Gather Your Ingredients

This holiday popcorn recipe is a festive spin on our best caramel popcorn recipe, so if you’ve already tried that, you’ll notice some familiar ingredients. Let’s take a look:

How To Make Cinnamon Pecan Caramel Popcorn, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Preheat The Oven & Prep Your Pans. Preheat oven to 250 degrees and lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet with spray oil or a little butter.
2. Start By Popping Your Popcorn. If you haven’t already, pop the popcorn before you begin. Measure 12 cups (3 quarts) of popped popcorn and place in your a very large bowl, discarding any unpopped kernels. (If you have extra popcorn, keep it close by in case you want to add it in later.)
3. Then Start The Caramel Sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Melt over medium heat, stirring regularly until the caramel comes to a boil. (Try not to rush this by cranking the heat up, as dissolving the sugar completely gives you the best texture.)
4. Boil The Caramel Sauce 5 Minutes. Watch the clock and boil the caramel sauce 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
5. Remove From Heat & Finish. After 5 minutes, quickly remove the caramel sauce from the heat and whisk in vanilla, cinnamon, and baking soda. (This will make the caramel sauce bubble and foam.)

6. Quickly Pour Caramel Over The Popcorn. Pour the caramel sauce mixture over the popcorn and stir to coat. I recommend pouring about half of the caramel sauce over the popcorn, then stirring and adding the pecans and the rest of the caramel sauce to any “dry” spots as needed. This makes it a bit easier to coat it evenly. Stir until the popcorn and pecans are pretty evenly coated. The popcorn will not look full-coverage/completely covered in caramel at this point. (There will still be some white spots visible at this point. This will resolve in the oven.)
7. Spread The Popcorn Out On Your Prepared Pan. Transfer the cinnamon caramel popcorn mixture to the prepared baking sheet and spread out fairly evenly. (Don’t worry about a few clumps here and there!)
8. Bake The Popcorn. Place the pan of popcorn in the oven and set a timer for 15 minutes. At the 15 minute mark, remove the popcorn from the oven and stir. (The caramel will be more melty and fluid, so the pieces will get more evenly coated with caramel). Return to the oven and bake 15 minute more. Repeat this process two more times, until you’ve baked the caramel popcorn for 60 minutes total.
9. Spread The Caramel Corn Out Onto Parchment Paper or a FRESH parchment lined baking sheet to cool completely to room temperature. Do NOT leave the popcorn on the original baking sheet or it will stick! Wait until the caramel corn is completely cool before drizzling with white chocolate.
10. Drizzle With Chocolate. Add white chocolate melts to a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave on low power in 15-20 second intervals, stirring in between each interval until the white chocolate is melted and glossy. Drizzle over the cooled caramel pecan popcorn and let the white chocolate set.
11. Cool, Serve & Store. Let the white chocolate set completely, then break the popcorn into clusters and transfer to an airtight container or bags.

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Cinnamon Pecan Caramel Corn

Pack It Up For Gifting! A cookie tin with a tight fitting lid, or small cellophane bags tied with a cute ribbon are my favorite ways to share this pecan cinnamon caramel corn. It’s SUCH a fun treat to share!

Can I Make Caramel Popcorn Without Corn Syrup? Corn syrup helps prevent crystallization of the caramel sauce and gives caramel corn its signature glossy sheen and delicate crunch. If you’re nervous, I’d first recommend using this Organic Corn Syrup I find at Sprouts (made without pesticides), but if you MUST use something else, glucose syrup or Lyle’s golden syrup (invert sugar syrup) are the only other substitutes I recommend.

How Long Does Caramel Corn Last? Once it’s baked and cooled, this cinnamon pecan caramel popcorn will keep in an airtight container for at LEAST a month! (Note: if you live in a humid climate, it will not stay as crispy)

Feel Free To Use Other Nuts! For variety, feel free to swap out the pecans for raw almonds or raw mixed nuts. (You don’t want to use roasted or toasted nuts, or they’ll burn in the oven!)

More Easy Holiday Treats To Try

Gluten-Free Christmas Chex Mix

Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeyes

Zebra Popcorn

Gluten-Free Rolo Pretzel Bites

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Cinnamon Pecan Caramel Popcorn With White Chocolate

This white chocolate drizzled cinnamon pecan caramel popcorn is a PERFECT holiday treat for a holiday movie night or sharing with friends!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword popcorn

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12 cups popcorn

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Ingredients

• 10-12 cups popped popcorn (use 10 cups for more heavily coated popcorn)
• 2 cups raw pecans
• ½ cup butter (113 grams/1 stick)
• ½ cup corn syrup light corn syrup
• 1 cup packed brown sugar (200 grams)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 3-4 ounces White Chocolate Melts or Vanilla Candy Melts

Instructions

• Preheat The Oven & Prep Your Pans. Preheat oven to 250 degrees and lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet with spray oil or a little butter.
• Start By Popping Your Popcorn. If you haven't already, pop the popcorn before you begin. Measure 12 cups (3 quarts) of popped popcorn and place in your a very large bowl, discarding any unpopped kernels. (If you have extra popcorn, keep it close by in case you want to add it in later.)
• Then Start The Caramel Sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Melt over medium heat, stirring regularly until the caramel comes to a boil. (Try not to rush this by cranking the heat up, as dissolving the sugar completely gives you the best texture.)
• Boil The Caramel Sauce 5 Minutes. Watch the clock and boil the caramel sauce 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Remove From Heat & Finish. After 5 minutes, quickly remove the caramel sauce from the heat and whisk in vanilla, cinnamon, and baking soda. (This will make the caramel sauce bubble and foam.)
• Quickly Pour Caramel Over The Popcorn. Pour the caramel sauce mixture over the popcorn and stir to coat. I recommend pouring about half of the caramel sauce over the popcorn, then stirring and adding the pecans and the rest of the caramel sauce to any "dry" spots as needed. This makes it a bit easier to coat it evenly. Stir until the popcorn and pecans are pretty evenly coated. The popcorn will not look full-coverage/completely covered in caramel at this point. (There will still be some white spots visible at this point. This will resolve in the oven.)
• Spread The Popcorn Out On Your Prepared Pan. Transfer the cinnamon caramel popcorn mixture to the prepared baking sheet and spread out fairly evenly. (Don't worry about a few clumps here and there!)
• Bake The Popcorn. Place the pan of popcorn in the oven and set a timer for 15 minutes. At the 15 minute mark, remove the popcorn from the oven and stir. (The caramel will be more melty and fluid, so the pieces will get more evenly coated with caramel). Return to the oven and bake 15 minute more. Repeat this process two more times, until you've baked the caramel popcorn for 60 minutes total.
• Spread The Caramel Corn Out Onto Parchment Paper or a FRESH parchment lined baking sheet to cool completely to room temperature. Do NOT leave the popcorn on the original baking sheet or it will stick! Wait until the caramel corn is completely cool before drizzling with white chocolate.
• Drizzle With Chocolate. Add white chocolate melts to a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave on low power in 15-20 second intervals, stirring in between each interval until the white chocolate is melted and glossy. Drizzle over the cooled caramel pecan popcorn and let the white chocolate set.
• Cool, Serve & Store. Let the white chocolate set completely, then break the popcorn into clusters and transfer to an airtight container or bags.

