Soft, chewy, and perfectly sweetened with maple syrup, these Healthy Lofthouse Sugar Cookies are a cleaner take on those nostalgic bakery classics—the ones topped with fluffy frosting and colorful sprinkles. Made with wholesome ingredients like almond flour, arrowroot, and ghee, this paleo sugar cookie recipe gives you that same soft-baked texture and sweet vanilla-almond flavor, without the processed ingredients or refined sugars.
What makes this extra fun is that you can choose your own adventure when it comes to frosting: a light coconut-butter glaze for a nutrient-dense, paleo-friendly finish, or a creamy, bakery-style frosting for a touch of indulgence. However you top them, these cookies are festive, easy to decorate, and guaranteed to disappear fast. If you’re like me and love a sweet treat, these will be your newest obsession.
Why You’ll Love These Healthy Lofthouse Sugar Cookies
If you grew up loving those soft, frosted cookies from the grocery store bakery, this recipe brings all that nostalgic comfort—minus the heavy ingredients.
These healthy Lofthouse cookies are made with real-food staples that support better energy and digestion. Almond flour and arrowroot starch create that soft, cake-like crumb while keeping the recipe gluten-free and grain-free. Almond flour is rich in vitamin E, magnesium, and healthy fats that help support skin and hormone health, while arrowroot adds lightness and natural binding power. Ghee (or butter) lends a buttery flavor and provides fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and K. Maple syrup adds natural sweetness and a touch of minerals—no refined sugar needed.
The dough comes together in one bowl and chills for an hour to help the cookies hold their shape and stay tender in the middle. A touch of cream of tartar keeps the cookies soft and prevents them from crisping up, so you get that perfect “melt-in-your-mouth” bite every time.
A Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Recipe for Every Occasion
Whether you’re baking for the holidays, a birthday, or just want something sweet with your afternoon coffee, these gluten-free sugar cookies fit any occasion. You can roll and cut them into shapes, keep them as simple rounds, or let the kids get creative with sprinkles.
I love that they’re easy to customize—use the coconut-butter glaze when you want a clean, dairy-free sugar cookie recipe, or whip up the classic cream-cheese frosting for that true bakery-style look and feel.
Because they’re made with almond flour, they’re naturally higher in protein and healthy fats than traditional sugar cookies, keeping you more satisfied after a treat. The cookies store well and can be made ahead—just frost them the day you plan to serve for best texture.
If you’ve been craving that soft, nostalgic cookie but want something you can feel good about eating (and serving to your family), these almond flour sugar cookies are it. Soft, sweet, buttery, and better for you—this is one cookie recipe you’ll want to bake again and again. Hope you love ‘em!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
For the Cookies:
- Ghee, melted and cooled (or sub 1 stick of unsalted butter, melted and cooled)
- Light amber maple syrup
- Eggs
- Pure vanilla extract
- Almond extract
- Almond flour
- Arrowroot starch
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Cream of tartar
- Kosher salt
Option 1 – Coconut Butter Glaze (Paleo Option):
- Melted coconut butter
- Maple syrup or honey
- Pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt
- Unsweetened almond milk
Option 2 – Cream Cheese Icing:
(Thick, fluffy, spreadable. More of a frosting vibe—great for soft sugar cookies or holiday cutouts. Gives a richer, tangier flavor that holds shape for piping or spreading.)
- Room temperature ghee
- Dairy-free cream cheese (or sub regular cream cheese), room temperature
- Organic powdered sugar
- Pure vanilla extract
- Almond extract
- Kosher salt
- Unsweetened almond milk, if needed
To Garnish:
- Dye-free sprinkles or shredded coconut / crushed freeze-dried fruit for paleo option
How To Make Healthy Lofthouse Sugar Cookies (Gluten-Free + Grain-Free)
For the Cookies:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted and cooled ghee, maple syrup, egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract for about 1 minute, until the mixture looks glossy and fully emulsified.
