TL;DR: Gluten free cinnamon sugar cookies are easiest to make from a mix that already has the cinnamon and the gluten free flour blend built in. You cream butter into the dry mix, add an egg or flax egg, roll each ball in cinnamon sugar, and bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. The West Food Brands Banana Cinnamon Sugar Cookie Mix and Apple Cinnamon Sugar Cookie Mix give you soft, warmly spiced cookies with no wheat in about 20 minutes.
Cinnamon sugar cookies are the cozy cousin of the plain sugar cookie, with a sweet, spiced crackle on top. Made gluten free from scratch they take a blend of several flours plus the right spice balance. A mix handles both, so you just add a couple of wet ingredients. Here is the method, the cinnamon sugar coating, vegan swaps, and how to keep them soft.
How do you make gluten free cinnamon sugar cookies from a mix?
You cream softened butter into the dry mix, add an egg, roll the dough balls in cinnamon sugar, and bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. The mix already carries the gluten free flour blend, the binder, and the cinnamon, so the dough comes together fast.
A typical pouch of our cinnamon sugar cookie mix calls for:
· 1/2 cup softened butter, or vegan butter or coconut oil
· 1 large egg, or 1 flax egg for a vegan batch
· 1 teaspoon vanilla, optional
For the cinnamon sugar coating, stir together:
· 3 tablespoons sugar
· 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Beat the softened butter until smooth, then mix in the egg and vanilla.
3. Add the cookie mix and stir until a soft dough forms. Stop as soon as it comes together, since overmixing toughens gluten free dough.
4. Scoop tablespoon-sized balls and roll each one in the cinnamon sugar to coat.
5. Place the balls 2 inches apart and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are just set. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, since they firm up as they cool.
One pouch makes about 18 to 24 cookies. Always check the back of your pouch, since exact amounts can vary by mix.
What is the best cinnamon sugar ratio for coating cookies?
A good cinnamon sugar coating is about 3 to 1, three parts sugar to one part cinnamon. That gives a sweet, visible coating with a clear warm spice without turning bitter. Roll the dough balls right before baking so the sugar sticks to the soft surface. For a thicker crackle top, press each coated ball down lightly before it goes in the oven.
How do you make gluten free cinnamon sugar cookies soft and chewy?
Three small choices keep these cookies soft instead of crisp. The cinnamon sugar coating is the same either way, so the texture is all about the dough and the bake.
· Do not overbake. Pull the cookies at 10 minutes while the centers still look slightly underdone, since they set as they cool.
· Use butter at room temperature, not melted, so the cookies stay thick instead of spreading thin and crisp.
· Store them with a slice of bread in the container, which keeps the cookies soft for days.
How do you make vegan gluten free cinnamon sugar cookies?
You swap two ingredients. Use vegan butter or coconut oil in place of dairy butter, and use 1 flax egg in place of the egg by stirring 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed into 2.5 tablespoons of water and letting it sit for 5 minutes. The cinnamon sugar coating is already dairy free. Chill the dough for 20 minutes if it feels soft, then scoop, coat, and bake as usual.
Why are my cinnamon sugar cookies flat, dry, or losing their coating?
A few common issues come up with coated cookies, and each has a quick fix:
|
Problem |
Usual cause |
Fix |
|
Cookies spread flat |
Butter melted or too warm |
Use room-temp butter, chill dough 20 minutes |
|
Cookies are dry |
Overbaked |
Pull at 10 minutes while centers look soft |
|
Coating falls off |
Rolled too early or dough too dry |
Coat just before baking, add 1 tablespoon milk if dry |
Cinnamon sugar cookies are forgiving, so even a slightly imperfect batch tastes great warm.
Are gluten free cinnamon sugar cookies safe for celiac disease?
They are when the mix is certified gluten free and you avoid cross contamination. Certified means the product is tested to contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten, the threshold the U.S. Food and Drug Administration sets for that label. Baking at home from a certified mix is the safest route, since you control the bowls and sheets. Our cookie mixes are certified gluten free, non GMO, and made with no preservatives or artificial sweeteners. Cinnamon itself is naturally gluten free, as are most single spices. For the full ingredient list, see what is in our mixes.
Frequently asked questions about gluten free cinnamon sugar cookies
What is the difference between cinnamon sugar cookies and snickerdoodles?
They are close cousins. Both are rolled in cinnamon sugar, but a true snickerdoodle also contains cream of tartar, which gives a slight tang. A cinnamon sugar cookie skips the cream of tartar for a simpler, sweeter cookie.
Is cinnamon gluten free?
Yes. Pure ground cinnamon is naturally gluten free, since it is a single spice. Check blended spice mixes, which can include anti-caking agents, but plain cinnamon is safe.
Can I make these cookies dairy free?
Yes. Use vegan butter or coconut oil in place of dairy butter. The cinnamon sugar coating is already dairy free.
How long do gluten free cinnamon sugar cookies last?
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. A slice of bread in the container keeps them soft.
How many cookies does one mix make?
One pouch makes about 18 to 24 cookies, depending on size.
Can I add more spice for fall baking?
Yes. Add a pinch of nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice to the cinnamon sugar coating for a warmer, autumn flavor.
Key takeaways
· Gluten free cinnamon sugar cookies are easiest from a mix that already includes the cinnamon and flour blend.
· Roll the dough balls in a 3 to 1 sugar to cinnamon coating just before baking.
· Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes and pull them while the centers look soft for a chewy cookie.
· Make them vegan with vegan butter or coconut oil and a flax egg.
· Choose certified gluten free for celiac disease, and bake at home to avoid cross contamination.
Ready to bake a warmly spiced batch? Try the Banana Cinnamon Sugar Cookie Mix or the Apple Cinnamon Sugar Cookie Mix, or see our base gluten free sugar cookies recipe.
Trusted sources
· U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Gluten-Free Labeling of Foods
· Celiac Disease Foundation: Sources of Gluten
· National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Celiac Disease
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: Celiac Disease and the Gluten Free Diet