Video

Notes

• Pack It Up For Gifting! A cookie tin with a tight fitting lid, or small cellophane bags tied with a cute ribbon are my favorite ways to share this pecan cinnamon caramel corn. It’s SUCH a fun treat to share!
• Can I Make Caramel Popcorn Without Corn Syrup? Corn syrup helps prevent crystallization of the caramel sauce and gives caramel corn its signature glossy sheen and delicate crunch. If you’re nervous, I’d first recommend using this Organic Corn Syrup I find at Sprouts (made without pesticides), but if you MUST use something else, glucose syrup or Lyle’s golden syrup (invert sugar syrup) are the only other substitutes I recommend.
• How Long Does Caramel Corn Last? Once it’s baked and cooled, this cinnamon pecan caramel popcorn will keep in an airtight container for at LEAST a month! (Note: if you live in a humid climate, it will not stay as crispy)

Gather Your Ingredients

These chewy maple snickerdoodles are a maple-flavored hybrid of two other recipes: my Brown Butter Snickerdoodles and my Pumpkin Snickerdoodles, so you might notice a familiar cast of characters. Let’s take a look at the ingredients list:

How To Make Gluten-Free Maple Snickerdoodles, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Brown & Cool Butter. Before you start the cookie dough, brown the butter. Dice the butter into cubes then add to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly until the butter is golden brown and fragrant. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl to cool. (Get step-by-step instructions for browning butter here!)
2. Combine Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine gluten-free flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until well combined, then set aside.
3. Combine Butter & Sugars. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl), combine COOLED brown butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix to combine. Drizzle in pure maple syrup, then add egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and maple extract. Mix until evenly combined.
4. Add Dry Ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined, with no floury patches left.
5. Chill Dough 30 Minutes. Cover the dough and chill in the fridge just 30 minutes while you preheat the oven and prep your pans. (I don’t recommend chilling longer than 30 minutes, or the dough can be hard to work with.)
6. Preheat & Prep. While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a small bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon to make cinnamon sugar mixture.
7. Scoop & Roll Dough. Use a medium cookie scoop to measure 2-Tablespoon balls of cookie dough and roll smooth between your hands. Roll each cookie dough ball in cinnamon sugar then place 6-8 cookies on a baking sheet. (Return the rest of the dough to the fridge in between batches.)
8. Bake & Cool. Then, bake the cookies 9-12 minutes in preheated oven until the edges are set and the centers look slightly underdone. (The remaining heat will finish cooking them through.) Let the cookies cool 1-2 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process, alternating cookie sheets with each batch so you don’t put cold cookie dough on a hot baking sheet.
9. Serve & Store. Enjoy cooled cookies right away or store in an airtight container at room temperature 2-3 days. If desired, you can freeze cookies up to 2 months.

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Maple Snickerdoodle Cookies

Let The Brown Butter Cool! I know it’s annoying to wait, but you NEED to let the brown butter cool down to room temperature before making the maple snickerdoodle cookie dough, otherwise, it will melt the sugar and cause the cookies to spread drastically.

Metric Is Best! The most common mistake I see in gluten-free cookie baking is adding too much flour. If possible, weigh your flour using an inexpensive kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, make sure to use the scoop and level method to spoon flour INTO the measuring cup, rather than scooping flour WITH the measuring cup (which packs in too much flour!).

Don’t Rush The Chill Time. Another round of waiting–I know!–but this 30 minute chill time lets the cookie dough hydrate, so the flour absorbs just enough liquid from the dough to give your maple snickerdoodles their soft, chewy texture.

Do I Have To Use Cream of Tartar? Yes. Cream of Tartar is a leavening agent (like baking soda or baking powder), so it’s important for the texture & spread of the cookies, but it also gives this classic cookie its signature flavor. It’s widely available in the spices or baking sections of grocery stores and worth buying for this recipe.

Try It For A Cookie Exchange! This soft, chewy cookie recipe is delicious in the fall, but I especially love these gluten-free snickerdoodles as a gluten-free Christmas cookie! The maple, cinnamon & brown butter flavors are lovely paired next to other favorite cookies on a cookie plate or dessert spread.

More Holiday Cookie Recipes To Try

Gluten-Free Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies

Gluten-Free Iced Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies

Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Blossoms

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Gluten-Free Maple Snickerdoodle Cookies

These soft, chewy gluten-free maple snickerdoodles have layers of flavor from brown butter, pure maple syrup, cinnamon sugar, and vanilla. They're DELICIOUS & perfect for a cookie exchange!

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword gluten-free christmas cookies, Snickerdoodles

Servings 20 -25 Cookies

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Equipment

• 1 Medium Cookie Scoop
• 2 Cookie Sheets
• Parchment Paper

Ingredients

For The Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough

• 1 cup Butter cut into cubes
• ¾ cup Brown Sugar (150 grams)
• ¾ cup Granulated Sugar (150 grams)
• ¼ cup Pure Maple Syrup
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 Egg Yolk (save extra egg white for another use)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 teaspoon Maple Extract
• 2 ¾ cup Gluten-Free Measure-For-Measure Flour (330 grams)
• 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt

For The Cinnamon-Sugar

• ¼ cup Granulated Sugar (50 grams)
• 2 teaspoons Cinnamon

Instructions

• Brown & Cool Butter. Before you start the cookie dough, brown the butter. Dice the butter into cubes then add to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly until the butter is golden brown and fragrant. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl to cool. (Get step-by-step instructions for browning butter here!)
• Combine Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine gluten-free flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until well combined, then set aside.
• Mix Wet Ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl), combine COOLED brown butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix to combine. Drizzle in pure maple syrup, then add egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and maple extract. Mix until evenly combined.
• Add Dry Ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined, with no floury patches left.
• Chill Dough 30 Minutes. Cover the dough and chill in the fridge just 30 minutes while you preheat the oven and prep your pans. (I don't recommend chilling longer than 30 minutes, or the dough can be hard to work with.)
• Preheat & Prep. While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a small bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon to make cinnamon sugar mixture.
• Scoop & Roll Dough. Use a medium cookie scoop to measure 2-Tablespoon balls of cookie dough and roll smooth between your hands. Roll each cookie dough ball in cinnamon sugar then place 6-8 cookies on a baking sheet. (Return the rest of the dough to the fridge in between batches.)
• Bake & Cool. Then, bake the cookies 9-12 minutes in preheated oven until the edges are set and the centers look slightly underdone. (The remaining heat will finish cooking them through.) Let the cookies cool 1-2 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process, alternating cookie sheets with each batch so you don't put cold cookie dough on a hot baking sheet.
• Serve & Store. Enjoy cooled cookies right away or store in an airtight container at room temperature 2-3 days. If desired, you can freeze cookies up to 2 months.

Video

Notes

• Gluten-Free Flour. We highly recommend King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free Flour, but if you use another 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, be sure it contains xanthan gum for best results! 
• Metric Is Best! The most common mistake I see in gluten-free cookie baking is adding too much flour. If possible, weigh your flour using an inexpensive kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, make sure to use the scoop and level method to spoon flour INTO the measuring cup, rather than scooping flour WITH the measuring cup (which packs in too much flour!).
• Let The Brown Butter Cool! I know it’s annoying to wait, but you NEED to let the brown butter cool down to room temperature before making the maple snickerdoodle cookie dough, otherwise, it will melt the sugar and cause the cookies to spread drastically.
• Don’t Rush The Chill Time. Another round of waiting–I know!–but this 30 minute chill time lets the cookie dough hydrate, so the flour absorbs just enough liquid from the dough to give your maple snickerdoodles their soft, chewy texture.

Gather Your Ingredients

How To Make Gluten-Free Christmas Sprinkle Sugar Cookies, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

First, Bake The Cookies

1. Cream Butter & Sugar. In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine butter and sugar. Beat together with a paddle attachment or hand mixer 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth and cohesive.
2. Mix In Wet Ingredients. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate each egg before adding the next. Then, Add vanilla and almond extract and beat to blend in.
3. Add Dry Ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add baking powder, salt, and flour. Mix until the flour mixture is mostly mixed in.
4. Mix In Sprinkles. Add sprinkles and stir or beat on low to incorporate the sprinkles into the dough. (The dough will be thick and sticky at this point. You may prefer to finish with a spatula.)

5. Chill Dough. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate to chill dough 30 minutes, while you preheat the oven.
6. Preheat & Prep. While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
7. Scoop & Roll Dough. When the oven is preheated, remove chilled dough from the refrigerator. Scoop or roll dough into 1.5” balls (i use a medium cookie scoop). If desired, roll the tops of the cookie dough balls in more sprinkles before placing on the prepared baking sheet.
8. Bake Cookies at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until set around the edges and just underdone in the center. Cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. Let the cookies cool completely before frosting. You can eat the cookies as-is at this point, store in an airtight container at room temperature 2-3 days or freeze up to 2 months. OR, you can decorate them!

Make Frosting & Decorate Cookies

1. Beat The Butter. Add softened butter to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and beat for 1-2 minutes with a hand mixer or paddle attachment until smooth and fluffy.
2. Gradually Add Powdered Sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer running, gradually add powdered sugar.
3. Combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again, and add vanilla, almond extract and 2 Tablespoons of cream. Mix on medium speed, and add additional cream 1 Tablespoon at a time until you reach a smooth and spreadable consistency. If you want to pipe the frosting, the frosting should hold its shape on a spatula or your finger, but not be too stiff to easily stir with a spatula.
4. Add Color, If Using. If using gel food coloring, add 1-2 drops at a time at this point until your desired color is reached. (You can also divide the frosting so you can dye some of it and keep some white–just use remove the white frosting from the bowl before adding food coloring to the rest.)
5. Pipe or Spread. Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip. I recommend a large closed star tip, (like a Wilton #2D or Ateco #852). Starting at the center of each cookie, pipe frosting into a rosette on top of each cookie. (Start in the center of the cookie and continue to move around the circle of the cookie until you get close to the edges.) If you don’t have a piping tip, you can use an offset spatula to frost the cookies.
6. Add Sprinkles, if desired. (I recommend only frosting 2-3 cookies at a time if you plan to add sprinkles on top of each cookie, so you can add them before the frosting sets!)

