These Crispy Sugar Cookies are chewy in the middles and crispy on the edges! The perfect combo! Pressing the dough in extra granulated sugar prior to baking also gives them a nice crunch! If you're looking for an easy sugar cookie recipe, this is your lucky day! To make these simple sugar cookies use just a whisk and a spatula; no mixer is used at all! To dress them up for any holiday, drop them in colorful sugar (instead of granulated) prior to baking! If that wasn't enough, these are gluten free sugar cookies, eggless sugar cookies, are nut free, and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
These Crispy Sugar Cookies are the easiest homemade sugar cookies! They use melted butter and zero mixer, so clean up is a breeze! I love sugar cookies (I have over 20 recipes of gf sugar cookies on this blog) but these crisp sugar cookies are by far the easiest to make! Perfect for when you don't feel like cleaning 400 dishes! They're perfect as they are but they're also incredible when topped with my Brown Sugar Buttercream!
For more amazing egg free sugar cookies, try my super popular Strawberry Sugar Cookies, my Raspberry Sugar Cookies, my Sprinkle Sugar Cookies and my Blueberry Cookies!
Reasons to Love These Crispy Sugar Cookies
- Allergy Friendly- These cookies are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
- Chewy Sugar Cookies- Even though they're crispy they still have nice chewy middles so the cookies aren't dry!
- Crispy Edges- They have crispy edges and a crisp exterior thanks to being pressed in extra sugar prior to baking.
- Easy to Make- You don't need a mixer of any kind to make these! All you need is a whisk and a spatula to create this fast cookie recipe just like my Quick Chocolate Chip Cookies!
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour- If you also have nut allergies, make sure to use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this gluten free flour because it’s free of the top 9 allergens. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce and prevents them from falling apart.
- Milk- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non-dairy, use a dairy-free milk of your choosing.
- Butter/ Vegan Baking Stick- For this recipe we are actually using melted butter. Make sure to cool it so it's creamy in texture.
- Cornstarch and Water- This is an egg free sugar cookies recipe so this mixture is needed to help bind everything together.
- Granulated Sugar- It wouldn't be a sugar cookie without this main ingredient!
- Vanilla- Make sure to only use pure vanilla extract otherwise the cookies can have a chemical flavor.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make these into Vegan Sugar Cookies
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
- Use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Only use a non-dairy milk of choice.
Make this Recipe with All Purpose Flour
- Use 1 ¾ cups packed AP flour (294 grams).
- Use 2 tablespoons milk.
- You still need to chill the dough due to the lack of eggs.
For Smaller Crunchy Sugar Cookies
- Use a small cookie scoop or roll the dough into 1 inch balls and flatten into discs. Coat the tops and sides with the extra granulated sugar.
- Bake the cookies at the same temperature but for 11-12 minutes. Reshape as needed. Should make 36 cookies.
Making These Cookies with Colorful Sugar
- Still use granulated sugar in the dough.
- Instead of coating the top and sides of the dough discs with extra granulated prior to baking, coat them with whatever color sugar you desire like with my Cut Out Sugar Cookies.
This recipe has not been tested with some of these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Sugar Cookies
Here are the step by step instructions for how to make sugar cookies from scratch!
Step 1: Melt the Butter
Microwave the butter in 11 second increments until almost fully melted. Whisk until fully melted; the residual heat will melt the rest. Set aside to cool. Do not microwave until it bubbles or browns.
Step 2: Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder and kosher salt. Set aside.
Step 3: Make the Cornstarch Water
In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the cornstarch and water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
Step 4: Mix in the Sugar, Cornstarch Water and Vanilla
Into the cooled and creamy melted butter, whisk in the granulated sugar, the cornstarch water and the pure vanilla extract until fully emulsified.
Step 5: Add in the Flour Mixture and Milk
Starting and ending with the flour mixture, whisk half the flour into the melted butter mixture. Add the milk and whisk until combined.
Using a spatula, gently fold in the rest of the flour until combined. Do not over mix or the dough will become shiny and too sticky.
Step 6: Chill and Form into Balls
The dough will be very sticky. Add it to a freezer safe bowl, cover the top with plastic wrap and freeze for 45 min.
After 45 min, using a large cookie scoop, make 12 scoops with the dough.
If the dough is sticking to the cookie scoop, wash the scoop half way through to get off any stuck on dough.
Step 7: Flatten into Discs and Coat with Sugar
Flatten each scoop into a thick disc versus a ball. Coat the top and sides with granulated sugar. Do not coat the bottom with sugar or the cookies will burn.
You must flatten or the cookies will remain in the ball shape when baked.
Step 8: Bake the Cookies and Cool
Place the discs about 3-4 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
Immediately reshape the cookies when they come out of the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups however, when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape. For this recipe make sure to use packed cups or please read the gram amount.
- Use Cooled Melted Butter- The butter cannot be bubbling/browned or the cookies will be very thin, spread out and oily. Microwave until there is a little bit of butter left unmelted; whisk it until the residual heat melts the rest of the butter. Then set aside to cool as you prep the rest of the recipe. When it is time to use the butter it should be cool and thick/creamy. Whisk it again to make it smooth. You can see in my video.
