Swig Cookies Copycat Recipe {gluten free} - Life After Wheat (2024)

Table of Contents
What Are Swig Sugar Cookies? Gluten Free Swig Sugar Cookies Were Born Can I Make These Cookies Ahead of Time? Can I Freeze Swig Sugar Cookies? Can I Make Gluten Free Swig Cookies Dairy Free? Can I Double This Recipe? The Perfect Gluten Free Cookie For Any Occasion How to Make Gluten Free Swig Cookies: Looking for more cookie inspiration? Check out these delicious recipes! Ingredients FOR THE FROSTING Instructions Notes Recommended Products Did you make this recipe? FAQs
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Have you tried Swig sugar cookies? They are soft and chewy sugar cookies topped with a tangy frosting, and served cold. SO GOOD. We’ve developed a gluten free Swig cookie copycat recipe that is every bit as good as the original and is super easy to make at home!

Have you been searching for the perfect gluten free cookie? One that doesn’t have even a hint of gritty texture that you can serve to guests or take to parties?

Hey, me too!

What Are Swig Sugar Cookies?

I recently did a poll on Instagram and found out that most of my reader’s don’t know what a Swig sugar cookie is. Let me explain! Swig is a cute little soda/cookie shop that started in St. George, UT in 2010. It has now expanded all over Utah and into other states as well.

While I think the emphasis in the beginning was the sodas, most people now know Swig for it’s sugar cookies. The cookies are very original – a soft, round sugar cookie with a slightly tangy (and typically light pink) frosting. What really sets the Swig sugar cookies apart is that they are served cold.

I’m really not sure what magic refrigeration works on these cookies, but they truly are the BEST cookies out there. And I justhad to make a gluten free version our whole family could enjoy!

Gluten Free Swig Sugar Cookies Were Born

The first few attempts at making gluten free Swig cookies went O.K. The fourth attempt was a complete disaster…but the fifth wasperfection.

I served these gluten free Swig sugar cookies at our annual neighborhood back-to-school party and everyone fawned over them! That’s the true test of a gluten free cookie you know, if they pass the test with someone who doesn’t regularly eat gluten free.

This recipe is really a combination of quite a few gluten-filled cookies I found online, along with some tips I’ve taken from making other gluten free cookies. The trick is really to make the dough a little more wet than a regular cookie, so the flours can soak up that moisture and you aren’t left with a gritty texture.

Can I Make These Cookies Ahead of Time?

Absolutely! In fact, you’ll need to plan ahead because these cookies really shine when they are served cold. You can make these gluten free Swig cookies up to 5 days ahead of time, and keep in the fridge.

To do so, bake the cookies and allow to cool completely. Frost them, then pop in the fridge or freezer just long enough to allow the frosting to set. This will be about an hour in the freezer or two in the fridge. Lay them flat in a large container (I use a 9X13″ pan with a lid) in a single layer. Top with a sheet of parchment or wax paper, top with another layer, then repeat the steps.

Store the container of cookies in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.

If the frosting is too soft, the parchment or wax paper might stick a little. If this happens, just peel it back gently. You can smooth the frosting with a knife you’ve warmed with hot water.

See Also
Sugar Free Pecan Pie - Keto RecipeThe Best Paleo Dinner Recipes Index - My Natural FamilyThese Holiday-Inspired Whole30 Recipes Won’t Leave You DeprivedPeanut Flour Recipes - Low Carb Bread

Can I Freeze Swig Sugar Cookies?

Yes, you can! Follow the steps above for layering the cookies in a container, then store in the freezer for up to 1 month, then allow the cookies to thaw in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

Can I Make Gluten Free Swig Cookies Dairy Free?

I have not tried using any dairy free substitutes for this recipe. Due to the amount of sour cream and butter called for in the recipe, I am hesitant to suggest trying any subs. If you do, please come back and comment to let us know how it worked for you!

Can I Double This Recipe?

Yes! This recipe can easily be doubled. Keep in mind that a double batch makes a LOT of dough, so you’ll need an extra large KitchenAid or a large, wide bowl if using a stand mixer.

The Perfect Gluten Free Cookie For Any Occasion

What I love most about these gluten free Swig cookies is they areperfect for any occasion or holiday. You can easily tint the frosting with different colors depending on which holiday is around the corner. Use reds and greens for Christmas, orange for Fall, Pink for Valentines Day, or Green for St. Patrick’s Day.

You can use red, white, and blue frosting to color the cookies for an easy and beautiful Fourth of July treat. Add a black frosting mouth, nose, and eyes for a Halloween Jack-O-Lantern. Feel free to add some fun sprinkles, too!Swig cookies are great for birthday parties or any other event because they can be made ahead of time

And, finally, because these Swig cookies don’t taste gluten free, you can take them to any party or get together and everyone will be able to enjoy them!