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Gluten-Free Christmas Sugar Cookies

Can I Use This Recipe To Make Cut-Out Cookies? I don’t recommend this recipe for cutout sugar cookies. This soft sugar cookie recipe was designed to make drop cookies (meaning a scoop & bake cookie). The dough will spread and puff too much in the oven to hold its shape with cookie cutters. 

Use The Right Sprinkles! For best results, you’ll want to use jimmies (long sprinkles) or quins sprinkles (cut-out shapes) for this Christmas sprinkle sugar cookie recipe. Jimmies and Quins will hold their shape & color, and they tend to give you the look most people are going for with gluten-free Christmas funfetti cookies or gluten-free sprinkle cookies. Learn more in our Sprinkles 101 Post!

Use Gluten-Free Sprinkles! Not all sprinkles are gluten-free, so make sure to double-check your ingredients list before buying sprinkles for these gluten-free Christmas sugar cookies! We like Judee’s & Sweetapolita sprinkles. (Get 15% off Sweetapolita sprinkles with my link!).

Measure Carefully! IMO, the secret for the best gluten-free sugar cookies is all about measuring correctly. For the best texture & flavor, make sure to weigh the flour or use the scoop & level method to spoon the flour into the measuring cup (rather than using your measuring cup to scoop flour, which packs extra flour into the recipe.)  

More Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies To Try

Gluten-Free Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies

Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Blossoms

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Gluten-Free Christmas Sprinkle Sugar Cookies

Made with plenty of festive sprinkles & a pretty swirl of frosting, these soft gluten-free Christmas sugar cookies are perfect for the holidays!

Course Cookies

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword gluten-free funfetti cookies, gluten-free funfetti sugar cookies, gluten-free sprinkle cookies, gluten-free sugar cookies with sprinkles

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Chill Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 30 cookies (2 1/2 dozen)

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Equipment

• Medium Cookie Scoop
• Piping Bag
• Closed Star Piping Tip (like Wilton 2D or Ateco 852)

Ingredients

For The Sprinkle Sugar Cookies

• ¾ cup butter, softened (170 grams/1 1/2 sticks)
• 1 ½ cup granulated sugar (300 grams)
• 2 eggs (ideally room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 ½ cups gluten-free measure-for-measure flour* (300 grams)
• 1/3-1/2 cup Christmas sprinkles (use jimmies or quins!))

For The Frosting & Decorating

• 1 cup butter, softened (227 grams/2 sticks)
• 4-5 cups powdered sugar (480-600 grams)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 4-6 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk (plus more, as needed)
• gel food coloring (optional)
• sprinkles (for decorating)

Instructions

First, Bake The Cookies

• Cream Butter & Sugar. In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine butter and sugar. Beat together with a paddle attachment or hand mixer 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth and cohesive.
• Mix In Wet Ingredients. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate each egg before adding the next. Then, Add vanilla and almond extract and beat to blend in.
• Add Dry Ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add baking powder, salt, and flour. Mix until the flour mixture is mostly mixed in.
• Mix In Sprinkles. Add sprinkles and stir or beat on low to incorporate the sprinkles into the dough. (The dough will be thick and sticky at this point. You may prefer to finish with a spatula.)
• Chill Dough. Cover the dough and refrigerate to chill dough 30 minutes, while you preheat the oven.
• Preheat & Prep. While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Scoop & Roll Dough. When the oven is preheated, remove chilled dough from the refrigerator. Scoop or roll dough into 1.5” balls (i use a medium cookie scoop). If desired, roll the tops of the cookie dough balls in more sprinkles before placing on a baking sheet.
• Bake Cookies at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until set around the edges and just underdone in the center. Cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. Let the cookies cool completely before frosting. You can eat the cookies as-is at this point, store in an airtight container at room temperature 2-3 days or freeze up to 2 months. OR, you can decorate them!

Make Frosting & Decorate Cookies

• Beat The Butter. Add softened butter to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and beat for 1-2 minutes with a hand mixer or paddle attachment until smooth and fluffy.
• Gradually Add Powdered Sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer running, gradually add powdered sugar.
• Combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again, and add vanilla, almond extract and 2 Tablespoons of cream. Mix on medium speed, and add additional cream 1 Tablespoon at a time until you reach a smooth and spreadable consistency. If you want to pipe the frosting, the frosting should hold its shape on a spatula or your finger, but not be too stiff to easily stir with a spatula. To make frosting softer, add more cream 1 Tablespoon at a time. To make frosting more stiff, add powdered sugar 1 Tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired texture.
• Add Color, If Using. If using gel food coloring, add 1-2 drops at a time at this point until your desired color is reached. (You can also divide the frosting so you can dye some of it and keep some white–just use remove the white frosting from the bowl before adding food coloring to the rest.)
• Pipe or Spread. Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip. I recommend a large closed star tip, (like a Wilton #2D or Ateco #852). Starting at the center of each cookie, pipe frosting into a rosette on top of each cookie. (Start in the center of the cookie and continue to move around the circle of the cookie until you get close to the edges.) If you don't have a piping tip, you can use an offset spatula to frost the cookies.
• Add Sprinkles, if desired. (I recommend only frosting 2-3 cookies at a time if you plan to add sprinkles on top of each cookie, so you can add them before the frosting sets!)
• Serve & Store. Decorated sugar cookies will keep in an airtight container in the fridge 2-3 days, or can be frozen in a single layer up to 2 months. (Don't stack them, or you're mess up the frosting!)

Video

Notes

• Use The Right Sprinkles! This recipe works best with jimmies or quins sprinkles If you use nonpareils (the tiny ball-shaped sprinkles), they’ll just melt & bleed their color. Jimmies and Quins will hold their shape & color! 
• Gluten-Free Flour. We highly recommend King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free Flour. If you use another brand, be sure it contains xanthan gum or your cookies will not turn out properly. Oat flour, coconut flour, almond flour, etc. will not work in this recipe. 
• Measure Carefully! For the best texture & flavor, make sure to weight the flour or use the scoop and level method to spoon the flour into the measuring cup (rather than using your measuring cup to scoop flour, which packs extra flour into the recipe) 
• Coloring. If you plan to dye the frosting, I recommend gel food coloring. It has more vibrant color and won’t throw off the texture of your frosting. 

Gather Your Ingredients

These gingerbread oatmeal cookies are a yummy spin on our pumpkin oatmeal cookies and brown butter oatmeal cookies, so you’ll see a lot of familiar players here. Let’s take a look at the ingredients list:

How To Make Gluten-Free Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

First, Make The Cookies

1. Pulse Oats. To start, add the oats to a food processor and pulse 8-10 times to break the oats up a bit. This will give the cookies better texture!
2. Combine Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine gluten free oats, gluten-free flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and cloves. Whisk to combine until evenly blended, then set aside.
3. Cream Butter & Sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, combine softened butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Cream on medium speed with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer 2-3 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
4. Finish Wet Ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add molasses, egg, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed 1-2 minutes, or until evenly blended. The molasses may make the mixture look a little curdled. Don’t panic!
5. Mix In Dry Ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing just until there are no more floury patches left.
6. Chill Dough While You Preheat & Prep. Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator just 30 minutes, while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. (I don’t recommend chilling longer than 30 minutes, or the dough can become too hard to work with.)
7. Scoop & Roll Dough. After 30 minutes, remove the dough from the fridge. Use a medium cookie scoop to measure 2 Tablespoon scoops of cookie dough. Roll the dough balls smooth between your hands and place 6-8 cookie dough balls on one of the baking sheets. Return the rest of the dough to the fridge.
8. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are set around the edges, but look a little underdone in the centers. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet 2-3 minutes to finish setting before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Alternate baking sheets with each batch of dough so you don’t put cold dough on a hot baking sheet. Let cookies cool completely before icing.

