Paleo and gluten free chocolate sugar cookies that are so fun, easy, and delicious. Decorate them into skeleton gingerbread men for Halloween!
If you are looking for easy paleo Halloween cookies to make and decorate with the whole family, I highly recommend you try these chocolate cut out cookie recipe. Not only are they cute, they are so fun and you can be creative with how you decorate them! I took a classic gingerbread man cookie cutter, and put a spooky spin on it with skeleton decorations, but you can turn them into mummies, ghosts, or even dead men with X’s as the eyes. They make the perfect paleo Halloween party food.
Of course, you can make this during the holiday season with traditional Christmas cut-outs and shapes!
Chocolate Gingerbread Cut Out Cookies Recipe
Just like other cut out cookies, these paleo and gluten free chocolate sugar cookies take a little longer than standard scoop-and-drop cookies. That’s because the dough needs to chill and harden a bit so it makes rolling and cutting out shapes easier. However, the end result is so worth it, and the texture turns crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. It’s become one of my favorite Halloween paleo recipes!
Watch a short video about this recipe:
Ingredients in Paleo Cut Out Cookies
There are 2 components to this recipe, the cookies and the icing. Here are all the ingredients you need to make these easy chocolate cut out cookies:
For the Cookies:
- chocolate chips: The chocolate chips are what make these paleo Halloween cookies extra chocolate-y and delicious! For paleo-compliant chocolate chips, I really like this brand.
- coconut oil: You can use ghee instead if that’s what you have on hand.
- coconut sugar
- egg
- vanilla extract
- almond flour: Use blanched almond flour, not almond meal.
- coconut flour
- cocoa powder: I personally like the flavor of cocoa powder the best, but you can also use cacao powder or carob powder.
- sea salt
- baking soda
For the Icing:
- powdered sugar: I’m fine with using powdered sugar for paleo baking, but if you want to keep it refined sugar free, you can use powdered monkfruit sweetener.
- vanilla extract
- almond milk: Any other dairy free will also work!
How to Make These Gluten Free Chocolate Cut Out Cookies
- Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave or a double boiler. Set side.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer at medium speed, cream together coconut oil and coconut sugar in a large bowl.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract, and beat until smooth.
- Add in melted chocolate, almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. At low speed, beat until fully combined and a wet dough is formed.
- Wrap the dough a plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour to overnight.
- Let the dough sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before rolling. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper in an even layer so it’s about ¼-½ inch thick.
- Cut out desired shapes with a cookie cutter, then carefully transfer the shapes to the prepared baking sheet using a spatula. If the dough softens up too much, chill in the freezer for 5 minutes until set, then continue.
- Re-roll any scraps of dough and repeat the previous 2 steps until you use up all the dough.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes until set.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack until cooled completely.
- Make the icing by stirring all its ingredients together until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag with a fine tip, or you can use a resealable plastic bag with the corner snipped off.
- Decorate the cookies as desired (I love making these paleo Halloween cookies!), then let the icing set for 10 minutes until dry and hardened. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions About Gluten Free Chocolate Sugar Cookies
No, this chocolate cut out cookie recipe won’t spread too much. You don’t have to worry about spacing out the dough on the cookie sheet. Just make sure they aren’t touching each other!
If the cookie dough is too soft to work with, it’s probably warmed up too much at room temperature. All you have to do is place the dough in the freezer for about 5 minutes before continuing so it sets. I recommend you work quickly so you don’t have to do this too many times.
You can keep these in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or keep them loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Yes! Just add food coloring to the icing to for different colors. I really like these natural powdered food coloring packets with real food ingredients. Or you can use any pre-made icing or frosting that you like.
If you enjoyed these paleo & gluten free chocolate cut out cookies, you might also like…
- Paleo Nut Free Gingerbread Cookies (AIP-Friendly, Vegan-Option)
- AIP & Paleo Sugar Cookies
- 4-Ingredient Keto & Paleo Flourless Cookies (Soft & Chewy)
- Nut-Free Cassava Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies (Paleo, Vegan, Gluten Free)
- Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Mug (Paleo, Vegan)
Paleo Skeleton Gingerbread Men (Chocolate Sugar Cookies)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup coconut oil or ghee
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
Icing
- 1 cup organic powdered sugar or powdered monkfruit sweetener, for paleo
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 tsp almond milk
Instructions
- In the microwave or a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips until liquified. Set aside.
- Add coconut oil and coconut sugar in a large bowl. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer at medium speed, cream together until combined fully.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract to the mixture, and beat until smooth.
- Add in melted chocolate, almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Beat this mixture at low speed until fully combined and a wet dough is formed.
- Pour the dough on a plastic wrap and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for 1 hour to overnight.
- When ready to bake, let the dough sit at room temperature for 5 minutes then preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper – you may need to use 2 baking sheets.
- Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper so it's about ¼-½ inch thick.
- Use a cookie cutter to cut out desired shapes, then carefully transfer the shapes to the prepared baking sheet using a spatula. If the dough softens up too much while cutting, chill in the freezer for 5 minutes until set, then continue.
- Re-roll any scraps of dough and repeat the previous 2 steps until all the dough is used up.
- Bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes until set.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack until cooled completely.
- Stir all the icing ingredients until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag with a fine tip, or you can use a resealable plastic bag with the corner snipped off.
- Decorate the cookies as desired, then let the icing set for 10 minutes until dry and hardened. Enjoy!
Video
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These are great! I was surprised that the dough wasn’t very sweet, but then I realized how sweet the icing was and they balance each other out well. I made little ‘skulls’ when I didn’t have enough dough left over to make a full skeleton cookie. I will be reusing this recipe at Christmas…with different decorations, of course!