These Sugar Cookie Blossoms have a soft and chewy cookie base, covered in red sugar and topped with a dark chocolate heart. They're so perfect for Galentine's Day, Valentine's Day or even an anniversary! Not a fan of red or hearts? Switch the color of the sugar and the chocolate heart center for whatever chocolate kiss or square you desire! Best yet, these beauties are gluten free, nut free, egg free and easily dairy free (vegan).
I do love sugar cookies but they have a tendency to be on the drier side. I am not a fan of biting into a cookie and wondering if my tooth is still intact. These Sugar Cookie Blossoms, while being gluten free and without eggs, are so soft and chewy even days later!
For more sugar cookie recipes, try Chocolate Blossom Cookies, Red Velvet Cream Cheese Cookies, Strawberry Sugar Cookies and my super popular Sprinkle Sugar Cookies!
Reasons to Love These Cookies
- Allergy Friendly- These cookies are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
- Quick chill time- The dough only needs 30 min to chill in the fridge just like my Cut Out Sugar Cookies!
- Soft & chewy- These cookies are the most perfect texture.
- Covered in Sugar- The sugar coating gives a nice contrast to the soft inside.
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 nut safe but it does contain dairy. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce.
- Milk- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non dairy, use a non dairy milk of your choosing.
- Unsalted Butter or Vegan Baking Sticks- Don’t use melted; the cookies will spread into a giant mess.
- Cornstarch and Water- These cookies have no egg so this mixture helps bind everything together.
- Rolling Sugar- You could use regular granulated sugar instead of the red sugar.
- Chocolate Hearts- Using dark chocolate helps offset the sweetness of the cookie.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make these Vegan
- 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.
- Read the label on your chocolate hearts to ensure they’re gluten free, nut free and vegan.
How to Make this recipe with All Purpose Flour
- Use 1 ¾ packed cups of regular flour (294 grams).
- Only use 2 tablespoons of milk.
- You still need to chill the dough due to the lack of eggs.
This recipe has not been tested with 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 Cookie Blossoms
Here are the step by step instructions to make these sugar cookie blossoms!
Step 1: Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Step 2: 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 3: Cream the Sugar
In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter or vegan baking stick and granulated sugar until it is soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
Step 4: Add in the other Wet Ingredients
Slowly beat the cornstarch water mixture, milk and vanilla into the creamed butter and sugar. It will look chunky.
Step 5: Add in the Dry Ingredients
Slowly beat in the gluten free flour mixture a little at a time until just combined.
Step 6: Chill the Dough and Preheat the Oven
Remove the dough from the bowl, shape into a round flat disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. It needs to harden otherwise the cookies will spread all over the place.
When the dough is almost done chilling, preheat your oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 7: Scoop the Dough and Roll in Sugar
For the cookies, use a small cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto the parchment lined baking sheet. If you don’t have a cookie scoop, roll dough into 1 inch balls.
Roll each dough ball in the red sugar or more granulated sugar.
Step 8: Bake the Cookies
Place dough balls about 3-4 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 11-13 minutes.
Store extra dough balls in the fridge while the rest are baking if they don't all fit.
Immediately reshape the cookies when they come out of the oven by using a spatula to push them into a circle shape.
Step 9: Press the Chocolate Hearts and Freeze
Immediately after reshaping, press a chocolate heart into the center of each cookie.
Then immediately freeze the cookies for 15 minutes to prevent the chocolate hearts from melting.
After 15 minutes, remove from freezer and let the cookies cool on 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.
- Use Room Temperature Butter- Do not use softened or melted butter/vegan baking sticks. The cookies will spread out when baking into a giant mess.
- Chill the Dough- If you don’t chill the dough for at least 30 minutes, the cookies will spread and be flat and thin.
- Placing the Chocolate Hearts- The hot cookies will begin to melt the heart right away. Make sure all your chocolate hearts are unwrapped before you take the cookies out of the oven. Also, have a small tray lined with parchment paper prior to the cookies coming out of the oven. This tray will go into the freezer. When the cookies come out, immediately and gently press a chocolate heart onto each cookie. You don’t have to press down hard, the heat will immediately begin to melt the chocolate. Immediately transfer the cookies with chocolate to the lined baking sheet and pop them into the freezer for about 15 minutes. This will stop the melting process.
Recipe FAQs
You can make the dough the night before. Keep it shaped in a disc, wrapped in plastic and place in a zip top bag.
If doing this, there is no need to chill it again, prior to baking.
Or you can freeze the dough for up to 30 days. Thaw the dough in the fridge the night prior to using.
Most gluten free baked goods are best made the same day, but you can make these cookies a day before!
Unlike most gluten free cookies, they’re actually so soft they stay fresh for several days!
Yes.
The heat of the cookie will melt the heart immediately into a blob.
No you don’t!
Any small chocolate square that’s about 1 inch would work!
Or you can use a Hershey kiss!
Once the cookies have cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
If you want the chocolate gooey when ready to eat, I would warm them up for a few seconds in the microwave; be careful not to burn your mouth.
Other Sugar Cookie Recipes You'll Love
Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!
Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @laneandgreyfare and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and YouTube! Enjoy!!!
📖 Recipe
Sugar Cookie Blossoms
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup gluten free flour (I use a 1:1 gluten free flour with xanthan gum)
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons of water
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup red sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, the baking powder and the kosher salt. Set aside.
- 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.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter or vegan baking stick and granulated sugar until it is soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
- Slowly beat the cornstarch water mixture, milk and vanilla into the creamed butter and sugar. It will look chunky.
- Slowly beat in the gluten free flour mixture a little at a time until just combined. Once combined, scrape down the sides of the bowl using a spatula.
- Remove the dough from the bowl, shape into a round flat disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. It needs to harden otherwise the cookies will spread all over the place.When the dough is almost done chilling, preheat your oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Take the dough out of the fridge. Use a small cookie scoop to scoop the dough into small dough balls. If you don’t have a cookie scoop, roll dough into 1 inch balls. Roll each dough ball in the red sugar or more granulated sugar to coat completely.
- Place dough balls about 3-4 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 11-13 minutes. Store extra dough balls in the fridge while the rest are baking if they don't all fit. I like to bake 12 at a time.While the cookies are baking, line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Immediately reshape the cookies when they come out of the oven by using a spatula to push them into a circle shape.
- Immediately after reshaping, press a chocolate heart into the center of each cookie. Then immediately move the cookies to the small baking sheet lined with parchment and freeze the cookies for 15 minutes to prevent the chocolate hearts from melting. After 15 minutes, remove from freezer and let the cookies finish cooling on a cooling rack.
John
Such a quick and easy way to make gluten free sugar cookies!
Daya
Am I able to use this recipe for plain sugar cookies? Like literally, plain circle cookies? I am so nervous to try!
Lee
Yes! You can but actually if you want to wait a few days I am publishing a sprinkle sugar cookie recipe this week and you can easily make them without sprinkles!