Making Icing & Finish Cookies

1. Make The Icing. In a small mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 Tablespoon of heavy cream or milk. Whisk until you get a VERY thick icing. When you pick up your whisk and let it drip into the bowl, it should hold its shape on the surface for a few seconds before being absorbed.
2. Dip Cookies. When the cookies are cool and fully set (they should hold their shape when you pick them up!), carefully dip them in glaze. Hold the cookie on the sides and gently lower the cooke into the icing until the top JUST touches the icing. It shouldn’t be fully covered–just the ridges of the cookies should be coated in glaze. Lift it up and shake off excess glaze. Repeat until all cookies are glazed. Repeat until all cookies are glazed.
3. Serve & Store. Let the icing set before serving. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature 2-3 days, or freeze up to 2 months. For best results, store in a single layer so you don’t mess up the icing! If freezing, I let them freeze on a cookie sheet or cutting board before transferring to a freezer bag or container.

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies

Make Sure The Icing Is Nice & Thick! You want this sweet icing to be barely pourable so it sticks to the ridges of the cookies but won’t immediately run off. If needed, add more milk 1/2 teaspoon at a time until you reach the right consistency. (If your icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar 1 Tablespoon at a time, as needed.)

Let The Cookies Cool Before Icing! I love a warm cookie as much as the next person, but if you want the icing to stick, it’s important to WAIT and let the cookies cool before icing them. It won’t take long, and it’s worth the wait!

Try Them For a Cookie Exchange! These gingerbread iced oatmeal cookies are great for cookie swaps and holiday parties. They’re unique enough to stand out on a holiday cookie plate, but still full of classic flavor. (Plus, those golden brown edges + soft, chewy centers? AMAZING!)

Can I Use This Recipe To Make Gingerbread Men? I don’t recommend it. The dough won’t hold its shape with cookie cutters. If you’re after a recipe you can use for cookie cutters & decorating, we made these classic gluten-free gingerbread cookies that work like a charm!

Dietary Swaps. This recipe hasn’t been tested with egg substitutes like flax egg, but it CAN be made with vegan butter for a dairy-free option! Use a thick dairy-free milk (like coconut milk or cashew milk) for the glaze.

More Gluten-Free Cookies For a holiday Cookie Plate

Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies

Gluten-Free Hot Chocolate Cookies

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Blossoms

Gluten-Free Maple Snickerdoodle Cookies

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Gluten-Free Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies

Our gluten-free gingerbread oatmeal cookies have all the soft, chewy texture of a classic oatmeal cookie, mixed with the warm spices & molasses flavor of traditional gingerbread. Paired with a thin layer of sweet vanilla icing, these yummy cookies are a perfect gluten-free holiday cookie recipe for a cookie plate or cookie swap!

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword ginger, gingerbread, gluten-free christmas cookies, oatmeal cookies

Prep Time 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Chill Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Servings 25 -28 Cookies

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Equipment

• 1 Medium Cookie Scoop

Ingredients

For The Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies

• 2 cups Gluten-Free Rolled Oats* (190-200 grams)
• 1 ⅔ cup Gluten-Free Measure-For-Measure Flour* (200 grams)
• 2 teaspoons Ground Ginger
• 1 ½ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• ½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
• ¼ teaspoon Ground Cloves
• ¾ cup Butter, Softened (170 grams/1.5 sticks)
• ¾ cup Brown Sugar (150 grams)
• ¼ cup Granulated Sugar (50 grams)
• ¼ cup Molasses*
• 1 Large Egg Room Temperature
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

For The Vanilla Icing

• 1 ½ cups Powdered Sugar (180 grams)
• 2-3 Tablespooons Heavy Cream (or milk)*
• ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions

First, Make The Cookies

• Pulse Oats. To start, add the oats to a food processor and pulse 8-10 times to break the oats up a bit. This will give the cookies better texture!
• Combine Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine gluten free oats, gluten-free flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and cloves. Whisk to combine until evenly blended, then set aside.
• Cream Butter & Sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, combine softened butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Cream on medium speed with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer 2-3 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
• Finish Wet Ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add molasses, egg, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed 1-2 minutes, or until evenly blended. The molasses may make the mixture look a little curdled. Don't panic!
• Mix In Dry Ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing just until there are no more floury patches left.
• Chill Dough While You Preheat & Prep. Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator just 30 minutes, while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. (I don't recommend chilling longer than 30 minutes, or the dough can become too hard to work with.)
• Scoop & Roll Dough. After 30 minutes, remove the dough from the fridge. Use a medium cookie scoop to measure 2 Tablespoon scoops of cookie dough. Roll the dough balls smooth between your hands and place 6-8 cookie dough balls on one of the baking sheets. Return the rest of the dough to the fridge.
• Bake 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are set around the edges, but look a little underdone in the centers. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet 2-3 minutes to finish setting before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Alternate baking sheets with each batch of dough so you don't put cold dough on a hot baking sheet. Let cookies cool completely before icing.

Making Icing & Finish Cookies

• Make The Icing. In a small mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 Tablespoon of heavy cream or milk. Whisk until you get a VERY thick icing. You want it to be barely pourable so it sticks to the ridges of the cookies but won't immediately run off. If needed, add more milk 1/2 teaspoon at a time until you reach the right consistency. (If your icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar 1 Tablespoon at a time, as needed.)
• Dip Cookies. When the cookies are cool and fully set (they should hold their shape when you pick them up!), carefully dip them in glaze. Hold the cookie on the sides and gently lower the cooke into the icing until the top JUST touches the icing. It shouldn't be fully covered–just the ridges of the cookies should be coated in glaze. Lift it up and shake off excess glaze. Repeat until all cookies are glazed. Repeat until all cookies are glazed.
• Serve & Store. Let the icing set before serving. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature 2-3 days, or freeze up to 2 months. For best results, store in a single layer so you don't mess up the icing! If freezing, I let them freeze on a cookie sheet or cutting board before transferring to a freezer bag or container.

Video

Notes

• Gluten-Free Oats. Make sure to buy certified gluten-free oats! We have good luck with One Degree, Trader Joe’s, and Bob’s Red Mill brands. Look for rolled oats or old-fashioned oats rather than quick oats. 
• Gluten-Free Flour. We highly recommend King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free Flour blend for these cookies. If you use another 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, be sure it contains xanthan gum, or the cookies won’t have the right texture. 
• Molasses. Look for regular, unsulphured molasses, like Grandma’s brand. Do NOT use blackstrap molasses in these cookies, as it runs bitter and will not give them the flavor you’re looking for. 

Gather Your Ingredients

How To Make Peppermint Hot Fudge, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Melt. In a medium saucepan, combine chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, butter, and salt. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat stirring regularly until the chocolate is fully melted. (Don’t let it boil!)
2. Add Flavor! Remove the pan from the heat and stir in vanilla extract and peppermint extract. I recommend starting with 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract at first, then adding more, to taste. I usually end up with 3/4-1 teaspoon peppermint extract since we like ours strong!
3. Serve & Store. Pour the hot fudge sauce into a jar, small pitcher, or an airtight container. Serve warm over ice cream or your favorite desserts. Store leftover peppermint hot fudge in an airtight container in the fridge 1-2 weeks.
4. Reheat Leftovers. Hot fudge sauce will thicken significantly as it cools. To reheat leftovers, you can warm it in a saucepan on the stove, or reheat what you need in the microwave in 15-20 second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until the hot fudge is warm and pourable again.

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Peppermint Hot Fudge Sauce

Can I Use Peppermint Oil Instead of Peppermint Extract? Maybe. Not all peppermint oil is food grade (some is meant for aromatherapy only!), but food grade pure peppermint oil can be used in VERY small amounts. Peppermint oil is WAY stronger than peppermint extract so a single drop is likely all you’d need! Otherwise, you’ll end up with a very overpowering minty aftertaste. 

Try Giving It As a Homemade Gift! This homemade peppermint hot fudge sauce makes a GREAT Christmas gift for friends & neighbors. Package it in small heatproof jars & top with a bow or gift tag.

Can I Use Something Besides Sweetened Condensed Milk? Sweetened condensed milk is literally just milk & sugar that’s been cooked down to evaporate some of the water so it’s nice and thick and sticky. You can make your own with this recipe! You’ll just need granulated sugar and whole milk.

More Yummy Holiday Treats To Try

Fudgy Gluten-Free Brown Butter Brownies

Homemade Peppermint Ice Cream

Peppermint Flourless Chocolate Cake

20+ Gluten-Free Holiday Cookie Recipes To Try

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Peppermint Hot Fudge Sauce

This deliciously thick peppermint hot fudge sauce is perfect for a holiday sundae! Try it with peppermint ice cream and a warm brownie–you won't regret it!

