• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Bake It Paleo

  • About
  • Recipes
  • Wellness
  • Shop
  • Nav Social Menu

Cassava Flour Sugar Cookies (Paleo, Nut Free, No-Chill)

Dec 13, 2019 · 29 Comments

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

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. 

The-best-Paleo-Cut-Out-Cookies

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 😉

Cassava-Flour-Sugar-Cookies

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.

healthy-Paleo-sugar-cookie-recipe

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.

Ingredients-needed-for-Cassava-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.

how-to-make-cassava-flour-sugar-cookies

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.

Paleo-Sugar-Cookies-with-Cassava-Flour

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.

Dairy-Free-Sugar-Cookie-Recipe

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

Tagalong Cookies

Tagalong Cookies

banana donuts

Banana Donuts

gluten-free-dairy-free-pumpkin-cupcakes

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Cassava-Flour-Sugar-Cookies

Cassava Flour Sugar Cookies

★★★★★ 4.4 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Katie
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 minutes
  • Total Time: 23 minutes
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

Paleo sugar cookies made from cassava flour.  Dairy free, nut free, grain free and no refrigeration needed.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 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

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine cassava flour, baking soda and salt.
  3. Add in shortening.  Use your hands to work the shortening into the flour mixture until the dough starts to clump.
  4. Mix in egg, maple syrup and vanilla.  First, mix with a spatula or fork, then use your hands to knead the dough.
  5. 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).
  6. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes in the dough.  Transfer the shapes from the parchment paper to a baking sheet.
  7. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes**
  8. 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

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @bakeit.paleo on Instagram and hashtag it #bakeitpaleo

pinterest image for cassava flour cookies
« Chewy Gingersnap Plantain Cookies
Paleo Breakfast Tacos »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. simplywendi says

    December 13, 2019 at 8:05 am

    wow!!! They look beautiful 🙂

    Reply
    • Katie says

      December 13, 2019 at 1:32 pm

      Thank you! 🙂

      Reply
      • simplywendi says

        December 13, 2019 at 3:26 pm

        🙂

      • April says

        April 03, 2021 at 2:00 pm

        Would butter be a good replacement for palm shortening? Not something I am able to use.

      • Katie says

        April 03, 2021 at 2:35 pm

        Yes! Butter should work well 🙂

    • Sarah says

      April 26, 2021 at 8:49 pm

      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!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Katie says

        April 27, 2021 at 7:36 am

        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! 🙂

  2. Renee says

    November 11, 2020 at 7:35 pm

    Ever try with egg replacer so is vegan??

    Reply
    • Katie says

      November 12, 2020 at 7:01 am

      I haven't. But my Tigernut flour sugar cookies are Paleo and Vegan - you can take a look at those 🙂

      Reply
  3. Holly says

    December 13, 2020 at 8:59 am

    Can butter replace the shortening?

    Reply
    • Katie says

      December 13, 2020 at 6:53 pm

      Yes! Butter or ghee should work in place of the shortening.

      Reply
  4. Jacqueline says

    December 17, 2020 at 9:17 pm

    Does anyone know if these cookies freeze well?

    Reply
  5. Mel says

    December 22, 2020 at 4:56 pm

    Turned out great! Thanks for a great recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Katie says

      December 23, 2020 at 3:50 am

      Yay! Thank YOU 🙂

      Reply
  6. Janelle says

    January 15, 2021 at 3:05 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Katie says

      January 15, 2021 at 3:47 pm

      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!

      Reply
      • Leslie says

        November 02, 2022 at 7:06 pm

        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 ♥️

        ★★★★★

  7. Addie says

    December 13, 2021 at 7:53 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Katie says

      December 13, 2021 at 1:43 pm

      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!

      Reply
  8. Carly says

    December 14, 2021 at 10:16 am

    What is the yield for one batch roughly?

    Reply
    • Katie says

      December 15, 2021 at 7:05 am

      It really depends on the cookie size/shape, but I'd say 2-3 dozen "normal sized" cookies.

      Reply
      • Lynnsey Perruchon says

        December 23, 2021 at 9:28 am

        One batch…makes 2-3 dozen?

      • Katie says

        December 23, 2021 at 6:34 pm

        It's really going to depend on the cookie thickness and size.

  9. Josie F. says

    December 17, 2021 at 4:07 pm

    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!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Katie says

      December 17, 2021 at 6:43 pm

      Thank you for the review Josie! I'm so glad you like them 🙂

      Reply
  10. em says

    December 22, 2021 at 3:43 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Katie says

      December 22, 2021 at 6:54 pm

      Thank YOU! I hope you like them - they're some of my favorite recipes on the blog 🙂

      Reply
  11. Jessica says

    December 23, 2022 at 2:56 pm

    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

    ★★

    Reply
    • Katie says

      December 23, 2022 at 6:09 pm

      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.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Primary Sidebar

Hi there! I’m Katie and I have a passion for baking healthy treats using real, Paleo-friendly ingredients. My mission is to make baking nutritious, delicious, simple and family friendly; because you CAN eat dessert every day and still live a healthy life!

More about me →

SUBSCRIBE

Sign up for my mailing list to get early access to discounts, new recipes and more!

SUBSCRIBE HERE

CEREAL

Lovebird grain free cereal: paleo, vegan and AIP

Cereal is typically anything but healthy... not Lovebird! It's all organic, paleo, plant based AND low in sugar. My kids love it too!

POPULAR

  • Almond Flour Crackers Recipe (No Egg)
  • top view of chocolate covered banana ice cream bars
    Chocolate Covered Banana Ice Cream Bars
  • healthy almond flour cupcake with frosting
    Vanilla Almond Flour Cupcakes (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
  • bread rolls in bowl
    Paleo Dinner Rolls (with Almond Flour)

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions

Recipes

  • Paleo
  • Vegan
  • Whole30
  • Nut Free

Search

  • link to Instagram account
  • link to pinterest account
  • link to facebook

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2023 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme