Low Sodium Sugar Cookies Recipe
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Jump to RecipeThis low sodium sugar cookie recipe is a tasty, delicious, and salt-free recipe you can enjoy for the holidays or anytime! Mix all your ingredients, and roll out the dough to cut into fun shapes.
This easy low sodium dessert recipe is great for holiday baking – they make the perfect low sodium Christmas sugar cookies. And once they finish baking, you can add icing (try our favorite low sodium buttercream frosting!), sprinkles, or any decorations you desire.
Want more low sodium dessert ideas? Try our low sodium peanut butter cookies, low sodium rice crispy treats, or our low sodium peppermint bark.
It’s almost Christmas time, and we have already started the low so baking in this house! I wanted to share our favorite recipe for low sodium sugar cookies, which are perfect for the holidays.
They are easy to make, have minimal ingredients, and are light and perfect for baking. This easy cookie recipe uses some great low sodium swaps like unsalted butter, no added salt, and a sodium-free baking powder.
Why This Recipe Works
- These cookies are soft, delicious, and an absolute classic!
- Cut them into shapes using a cookie cutter, and decorate with low sodium frosting.
- A great low sodium Christmas cookie recipe, or great any time of year.
- They are great to make for others, gift a few cookies to neighbors, family, or friends.
- This recipe uses simple low sodium ingredients for great cookies every time.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Unsalted Butter – use unsalted butter for the base of these great sugar cookies. Using unsalted butter is a great way to reduce the sodium in these cookies. Use sweet cream butter if you can find it.
- Sodium-free baking powder – I use this fantastic sodium-free baking powder, which has 0mg sodium per serving. I get this online or can find it at Whole Foods. You can also use a low sodium baking powder too.
- All purpose flour – a normal all purpose white flour works great.
- Sugar – I used a granulated white sugar for these cookies.
- Eggs – while eggs do have ~60mg sodium each, they are the only added sodium in these cookies. The eggs help hold the cookies together while baking.
- Real Vanilla Extract – use good, pure vanilla extract for these cookies. You want a really good quality vanilla.
Substitutions and Variations
- If you can’t find a sodium-free baking powder, you can use a low sodium baking powder. However, this will change the nutritional facts, so make sure you calculate total sodium amount for the ingredients you use in your kitchen.
- You could try this recipe using 1/3 whole wheat flour, and 2/3 all purpose.
- Use any cookie cutter shapes you like! I used Christmas cookies for mine, but any cookie cutters work: Hanukah shapes, Thanksgiving turkeys, Easter bunnies – anything! I also use the bands from mason jar lids to make circular cookies, and they work great.
How To Make These Low Sodium Christmas Sugar Cookies
Step 1: To a stand mixer, or to a large mixing bowl, add the unsalted butter (softened to room temperature) and the granulated sugar. Cream the butter and sugar together until well mixed. I mixed it for ~3 minutes on medium-high speed in my mixer.
Step 2: Add in the eggs and the vanilla extract. Mix for another 3 minutes until all ingredients are well mixed into the dough.
Step 3: Add in the sodium-free baking powder, and mix again.
Step 4: Now add in the flour – you will add 2 cups at a time, mixing in between adding the batches. Mix on medium speed until all the flour is well incorporated into the dough. The dough should be firm. If your dough looks crumbly or dry, you can add 1 tablespoon more vanilla extract or milk/water until it firms up.
Step 5: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide your dough (I divided mine into thirds) and place it on a rolling mat.
Step 6: Roll the dough down to ½ inch thick or so.
Step 7: Use cookie cutters to cut our your cookie shapes. Place the cut cookie dough on to the parchment paper.
Step 8: Bake the cookies for 8-12 minutes, you want the bottoms just starting to brown, but not brown the edges (these can end up dry). Allow cookies to cool completely on the counter, and add any icing or decorations you desire. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
These sugar cookies have ~6mg sodium per cookie, using a sodium-free baking powder and unsalted butter. Commercial sugar cookies may have more sodium and will vary based on ingredients.
Yes! Use any cookie cutter shape (I used snowflakes, trees, and candy canes) you prefer – or ones for different holidays.
For these sugar cookies, I recommend a mixer, a baking mat (or surface to roll the cookies out on), a rolling pin, a baking sheet, and parchment paper. And use any cookie cutters you prefer.
Absolutely! I usually use half now, and refrigerate or freeze half for later. If keeping cookie dough for later, store it in an airtight container (I use a plastic freezer bag)for up to 1 week in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer. Before baking, make sure to thaw the dough to room temperature before rolling and baking.
Expert Tips
- This recipe makes about 36-42 large cookies, it’s a lot! You can try halving the recipe, or what I like to do is freeze half the dough for another time.
- You can also freeze the sugar cookies once they are baked. They make a great ready-made treat when you want one.
- Just want to eat the cookie dough? Skip the eggs, and use only 5 cups of flour, and enjoy 🙂
More Low Sodium Desserts
- Low Sodium Brownies
- Low Sodium Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Easy Low Sodium Rice Krispie Treats
- Low Sodium Peanut Butter Oat Balls
- Low Sodium Peanut Butter Cookies
Let’s keep in touch – don’t forget to follow over on Instagram, Facebook, & my Youtube channel for more easy low sodium recipes.
If you made this recipe please leave a star rating & comment below. Your feedback helps other people who are making this recipe.
Low Sodium Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Mixer
- Baking Mat
- Cookie Cutters
- Rolling Pin
- sheet pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 4 teaspoons sodium-free baking powder
- 6 cups all purpose flour
Instructions
- To a stand mixer (or to a large mixing bowl) add the unsalted butter (softened to room temperature) and the granulated sugar. Cream the butter and sugar together until well mixed. I mixed it for ~3 minutes on medium-high speed in my mixer.
- Add in the eggs , vanilla extract, and sodium-free baking powder. Mix for another 3 minutes until all ingredients are well mixed into the dough.
- Now add in the flour – you will add 2 cups at a time, mixing in between adding the batches. Mix on medium speed until all the flour is well incorporated into the dough. The dough should be firm. If your dough looks crumbly or dry, you can add 1 tablespoon more vanilla extract or milk/water until it firms up.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide your dough (I divided mine into thirds) and place it on a rolling mat.
- Roll the dough down to ½ inch thick or so.
- Use cookie cutters to cut our your cookie shapes. Place the cut cookie dough on to the parchment paper.
- Bake the cookies for 8-12 minutes, you want the bottoms just starting to brown, but not brown the edges (these can end up dry). Allow cookies to cool completely on the counter, and add any icing or decorations you desire. Enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe makes about 36-42 large cookies, it’s a lot! You can try halving the recipe, or what I like to do is freeze half the dough for another time.
- You can also freeze the sugar cookies once they are baked. They make a great ready-made treat when you want one.
- Just want to eat the cookie dough? Skip the eggs, and use only 5 cups of flour, and enjoy.
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- If you can’t find a sodium-free baking powder, you can use a low sodium baking powder. However, this will change the nutritional facts, so make sure you calculate total sodium amount for the ingredients you use in your kitchen.
-
- You could try this recipe using 1/3 whole wheat flour, and 2/3 all purpose.
-
- Use any cookie cutter shapes you like! I used Christmas cookies for mine, but any cookie cutters work: Hanukah shapes, Thanksgiving turkeys, Easter bunnies – anything! I also use the bands from mason jar lids to make circular cookies, and they work great.
Nutrition
*Please note, all nutrition content is estimated based on the ingredients we used, it may vary based on your ingredients. Always check your nutrition labels to verify sodium amounts.
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These are fun to make, even more tasty to eat