Need a foolproof sugar cookie recipe that also happens to be gluten-free? Try these spiced pecan sugar cookies from Gina Fontana of Healthy Little Vittles. They take the classic cut-out cookie and give it a seasonal twist with allspice and chopped pecans mixed into the dough.

The flavors feel festive, but the recipe isn’t tied to any specific holiday. So you can bake them for fall gatherings, winter parties, or any cozy afternoon that calls for something sweet.

The dough comes together easily. Once rolled and cut, the cookies bake quickly and hold their shape well. The simple powdered sugar icing is where you can get creative. Use a few drops of color to make a marbled effect that looks impressive without much effort. You can switch up the shapes, add different colors, or keep them plain, making them wonderfully adaptable.

Bake your spiced pecan sugar cookies

These gluten-free spiced pecan sugar cookies use warm allspice and chopped pecans to create a simple dough that’s easy to roll and cut. You can finish them with a marbled icing that adds a festive look and works for any occasion.

gluten-free spiced pecan sugar cookies with allspice, almond and vanilla extract, and a simple icing

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Duration30

Servings cookies depending on size of the cookie cutter used

Ingredients

2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons flaxseed meal + 4 tablespoons water)
3 cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup vegan/plant butter
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure almond extract
1 teaspoon allspice
3 tablespoons plant milk (I used almond milk)
½ cup chopped pecans

Icing

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons plant milk
Brown and orange food coloring (plant-based)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the flax eggs first by combining the flaxseed meal and water in a small bowl and set it aside to “gel” up. Next, whisk together the 1 to 1 gluten free baking flour, salt and baking powder.
Whip the butter and sugar together in your stand mixer or alternatively you can use a hand beater, add the flax eggs, vanilla and almond extracts and allspice. You’ll slowly add the flour mixture and then add the plant milk until the cookie dough forms and sticks together. On low speed beat in the pecans.
I like to divide my cookie dough into two parts to make rolling easier, but you will roll the dough between two pieces of parchment paper until it is about 1/2-inch thick. I then used maple leaf cookie cutters to cut my cookies out.
Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. You will likely need two baking sheets.
Allow them to cool completely before icing.
To make the marble icing, simply whisk together the powdered sugar and plant milk until you have a thick paste-like icing. I like to sift my powdered sugar to ensure there are no large clumps.
Then add a few drops of food coloring and using a toothpick, spread it around to create a marble-like pattern, but don’t mix it too much or you’ll completely turn your icing one color.
Carefully dip each cookie in the icing, face side down and let the excess icing drip off.
Place the cookies, un-iced side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet or cooling rack to dry and allow the icing to harden.
Add more coloring if desired and repeat until all the cookies are iced.

This recipe is from Gina Fontana at Healthy Little Vittles. You can find the links to her original recipe here, her cookbook here, and her Instagram here.