These Keto Sugar Cookies have it all! They're gluten free, have great flavour and texture, and don't spread - perfect for cookie decorating!
This time of year puts me in the mood for baking, so I figured it’s about time to design and share keto versions of all of my favorite Christmas cookies.
Yesterday I shared my keto friendly version of THE most “holiday” of holiday cookies - my Keto Gingerbread Cookies, and today I’m sharing a related recipe: my keto sugar cookies recipe!
This keto sugar cookie recipe convincingly replicates the classic sugar cookie experience.
It produces a tender cookie, with a slightly chewy texture - just like my original recipe for traditional sugar cookies.
These sugar-free cookies TASTE like the classic cookie, the dough is a dream to work with, and it rolls out just like regular sugar cookies dough.
Finally, the dough doesn’t spread much when baked, so it’s perfect for making cut-out sugar cookies!
And that’s why I developed my Sugar-Free Royal Icing recipe!
It’s a wonderful recipe - based on my traditional royal icing with egg whites and powdered sweetener.
It pipes easily, takes colour well, AND hardens like it should!
It has a slightly different texture from my regular icing, but the basic principles are all the same. If you’re not familiar with cookie decorating, check out my Decorating Sugar Cookies tutorial!
Anyway, let’s get a look at the recipe, shall we?
The Nutritional Information
These sugar-free sugar cookies (!!) are a perfect sweet treat for anyone on a low carb or keto diet.
As with all of my keto baking, I go by net carbs.
When it comes to these low-carb sugar cookies, 6 grams of carbs per cookie come from sugar alcohols.
Add that to the 1 gram of fiber per cookie, and you're left with only 2 g net carb per cookie!
(Note: My Sugar Free Royal Icing is essentially 0 net carbs.)
It’s a great way to be able to participate in family tradition - Decorating Sugar Cookies! - without blowing out your blood sugar!
Ingredients
If you’ve done any of my keto baking, you’ll find these to be pretty simple ingredients, with most or all being things you can find in any larger grocery store.
I do have some notes for you:
The “Flour” Mix
Flour is the main ingredient in any sugar cookie recipe, and I use a few different ingredients to most closely mimic regular all purpose flour, in all of my cookie recipes.
When it comes to cookies, this mixture involves:
Super Fine Almond Flour
Vanilla Flavored Whey Protein Powder
Coconut Flour
Xanthan Gum
Almond flour sugar cookies can have kind of a weird grainy texture if you use the wrong grind!
When it comes to protein powder, I use Revolution Nutrition's High Whey in Vanilla Cake.
It works SO well, and tastes great. I recommend it for all of my baking, as well as for it’s intended use. All-around, it’s a fantastic protein powder.
If you can’t get your hands on it, feel free to use any vanilla protein powder that you like - “LIKE” is important.
If you don’t enjoy drinking it, don’t use it in your baking!
Sugar Substitute
This recipe uses a granulated sugar substitute, in addition to the sweetness you get from your protein powder.
There are 2 different ways that you can go with keto sweeteners in this keto cookie recipe, both of which will have little to no impact on blood sugar.
If you like to use an erythritol and monk fruit sweetener, you can do so in this recipe.
I used to use an Erythritol / Monkfruit Blend Sweetener, usually Swerve Granular Sweetener.
Several months ago, I switched over to Allulose - I like that it doesn’t crystallize, and doesn’t give the “cooling” sensation in the mouth, that erythritol does.
The big thing you need to know is that allulose isn’t quite as sweet as erythritol blends, so you need to use slightly different amounts.
For this recipe, you’ll use 1 cup if erythritol, and 1 ¼ cups if Allulose .
Vanilla Extract
By default, I use Pure Vanilla Extract in these sugar cookies.
Almond Extract is also a common flavouring for sugar cookies - but it can sometimes be polarizing!
If you do use almond extract, know that a little goes a long way - I recommend doing 50/50 with vanilla.
Beyond that, you can flavour these any way you want, really!
Rum Extract, Peppermint Extract, and Lemon Extract are all fun options.
Just note: Peppermint extract is POTENT - I recommend using half as much.
Everything Else
Rounding out this recipe, you will need:
Unsalted Butter
Large Eggs
Baking Powder
Salt
... I just don’t have anything to add, for these last few ingredients!
How to Make Keto Rolled Sugar Cookies
The full recipe is in the printable recipe card at the end of this post, here is the pictorial walk through:
In a medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients (except sugar substitute) until well combined, set aside.
Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times, to make sure everything is incorporated into the mix.
Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the mix, beating well to combine.
With mixer turned down to low speed, slowly add dry ingredients mix to the mixing bowl of wet ingredients, and carefully mix until well incorporated and a smooth dough forms.
Wrap sugar cookie dough ball in plastic wrap, chill for 1 hour. This is an important step for any gluten free cookie dough, don’t skip it!
Lightly dust work surface with a little more protein powder, roll dough out to about ¼″ thick (can be slightly thicker).
Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom. . Keep an eye on them - smaller cookies will be done faster than larger ones will be.
As they come out of the oven, transfer each cookie sheet to a cooling rack. After 5 minutes, cookies can be removed from the pan and allowed to cool on their own.
Gently press down, only enough to level them.
Gently pressing the hot cookies with a pan results in perfectly flat cookies - the best to decorate!
A freezer bag works well for undecorated sugar cookies, but once decorated, they should be stored in a single layer, to keep the decorating intact.
Decorating Keto Sugar Cookies
These low carb rolled sugar cookies can be decorated using my href="https://lowcarbhoser.com/sugar-free-royal-icing/">Sugar Free Royal Icing - essentially a 0 net carb recipe!
While the frosting works a little differently than my traditional, full-sugar royal icing, the principles are the same.
Read the recipe post for the basics, then check out my Decorating Sugar Cookies tutorial for more information on decorating!
More Keto Cookie Recipes
Looking to indulge your sweet tooth in a way that won’t spike your blood sugar? Here are some delicious recipes for low carb cookies to try!
Apple Pie Cookies
Biscotti
Candy Cane Cookies
Chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Protein Cookies
Cowboy Cookies
Gingerbread Cookies
Ladyfingers
Lemon Cookies
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Peanut Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pecan Pie Cookies
Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Raspberry Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Red Velvet Cookies
Snickerdoodles
Soft Peanut Butter Cookies
Sugar Free Royal Icing
Triple Chocolate Cookies
Witch Finger Cookies
... but wait, there's more! We have a whole keto desserts section: Keto Dessert Recipes! Check it out!
Share the Love!
Before you chow down, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you post it to Bluesky, be sure to tag us - @CelebrationGen. We're also on Pinterest, so you can save all your favourite recipes to a board!
Also, be sure to subscribe to my free email newsletter, so you never miss out on any of my nonsense. Well, the published nonsense, anyway!
... and hey, if you love the recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and comment! (Sharing the post on social media is always appreciated, too!)
Keto Sugar Cookies - Gluten Free, No Spread!
Equipment
- 2 large baking sheets
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup Vanilla Whey Protein Powder
- 1 cup Superfine Almond Flour
- ⅓ cup Coconut flour
- 2 teaspoon Xanthan gum
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter softened
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar Substitute. Use 1 ¼ cups if using allulose.
- 2 Large Eggs
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 batch Sugar Free Royal Icing
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients (except sugar substitute) until well combined, set aside.
- In a separate bowl - the bowl of a stand mixer fixed with a paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl, if using a hand mixer - cream softened butter and sugar substitute until smooth and fluffy.
- Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times, to make sure everything is incorporated into the mix.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the mix, beating well to combine.
- With mixer turned down to low speed, slowly add dry ingredients mix to the mixing bowl of wet ingredients, and carefully mix until well incorporated and a smooth dough forms.
- Wrap dough ball in plastic film, chill for 1 hour. This is an important step for any gluten free cookie dough, don’t skip it!
- Line 2 cookie sheets with pieces of parchment paper.
- Lightly dust work surface with a little more protein powder, roll dough out to about ¼″ thick (can be slightly thicker).
- Use cookie cutters to cut out whatever shapes you’d like, place cookies 2″ apart on prepared cookie sheets. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom. . Keep an eye on them - smaller cookies will be done faster than larger ones will be.
- As they come out of the oven, transfer each cookie sheet to a wire rack to start cooling. After 5 minutes, cookies can be removed from the pan and allowed to cool on their own.
- Note: The secret to perfectly flat cookies for decorating is to place a clean baking sheet over the pan of freshly baked cookies, as soon as they’re taken from the oven. Gently press down, only enough to level them.
- Once cooled to room temperature, store your low carb sugar cookies in an airtight container until decorating or serving.A freezer bag works well for undecorated sugar cookies, but once decorated, they should be stored in a single layer, to keep the decorating intact.
Notes
Nutrition
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