Course Condiment, Dessert, Ice Cream

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword hot fudge sauce, ice cream topping, peppermint

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Total Time 13 minutes minutes

Servings 2.5 cups Hot Fudge Sauce

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Ingredients

• 1 cup Dark Chocolate Chips (or semi-sweet chocolate chips)
• 1 (14-ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
• ½ cup Heavy Cream
• 4 Tablespoons Tablespoons butter (57 grams)
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1/2-1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract (depending how strong you want it!)

Instructions

• Melt. In a medium saucepan, combine chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, butter, and salt. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat stirring regularly until the chocolate is fully melted. (Don't let it boil!)
• Add Flavor! Remove the pan from the heat and stir in vanilla extract and peppermint extract. I recommend starting with 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract at first, then adding more, to taste. I usually end up with 3/4-1 teaspoon peppermint extract since we like ours strong!
• Serve & Store. Pour the hot fudge sauce into a jar, small pitcher, or an airtight container. Serve warm over ice cream or your favorite desserts. Store leftover peppermint hot fudge in an airtight container in the fridge 1-2 weeks.
• Reheat Leftovers. Hot fudge sauce will thicken significantly as it cools. To reheat leftovers, you can warm it in a saucepan on the stove, or reheat what you need in the microwave in 15-20 second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until the hot fudge is warm and pourable again.

Video

Notes

• Chocolate. I recommend dark chocolate (around 70-72%) when possible to keep this from getting too sweet. You can use bittersweet chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips instead, but the sauce will be less chocolatey and more sweet. Milk chocolate will be too sweet and too weak for this recipe. 

Gather Your Ice Cream Ingredients

One thing about this pretty pink peppermint ice cream? It’s a Philadelphia style ice cream recipe, meaning there are no eggs or egg yolks to temper! Let’s take a look at the ingredients list:

Our Favorite Ice Cream Maker

We’ve owned this Cuisinart ice cream maker for years and it’s still going strong. This top-rated machine takes up less space than some other models, and is large enough for most homemade ice cream recipes!

SHOP OUR PICK

How To Make Peppermint Ice Cream, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Dissolve Candy Cane. To start, pour the whole milk into a large liquid measuring cup or a small bowl. Add 1/2 cup of the crushed candy cane pieces and stir to dissolve until the milk turns a pretty pink color and there are no large pieces of candy cane left. (This can take up to 10 or so minutes!) 
2. Combine. Then, add sugar, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and salt. Stir to combine until the sugar is dissolved. You don’t want any gritty grains left! Pour in the heavy cream and mix through until evenly blended. If your mixture has warmed up to room temperature, make sure to chill until it feels cold to the touch, or it won’t churn properly. (I usually don’t need to chill mine!)
3. Churn Ice Cream. Pour the ice cream base into the ice cream maker and churn according to your manufacturer’s instructions until the ice cream reaches a soft serve texture. (For me, that’s 20-25 minutes!) Sprinkle in most of the remaining 1/2 cup crushed candy cane (I like to reserve about 1 Tablespoon!)
4. Freeze. Transfer ice cream mixture to a freezer-safe container and sprinkle with any remaining candy cane. Freeze at LEAST 6-8 hours on a level surface in the freezer, or until it’s firm enough to scoop.
5. Store. Leftover ice cream will keep in an airtight container in the freezer up to 2 weeks (though we prefer to enjoy it within 2-3 days, for the best texture!)

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Candy Cane Ice Cream

Consider Pre-Crushed Peppermint Bits! To save time, consider buying crushed peppermint bits or crushed peppermint candy from the store rather than crushing them yourself. I’ve had good luck with Brach’s and Atkinson’s brands. 

How to Crush Candy Canes. To crush candy canes or peppermint candy for this creamy candy cane ice cream, I put mini candy canes in a plastic bag, then put the bag on a cutting board. Tap them with a rolling pin or meat mallet to crush them. Or, you can try pulsing them in a food processor, but I find this is noisier and less precise than using a rolling pin/meat mallet.

Do I Need To Use Food Dye? Nope! This pink peppermint ice cream gets its soft pink color from melted candy cane, so there’s no need to add any extra red food dye or food coloring! Even if you use dye-free candy canes or naturally colored candy cane, you’ll probably still have enough color!

More Yummy Peppermint Treats To Try

Peppermint Flourless Chocolate Cake

Gluten-Free Peppermint Crunch Brownies

Vegan Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Gluten-Free Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

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Candy Cane Ice Cream

Our easy homemade Peppermint ice cream recipe is packed with a double dose of candy cane! Cool, creamy & delicious, this easy ice cream is the perfect holiday dessert.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword candy cane ice cream, christmas, peppermint

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Chill Time 6 hours hours

Total Time 6 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings 1 Quart Ice Cream

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Equipment

• Ice Cream Maker (Make Sure To Freeze In Advance, As Needed!!!)

Ingredients

For Peppermint Ice Cream

• ½ cup Crushed Candy Canes (about 20 mini candy canes)
• ½ cup Granulated Sugar (100 grams)
• 1 cup Whole Milk
• 2 cups Heavy Cream
• 1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt

Mix-Ins

• 1/4-1/2 cup Crushed Candy Cane (about 10-20 candy canes)

Instructions

• Dissolve Candy Cane. To start, pour the whole milk into a large liquid measuring cup or a small bowl. Add 1/2 cup of the crushed candy cane pieces and stir to dissolve until the milk turns a pretty pink color and there are no large pieces of candy cane left. (This can take up to 10 or so minutes!)
• Combine. Then, add sugar, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and salt. Stir to combine until the sugar is dissolved. You don't want any gritty grains left! Pour in the heavy cream and mix through until evenly blended. If your mixture has warmed up to room temperature, make sure to chill until it feels cold to the touch, or it won't churn properly. (I usually don't need to chill mine!)
• Churn Ice Cream. Pour the ice cream base into the ice cream maker and churn according to your manufacturer's instructions until the ice cream reaches a soft serve texture. (For me, that's 20-25 minutes!) Sprinkle in most of the remaining 1/2 cup crushed candy cane (I like to reserve about 1 Tablespoon!)
• Freeze. Transfer ice cream mixture to a freezer-safe container and sprinkle with any remaining candy cane. Freeze at LEAST 6-8 hours on a level surface in the freezer, or until it's firm enough to scoop.
• Store. Leftover ice cream will keep in an airtight container in the freezer up to 2 weeks (though we prefer to enjoy it within 2-3 days, for the best texture!)

Video

Notes

• Consider Pre-Crushed Peppermint Bits! To save time, consider buying crushed peppermint bits or crushed peppermint candy from the store rather than crushing them yourself. I’ve had good luck with Brach’s and Atkinson’s brands. 
• How to Crush Candy Canes. To crush candy canes or peppermint candy for this creamy candy cane ice cream, I put mini candy canes in a plastic bag, then put the bag on a cutting board. Tap them with a rolling pin or meat mallet to crush them. Or, you can try pulsing them in a food processor, but I find this is noisier and less precise than using a rolling pin/meat mallet.
• Don’t rush. Plan ahead to allow plenty of time for this homemade ice cream to freeze. It’s worth if for gorgeously scoop-able ice cream!
• Make a Sundae! Try this ice cream with a warm brownie & hot fudge sauce–it’s unreal! 

Gather Your Ingredients

Get The Right Flour!

You MUST use this King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour for these gluten-free sticky buns. No different flours will work in this recipe!

SHOP THE FLOUR

How To Make Gluten-Free Pecan Sticky Buns, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

First, Make Sticky Bun Dough

1. Combine Dry Ingredients. Add gluten-free flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and baking powder to the bowl of a stand mixer and gently pulse with the paddle attachment on low speed to combine. (Do not use a hand mixer, dough hook, or whisk attachment.)
2. Add Wet Ingredients. With the mixer on LOW speed, gradually add warm milk, warm water, melted butter, and eggs, one at at time.
3. Beat. Turn the mixer speed up to HIGH and mix the dough for 3 full minutes to allow the dough to fully blend. It will look VERY sticky and wet–more like thick, sticky cake batter than bread dough. This is normal!
4. Cover & Chill. Use an oiled spatula to scrape down the edges of the bowl and form the dough into a ball. (Make sure to also scrape the bottom of the bowl to check for any unmixed spots!) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill 20 minutes to make the dough easier to handle.

