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Gluten free Italian wedding cookies are tender, almond-flavored cookies with the classic melt-in-your-mouth texture traditional Italian wedding cookies are known for. Made from a simple gluten-free dough and baked until just set, they stay soft and delicate without spreading too much. Finished with a smooth almond glaze that sets quickly, making them ideal for holiday cookie trays, weddings, showers, and special celebrations!
Quick Look: Gluten Free Italian Wedding Cookies
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 10 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 50 minutes (with chill time)
- 👥 Servings: 24
- 📊 Calories: ~128 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cook Method: oven-baked on a sheet at 350 °F
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: a gluten-free take on classic Italian wedding cookies with a sweet almond glaze to finish.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy, perfect for special occasions and everyday cookie making.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
In my opinion, this is the best Italian wedding cookie recipe because it delivers the classic bakery-style texture people expect, without tasting gluten free at all! Chilling the dough before baking prevents excess spreading, which helps the cookies bake up tender with a soft, delicate crumb instead of flat, making them perfect for holidays, weddings, showers, and special occasions, just like my gluten-free hot cocoa cookies and gluten-free peanut butter blossoms.
No rolling, no double coating, and no special equipment required. This recipe for Italian wedding cookies doesn't require any special techniques beyond a brief chill and a simple almond glaze. Instead of rolling them in powdered sugar, this version uses a smooth glaze that sets neatly and makes decorating quick and mess-free!
Ingredients You'll Need
- Gluten-free 1:1 flour: This recipe uses a cup-for-cup blend, and King Arthur is a reliable option for structure and texture. Make sure your blend contains xanthan gum, or add it separately if needed.
- Baking powder: Helps the cookies puff slightly so they stay soft instead of dense.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the almond flavor.
- Butter: Adds richness and that buttery flavor associated with Italian butter cookies. For a dairy-free option, vegan butter works well.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough without overpowering the delicate flavor.
- Eggs: Bind the dough and give the cookies structure.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and rounds out the sweetness.
- Almond extract: The key flavor that gives these tender almond cookies their signature taste.
Almond Glaze
- Powdered sugar: Forms the base of the glaze and creates that classic look associated with powdered sugar cookies.
- Milk: Thins the glaze to the right consistency. Dairy-free milk can be used if needed.
- Almond extract: Enhances the glaze with a concentrated almond flavor that complements the tender cookie and gives the cookies their signature bakery-style taste.
Decorations
- Rainbow non-pareil sprinkles: Optional, but perfect for adding a festive touch.
How to Make Gluten Free Italian Wedding Cookies
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir until evenly mixed.
Step 2: In a larger mixing bowl, add the softened butter and granulated sugar. Use an electric mixer on medium speed and beat until light and fluffy.
Step 3: Add the eggs and mix until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and almond extract, then mix again until fully incorporated.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until the dough comes together. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
Step 5: Using a tablespoon, roll the dough into 24 balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight. Bake for 9-10 minutes.
Step 6: While the cookies bake, make the glaze by adding powdered sugar to a bowl. Whisk in the milk one tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency, then stir in the almond extract.
Step 7: Let the Italian wedding cookies cool on the pan for 10-15 minutes before glazing.
Step 8: Spoon glaze over the cooled cookies. Work with a few cookies at a time and add sprinkles while the glaze is still wet so they stick. Let the glaze set before storing, then enjoy!
If you like experimenting with gluten-free cookie dough textures, you might also like my chocolate chipless cookies, which rely on similar mixing techniques.
Make Ahead, Storage, and Variations
- These easy Italian wedding cookies can be made ahead and stored at room temperature once the glaze has fully set.
- You can freeze the baked, unglazed cookies for several weeks, which makes them especially helpful when prepping gluten free Christmas cookies or gluten free holiday cookies in advance!
- For a dairy-free option, use vegan butter and your favorite dairy-free milk in the glaze. For a nut-free version, omit the almond extract. They won’t have quite the same taste, but they will still be delicious!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Chilling the dough helps the cookies hold their shape and keeps them from spreading too much while baking. It also improves the final texture.
No. This recipe is designed for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that contains a binder like xanthan gum. Almond flour will change the structure and cause the cookies to spread or crumble.
This usually happens if the dough wasn't chilled long enough, the flour blend didn't contain a binder, or the cookies were handled before fully cooling. Letting them cool completely before glazing helps them set properly.
These easy gluten free Italian wedding cookies bring everything you love about the classic version into a gluten-free format that actually works. They're a staple in my gluten-free holiday baking rotation and one I come back to every year. They're easy to make, beautiful on a cookie tray, and always a crowd favorite!
For another gluten-free cookie option, try these gluten-free monster cookies, next!
Even More Gluten-Free Cookies
The Best Italian Wedding Cookies Made Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups gluten free 1:1 flour, I like King Arthur brand
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1.5 tsp almond extract
Glaze:
- 1.5 cups organic powdered sugar
- 1.5-2 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp almond extract
Decorations
- Rainbow non-pariel sprinkles
Instructions
- Combine the gluten free flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and stir.
- In a separate larger mixing bowl, add the softened butter and sugar. Use an electric mixer to mix on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and continue mixing until smooth. Add in the vanilla and almond extracts and mix. Add the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until the dough is just combined.
- Using a tablespoon, roll the dough into 24 balls and place them onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes up to overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Let them cool for 10-15 minutes.
- While the cookies are in the oven, make the glaze. Add the powdered sugar to a bowl and add the milk, one tablespoon at a time and whisk until desired consistency is reached. Add the almond extract and stir.
- Spoon some of the glaze over each cooled cookie. I like to do 4 at a time and sprinkle on the non-pariels while the glaze is still wet so they stick. Let the glaze and sprinkles set. Store at room temp. Enjoy!
Notes
- These easy Italian wedding cookies can be made ahead and stored at room temperature once the glaze has fully set.
- You can freeze the baked, unglazed cookies for several weeks, which makes them especially helpful when prepping gluten free Christmas cookies or gluten free holiday cookies in advance!
- For a dairy-free option, use vegan butter and your favorite dairy-free milk in the glaze!
- For a nut-free version, omit the almond extract. They won’t have quite the same taste, but they will still be delicious!
Nutrition
All nutrition facts are an estimate and automatically calculated. While I fact check them using My Fitness Pal, please note that they may not always be 100% accurate and depend on ingredients used. Weigh your total and divide by the number of servings for the most accurate grams per serving size.