How to Make Gluten Free Swig Cookies:

Swig cookies are super easy to make! You’ll just want to make sure you plan ahead enough to allow the cookies to cool in the fridge so you can serve them cold.

First, you’ll mix the dough which will be fairly soft and slightly sticky.

Next, you’ll scoop balls of dough 2-3 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

The next step is one of the most important, as it gives the cookies the classic “Swig” shape. Dip the bottom of a glass or jar into a shallow bowl of sugar, then gently press it down on a ball of dough. Twist slightly as you press. The dough should now have a slight indent in the center, and some jagged edges as you can see in the photo.

Be careful not to over-bake the cookies, or they will be dry and crumbly. In my oven, the cookies are done in exactly 8 minutes. The cookies shouldn’t be browned at all, and will be fairly soft when you press them, but not too doughy. They will continue to cook a little as they cool and you want them to be nice and soft!

The frosting is made with butter, sour cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Make sure your butter and sour cream are room temp so you don’t end up with small chunks of butter in your frosting. You can microwave the sour cream for 15-20 seconds on full power to bring it to room temp if needed.

See Also
Diabetes Recipes: Low-Fat, Plant-Based, Whole-Food Nutrition

The frosting consistency is somewhere between a glaze and regular frosting. It needs to be fairly thin because it will thicken in the fridge.

After frosting the cookies, put them in the fridge for at least an hour or two, or freeze for 30 minutes if you’re in a hurry. You will be surprised at how much better they taste when they are served cold! I find that they’re best if allowed to sit in the fridge for 3-4 hours or overnight.

Looking for more cookie inspiration? Check out these delicious recipes!

Swig Cookies Copycat Recipe {gluten free} - Life After Wheat (5)

Yield: 2 dozen

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup neutral oil (vegetable, avocado, or canola)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup full fat sour cream
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar + more for topping
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 3/4 cup high quality gluten free flour (see notes)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt

FOR THE FROSTING

  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup full fat sour cream
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • food coloring

Instructions

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment, and put about 1/3 cup sugar in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  3. Fix KitchenAid with paddle attachment (You can also use a hand mixer) and mix butter 20-30 seconds until soft.
  4. Add oil and mix about a minute. Depending on how soft the butter is, it might all come together or you could have some pieces of butter - that is OK.
  5. Add egg, sour cream, sugar, and almond and vanilla extracts.
  6. Mix on low-medium until well combined.
  7. Add flour, baking powder, and salt. ***To measure flour, stir, scoop into a measuring cup, and level off with the flat side of a knife.
  8. Mix just until the dough comes together and is smooth and everything is combined.
  9. Scoop generous about 2 tablespoons of dough onto prepared cookie sheet, keeping the cookies 2-3 inches apart.
  10. Spray the bottom of a glass or jar with cooking spray before dipping in sugar for the first time (so the sugar sticks to the bottom of the glass).
  11. Press the glass down on a cookie while twisting slightly (this will give the cookies the classic jagged edge). The glass should make a slight indent in the center of the cookie.
  12. Repeat with remaining balls of dough on the cookie sheet, then bake for 8-9 minutes. The cookies will not brown, and should be slightly soft to the touch but not doughy.
  13. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack. Allow all cookies to cool completely before frosting.

FOR THE FROSTING:

  1. Mix butter until soft and creamy.
  2. Add sour cream and vanilla, and mix until smooth.
  3. Add powdered sugar and mix until smooth and creamy.
  4. Add a few drops of food coloring to make the frosting any color you want.

SERVING & STORING:

  1. Swig cookies are SO much better when served cold! Plan ahead and refrigerate the cookies after you have frosted them. Leave them in the fridge at least hour, or if you're in a hurry you can pop them in the freezer for 30-45 minutes.
  2. Store these cookies in an airtight container (separate layers with parchment or wax paper) in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
  3. Store in the freezer up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

Notes

  • I used Better Batter gluten free flour for this recipe. It is my favorite all-purpose gluten free blend and works great for cookies! Because gluten free flours behave differently, I don't know what the results will be if you use a different flour.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Swig Cookies Copycat Recipe {gluten free} - Life After Wheat (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep gluten-free cookies from falling apart? ›

Use a Binder

Binders like xanthan gum and guar gum provide structure in gluten-free baking to make up for the missing gluten. This prevents cookies from being too crumbly plus it also helps with freshness.