Make Caramel Pecan Topping

5. Melt Butter. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
6. Combine. Add brown sugar, pure maple syrup, vanilla, and salt. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture looks uniform. (Don’t let the caramel sauce boil, as we don’t want it getting hard in the oven.)
7. Pour caramel sauce into a lightly greased metal 9×13 pan and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Set aside while you assemble the cinnamon buns.

Make Cinnamon Filling & Shape Rolls

8. Combine Cinnamon Filling. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar with cinnamon, vanilla powder (if using), and a pinch of salt. Mix until well blended, to evenly distribute the cinnamon into the sugar.
9. Roll Out. Lay down a sheet of parchment paper or very lightly flour your countertop. Transfer the dough from the bowl to your parchment or counter and cover with another sheet of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a 15-inch square (15″x 15″).
10. Fill The Rolls. Spread Softened Butter over the 15-inch dough square in an even layer. The butter should be VERY soft so it’s easily spreadable. If you can’t get the butter soft enough, you can melt it and cool it slightly before spreading. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the butter in an even layer.
11. Form The Rolls. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into twelve (1.25-inch) strips. Roll each strip up to form a roll, starting at one end and tightly rolling to make a spiral as you go. (We find this method works MUCH better with gluten-free sweet rolls than the traditional rolling the dough into a long cylinder and slicing or using floss to cut them.) Place rolls into the pan on top of the caramel & pecans.

Let Rolls Rise, Then Bake

12. Cover & Rise. Then, cover the pan with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise 45-60 minutes. They’ll look puffy but won’t double in size at this point. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees as the cinnamon buns rise.
13. Bake. Remove the plastic wrap from the pan, then place the pan on baking sheet (to catch any possible spills!) and bake sticky buns in preheated oven 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown on top. The interior of the dough should read at least 190-200 degrees F. Set rolls aside to cool for 5-10 minutes.
14. Flip. After the sticky buns have cooled 5-10 minutes, you’ll flip them out of the pan. To do this safely, I recommend placing a COOL (or room temperature) sheet pan on top of the pan, face down (like a lid). Then, wearing oven mitts(!!!), carefully flip the pan so the sticky buns fall out of the 9×13 and onto the sheet pan. (The caramel pecan topping should now be facing up)
15. Serve & Store. Enjoy right away or within a few hours for best results. Cover leftover sticky buns or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator 1-2 days. Reheat a few seconds in the microwave or a few minutes in the oven for best results.

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Gluten-Free Sticky Buns

Metric is Best. If possible, weigh your dry ingredients with a kitchen scale for best results. Your dough will work consistently well if you measure properly. If you don’t have a scale, use the scoop and level method to spoon flour into the measuring cups rather than scooping *with* your measuring cups to avoid packing extra flour into the dough. Even an extra few tablespoons will make a drastic difference in the dough.

Flour. This recipe will ONLY work with King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour. No other gluten-free bread flour brands or homemade blends will work in this recipe. (Note that this is NOT the same as measure-for-measure or 1:1 gluten-free flour.)

A Trick For Leftovers. I love to warm leftover sticky buns up in the microwave at 50% power for 10-15 seconds. It will soften them right back up!

More Special Gluten-Free Breakfasts To Try

Soft Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls

Gluten-Free Belgian Waffles

Gluten-Free Orange Rolls

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

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Gluten-Free Pecan Sticky Buns

These soft, gooey Gluten-Free Pecan Sticky Buns combine gluten-free cinnamon rolls with a decadent maple caramel pecan topping you'll LOVE!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword christmas, fall, pecans

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Rising Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 2 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Servings 12 Sticky Buns

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Ingredients

For The Dough:

• 5 ⅔ cups King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour* (NO Substitutions) (680 grams)
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar (40 grams)
• 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast* (1/4 oz)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 ¼ cup warm whole milk
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 eggs room temperature
• 6 Tablespoons salted butter melted*

For The Cinnamon Filling:

• ½ cup butter, VERY soft (113 grams/1 stick)
• 1 cup brown sugar (200 grams)
• 1 ½ Tablespoons ground cinnamon
• Optional: 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
• pinch salt less than 1/8 teaspoon

For Caramel Pecan Topping

• 1-2 cups chopped pecans* (100-200 grams)
• ¾ cup butter (170 grams/1 1/2 sticks)
• 1 cup brown sugar (200 grams)
• ½ cup pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

***BEFORE YOU START*** It’s VERY important to follow the instructions precisely in this recipe. No ingredient substitutions are recommended, and no other gluten-free flour blend will work for this recipe. 

FIRST, MAKE THE DOUGH

• Combine Dry Ingredients. Add gluten-free flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and baking powder to a stand mixer and gently pulse with the paddle attachment on low speed to combine. (Do not use a hand mixer, dough hook, or whisk attachment.)
• Add Wet Ingredients. With the mixer on LOW speed, gradually add warm milk, warm water, melted butter, and eggs, one at at time.
• Beat. Turn the mixer speed up to HIGH and mix the dough for 3 full minutes to allow the dough to fully blend. It will look VERY sticky and wet–more like thick, sticky cake batter than bread dough. This is normal!
• Cover & Chill. Use an oiled spatula to scrape down the edges of the bowl and form the dough into a ball. (Make sure to also scrape the bottom of the bowl to check for any unmixed spots!) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill 20 minutes to make the dough easier to handle.

MAKE CARAMEL PECAN TOPPING

• Melt Butter. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
• Combine. Add brown sugar, pure maple syrup, vanilla, and salt. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture looks uniform. (Don't let the caramel sauce boil, as we don't want it getting hard in the oven.)
• Pour caramel sauce into a lightly greased metal 9×13 pan and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Set aside while you assemble the cinnamon buns.

MAKE CINNAMON FILLING & SHAPE ROLLS

• Combine Cinnamon Filling. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar with cinnamon, vanilla powder (if using), and a pinch of salt. Mix until well blended, to evenly distribute the cinnamon into the sugar.
• Roll Out. Lay down a sheet of parchment paper & lightly flour or very lightly flour your countertop. Transfer the dough from the bowl to your parchment or counter and cover with another sheet of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a 15-inch square (15"x 15").
• Fill The Rolls. Spread Softened Butter over the 15-inch dough square in an even layer. The butter should be VERY soft so it's easily spreadable. If you can't get the butter soft enough, you can melt it and cool it slightly before spreading. Sprinkle the cinnamon brown sugar mixture over the butter in an even layer.
• Form The Rolls. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into twelve (1.25-inch) strips. Roll each strip up to form a roll, starting at one end and tightly rolling to make a spiral as you go. (We find this method works MUCH better with gluten-free sweet rolls than the traditional rolling the dough into a long cylinder and slicing or using floss to cut them.) Place rolls into the pan on top of the caramel & pecans.

LET ROLLS RISE, THEN BAKE

• Cover & Rise. Then, cover the pan with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise 45-60 minutes. They'll look puffy but won't double in size at this point. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees as the cinnamon buns rise.
• Bake. Remove the plastic wrap from the pan, then place the pan on baking sheet (to catch any possible spills!) and bake sticky buns in preheated oven 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown on top. The interior of the dough should read at least 190-200 degrees F. Set rolls aside to cool for 5-10 minutes.
• Flip. After the sticky buns have cooled 5-10 minutes, you'll flip them out of the pan. To do this safely, I recommend placing a COOL (or room temperature) sheet pan on top of the pan, face down (like a lid). Then, wearing oven mitts(!!!), carefully flip the pan so the sticky buns fall out of the 9×13 and onto the sheet pan. (The caramel pecan topping should now be on top)
• Serve & Store. Enjoy right away or within a few hours for best results. Cover leftover sticky buns and store in the refrigerator 1-2 days. Reheat a few seconds in the microwave or a few minutes in the oven for best results.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Notes & Recipe Tips:

• Metric is Best. If possible, weigh your dry ingredients with a kitchen scale for best results. Your dough will work consistently well if you measure properly. If you don’t have a scale, use the scoop and level method to spoon flour into the measuring cups rather than scooping *with* your measuring cups to avoid packing extra flour into the dough. Even an extra few tablespoons will make a drastic difference in the dough.
• Flour. This recipe will ONLY work with King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour. No other gluten-free bread flour brands or homemade blends will work in this recipe. (Note that this is NOT the same as measure-for-measure or 1:1 gluten-free flour.)
• Yeast. We are using instant/rapid rise yeast, NOT active dry yeast, which must be proofed in warm water before starting.
• Butter. If using unsalted butter, I recommend increasing the salt up to 2 1/4 teaspoons for the sweet roll dough.
• A Trick For Leftovers. I love to warm leftover sticky buns up in the microwave at 50% power for 10-15 seconds. It will soften them right back up!

