The best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies you’ll ever taste! These homemade cookies are crisp and golden around the edges, soft and chewy in the center, and studded with sweet chocolate chips in every bite! Dairy-free option, too.
The Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies!
Is there anything better than biting into a warm, freshly baked chocolate chip cookie? Especially when paired with an ice cold glass of milk, or in our case oat milk.
However, traditional recipes aren’t exactly allergy-friendly, and they definitely aren’t gluten-free. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite treat! We believe everyone should get to enjoy their favorite foods, no matter their food restraints. That’s why we wrote our Gluten-Free Family Cookbook, after all!
So, naturally, gluten-free chocolate chip cookies were at the top of our list of desserts to make. And not to toot our own horn, but we think we nailed it with this recipe. Crisp around the edges, soft in the center, and bursting with sweet chocolate chips, it’s everything you could want in a chocolate chip cookie – and then some!
Ingredients and Easy Substitutions
This gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe features all the typical items you expect to see but with a gluten-free twist. Take a look at the key ingredients you’ll need down below, and don’t forget to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete details.
- Chocolate Chips/Chocolate Chunks – We use dark chocolate chips, but semi-sweet chocolate chips or dairy-free chocolate chips also taste great.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter or vegan butter to create a rich cookie dough that’s tender and holds its shape.
- Gluten-Free Flour – We use our homemade gluten-free flour blend to achieve the perfect texture, but a store-bought or a gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour will also work. Just be sure it includes xanthan gum!
Note: If using a homemade flour blend the cookies will be a more crinkly soft “bakery style” cookie versus store-bought gluten-free flour which will produce a thicker cookie. Both styles of cookies are delicious!
- Coconut Palm Sugar – This helps sweeten the cookies, keeping them soft and also adds a rich brown butter taste. Feel free to substitute brown sugar or golden monk fruit sweetener, if preferred.
- Raw Sugar – Feel free to use a sugar substitute instead to cut down on the sugar content.
- Egg – A large egg is included for extra richness and to help the cookies hold their shape.
- Vanilla Extract – Use pure vanilla extract (not imitation varieties) to enhance the flavor of the rest of the ingredients.
- Cinnamon – Technically optional, we love to include a pinch of ground cinnamon for extra depth and warmth.
- Sea Salt or Flakey Salt – Again, this is technically optional, but it makes for a bakery-worthy appearance and helps enhance the flavor of the chocolate!
Optional Add-Ins
Of course, you can always add extra ingredients to the dough for a boost of flavor and texture. For example, some of our favorite mix-ins include:
- Chopped Nuts
- Coconut Flakes
- White Chocolate Chips
- Dried Fruit
Baking Tips
This recipe is fairly straightforward, but we do have a few extra tips and tricks to guarantee your gluten-free chocolate chip cookies are always drool-worthy!
- Avoid Overmixing. Be sure to combine the ingredients for the dough just until they’re smooth. Continuing to mix will result in dense, tough cookies.
- Scrape the Bowl. We recommend stopping to scrape down the edges of the mixing bowl every so often when mixing to ensure all the ingredients get incorporated into the batter.
- Leave Space. Place the cookies on the baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each dough ball. This ensures they don’t clump together as they expand while they bake!
- Don’t Overbake. Keep a close eye on your oven, and remove the cookies as soon as the edges begin to look golden brown. The center may look underdone, but it will continue to bake as set as the cookies cool!
How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
There are no complicated steps or fancy equipment needed for this recipe. As long as you’ve got a few bowls, a mixer, and a baking sheet, it’s super easy!
- Mix the Wet Ingredients. Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. (Or, use a large bowl and a hand mixer.) Beat until the butter is smooth and creamy. Add the coconut sugar and raw sugar, and mix on low speed until the mixture is smooth. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix again on medium speed until combined.
- Add the Dry Ingredients to the Wet Ingredients. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and optional cinnamon. Then mix the dry ingredients into the bowl of the wet ingredients until the batter is smooth and no streaks remain. *Be sure not to over mix. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Chill the Dough. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a bowl, and cover it with plastic wrap. Transfer the cookie dough to the fridge to chill.
- Portion and Bake. Preheat the oven, and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough, rolling it into balls. Place each cookie dough ball on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake. Transfer the cookies to the oven, letting them bake just until the edges are slightly golden brown. Remove from the oven, and press a few extra chocolate chips on top along with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt.