Read More ›
How do you improve the texture of gluten-free cookies? ›

After adding your dry ingredients, mix the dough for a few minutes (instead of just until combined). This will help the dough develop a bit more structure and get rid of any gritty texture from unincorporated ingredients. After all, you can't develop too much gluten if there's no gluten to begin with.

Tell Me More ›
Why are my gluten-free cookies not spreading? ›

13- Make sure your baking soda and/or baking powder are fresh. These are the leavening agents in your cookie recipe and if they are no longer active, your cookies won't puff up and may spread more. Try a fresh container if they've been open longer than 3 months. 14- Use a tried and true gluten free cookie mix.

Know More ›
How do you add moisture to gluten-free cookies? ›

Honey and agave as a sugar substitute can enhance moisture as well, but be aware that you should cut down slightly on the other liquids you are using in the recipe, as honey and agave are not solid ingredients. Adding an extra egg or oil can also help, but use caution.

Read On ›
How do you make gluten-free cookies less dry and crumbly? ›

Add extra liquid: Gluten-free flours tend to absorb more liquid than regular flour, so you may need to add more liquid to your recipes to compensate. This can help to keep your baked goods moist and prevent them from becoming dry and crumbly.

See More ›
Should I add xanthan gum to gluten-free cookies? ›

Using xanthan gum helps provide some of the stickiness that gluten free goods lack, replacing some elasticity. Xanthan gum mimics some of gluten's most essential properties by sticking to flour and its moisture. This helps create moist goods that hold their shape after being baked.

Learn More ›
What is the best flour for gluten-free cookies? ›

Almond flour increases the percentage of protein in cookie recipes and brown rice flour helps make them nice and crisp. This recipe includes: brown rice flour. almond flour.

Get More Info ›
Which gluten-free flour works best in cookies? ›

Almond flour is a grain-free, protein-rich flour that lends well to cookies, cakes, and more! Almond flour is made from blanched almonds, meaning without skins (as opposed to almond meal, which is made from raw almonds with skins). This is why it has a fluffy, light texture and pale golden color.

Explore More ›
Which gluten-free flour makes the best cookies? ›

The 6 Epic Gluten-Free Flours that Make Up Our Cookies
  • Sweet white rice flour.
  • Whole grain brown rice flour.
  • Potato starch.
  • Whole grain sweet white sorghum flour.
  • Tapioca flour.
  • Xanthan gum.
Jan 19, 2024

Learn More ›
Should I refrigerate gluten free cookie dough before baking? ›

Your results may vary if using a different GF flour blend. The longer you let the dough sit in the fridge before baking, the better these cookies will be!

View Details ›

Should you let gluten free cookie dough rest? ›

Instead of proceeding directly to baking, let the gluten-free cookie dough rest for about 30 minutes at room temperature. This resting period is crucial for hydration, not leavening. During this time, gluten-free flours absorb moisture from the wet ingredients, altering the dough's texture and consistency.

Get More Info ›
Can you overmix gluten free cookie dough? ›

While conventional wisdom has taught us not to overmix our batters, we've found most gluten-free batters simply need to be stirred for longer. If you're worried this will turn your muffins and cakes rubbery, have no fear. Gluten-free recipes need to have more structure.

Continue Reading ›
What is the secret to gluten-free baking? ›

Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.

Read On ›
Why are my gluten-free cookies so dry? ›

Gluten-free baked goods have earned the reputation of being dry and gritty. That grit—that evil grit! —is the result of gluten-free flours that are often high in starches and rice flour, which take longer to absorb moisture than regular “gluten” flour.

View More ›
Why are my gluten-free cookies dry and crumbly? ›

Another reason is that gluten-free flours, such as almond flour or coconut flour, can behave differently than wheat flour in baking. They may absorb more liquid, for example, which can result in dry or crumbly cookies.

Know More ›
What holds gluten-free cookies together? ›

As with gluten, this could stop a cookie from spreading too much as it bakes. So I've decided to try adding a hydrocolloid to my gluten-free dough. Some grocery stores sell xanthan gum and guar gum, especially if the stores have a gluten-free aisle. Many gluten-free recipes call for xanthan gum.

Get More Info ›
Why is gluten-free baking crumbly? ›

This might be due to the lack of gluten but can be for many other reasons. Lots of gluten free flour is rice based and this can result in a dry and slightly gritty texture. The Juvela gluten free White and Fibre Mix have been developed to be as comparable to gluten containing flour as possible.

See Details ›
How do you keep cookies from being crumbly? ›

If you overmix the dough, the cookies will be dry and crumbly. The best way to fix this is to add more liquid to the dough. This can be done by adding milk, water, or even melted butter. You may also need to add more flour to the dough if it is too wet.

Read The Full Story ›
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