Keto Sugar Cookies Recipe (Sugar Free, Gluten Free) (2024)

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Don’t let the name fool you, these keto sugar cookies are actually sugar free! Take part in the holiday cookie decorating tradition the low-carb and gluten-free way!

Keto Sugar Cookies Recipe (Sugar Free, Gluten Free) (1)
Article Index
  • The best keto Christmas cookies
  • How to make the best keto sugar cookies
  • Tips for making low-carb sugar cookies
  • Why does this recipe use lard?
  • Variations of this recipe
  • Other keto cookie recipes
  • Recipe

Cut-out cookies are a long-standing holiday tradition in my husband’s family. The recipe has been passed down for generations and was given to us by his paternal grandmother. They’re a special holiday treat in our family but I needed my own keto sugar cookies to indulge in.

I stopped indulging in these family treats when I switched to low carb. Instead, I converted a few other cookie recipes, like my gluten free peanut butter blossoms and soft gluten free ginger cookies, to satisfy that holiday cookie craving.

Even though I wasn’t eating them, I still liked to participate in the cookie making and decorating tradition. But now, it turns out I’m not the only family member staying away from sugar and gluten anymore.

That’s why I finally created a low carb sugar cookie recipe.

Keto Sugar Cookies Recipe (Sugar Free, Gluten Free) (2)

The best keto Christmas cookies

As I said, my husband’s family has passed down their holiday cookie recipe for generations. They have perfected it!

That’s why I wanted to replicate these Christmas cookies in a way that is keto friendly but still stayed true to the original recipe.

To be honest, it wasn’t too difficult to modify the recipe. After replacing the sugar and flour, the rest of the ingredients were all naturally low carb.

Even the glaze was pretty simple to convert. Now, I can enjoy both the plain and decorated cookies without any guilt.

Keto Sugar Cookies Recipe (Sugar Free, Gluten Free) (3)

How to make the best keto sugar cookies

You can either beat all of the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl or pulse them together in a food processor until the dough forms.

If the dough is sticky, it’s best to sprinkle the outside with a little coconut flour while rolling. Either roll the dough out between two pieces of parchment paper and cut into shapes, or roll the dough into a log and freeze for 20-30 minutes before slicing into discs.

The dough shapes or slices should be ¼th to ⅛th of an inch thick depending on your preference. Thinner cookies will bake faster and be a little more crisp.

Bake the keto sugar cookies on a parchment-lined baking pan at 350°F for 8-10 minutes or until edges become lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for about 5-10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack until completely cooled.

If you want to make a glaze to decorate the cookies, simply pour powdered sweetener in a small bowl and add enough water to make a thin glaze. Add food coloring if desired, then brush the glaze on cookies in a thin layer and allow them to dry.

Tips for making low-carb sugar cookies

It takes a little patience, but you want to make sure that the cookies have time to fully cool.

If you try to decorate or handle the cookies before they’ve cooled, they are more likely to crumble and fall apart. So be sure to give them a little time.

In terms of storage, these low-carb cookies will keep at room temperature for a few days. If you want them to last a little longer, you can also store them in the fridge or the freezer.

Keto Sugar Cookies Recipe (Sugar Free, Gluten Free) (4)

Why does this recipe use lard?

Because this recipe was created generations ago, it calls for lard instead of butter. Lard was much more popular for cooking than butter until recent decades.

I find that lard makes for lighter and crisper keto sugar cookies.

You can buy pasture raised heritage pork lard online. Or, if you’re willing to pay a little more, the absolute best is leaf lard. If you have the time, you can also make your own lard. It’s not hard, you just want to be sure to use high quality, pasture-raised pork fat.

Avoid the cheaper lard you find at the store because it is partially hydrogenated to extend the shelf life. Trans fats like these have been shown to raise LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower HDL (good) cholesterol.

I did try a variation of this low carb sugar cookie recipe where I replaced the lard with ghee, which is pure butter fat without the unwanted dairy proteins. Ghee will give your cookies a nice, buttery flavor, but I personally prefer the texture of the cookies when they are baked with lard.

Keto Sugar Cookies Recipe (Sugar Free, Gluten Free) (5)

Variations of this recipe

There are a couple of different ways that you can prepare these cookies.

The traditional way is to roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper until it’s between ⅛th and ¼th of an inch thick. This is the way you’ll want to do it if you’re going to be using cookie cutters to create fun shapes.