- Freezing the Dough- If you don’t freeze the cookie dough for at least 45 minutes, the dough will be too sticky to form into scoops and discs.
- Wash the Cookie Scoop- If you notice the dough getting stuck in the cookie scoop, wash and dry your scoop halfway through making the dough balls.
- Add the Flour then Milk then More Flour- Do not add the milk with the wet ingredients. The batter will be too wet and shiny and the cookies will be very buttery and flakey. You must add half the flour, then the milk and then the rest of the flour.
- Reshape the Cookies- If you want your cookies nice and round, reshape them as soon as they come out of the oven. Use a spatula to push them back into a circle shape. Work quickly because they harden pretty fast.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can make the dough the day before. Keep the dough in a bowl and cover the top with plastic wrap. Store it in the fridge.
If doing this, there is no need to freeze the dough prior to baking.
Freezing Raw Dough: Form the dough into the discs but do not dip in extra sugar. Place dough discs (not stacked) on a parchment lined baking sheet and pop in the freezer uncovered. Freeze for 10-15 minutes or until hard. Once frozen, store the dough discs in a zip top bag for 1 month. When ready to use, let sit on the counter for about 5-10 min until you can dip the tops in granulated sugar. Bake at the same temperature for 17 minutes instead of 15.
Yes! Many sugar cookies without eggs tend to dry up once cool, but you can make these cookies a day before!
Unlike most eggless cookies, these actually get softer the next day. The first day they will be super crispy on the edges with chewy middles. After storing them in an airtight container overnight, the cookies will have softer edges.
Yes! Make sure you scroll up to the section entitled, "substitutions and variations". I explain how to use the colorful sugar!
Storing: Once the cookies have completely cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freezing Baked Cookies: To freeze already baked cookies, place cookies (not stacked) on a parchment lined baking sheet and pop in the freezer uncovered. Freeze for 10-15 minutes or until the cookies are hard. Once frozen, you can store them stacked in a freezer safe airtight container or zip top bag in the freezer for up to 1 month. To defrost, leave the container at room temperature until the cookies are soft. 1-2 hours.
Freezing Raw Dough: Form the dough into the discs but do not dip in extra sugar. Place dough discs (not stacked) on a parchment lined baking sheet and pop in the freezer uncovered. Freeze for 10-15 minutes or until hard. Once frozen, store the dough discs in a zip top bag for 1 month. When ready to use, let sit on the counter for about 5-10 min until you can dip the tops in granulated sugar. Bake at the same temperature for 17 minutes instead of 15.
Other Simple Sugar Cookie Recipes You'll Love
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📖 Recipe
Crispy Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup multipurpose gluten free flour (I use a gluten free multipurpose flour with xanthan gum already in it)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water
- ½ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, melted and cooled
- 1 ¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (reserve 2 tablespoons for rolling)
- 1 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk
Instructions
- Place the ½ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick in a heat safe bowl. Place a paper towel on top of the bowl so the butter doesn't splatter. Microwave in 11 second increments until almost melted. Whisk until fully melted; the residual heat will melt the rest. Set aside to cool. Do not microwave until it bubbles or browns.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 ¾ cups multipurpose gluten free flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the 2 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch and the 3 tablespoons of water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
- Whisk the cooled butter until a creamy liquid. It may be thick from sitting out.Into the cooled and creamy melted butter, whisk in the 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, the cornstarch water and the 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract until fully emulsified.
- Starting and ending with the flour mixture, whisk half the flour mixture into the melted butter mixture. Then add the ¼ cup milk and whisk to combine.Add in the second half of the flour mixture gently with a spatula. Do not over mix or the dough will become shiny and too sticky.
- The dough will be very sticky. Add it to a freezer safe bowl, cover the top with plastic wrap and pop the entire bowl of dough in the freezer for 45 min. When the dough is almost done chilling, preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Do not grease.
- After 45 min, using a large cookie scoop, make 12 scoops with the dough. (I use a 2 ounce cookie scoop).If the dough is sticking to the cookie scoop, wash the scoop half way through to get off any stuck on dough.
- Flatten each scoop into a thick disc versus a ball. If you don't do this step, the cookies will remain in the ball shape when baking. Drop the top of the disc in the extra 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and coat. Roll the disc on its side to coat the sides with sugar as well. Do not coat the bottom with sugar or the cookies will burn.
- Place the discs about 3-4 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.I only bake 6 at a time. Pop the rest of the dough discs in the fridge while the first batch is baking.
- Immediately reshape the cookies when they come out of the oven. Use a spatula to push them into a circle and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack. If you don't let them cool on the pan, the cookies will break apart into a giant mess when you try to lift them up.Repeat this with the remaining dough discs.
Cathy
These are excellent cookies. That goes for the orange, and lemon cookies as well. I used AP flour. I also made 1 inch ball scoop which made about 36-2.5-3 inch cookies. I baked them about 2 minutes longer so they didn't flatten. They came out perfect.
John
These cookies were so easy to make and turned out delicious!