Make-Ahead Instructions:

1. Follow the instructions above for making the sweet roll dough & filling, all the way until the sticky buns are filled, shaped, and put into the baking pan.
2. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight 8-16 hours. (They will not rise well past 16 hours.)
3. In the morning, remove the baking dish from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature to finish rising 30-40 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. while dough rises.
4. Bake in preheated oven 35-40 minutes.

Gather Your Ingredients

Another reason to love this creamy French hot chocolate? It starts with a simple ingredients list! Let’s take a look:

How To Make French Hot Chocolate, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Chop Chocolate. To start, finely chop the chocolate into very small pieces. The smaller you chop the chocolate, the easier it will melt!
2. Combine Cream Mixture. In a small saucepan, combine heavy cream, whole milk, and powdered sugar. Heat over medium-high heat until it’s steaming, but not yet simmering or boiling.
3. Melt Chocolate. When the cream mixture is steaming, stir in the chopped chocolate and stir over medium heat or medium-low heat to melt. A whisk is a great option here!
4. Adjust The Texture, If Needed. If your chocolate isn’t melting perfectly smoothly, an immersion blender or even a milk frother can help. It usually only takes 1-2 pulses to immediately make the mixture smoother!
5. Finish With Vanilla. Stir in the vanilla extract.
6. Serve & Store. Enjoy small cups of hot chocolate topped with dollops of whipped cream and grated chocolate, as desired. Cool leftover French hot chocolate and store in a mason jar or an airtight container in the fridge 3-4 days. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat, or in the microwave in 15-20 second intervals until heated through.

FAQ + Tricks For The Best French Hot Chocolate

Use The Best Chocolate That Fits Your Budget! Most good quality chocolate bars are made without too many additives or extras that can prevent it from melting well. We’ve had good luck with Guittard, Ghirardelli, and Lindt brands! (Stay away from candy bars or cheap chocolate chips, for best results!)

Chocolate Not Melting Smoothly? Try This! Pulse the hot chocolate quickly with an immersion blender. It works like a charm to nail that signature velvety texture we’re going for!

Extras To Try. It’s not *strictly* necessary, but I do love to add a tiny pinch of salt along with the vanilla. It enhances the flavor beautifully! Or, you can add a splash of amaretto or almond extract, a tiny pinch of cinnamon, or a little pinch of espresso powder.

Serve Small Portions! This velvety French hot chocolate recipe is rich and thick, so you’ll want to serve small portions, rather than large mugs. I recommend small cappuccino cups or small tea cups for best results! (We use the small teacups from this tea set.)

More Recipes For Hot Chocolate Lovers

Classic Hot Chocolate (American-Style)

20+ Ideas For a Hot Chocolate Bar

Gluten-Free Hot Chocolate Cookies

Vegan Peppermint. Hot Chocolate

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French Hot Chocolate

This decadent French hot chocolate is what other hot chocolate recipes aspire to be. It's rich and creamy, with a deep chocolate flavor you'll LOVE!

Course Drink

Cuisine French

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword hot chocolate, hot drink, winter

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Ingredients

For The French Hot Chocolate

• 6 ounces Good-Quality Dark Chocolate or Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped (60-70% chocolate!)
• ½ cup Heavy Cream
• 1 ½ cups Whole Milk
• 2 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar (15 grams)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

For Serving

• Whipped Cream
• Chocolate Shavings or Chopped Chocolate (optional)

Instructions

• Chop Chocolate. To start, finely chop the chocolate into very small pieces. The smaller you chop the chocolate, the easier it will melt!
• Combine Cream Mixture. In a small saucepan, combine heavy cream, whole milk, and powdered sugar. Heat over medium-high heat until it's steaming, but not yet simmering or boiling.
• Melt Chocolate. When the cream mixture is steaming, stir in the chopped chocolate and stir over medium heat or medium-low heat to melt. A whisk is a great option here!
• Adjust The Texture, If Needed. If your chocolate isn't melting perfectly smoothly, an immersion blender or even a milk frother can help. It usually only takes 1-2 pulses to immediately make the mixture smoother!
• Finish With Vanilla. Stir in the vanilla extract.
• Serve & Store. Enjoy hot with dollops of whipped cream and grated chocolate, as desired. Cool leftover French hot chocolate and store in a jar or an airtight container in the fridge 3-4 days. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat, or in the microwave in 15-20 second intervals until heated through.

Video

Notes

• Serve Small Portions! This velvety French hot chocolate recipe is rich and thick, so you’ll want to serve small portions, rather than large mugs. I recommend small cappuccino cups or small tea cups for best results!
• Use The Best Chocolate That Fits Your Budget! Most good quality chocolate bars are made without too many additives or extras that can prevent it from melting well. We’ve had good luck with Guittard, Ghirardelli, and Lindt brands! (Stay away from candy bars or cheap chocolate chips, for best results!)
• Extras To Try. It’s not *strictly* necessary, but I do love to add a tiny pinch of salt along with the vanilla. It enhances the flavor beautifully! Or, you can add a splash of amaretto or almond extract, a tiny pinch of cinnamon, or a little pinch of espresso powder.

Gather Your Ingredients

How To Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Bars, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

First Make The Shortbread Crust

1. Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a metal 8×8 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Combine. In a large bowl, combine gluten-free flour, softened butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt. Mix with a hand mixer on medium speed until the mixture forms shaggy crumbs. It might look dry, but if the mixture sticks together when you pinch it, it’s just right!
3. Pat Out the crust mixture into the prepared pan and use the back of a flexible spatula, the bottom of a measuring cup or clean hands to pat the shortbread into an even layer. Make sure that the edges of the pan are “sealed,” meaning the crumb mixture extends all the way to the edges of the pan and possibly just slightly up the sides. This will prevent pie filling from getting under the crust. Gently prick the bottom of the crust 9-12 times to allow it to vent slightly.
4. Bake crust 15 minutes in preheated oven to set and turn lightly brown.
5. Cool Slightly. Set aside to cool 10-15 minutes, while you make the filling.

Then, Make Pumpkin Pie Filling

1. Combine. In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin puree, brown sugar, eggs, cornstarch, vanilla, spices, and salt. Whisk until this mixture is smooth with NO lumps. You don’t want any small pieces of egg white, brown sugar, or cornstarch. It should be as uniform as possible.
2. Gently Whisk In Evaporated Milk. This will lighten the color significantly. Again, you want the mixture smooth and uniform, but use a gentle whisking motion to avoid adding air bubbles to the pie filling.
3. Pour pie filling over the slightly cooled crust (it’s ok if it’s a little warm, you just don’t want it piping hot from the oven!). Smooth into an even layer as needed. Place the 8×8 pan on a sheet pan.
4. Bake 45-55 minutes, or until slightly wobbly in the center but set around the sides. The residual heat will continue to set the pie filling as it cools, so a slight wobble in the center (but no liquid sloshing!) is what you’re going for.
5. Cool the pie bars 30-60 minutes at room temperature, then chill at least 4 hours to cool completely.
6. Serve & Store. Top individual slices with whipped cream & enjoy! Store leftover pumpkin pie bars in an airtight container (or covered in the pan) in the fridge 3-4 days. Or freeze up to 2 months!

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Pumpkin Pie Bars

Plan Ahead! These pumpkin pie bars couldn’t be easier, but you DO need to make sure you plan ahead, since they’ll need to chill for at least 4 hours for best results. If you’re making them for Thanksgiving, you’ll want to make them the night before or in the morning so they’re chilled and ready to go for Thanksgiving dinner later!

Make Ahead Tips. Pumpkin pie and pumpkin pie bars are GREAT for making in advance, since they keep so well. You have 2 choices here: make the pumpkin pie bars 1 day ahead and keep them in the fridge, or freeze them up to 2 months. If freezing, you’ll want to thaw them in the fridge overnight. (They may get some slight condensation on top after thawing.) Top with whipped cream right before serving!

Prefer a Graham Cracker Crust? No problem! You can swap in this gluten-free graham cracker crust recipe. I recommend adding a little cinnamon and ground ginger for an almost gingersnap flavor!

Your Pan Material Matters! I recommend a metal 8×8 pan for these bars, since they’ll bake more evenly and gently. Glass and ceramic pans conduct heat slower, and sometimes your crust will try to “climb” the sides a bit, which can give the bars an uneven appearance.

More Gluten-Free Pie Bars To Try

Gluten-Free Cranberry Crumble Bars

Gluten-Free Salted Caramel Pecan Pie Bars

Gluten-Free Key Lime Pie Bars

Gluten-Free Raspberry Crumble Bars

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Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Bars

These easy pumpkin pie bars channel all the warm flavor you love in classic pie, but they're much easier to make and GREAT for sharing!

Course Dessert, pie

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword gluten-free pie bars, gluten-free thanksgiving dessert, pumpkin, shortbread

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Chill Time 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 6 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 12 -16 Servings

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Ingredients

For The Brown Sugar Shortbread Crust

• 1 ½ cups Gluten-free measure-for-measure flour* (180 grams)
• ½ cup Butter, softened & cubed (113 grams/8 Tablespoons)
• ¼ cup Light brown sugar (50 grams)
• 2 Tablespoons Granulated sugar (25 grams)
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt

For The Pumpkin Pie Filling

• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• ¾ cup Light brown sugar (150 grams)
• 2 Large eggs room temperature
• 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon Ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon Cloves
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt

For Serving

• Whipped Cream or Vanilla Ice Cream
• Caramel Sauce
• Toasted Pecans or Cinnamon Pecans

Instructions

First Make The Shortbread Crust

• Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a metal 8×8 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• Combine. In a large bowl, combine gluten-free flour, softened butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt. Mix with a hand mixer on medium speed until the mixture forms shaggy crumbs. It might look dry, but if the mixture sticks together when you pinch it, it's just right!
• Pat Out the crumb mixture into the prepared pan and use the back of a flexible spatula, the bottom of a measuring cup or clean hands to pat the shortbread into an even layer. Make sure that the edges of the pan are "sealed," meaning the crumb mixture extends all the way to the edges of the pan and possibly just slightly up the sides. This will prevent pie filling from getting under the crust. Gently prick the bottom of the crust 9-12 times to allow it to vent slightlt.
• Bake crust 15 minutes in preheated oven to set and turn lightly brown.
• Cool Slightly. Set aside to cool 10-15 minutes, while you make the filling.

Then, Make Pumpkin Pie Filling

• Combine. In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin puree, brown sugar, eggs, cornstarch, vanilla, spices, and salt. Whisk until this mixture is smooth with NO lumps. You don't want any small pieces of egg white, brown sugar, or cornstarch. It should be as uniform as possible.
• Gently Whisk In Evaporated Milk. This will lighten the color significantly. Again, you want the mixture smooth and uniform, but use a gentle whisking motion to avoid adding air bubbles to the pie filling.
• Pour pie filling over the slightly cooled crust (it's ok if it's a little warm, you just don't want it piping hot from the oven!). Smooth into an even layer as needed. Place the 8×8 pan on a sheet pan.
• Bake 45-55 minutes, or until slightly wobbly in the center but set around the sides. The residual heat will continue to set the pie filling as it cools, so a slight wobble in the center (but no liquid sloshing!) is what you're going for.
• Cool the pie bars 30-60 minutes at room temperature, then chill at least 4 hours to cool completely. (This is important, as it also helps the filling set up!)
• Serve & Store. When the bars are fully chilled, lift the bars out of the pan with the parchment paper and cut into slices. You can do 9 very large squares, 12 rectangles, or 16 small squares (a great option on Thanksgiving!) Serve individual slices with whipped cream or ice cream and extra garnishes, like pecans or caramel sauce, as desired. Store leftover pumpkin pie bars in an airtight container (or covered in the pan) in the fridge 3-4 days. Or freeze up to 2 months! 

Video

Notes

• Plan Ahead! These pumpkin pie bars couldn’t be easier, but you DO need to make sure you plan ahead, since they’ll need to chill for at least 4 hours for best results. If you’re making them for Thanksgiving, you’ll want to make them the night before or in the morning so they’re chilled and ready to go for Thanksgiving dinner later!
• Make Ahead Tips. Pumpkin pie and pumpkin pie bars are GREAT for making in advance, since they keep so well. You have 2 choices here: make the pumpkin pie bars 1 day ahead and keep them in the fridge, or freeze them up to 2 months. If freezing, you’ll want to thaw them in the fridge overnight. (They may get some slight condensation on top after thawing.) Top with whipped cream right before serving! 
• Your Pan Material Matters! I recommend a metal 8×8 pan for these bars, since they’ll bake more evenly and gently. Glass and ceramic pans conduct heat slower, and sometimes your crust will try to “climb” the sides a bit, which can give the bars an uneven appearance.

Gather Your Ingredients

One of the best things about these gluten-free sprinkle sugar cookies? They start with SIMPLE ingredients! Let’s take a look:

• Softened Butter. The base of these cookies is a basic sugar cookie dough. For this, we’ll start with butter which lends beautiful soft texture and flavor, along with some…
• Sugar. The granulated sugar and butter will get creamed to be light and fluffy. It makes a perfect blank canvas for color (sprinkles) and flavor (coming right up!).
• Eggs. To bind the ingredients together and give you those nice slightly chewy edges with soft middles.
• Vanilla. Enter: flavor! Use the best-tasting vanilla extract you can, as most birthday cake cookies, funfetti cookies, and sprinkle cookies get their flavor from plenty of vanilla.
• Almond Extract. Technically optional if you’re not a fan, but pretty classic in a good sugar cookie or birthday-cake flavored recipe. I love what it adds!
• Baking Powder. Gotta get that puff!
• Salt. To balance the flavor. Don’t skip it!
• Gluten-Free Measure-For-Measure Flour. We highly recommend King Arthur Measure For Measure Gluten-Free Flour, but if you use another gluten-free flour blend, be sure it contains xanthan gum, or this sprinkle sugar cookies recipe won’t turn out properly. Do not substitute almond flour, coconut flour, or oat flour here.
• Sprinkles. You can’t make sprinkle sugar cookies without sprinkles! You’ll want to use jimmies (the oblong/rectangle/cylinder shaped sprinkles) or quins (flat round circles or shaped sprinkles). These sprinkles won’t bleed their color into the dough and hold up well when baked. They’re the classic shapes for funfetti cake and work well in gluten-free funfetti cookies, too!

How To Make Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies With Sprinkles, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Cream Butter & Sugar. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar. Beat together with a paddle attachment or hand mixer 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth and cohesive.
2. Mix In Wet Ingredients. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate each egg before adding the next. Then, Add vanilla and almond extract and beat to blend in.
3. Add Dry Ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add baking powder, salt, and flour. Mix until the flour is mostly mixed in.

4. Mix In Sprinkles. Add sprinkles and stir or beat on low to incorporate the sprinkles into the dough. (The dough will be thick and sticky at this point. You may prefer to finish with a spatula.)
5. Chill Dough. Cover the dough and refrigerate to chill dough 30 minutes, while you preheat the oven.
6. Preheat & Prep. While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Scoop & Roll Dough. When the oven is preheated, remove chilled dough from the refrigerator. Scoop or roll dough into 1.5” balls (i use a medium cookie scoop). If desired, roll the tops of the cookie dough balls in more sprinkles before placing on a baking sheet.
8. Bake Cookies at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until set around the edges and just underdone in the center. Cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
9. Serve & Store. Enjoy once the cookies are cooled completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature 2-3 days or freeze up to 2 months. 

Mix It Up! Make Your Sprinkle Sugar Cookies Work For Holidays & Celebrations all year long

• For Birthdays. I love using multi-color jimmies (pictured in these photos) that remind people of birthday cakes. Or, you can pick sprinkles in the birthday person’s favorite colors.
• For Valentine’s Day. Try heart-shaped quins sprinkles or red, pink, and white jimmies.
• For St. Patrick’s Day. Go for green! Pick shamrock quins or green and white jimmies.
• For Mardi Gras. You can totally make sprinkle cookies for mardi gras! Use yellow, purple, and green sprinkles to mimic king cake.
• For Easter. Think pastels. Use natural-colored jimmies in softer colors, or pick up some pastel jimmies.
• For 4th Of July. Red, white, and blue! Use jimmies or find some star-shaped quins for an extra festive look. You can even mix + match the jimmies + stars!
• For Halloween. Get spooky with oranges, blacks, greens, whites, and purples. Or pick up some jack-o-lantern, ghost, or bat quins.
• For Hanukkah. Celebrate with blue and white!
• For Christmas. Use classic red & green or red & white for a festive look!

Gluten-Free? Make sure to use gluten-free sprinkles! We Like Chef’s Select, Judee’s, and Sweetapolita brands.