In a separate bowl, whisk together almond flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt until there are no visible streaks of starch.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until a soft, uniform dough forms. It should feel slightly sticky but firm enough to scoop. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to overnight) to help the dough firm and the flavors develop.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion 8–9 cookies per sheet, leaving 2 inches between each for spreading.
Bake for 11–12 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the cookies are puffed, lightly golden around the edges, and just set in the center.
Remove from the oven and tap the bottom of each baking sheet gently on the counter to deflate the cookies slightly for that classic soft, chewy texture.
Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
Option 1 – Coconut Butter Glaze (Paleo Option):
In a small bowl, whisk together melted coconut butter, maple syrup (or honey), vanilla, and salt.
Add almond milk 1 tablespoon at a time until smooth and drizzle-able. If the glaze begins to firm up, warm briefly over low heat or in a microwave for a few seconds before using.
Option 2 – Cream Cheese Icing:
In a medium bowl, beat ghee and cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute.
Add powdered sugar gradually, mixing between additions.
Add vanilla, almond extract, and salt, then beat another 30 seconds. Thin with almond milk as needed.
To Assemble:
Using an offset spatula or spoon, spread about 2 teaspoons of glaze or icing over each cooled cookie, leaving a small border.
Top paleo-style cookies with shredded coconut or crushed freeze-dried fruit; use dye-free sprinkles for the frosted version.
To Serve & Store:
Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
If using the cream cheese version, you should consume the day-of or store it in the fridge. Note that the cookies will soften if iced and stored in the fridge.
Recipe Substitutions & Questions:
A few notes!
- The one-hour chill time is essential to ensuring the cookies don’t spread too much and have a tender middle.
- Cream of tartar also plays a critical role here, acting as a leavener and keeping the cookies soft without getting too crisp. It can be found in the spice aisle.
- If you can’t find light amber maple syrup, regular maple syrup is fine. Note that the cookies will be a darker hue.
- If you plan to make the cookies in advance, do not frost them with the cream cheese frosting until the day you’re ready to serve. For an option that has a longer shelf-life, use the icing option below.
And here are some recipe substitutions:
- No ghee? You can use melted butter or coconut oil instead, though the texture will vary slightly. Butter gives a richer flavor, while coconut oil keeps them fully dairy-free.
- No arrowroot starch? Substitute tapioca starch in an equal amount. The cookies may be a touch chewier but will still bake beautifully.
- Want to make them lower-sugar? You can reduce the maple syrup to ¼ cup and add 1–2 tablespoons of almond milk to balance the dough’s texture.
- For egg-free cookies: Try using a flax egg (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 2½ tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes). The cookies will be slightly denser but still soft and delicious.
- Don’t have almond extract? Simply increase the vanilla extract to 2½ teaspoons for a classic sugar cookie flavor.
For my kitchen, cooking, and baking essentials (& more!), shop my Amazon Storefront.
Can I substitute almond flour in these healthy Lofthouse sugar cookies?
Yes! The best substitutes for almond flour in these healthy Lofthouse sugar cookies are cashew flour or sunflower seed flour. Cashew flour works 1:1 and gives a rich, soft texture similar to almond flour, while sunflower seed flour is a great nut-free alternative that keeps the cookies tender and chewy. Avoid coconut flour or oat flour for this recipe, as they require adjustments to the liquid and egg content and may change the texture of the cookies.
Can I make almond flour sugar cookies without eggs?
Yes! Replace each egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 2½ tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes). The cookies will be slightly denser but still soft and chewy, perfect for a paleo or dairy-free variation. For more options, you can click here for my post on The Best Egg Replacements for Baking & Cooking.
Can I make these Healthy Lofthouse Sugar Cookies dairy-free?
Yes! To make these cookies fully dairy-free, use ghee or coconut oil in place of butter, and choose the coconut butter glaze instead of the cream cheese frosting. This keeps the cookies soft, chewy, and flavorful while maintaining a paleo and gluten-free recipe.