If you’re not planning to cut out shapes and just want standard, round keto sugar cookies, then I recommend rolling the dough into a log shape and placing it in the freezer for 20-30 minutes. Then, you can slice the log into flat discs, still between ⅛th and ¼th inches thick, just like “slice and bake” cookies.

For an egg-free cookie, replace the egg with 1 tablespoon gelatin dissolved in 3 tablespoons water by whisking over low heat until frothy. Or if only avoiding egg whites, keep the egg yolk and use only 2 teaspoons gelatin and 2 tablespoons water.

Keto Sugar Cookies Recipe (Sugar Free, Gluten Free) (6)

Other keto cookie recipes

Looking for some other keto cookie recipes to make around the holidays? Try these twists on traditional favorites:

  • Low Carb Peanut Butter Cookies With Coconut Flour are indulgent, simple to make, and feature the nostalgic criss-cross pattern.
  • Keto Low Carb Snickerdoodles Cookies are soft on the inside, crisp on the outside, and sure to please a crowd.
  • Cream Cheese Cookies were my go-to holiday cookie recipe before I converted my husband’s family’s sugar cookie recipe and are still a family favorite.
  • Italian Almond Macaroons are simple to make and great for sharing with family and friends.
  • Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies are perfect when you’re in the mood for a classic chocolate chip cookie.

Follow us on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM for even more tasty keto-friendly recipes!

Recipe

Keto Sugar Cookies Recipe (Sugar Free, Gluten Free) (7)

Low Carb Keto Sugar Cookies

4.94 from 15 votes

Simplesugar free cut out cookiesare perfect for any holiday or special occasion. These low-carb and gluten-free treats are sure to be loved by all.

Prep Time:15 minutes mins

Cook Time:10 minutes mins

Total Time:25 minutes mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Print Pin Review Recipe Save Recipe

Servings: 27 cookies

Calories: 67

Video

Ingredients

Optional Glaze:

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Beat all ingredients together or pulse together in a food processor until dough forms. If dough is a little sticky, it's best to sprinkle in some coconut flour on the outer surfaces when rolling.

  • Roll dough out between two pieces of parchment paper to desired thickness (between ⅛ and ¼ inch). Thinner cookies bake quicker and tend to be more crisp. Sprinkle a little extra coconut flour (or almond flour/sunflower seed flour) on to dough as needed. Dough can also be rolled into a log and frozen for 20-30 minutes and then sliced into circles for easy "slice and bake" cookies.

  • Cut into shapes and place on parchment lined baking pan.

  • Bake in oven at 350°F for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

  • Remove from oven, let cool on rack for about 5-10 minutes then transfer cookies to a cooling rack until completely cooled.

Glaze (Optional):

  • Pour the powdered sweetener in a small bowl. Add enough water to make a thin glaze. Divide and add coloring as desired (I go for natural food coloring). Brush glaze onto cookies in thin layer and allow to dry.

Notes

Almond flour can be replaced one-for-one with sunflower seed flour. You can also replace the coconut flour with almond or sunflower seed flour.

Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 67 | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 30mg | Potassium: 3mg | Fiber: 1g | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Additional Info

Net Carbs: 1g | % Carbs: 6.5% | % Protein: 6.5% | % Fat: 87.1% | SmartPoints: 2

Notes on Nutritional Information

Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.

Copyright

© LowCarbYum.com - Unauthorized use of this material without written permission is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes. Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.

Last Updated: 30 Oct 2019

Keto Sugar Cookies Recipe (Sugar Free, Gluten Free) (2024)

FAQs

Are sugar free cookies really sugar free? ›

"Sugar free, according to the FDA, means that one serving of food has less than a half a gram of added or naturally occurring sugar. Naturally occurring sugar could be something that's normally in the food. For instance, it could be fructose in fruit or lactose in milk," says Maples.

How do you get gluten free cookies to stick together? ›

Remember: Xanthan Gum is Your Friend

It might sound scary, but xanthan gum is key for successful gluten-free baking. It helps bind together the ingredients, preventing your cookies from falling to pieces.

Why are my gluten free cookies falling apart? ›

Gluten-free flour is not a perfect substitute for wheat flour. Each mixture out there is designed to mostly work in certain kinds of recipe, but not in all of them. And yes, it is perfectly normal for a gluten-free cookie to be crumbly, since it is the gluten itself that holds wheat cookes together.

