating or serving.
Top Tips
Chill thoroughly: Keeps cookies from spreading.
Don’t overmix: Prevents tough cookies by mixing only until combined.
Use parchment: Prevents sticking and helps even baking.
Roll evenly: Ensures cookies bake at the same rate.
Valentine Sugar Cookie FAQs
Yes, they hold up well to royal icing or buttercream.
Chilling prevents spreading and keeps cut shapes sharp.
Not everyone has time for complicated cookies, and icing skills vary from person to person. These gluten-free sugar cookies can be decorated any way you like. I used pink, red and white icing for Valentine’s Day, but you can choose your own colors. If you’re making icing, you’ll need food coloring, or you can buy colored icing ready-made. This royal icing guide explains consistency, flooding and troubleshooting, but practice and patience are key.
A special thank you to my friend Krista at Krista’s Cookies for helping with this recipe.
Gluten Free Sugar Cookies Recipe
Valentine’s Day Gluten Free Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment
- Round Cookie Cutter Small or Medium
- Pastry Bag Optional
Ingredients
- 4 Cups gluten-free flour, I used Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1
- ⅓ Cup cornstarch
- ¼ Teaspoon salt
- 1 Cup butter
- 1 Cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Toppings
- frosting or icing, as needed
- sprinkles, heart shaped
Instructions
- In a bowl sift together the flour, corn starch and salt. Mix lightly to combine.
- In the bowl of a mixer with a paddle attachment, add the butter and sugar. Mix until a creamy consistency.
- Continue mixing and add the eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the side of the mixer bowl if necessary.
- Next add the vanilla and mix again.
- Add the dry mixture to the mixer bowl. Mix to combine completely.
- Break the dough into 2 sections. Flatten each on a piece of plastic wrap, cover the dough disks completely and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or longer if you like.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Once the dough is chilled, removed from the plastic wrap. Roll it out on a floured surface.
- Use a small to medium circle cookie cutter to cut out the sugar cookie shapes.
- Space out the sugar cookies on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes until lightly golden.
- Remove baking sheet from the over and let cool for a few minutes. Carefully place the sugar cookies on a rack to cool completely.
- Frost and decorate the cookies however you like.
Notes
Don’t overmix: Prevents tough cookies by mixing only until combined.
Use parchment: Prevents sticking and helps even baking.
Roll evenly: Ensures cookies bake at the same rate.
Nutrition
Baking Valentine’s Day gluten-free sugar cookies is a fun way to celebrate with something everyone can enjoy. The dough is simple to prepare, rolls smoothly and bakes into cutouts that keep their shape. Butter and vanilla provide that familiar sugar cookie flavor, while the gluten-free flour keeps them light and tender. Decorate them with frosting, sprinkles or just a dusting of sugar for a batch of cookies that feel festive, tasty and welcoming to all.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
These are just too cute, such a lovely idea for Valentine’s day x
They are soooo cute! I definitely need to give them a go
These are SO pretty! I’d love to try making them with bob’s red mill egg replacer.
Everyone does love sugar cookies including me! These look fantastic. Mine would not be looking this good 🙂
These look so pretty. And delicious! I’m not gluten free but I’m sure I’d still enjoy these cookies.