Make festive heart-shaped gluten-free sugar cookie cream sandwiches with orange-almond cookies, fluffy vanilla filling, and powdered sugar.
These Festive Heart-Shaped Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Cream Sandwiches are an elegant homemade treat for Valentine’s Day, bridal showers, birthdays, anniversaries, and other special celebrations. Each sandwich combines two soft, tender sugar cookies with a light and fluffy vanilla cream center.
Fresh orange zest gives the cookies a bright citrus aroma, while almond and vanilla extracts add a delicate bakery-style flavor. The combination of oat flour, sweet rice flour, tapioca flour, and cornstarch creates a tender gluten-free cookie that pairs beautifully with the rich mascarpone filling.
A dusting of powdered sugar and optional decorative hearts or sprinkles gives these cookies a festive finishing touch. Their heart shape and creamy center make them a lovely addition to a holiday dessert tray, afternoon tea, wedding shower, or homemade gift box.
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Baking Sheets
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Step 2: Combine the Sugar and Orange Zest
Place the granulated sugar and orange zest in the bowl of a stand mixer. Rub the sugar and zest together with your fingertips for several minutes to help release the fragrant citrus oils.
This step distributes the orange flavor throughout the sugar and gives the finished cookies a bright, aromatic quality.
Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugar
Add the softened butter to the orange-sugar mixture. Beat on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the mixture is light and creamy.
Step 4: Add the Eggs and Extracts
Add the eggs, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Mix until the eggs and flavorings are fully incorporated into the butter mixture.
Step 5: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the oat flour, sweet rice flour, tapioca flour, cornstarch, xanthan gum, and kosher salt.
Whisk thoroughly so the xanthan gum and starches are evenly distributed throughout the flour mixture.
Step 6: Finish the Cookie Dough
Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix only until a smooth dough forms and begins pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
Avoid overmixing once the dough has come together.
Step 7: Roll and Cut the Cookies
Lightly dust a clean work surface and rolling pin with tapioca flour. Roll the cookie dough to approximately 1/4-inch thickness.
Cut out the cookies with a heart-shaped cookie cutter. Gather the remaining scraps, gently reroll them, and continue cutting until all the dough has been used.
Step 8: Arrange and Chill the Cookies
Transfer the cut cookies to the prepared baking sheets, leaving approximately 1 inch of space between them.
For the sharpest heart-shaped edges, refrigerate the baking sheets for 10 minutes before baking. This optional additional chilling time is not included in the listed total time.
Step 9: Bake the Cookies
Bake the cookies for 7 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn lightly golden. The centers should remain fairly pale for the softest finished texture.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Carefully transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely before adding the filling.
Step 10: Whip the Cream
Pour the heavy whipping cream into a chilled mixing bowl. Whip until soft peaks form.
The cream should hold its shape while remaining smooth and light. Take care not to overwhip it.
Step 11: Prepare the Mascarpone Mixture
In a separate bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese or softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
Step 12: Finish the Vanilla Cream Filling
Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until evenly combined. The finished filling should be light, fluffy, and easy to pipe or spread.
Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, if desired.
Step 13: Assemble the Cookie Sandwiches
Turn half of the cooled heart-shaped cookies upside down. Pipe or spoon a generous amount of vanilla cream filling onto the flat side of each cookie.
Place one of the remaining cookies on top of each filled cookie. Press gently until the cream filling reaches the edges without spilling out.
Step 14: Chill the Sandwich Cookies
Place the assembled cookie sandwiches in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Chilling allows the filling to set and helps create clean, attractive layers.
Step 15: Decorate and Serve
Before serving, lightly dust the tops of the sandwich cookies with powdered sugar. Add decorative sugar hearts or festive sprinkles, if desired.
Serve the cookies chilled or allow them to stand briefly at room temperature before serving.
Notes
Sweet rice flour helps give these gluten-free sugar cookies their soft, tender texture. It is different from regular white rice flour and should not be replaced with regular rice flour for the best results.
Glutinous rice flour is another name for sweet rice flour. Despite its name, it does not contain gluten.
Mascarpone produces a rich, smooth filling with a mild flavor. Softened cream cheese may be used instead for a slightly tangier cream center.
Use additional tapioca flour sparingly when rolling the dough. Too much flour on the work surface could make the cookies dry.
Keep the dough approximately 1/4 inch thick so the cookies remain sturdy enough to hold the cream filling while retaining a soft texture.
For a citrus variation, add 1 teaspoon of fresh orange juice to the vanilla cream filling.
Make sure the cookies are completely cool before assembling them. Filling warm cookies may cause the cream to soften or melt.
Store assembled cookie sandwiches in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Check the labels on the oat flour, sweet rice flour, tapioca flour, cornstarch, xanthan gum, extracts, powdered sugar, sprinkles, and other packaged ingredients to confirm they meet your gluten-free needs. Prevent cross-contact by using clean equipment, utensils, baking sheets, and work surfaces.
