Explore 20 delicious gluten-free and dairy-free cookie recipes made without special flours. From chocolatey treats to festive favorites, these easy gluten-free cookies are perfect for the holidays or year-round baking.
Gluten-Free Cookies & Bars
The aroma of freshly baked cookies drifting through the kitchen is like a big, cozy hug, especially as the holidays approach and baking season begins. If you’re looking for gluten-free cookies or gluten-free dairy-free cookies that everyone at the table can enjoy, you’re in the right place.
All the recipes in this roundup are completely gluten-free and dairy-free, and many are also naturally vegan. Best of all, these cookies are made with simple ingredients, no special gluten-free flours required. While many of them are perfect for holiday gifting and celebrations, they’re also delicious year-round.
Whether you’re baking for loved ones or creating new traditions in the kitchen, these 20 gluten-free and dairy-free cookies make it effortless to share something special in any season.
Why You’ll Love These Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Cookies
- Naturally gluten-free using whole-food ingredients instead of specialty flour blends
- Dairy-free with simple swaps like coconut oil or dairy-free chocolate
- Some vegan options for plant-based or egg-free baking
- Holiday-perfect & everyday-friendly flavors
- Kid-approved, freezer-friendly, and great for gifting
Tips for Baking Great Gluten-Free Cookies (No Special Flours Needed)
Gluten-free and dairy-free cookies can be wonderfully soft and chewy or crisp and crunchy — here’s how to get the best results:
- Chill the dough if it’s soft, this helps the cookies hold their shape.
- Let cookies cool fully before moving them, gluten-free bases firm up as they cool.
- Use parchment for smooth bottoms and even baking.
- Avoid overbaking, dairy-free recipes can dry out quickly.
- Customize easily with dairy-free chocolate, nuts, spices, citrus zest, or dried fruit.
🍪Classic Cookies:
1. Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies
These jam thumbprint cookies are one of my favorites to make this time of year. They also happen to be vegan, easy to make and call for only a handful of pantry ingredients and some of your favorite naturally sweetened jams.
2. Gluten-Free Italian Cookies
With their wonderfully nutty flavor and delicate melt-in-your-mouth texture, these bite-sized Italian cookies are a wonderful accompaniment to an afternoon espresso or an after-dinner treat.
3. Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles
With their crackled tops and generous dusting of cinnamon, snickerdoodles are an old-fashioned cookie platter favorite around the holidays.
4. Gluten-Free Molasses Cookies
Enjoy a batch of these deliciously spiced, soft and chewy gluten-free molasses cookies during the holidays or whenever a craving strikes.
5. Gluten-Free Pecan Sandies
With their melt-in-your-mouth texture and buttery taste, these gluten-free pecan sandies will win you over.
6. Crispy Gluten-Free Coconut Cookies
These crispy little coconut cookies are so light, buttery and full of coconut goodness.
7. Gluten-Free Ice Box Cookies
These gluten-free icebox cookies studded with cranberries and pistachios are the ultimate make-ahead holiday cookie; just slice and bake!
8. Gluten-Free Crunchy Almond Cookies
These crisp and crunchy almond cookies make an excellent addition to the holiday cookie tin. Perfect for family gatherings, cookie exchanges, gifting or just everyday snacking, they’re easy to make and keep their crunch.
9. Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle
This easy to make gluten-free cookie brittle may just become your new favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Crisp and buttery, it’s the best of chocolate chip cookies but in brittle form!
10. Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups
Mini gluten-free chocolate filled chocolate chip cookie cups are the perfect bite-sized treat for any occasion, and these cookie cups are brimming with chocolate from top to bottom.
11. Gluten-Free Cashew Butter Cookies
These soft and chewy cashew butter cookies are a year-round favorite. All you need is one bowl, 30 minutes and a few simple ingredients!
12. Gluten-Free Flourless Trail Mix Cookies
Whether you’re looking for something to do with the kids while they’re at home or feel like treating yourself to something sweet, these flourless trail mix cookies are sure to please.
13. Gluten-Free No-Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Tender and chock-full of spice and raisins, these vegan and paleo no-oatmeal raisin cookies are just as soft and tasty as the classic but without the grains or eggs.
14. Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Cookies
Rich, chewy and overflowing with chocolate, these are the kind of cookies you drop everything to run and go make. Luckily they are also just about the easiest vegan chocolate cookies you can whip up.
15. Crispy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cookies
These thin and crispy gluten-free chocolate cookies have a rich chocolate flavor and lots of crunch.
🍫 Bars & Brownies:
16. Gluten-Free Blondies
Soft, chewy and loaded with nuts, dried fruit and chocolate, these easy blondies are a sweet treat that can be made in about 30 minutes.
17. Best Gluten-Free Brownies
If you’re looking for classic, chewy brownies with crinkly tops that are both dairy-free and gluten-free, then this is the recipe for you.
18. No-Bake Chocolate Almond Butter Bars
Made from only a handful of ingredients you may already have in your pantry, these easy almond butter bars come together in a matter of minutes
19. Flourless Chocolate Brownies
Deep, dark and rich, these triple chocolate brownies are quite literally overflowing with chocolate.
20. No-Bake Chocolate Walnut Crumb Bars
These no-bake walnut crumb bars have a rich fudgy chocolate center sandwiched between a chewy cashew coconut crust and crumble.
When to Bake These Gluten-Free Cookies
These cookies are perfect for:
- Holiday gifting and cookie trays
- Weeknight desserts
- Baking with kids
- School bake sale
- Year-round sweet cravings
Wrap Up
Baking delicious gluten-free and dairy-free cookies doesn’t have to be complicated. With simple, wholesome ingredients and these gluten-free cookie recipes, you can enjoy soft, chewy, chocolatey, or crunchy cookies anytime a craving strikes. Whether you're baking for the holidays or treating yourself any time of year, these 20 recipes are sure to become favorites.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Mr.C says
What a nice list of recipes! Thank you for sharing!