How do you thicken gluten free cookies? ›

Chilling the dough for at least several hours results in cookies that are extra-thick and chonky because it allows the flours to absorb more moisture.

Is it OK for a diabetic to eat sugar-free cookies? ›

Sugar-free cookies are a popular dessert option for people with diabetes because of their lower carbohydrate and sugar content. By swapping natural sugars for sugar alternatives, these desserts are less likely to spike blood sugar levels after eating.

Do sugar-free cookies spike blood sugar? ›

Sugar substitutes don't affect your blood sugar level. In fact, most artificial sweeteners are considered "free foods." Free foods contain less than 20 calories and 5 grams or less of carbohydrates, and they don't count as calories or carbohydrates on a diabetes exchange.

What happens when you use gluten free flour in cookies? ›

Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.

What holds gluten-free cookies together? ›

Best Gluten-Free Flour for Sugar Cookies

When you see the term “1-to-1” or “measure-for-measure” it usually indicates that the flour contains a binder such as xanthan gum to keep your baked goods from falling apart. That said, be sure to read the label and locate “xanthan gum” before purchasing.

Can I use gluten free flour instead of all purpose for cookies? ›

Flours like quinoa, rice, almond, coconut, or sorghum can also be the base for delicious baked goods but generally cannot be substituted one-for-one in recipes written for all-purpose flour. Instead, look for recipes that have been tested and call for these or other gluten-free flours outright.

How do you keep gluten free sugar cookies from spreading? ›

Learn to keep the dough cold by working with one piece at a time, leaving the rest in the fridge. Put your cookie dough, already rolled dough or even an entire cookie sheet with cut cookies on it in the fridge when it's too soft. This helps cut cookies hold their shape and overall decreases spreading during baking.

Should I refrigerate gluten free cookie dough before baking? ›

5. And refrigerate the dough if it's too sticky. Gluten-free cookie dough is stickier than standard cookie dough, but chilling it can help. This is because cold dough is less sticky, and it doesn't spread as easily, too.

Why do gluten-free cookies taste weird? ›

Flavor Differences

All gluten-free flours have a different taste. Some gluten-free flours are naturally sweet, some are nutty, while others have a strong flavor. When you're just getting started baking gluten-free, experiment with as many different flours as you can.

What is the best gluten free flour to use for thickening? ›

Tapioca flour: ideal as thickener or for healthy baking

It also thickens very quickly without changing the flavour of the dish. When baking with tapioca flour, you can substitute it at a 2:1 ratio for corn starch or combine it with other gluten free flours to make your own all-purpose blend.

What makes gluten-free cookies rise? ›

2 teaspoons of baking powder per cup of gluten-free flour is necessary to ensure proper leavening. Baking soda and buttermilk can be used to leaven instead of baking powder, but 1-1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar should be added for each 1/2 teaspoon baking soda used.

Should I add xanthan gum to gluten-free cookies? ›

Using xanthan gum helps provide some of the stickiness that gluten free goods lack, replacing some elasticity. Xanthan gum mimics some of gluten's most essential properties by sticking to flour and its moisture. This helps create moist goods that hold their shape after being baked.

Does sugar-free really mean sugar-free? ›

Sugar substitutes taste sweet but don't contain sugar. They have fewer calories than sugar, and some have no calories at all. Foods labeled “sugar-free,” “keto,” “low carb” or “diet” often contain sugar substitutes, which fall into three categories: artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols and novel sweeteners.

Are sugar-free sweets really sugar-free? ›

Sugar-free candies use artificial sweeteners or sugar substitutes to create a sweet taste while foregoing real sugar. Most of these sweeteners have fewer calories and carbohydrates than sugar, but not all of them are calorie-free or carb-free. Some sugar substitutes you'll see on labels include: Saccharin.

Is zero sugar actually sugar-free? ›

Zero- or low-calorie sugar alternatives are often hundreds to thousands of times sweeter than ordinary sugar, but they don't raise your blood sugar levels. Common sugar substitutes, including sucralose, aspartame, and acesulfame K, are often called artificial sweeteners since they're made from synthetic ingredients.

Are all sugar-free sweets OK for diabetics? ›

Bottom line. Yes, children and adults with diabetes can and do eat candy. The key is moderation and making sure to track the number of carbohydrates and calories eaten. Sugar-free candies can be better for blood sugar levels, but they still contain carbs and calories.

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