These Cassava Flour Sugar Cookies are the best grain free cut-out cookies! They have a no chill dough that is easy to make and roll out and bakes within minutes. This Paleo Christmas cookie recipe is made from cassava flour, nut free, dairy free and refined sugar free.
I've always had a soft spot for cut-out cookies.
Growing up, my family made them every year around Christmastime. I fondly remember spending hours upon hours with my sister, intricately decorating the cookies with colored frosting and sprinkles.
These cassava flour sugar cookies are a little different than what I made during my childhood, being that they're completely gluten free and dairy free. But this cassava shortbread cookie recipe is just as delicious!
Recipe Highlights
These grain free sugar cookies are:
- Nut free, dairy free, refined sugar free
- Lower in sugar than your "typical" cookie
- Only made with cassava flour
- No chill - the dough doesn't require any refrigeration
- Made with 7 simple ingredients
- Easy to roll out and cut into shapes
I know I'm biased and all, but this really is the ultimate grain free sugar cookie recipe. It's SO easy to make and bake and even easier to eat 😉
Before we dive into the recipe for these cassava flour sugar cookies, let's talk about cassava flour...
What is Cassava Flour?
Cassava flour comes from from the cassava (or yuca) root. It is peeled, dried and ground to make cassava flour. This flour is grain free, gluten free and Paleo friendly. Furthermore, Cassava Flour works well as a 1:1 substitution (by weight) for wheat flour and many gluten free baking mixes.
Is Cassava Flour the Same as Tapioca Flour?
It’s important not to confuse cassava flour with tapioca starch. Yes, they both come from the cassava root, but they are very different. Tapioca is the extracted starch of the cassava root. Whereas, cassava flour comes from the whole cassava root. They serve very different purposes in baking and cooking and are not interchangeable.
What Can You Make with Cassava Flour
Cassava flour can be used to make any and all kinds of recipes. I love using it in baked goods such as muffins, breads, pancakes, donuts and scones. It can also be used for breading chicken or thickening soups and sauces. Cassava flour often works as a substitution (by weight) for wheat flour.
Ingredients in Cassava Flour Sugar Cookies
Only a few simple Paleo ingredients are needed to make these grain free cut-out cookies:
- cassava flour
- baking soda
- salt
- non-hydrogenated shortening
- maple syrup
- egg
- vanilla
No substitutions have been tested. However, grass fed butter should work in place of the shortening. I like using shortening because it bakes similarly to butter but is Paleo and Vegan friendly (inexpensive too).
If you are looking for an egg free sugar cookie recipe, check out my Tigernut Flour Sugar Cookies.
How to Make Sugar Cookies Using Cassava Flour
These cookies are made in one bowl and don't require any refrigeration.
First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the Cookie Dough
Combine the cassava flour, baking soda and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Then, add in the shortening, using your hands to work the dough. At this point, the mixture should be clumpy and fairly dry (see photos below).
Next, add the remaining ingredients. Mix first with a fork, then use your hands to knead the dough.
Roll the Dough and Cut Out the Cookies
Shape the dough into a ball and flatten it on top of a sheet of parchment paper. Roll the cookie dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper until it is about ⅛-1/4 inch thick.
Remove the top layer of parchment paper and cut the dough into shapes. Place the cookies on a baking sheet.
Bake the Cookies
Lastly, bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cooking time will vary slightly depending on the size, shape and thickness of the cookies.
Cool the Cookies
After baking, remove the cookies from the baking sheet and cool on a wire cooling rack. Once cooled to room temperature, the cookies can be frosted.
How to Make Paleo Sugar Cookie Icing
I combined a few simple ingredients to make my own Paleo icing. However, you can choose to frost these with anything you wish. My favorite "healthy" frosting to buy is Simple Mills Vanilla. I use it when I don't want to make my own. Just note, because it contains powdered sugar it is not 100% Paleo.
Paleo Vanilla Icing
Ingredients
- ¼ cup powdered monk fruit
- 1 tsp tapioca flour
- 2 tsp almond milk (or coconut milk)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Simply, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix until the icing is smooth. Place the icing in a small plastic bag and cut a hole in the corner. Then, pipe the frosting onto the cookies.
Paleo Cookie Decorations
For this recipe, I added Supernatural's "Into the Woods" sprinkles on top of the icing.
Some other great decorating options include:
- bee pollen
- shredded coconut
- sprinkles
- cacao nibs
- chopped nuts
- crushed, freeze dried fruit
- cinnamon or pumpkin spice
- Natural food coloring in the form of beet powder and spirulina
More Cassava Flour Recipes
Print
Cassava Flour Sugar Cookies
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 23 minutes
Description
Paleo sugar cookies made from cassava flour. Dairy free, nut free, grain free and no refrigeration needed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed cassava flour (160g)*
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup non-hydrogenated shortening
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cassava flour, baking soda and salt.
- Add in shortening. Use your hands to work the shortening into the flour mixture until the dough starts to clump.
- Mix in egg, maple syrup and vanilla. First, mix with a spatula or fork, then use your hands to knead the dough.
- Roll dough into a ball, flatten and roll between two sheets of parchment paper using a rolling pin (until dough is about ⅛-1/4 inch thick).
- Use cookie cutters to cut shapes in the dough. Transfer the shapes from the parchment paper to a baking sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes**
- Remove from oven, cool to room temperature on a cooling rack and frost.
Notes
*For best results, measure the cassava flour by weight. The dough should not be sticky, but should easily roll between sheets of parchment. If you don't pack the 1 cup, you will be off by quite a bit of cassava flour. Measuring in grams will ensure success.
**Cooking time will vary slightly depending on cookie size and thickness.
Keywords: cookies, Paleo, dairy free, holiday, nut free, Christmas, sugar cookies, cut out cookies
simplywendi says
wow!!! They look beautiful 🙂
Katie says
Thank you! 🙂
simplywendi says
🙂
April says
Would butter be a good replacement for palm shortening? Not something I am able to use.
Katie says
Yes! Butter should work well 🙂
Sarah says
I made them with a flax egg and it worked beautifully! I used 1 TBSP of ground flax mixed with 3 TBSP of water and let sit 15 minutes. I don't know if this is necessary, but I also swapped out 1 of the tablespoons of maple for honey because honey is an acid and I wanted it to react with the baking soda since I removed the egg. Hope this helps!
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Katie says
So glad the flax egg worked! I know a lot of people have been wondering if these could be made with an egg replacement. Thank you! 🙂
Renee says
Ever try with egg replacer so is vegan??
Katie says
I haven't. But my Tigernut flour sugar cookies are Paleo and Vegan - you can take a look at those 🙂
Holly says
Can butter replace the shortening?
Katie says
Yes! Butter or ghee should work in place of the shortening.
Jacqueline says
Does anyone know if these cookies freeze well?
Mel says
Turned out great! Thanks for a great recipe!
★★★★★
Katie says
Yay! Thank YOU 🙂
Janelle says
My dough is very sticky. I didn’t miss any ingredients. I’m chilling it for a little while to see if it firms up. Tastes amazing though!
Katie says
Did you measure the cassava flour by weight? That can make a huge difference. If the dough is still too sticky after chilling, I suggest adding more flour 🙂 Hope they turn out!
Leslie says
Measured flour by weight , dough tiny bit sticky , I did refrigerate and that made a big difference . Beautifully hold their shape and do not puff up or spread ! Will definitely make again ! (Have not tried frosting yet but look forward to try as well ) THANK YOU ♥️
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Addie says
Hi Katie, How long do these cookies last once they are made? It says no refrigeration needed, but would they last longer in a cold place? Thanks.
Katie says
Hi Addie, they last well 4-5 days at room temperature or a little over a week in the fridge. They store well in the freezer too!
Carly says
What is the yield for one batch roughly?
Katie says
It really depends on the cookie size/shape, but I'd say 2-3 dozen "normal sized" cookies.
Lynnsey Perruchon says
One batch…makes 2-3 dozen?
Katie says
It's really going to depend on the cookie thickness and size.
Josie F. says
Quick and easy to throw together, and they hold up well! We plan to make cookie sandwiches using chocolate hazelnut spread! Love that this can be a base for endless cookie flavors! Thank you for the recipe!
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Katie says
Thank you for the review Josie! I'm so glad you like them 🙂
em says
Can't wait to try all your sugar cookie recipes -- cassava flour, tiger nut flour and coconut flour! I used to make cut-out cookies alot but gluten concerns ended that -- and now with your gluten-free recipes I can resume something I so much enjoy! Your examples are absolutely gorgeous! Thank you so very much!
Katie says
Thank YOU! I hope you like them - they're some of my favorite recipes on the blog 🙂
Jessica says
I had high hopes for this because my daughter has strict dietary guidelines. They are extremely sticky, I had to refrigerate between every sheet of cut outs. I stopped doing cut outs and just baked the dough after a while. After out of the oven they just crumble when moved cool. I tried baking longer and everything said in comments. I got one dz from a batch but my cookies are not huge. We basically pasted cookies back together with a frosting. If there is something I could do to remake these to be normal I will. If weighing is necessary I wish it would’ve said that. Taste is great however
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Katie says
I'm sorry you didn't have success. Cassava flour can be tricky to work with, and I definitely recommend weighing it if possible. Did you by chance measure 1 cup packed? That will make a huge difference in weight.