- Cool. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make Ahead Options and Storage
It’s pretty rare that we ever have any leftovers when it comes to this recipe. They are called the best gluten-free chocolate chip cookies for a reason, after all! However, if you do or if you want to prepare in advance, both the baked cookies and the cookie dough keep well!
- To Make Ahead: Prepare and portion the dough as the recipe card states. Then, arrange the dough balls on a baking sheet, and transfer them to the freezer for a couple hours or until solid. Once the dough is hard, transfer it to a freezer-safe bag or container, and keep the cookies frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, bake the dough from frozen, adding a few extra minutes as needed until the edges are golden.
- To Store: Transfer cooled cookies to an airtight container or sealable bag, and keep them stored at room temperature for up to 7 days.
- To Freeze: Store baked cookies in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. To eat, thaw them in the fridge overnight, and enjoy them cold, set them out to come to room temperature, or warm them up!
More of Our Favorite
Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes
If you enjoy these gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, you won’t want to miss out on more of our gluten-free cookies below!
Common Questions
If your cookies are flat, it’s most often because the dough was too warm. Don’t skip chilling it in the fridge! Also, be sure to measure the butter and flour carefully.
On average, this recipe makes about 22 to 24 cookies.
Yes! It is naturally nut-free. Just be sure to double-check the ingredient lists on the items used to avoid any cross-contamination.
No, using all almond flour will not result in the soft, slightly fluffy texture we want with this recipe.
The most common reasons why these cookies may turn out dry are that xanthan gum was not included and they were not allowed to cool long enough after baking.
We haven’t tested this recipe with any vegan egg substitutes, but please let us know how it goes if you do! Or, try out our vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe instead!
Best Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
- Total Time: 65 to 67 minutes
- Yield: 22 to 25 cookies 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Prepare the best gluten free chocolate chip cookies recipe with simple ingredients for a bakery-worthy cookie everyone can enjoy! Dairy-free option.
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (112g) or plant based butter, softened
- ½ cup coconut palm sugar, brown sugar or golden monk fruit sweetener (see notes for substitutes)
- ½ cup raw (fine) sugar or sugar substitute
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups (250 grams) homemade 1-1 gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum or store bought gluten free 1:1 flour with xanthan gum (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- pinch cinnamon (optional)
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips or dairy free chocolate chips
- Optional Topping- coarse sea salt or flaky sea salt
Instructions
Note: This dough requires chilling.
- Place softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or use a large bowl and hand mixer. Beat the butter until creamy. Add coconut sugar and raw sugar and mix on low speed until the mixture is smooth (about 1 minute). Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed until combined.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and optional cinnamon.
- Add the dry mix to the wet ingredients and mix until the batter is smooth. Don’t overmix and be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl during mixing. Fold in the chocolate chips until combined. Again do not overmix.
- Shape the dough into a ball, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge to chill for 45 minutes to 1 hour. See notes for freezing tips.
- Remove chilled dough from the fridge. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.Using a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough into balls and place on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Place cookies in the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and, if desired, press a few extra chocolate chips on top and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. The cookie will continue to cook so cool them on the baking sheet for a couple minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Store these chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.
Notes
Baking Tips – If using a homemade flour blend the cookies will be a more crinkly soft “bakery style” cookie versus store bought flour which will produce a thicker cookie. Both styles of cookies are delicious! When removing the cookies from the oven they will look underbaked in the middle but they will continue to bake and set as they cool! This will result in a chewy and soft cookie. Over-baking will result in a crispier cookie. Still delicious but not as soft.
Meal Prep Tip – Scoop the cookie dough onto a baking sheet then freeze. Once the dough is frozen, remove the sheet from the freezer and place the frozen cookie dough into a freezer safe bag or container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months? When ready to bake dough from frozen, place dough on a prepared baking sheet and bake at 325 F for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown.
Storage Tip – Store baked cookies in the freezer in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Chill Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: baking
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 149
- Sugar: 12.1 g
- Sodium: 56.6 mg
- Fat: 6.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.3 g
- Fiber: 0.9 g
- Protein: 1.4 g
- Cholesterol: 17.2 mg
Rate & Comment