Lucy's Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

These old fashioned sugar cookies happen to be completely gluten-free, and you’d never guess it. The secret is a blend of four different starches and flours: rice flour, potato starch, cornstarch, and tapioca flour. Together they mimic the structure of wheat flour while keeping the cookies incredibly tender.

Four egg yolks (no whites) and butter-flavored canola oil make the dough rich without any dairy. The dough will feel crumbly at first. That’s normal. Work it with your hands until it comes together into a smooth ball. Don’t panic and add liquid.

Roll the dough thin, about ⅛ inch, on waxed paper so it doesn’t stick. These bake fast at just 8-10 minutes. Pull them when the edges barely start to color. They firm up as they cool, and overbaking turns them brittle instead of tender.

Kitchen Tips

• The waxed paper trick is a must for rolling. Gluten-free dough sticks to everything, and extra flour changes the texture.
• Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before moving them. They’re fragile when warm.
• Grease your cookie sheet well. Without gluten, these don’t release as easily as wheat-flour cookies.
• Store in an airtight container. Gluten-free baked goods dry out faster than traditional ones.

Variations

• Frosted sugar cookies: Top cooled cookies with a simple powdered sugar glaze for holidays or parties.
• Lemon sugar cookies: Replace the vanilla with lemon extract and add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to the dough.
• Almond version: Swap the vanilla for almond extract and press a sliced almond into each cookie before baking.