More Healthy Dessert Recipes You’ll Love:
- Bite-Sized Twix Cups
- Healthy Peppermint Patties
- Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Fudge Brownies
- Creamy Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding
- Salted Maple Protein Cookie Bars
- Apple Spiced Oatmeal Cookies (Gluten-Free + Dairy-Free)
Healthy Lofthouse Sugar Cookies (Gluten-Free + Grain-Free)
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- ½ cup ghee, melted and cooled (or sub 1 stick of unsalted butter, melted and cooled)
- ⅓ cup light amber maple syrup
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1 cup arrowroot starch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Option 1 – Coconut Butter Glaze (Paleo Option):
- ¼ cup melted coconut butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 –2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk, to thin as needed
Option 2 – Cream Cheese Icing (Thick, fluffy, spreadable. More of a frosting vibe—great for soft sugar cookies or holiday cutouts. Gives a richer, tangier flavor that holds shape for piping or spreading.):
- 2 tablespoons room temperature ghee
- 2 oz. dairy-free cream cheese, or sub regular cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cups sifted organic powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1-2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk, if needed
To Garnish:
- ¼ cup dye-free sprinkles or shredded coconut / crushed freeze-dried fruit for paleo option
Instructions
For the Cookies:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted and cooled ghee, maple syrup, egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract for about 1 minute, until the mixture looks glossy and fully emulsified.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together almond flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt until there are no visible streaks of starch.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until a soft, uniform dough forms. It should feel slightly sticky but firm enough to scoop. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to overnight) to help the dough firm and the flavors develop.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion 8–9 cookies per sheet, leaving 2 inches between each for spreading.
- Bake for 11–12 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the cookies are puffed, lightly golden around the edges, and just set in the center.
- Remove from the oven and tap the bottom of each baking sheet gently on the counter to deflate the cookies slightly for that classic soft, chewy texture.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
Option 1 – Coconut Butter Glaze (Paleo Option):
- In a small bowl, whisk together melted coconut butter, maple syrup (or honey), vanilla, and salt.
- Add almond milk 1 tablespoon at a time until smooth and drizzle-able. If the glaze begins to firm up, warm briefly over low heat or in a microwave for a few seconds before using.
Option 2 – Cream Cheese Icing:
- In a medium bowl, beat ghee and cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Add powdered sugar gradually, mixing between additions.
- Add vanilla, almond extract, and salt, then beat another 30 seconds. Thin with almond milk as needed.
To Assemble:
- Using an offset spatula or spoon, spread about 2 teaspoons of glaze or icing over each cooled cookie, leaving a small border.
- Top paleo-style cookies with shredded coconut or crushed freeze-dried fruit; use dye-free sprinkles for the frosted version.
To Serve & Store:
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- If using the cream cheese version, you should consume the day-of, or store it in the fridge. Note that the cookies will soften if iced and stored in the fridge.
Notes
- The one-hour chill time is essential to ensuring the cookies don’t spread too much and have a tender middle.
- Cream of tartar also plays a critical role here, acting as a leavener and keeping the cookies soft without getting too crisp. It can be found in the spice aisle.
- If you can’t find light amber maple syrup, regular maple syrup is fine. Note that the cookies will be a darker hue.
- If y.ou plan to make the cookies in advance, do not frost them with the cream cheese frosting until the day you’re ready to serve. For an option that has a longer shelf-life, use the icing option.
- No ghee? You can use melted butter or coconut oil instead, though the texture will vary slightly. Butter gives a richer flavor, while coconut oil keeps them fully dairy-free.
- No arrowroot starch? Substitute tapioca starch in an equal amount. The cookies may be a touch chewier but will still bake beautifully.
- Want to make them lower-sugar? You can reduce the maple syrup to ¼ cup and add 1–2 tablespoons of almond milk to balance the dough’s texture.
- For egg-free cookies: Try using a flax egg (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 2½ tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes). The cookies will be slightly denser but still soft and delicious.
- Don’t have almond extract? Simply increase the vanilla extract to 2½ teaspoons for a classic sugar cookie flavor.
