Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

1. Add the butter and brown sugar to a stand mixer and beat until fluffy (note: you can use a mixing bowl and an electric hand mixer if you don’t have a stand mixer).
2. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until combined.
3. Add the gluten-free flour, baking powder and sea salt and beat until a thick dough forms. Form the dough into a ball or disc shape and wrap it in plastic wrap.
4. Refrigerate the dough for at least one hour (up to 3 days). When you’re ready to bake, take the dough out of the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

For Roll Out Cookies:

1. Remove the dough disc from the refrigerator and place it on a floured surface (I like sprinkling a large smooth cutting board with gluten-free flour.
2. Roll the dough into a flat rectangular shape about ¼-inch to ½ inch thick. If the edges of the dough break, no sweat: you can easily press the dough back together.
3. Use your favorite cookie cutter shapes to make cut out cookies. After cutting out as many shapes as you can, use any remaining scraps of dough to roll out again and create more cookies.
4. Place the cookie dough shapes on the prepared baking dish and bake for 9-10 minutes or until the cookies have puffed out. Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way.
5. When you’re ready to frost the cookies, prepare the sugar cookie frosting in this recipe, or use store-bought frosting and sprinkles.

For Drop Cookies:

1. Roll the dough into individual dough balls, then press into round disc shapes and place on the baking sheet 3 inches apart.
2. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes or until golden-brown around the edges.
3. Allow the cookies to cool completely. Feel free to decorate the cookies to your heart’s desire using sprinkles or royal icing.

Frosting Instructions:

1. Transfer all of the frosting ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Start with 2 tablespoons of milk and increase until your desired consistency is achieved.
2. If you’re using food coloring, separate the batch of frosting into smaller bowls then add drops of food coloring or gel food coloring until you get your desired colors.
3. Transfer each frosting color to a disposable piping bag fitted with your tip of choice.
4. Once the cookies are completely cooled, decorate the cookies with your homemade frosting. You can also use store-bought frosting and sprinkles for this process.
5. Allow the decorated cookies to sit at room temperature for at least 3 hours or in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until the frosting is completely hardened.
6. Store cookies in an airtight container or on a plate wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.