Lightened up Holiday Cut Out Sugar Cookies made with half the sugar, a blend of healthy flours and are gluten and dairy free adaptable! Bonus – this is a one bowl, no mixer and no chill recipe!
One of my favorite childhood memories is hosting my friends to decorate sugar cookies. I love to continuing the tradition with my kids. This year we are not hosting friends but we are making them all month long!
While I am totally ok with a lot of sugar for special occasions I don’t love us having it all the time. So I developed a lightened up version that is healthier for us to enjoy on a more frequent basis. To lightened up these cookies I cut the sugar in half the sugar and used a little less butter (we are not dairy free but personally prefer earth balance dairy free butter). I have also tested them with their avocado spread and avocado oil.
Additionally, instead of just all purpose flour I made them with a blend of all purpose and oat flour. If you are gluten free there is an adaptation to make them with all oat flour. This does have a slightly different taste which is not my kids favorite. I actually like it better (more of a whole wheat graham cracker taste). If you have a gluten free child you could also use a blend of a gluten free 1-1 mix and oat flour. Even with all of these changes I promise you won’t even notice – especially if you put icing and sprinkles on.
If you don’t want the mess of icing and sprinkles or want even less sugar – make my easy reindeer cookies! The addition of the oat flour gives them a slightly darker color which is perfect for these cookies!
AND if you want all the sugar and butter I have an easy one bowl no chill sugar cookie recipe.
So what are you waiting for – make some holiday cookies this weekend!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup melted dairy free unsalted butter or coconut oil or avocado oil or regular butter * if using all oat flour reduce the butter to 2/3 cup
- 1/2 cup organic granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp pure vanilla
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 3/4 - 3 cups blend of oat flour 1 1/2 cups and all-purpose flour (1 1/2 cups) It is usually almost 3 cups but I like to add the 3rd cup in slowly as you do not want crumbly dough. I keep about 2 tbsp aside for rolling. ** For a gluten free version you can use 3 cups of gluten free oat flour or 1 1/2 cups all purpose gluten free 1-1 blend + 1 1/2 cups gluten free oat flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- In a large bowl melt the butter or coconut oil and let cool for 1 minute
- Add in the sugar and whisk together
- Whisk in the egg, vanilla, baking powder and salt
- Fold in the flour with a spatula 1 cup at a time (I add in the last cup 1/2 of a cup at a time)
- Don't chill the dough
- Divide the dough into two balls (or more if using for a party) and roll out to about 1/4" thick on a piece of parchment paper (dust lightly with flour to prevent sticking)
- Cut out desired cookie shapes and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet (leave room for spreading)
- Gather the scraps into a ball and re-roll and cut out until all the dough is done
- Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes
- Let cool before decorating & have fun being creative - see notes in recipe for an easy 2 ingredient icing or my original no chill sugar cookie for a buttercream icing.
