These red hot cookies are both so delicious! Everyone will love how buttery and soft they are and nobody will EVER know they are gluten-free.
Our gluten-free red hot sugar cookie recipe is delicious and great any time of year, especially Valentine’s Day or Christmas. We love to make them in our house and I know you will love to as well!
You are going to love this delicious gluten-free red hot sugar cookie recipe. It is a sweet sugar cookie with red hots on top, giving the cookies their name.
The amazing red colors of the candy really make the cookies pop. Making these cookies is a great way to celebrate the season of love and the winter holidays.
Sugar cookies always make me think of the holiday season and I love their delicious aroma. It just smells like Christmas to me!
Subscribe to This Vivacious Life
Receive a free e-book of Instant Pot recipes!
For all of the best gluten-free Christmas recipes, you have to check our round-up post. Every delicious Christmas recipe you should try is there in one place for you. Here are some more gluten free desserts as well.
We served them at our Jingle and Mingle holiday party and I was so honored when everyone said that they were the BEST sugar cookies they have ever had. Nobody could believe they were gluten-free!
If you want to throw your own holiday party, you should check out our Christmas Party Ideas post. It has everything you need to throw a super fun party.
A tasty holiday mocktail would go great with these scrumptious cookies. We have a whole list of Christmas mocktails that are fantastic for the holiday season.
One of my favorites is our gingerbread martini mocktail which also goes great with any of these easy Christmas cookie recipes with few ingredients.
What you need to make them
You will find this recipe simple and tasty. I love the spicy cinnamon flavor the Red Hot candies give these cookies.
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour
Sometimes I like to use a gluten-free flour mixture, but for this recipe, gluten-free all-purpose flour works perfectly. We really like King Arthur’s gluten-free blend.
Regular flour works as well for this recipe. We use gluten-free because I have celiac disease. To learn more about gluten-free baking, check out our gluten-free flour and starches post.
Red Hot Candy
Red Hots are the most important ingredient of this recipe. Without Red Hots, you won’t have Red Hot cookies! My kids have a lot of fun crushing up the Red Hots for these cookies.
How to make them
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy then add egg, vanilla and almond extracts
- In another large bowl, combine remaining ingredients then slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until well combined
- Refrigerate cookie dough for 1 hour
- Heavily flour your work surface with white rice flour (you don’t need too much flour, but you will want enough to be able to work the dough)
- Place half the dough on to surface and top with more white rice flour then roll out dough with a rolling pin and cut out shapes with cookie cutters
- Gently place cookies on a greased (I like using nonstick cooking spray) or silicone mat lined baking sheet (I use a spatula)
- Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes or until slightly golden brown
- Cool on cookie sheet 3-5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack
- Continue with the remaining dough
- While all the cookies are cooling, whip together butter, powdered sugar and red hot candies to make a delicious red hot frosting
- Top tip: Make sure to scrape sides of the bowl to get all of the frosting. Trust me, you’ll want every last taste
- Frost the cookies once they are completely cooled. Put them on a large plate to display and enjoy!
Allow the cookies to reach room temperature before storing the leftover cookies. Place them in an airtight container with parchment paper between each layer of cookies so they don’t stick together. They can sit on the counter for 3-4 days.
Absolutely! Allow the cookies to cool to room temperature first. Then, put them in a freezer-safe bag. You can freeze them with the frosting on, but I usually like to have fresh frosting. It doesn’t take long at all to make the frosting for this recipe. They will last 3-6 months in the freezer.
Need an EASY and delicious breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert?
Take a look at my Sheet Pan Meals and More!
NEED MORE GOODNESS? Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter for great recipes, entertaining ideas and more!
Red Hot Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 egg
- 4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (King Arthur gluten-free blend is my favorite, regular flour works as well)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Red Hot Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoon(s) milk as needed to get the consistency you want
- 1/4 cup completely crushed red hot candies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy then add egg, vanilla and almond extracts
- In another bowl, combine remaining ingredients then slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until well combined
- Refrigerate dough for 1 hour
- Heavily flour your work surface with white rice flour and place half the dough on to surface and top with more white rice flour
- Roll out dough and cut out shapes with cookie cutters
- Gently place cookies on a greased or silicone mat lined baking sheet (I use a spatula)
- Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes or until slightly golden brown
- Cool on pan 3-5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack
- Continue with the other half of the dough
- While all the cookies are cooling, whip together butter, powdered sugar and red hot candies to make a delicious red hot frosting
- Frost the cookies once they are completely cooled
Notes
How to store leftovers
Allow the cookies to reach room temperature before storing the leftover cookies. Place them in an airtight container with parchment paper between each layer of cookies so they don’t stick together. They can sit on the counter for 3-4 days.Can you freeze them?
Absolutely! Allow the cookies to cool to room temperature first. Then, put them in a freezer-safe bag. You can freeze them with the frosting on, but I usually like to have fresh frosting. It doesn’t take long at all to make the frosting for this recipe. They will last 3-6 months in the freezer.Nutrition
This post was originally posted on December 7, 2018 but has been updated with new tips and information on November 17, 2022. Here is the original photo…
Anna says
How freaking cute are these cookies! I’m obsessed. I never decorate cookies because I’m terrible at it, but I wanted to try these and they turned out really well! They are super simple, but are super cute! A win win!
Kayla Klontz says
I love the design, great creativity.
Kelly D says
I like that you used vanilla and almond extract. They sound really good.
carol clark says
the gold decor i like the most
Erin Lane says
I like how the guests all dressed comfortably, but also look great. How did you all coordinate that?
Ashley B says
Those cookies look fabulous!
April says
I like that the recipe uses real butter and powdered sugar. It reminds me of a shortbread recipe that I used to make using regular flour. I can’t wait to try this as a gluten-free option!
Heather Dawn says
I like that your recipe has redhot candies! Yum!
Kayley says
I love that the party was an opportunity for a bunch of friends to get together and have fun.
Elle says
I like the decorations on the table..pretty.
Shauna says
I like the pink cocoa you served. It looked pretty and festive.
jberry says
Strawberry Nesquik? Genius. My neighbors’ grandkids will be putty in my hands.
Carolyn says
I love having lip cookies for a makeup party!
Toby says
Everything just looks so special. Like an effort was made to make the guests feel appreciated. And I really want a strawberry steamer.
Georgette Coan says
I like the whole thing. The red hot sugar cookies sound dynamite!
Theresa says
I loved the whole theme of the party, the decorations and the gift bags and lip cookies! Such a fun idea!
Stefanie says
The red hot sugar cookies sound and look amazing and I love everything about this party!