Soft Cinnamon Pecan Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies

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Holiday cookie baking is in full swing! Are you the type that makes the same treats every year, or switches it up? I do a little bit of both, but these Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are a non-negotiable. I pick and choose from this list of Gluten-Free Christmas Cookie recipes, and love the variety!

The newest gluten free christmas cookies to make their way into regular rotation…..

SPICED
SOFT
PECAN
DRIZZLED
YUMS.

Best summed up as butter pecan cookies meets snickerdoodles. And yes, they certainly do go wonderfully with coffee, making them breakfast material during holiday chaos when you just don’t have energy to make anything else.

They’re inspired by my friend Sarah’s gluten-free snickerdoodles, which I’d made before and quickly fell in love with their pillowy, puffy texture. Softer and fluffier than the classic version, a true feat!

I wanted to create gluten-free christmas cookies that were nut forward, using ground pecans and almonds, infused with loads of warm spices and brown sugar. A recipe that makes the house smell like tradition, and taste like holiday bliss. They’re drizzled with white icing, a nod to the snowy season.

A few baking notes:

How to make DIY pecan flour:

I use a designated coffee grinder to do this, a very inexpensive way to grind small amounts of nuts, seeds, and spices. It will grind the pecans until they’re fine and sandy, which is exactly what you want.

I don’t like nutmeg. Can I use a different spice?

Yes! Cardamom would be a great substitute.

Is the icing a must?

I personally think so. I left the cookies on the less sweet side because the icing is made from powdered sugar. It also is a texture thing. I love the little crack of icing against the soft cookies!

Can I make these cookies several days ahead for a holiday party?

Yes! They actually get better a day after they’re made, as the spices really come through. You can make up to two days ahead of time, and store in a covered container.

More Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies:

• Gluten-Free Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
• Foolproof Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
• Thin & Crispy Gluten-Free Gingersnaps

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Soft Cinnamon Pecan Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies

Made with almond flour and ground pecans, these warmly spiced gluten-free christmas cookies are reminiscent of snickerdoodles, with hints of butter pecan. Drizzled with white icing.

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Prep Time :30 minutes minutes

Cook Time :11 minutes minutes

Total Time :41 minutes minutes

Yield: 15 cookies

Author: Amanda Paa

Ingredients

Cookies

• 6 tablespoons softened butter softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 40 grams blanched almond flour
• 70 grams finely ground pecans (DIY made using a spice grinder)
• 65 grams tapioca starch
• 80 grams sorghum flour
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• pinch of cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Icing

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt

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Instructions 

• In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix on low speed to combine. 
• In a separate bowl, combine almond flour, ground pecans, tapioca starch, sorghum flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. 
• Add 1/3 of dry ingredients to stand mixer, and mix on low to combine, then add the next 1/3, then the final 1/3. Mix until completely combined and no flour streaks remain. 
• With your hands, roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. When finished, put pan in freezer for 20 minutes. 
• While pan is in freezer, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 11 minutes and remove from oven, and let cool on pan for 3 minutes. 
• Place on a cooling rack. 
• Mix all icing ingredients together, and when cookies are cool, drizzle. If you make ahead of time, store covered in an airtight container, with parchment in between layers so icing doesn’t stick. 

Notes

Adapted from Snixy Kitchen’s Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles.