The Best Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
I am not even exaggerating when I say that these are the Best Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies ever. They are pure perfection and contain everything that you could want in a cookie. With a soft gooey middle, crisp edges, and big chunks of chocolate throughout, these cookies will have you going back for seconds and thirds. My guess is that you won’t even be able to tell they are gluten-free!
After meticulously testing and adjusting the recipe countless times, I am so excited to share my finalized recipe for the Best Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies with you! These cookies are hands down the best recipe that I have ever created, and once you give them a try you will understand. This recipe is a crowd pleaser that you can reach for time and time again. It has that nostalgic homemade flavor, but adds a magical richness with browned butter that will have you dreaming about these cookies long after you’ve eaten them all.
This recipe has been adapted from The Loopy Whisk and The Ultimate Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe on her site. I used it as a starting point and adopted some changes to make the recipe work with the 1:1 gluten-free flour blends available in the US. I also was looking for a cookie that was more gooey and chewy on the inside, and after testing to perfection,I believe my new recipe nails all these points!
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Ingredients
To make the Best GF Chocolate Chip Cookies, it is crucial to use high-quality baking ingredients. Scroll down to see what I use and why.
Unsalted Butter: You will want to use unsalted butter so that you have full control over the amount of salt in your cookies which affects how they taste and the chemistry of the bake. I love using Kerrygold butter in my baked goods for the extra richness and butterfat that comes from grass-fed cows . I swear nothing compares to those gold bricks!
Sugar: This recipe calls for both white sugar and brown sugar. Both are necessary for flavor and texture. Use organic cane sugar if you can.
Egg: The size of the egg matters. Use a large egg + 1 egg yolk for extra soft and chewy cookies.
Vanilla gives these cookies that classic warm and sweet flavor. Use a pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla flavoring.
Gluten-free flour: For this recipe, I use King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure flour. Different flours may result in a different outcome.
Baking powder & baking soda: You will need both for this recipe to achieve a gooey yet crisp cookie.
Salt brings out the flavors in baked goods and also is important in the baking process. To take these cookies over the top, sprinkle with flakey sea salt after baking for the perfect balance of salty and sweet and a surprising crunch!
Chocolate: You can’t have chocolate chip cookies without chocolate! Splurge on high-quality chocolate for these cookies. You will want to look for dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate. For a bakery-style/gourmet cookie, use a dark chocolate bar with around 70% cocoa and use a knife to chop into chunks.
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies Tips
Use a Scale
If you are baking gluten-free, I can not stress this enough-a kitchen scale is going to be your best friend. Not only will using a scale be more accurate and produce consistent results each time, but you will also end up with fewer dishes to clean since you won’t have to use measuring cups! Win-win! Don’t feel pressured to spend a ton on it either; there are affordable ones for around 10 dollars.
Chill Your Dough
I know this is an annoying step because no one likes to wait for their chocolate chip cookies once that craving hits. But hear me out, this step is here for a reason and so worth it. First, gluten-free flours are typically made with rice (which is highly absorbent) so chilling the dough gives the flour time to absorb that yummy liquid and fat, reducing that grainy texture people sometimes associate with gluten-free baked goods. The chilling time also gives the flavors time to develop and become richer, and firms up the dough enough to maintain that perfect circle cookie come bake time.
If you are short on time, for a happy compromise just pop them in the freezer for 30 minutes instead of the full hour in the refrigerator.
For Cookies on Demand
For cookies on demand, scoop dough into balls and freeze in a freezer-safe container for later.
Just take a few balls of dough out at a time and bake fresh cookies whenever you want. You can either bake from frozen by adding 2-3 extra minutes to the cooking time, or you can let them thaw first and then bake for the normal time. Perfect for last-minute guests or if you just want the house to smell like cookies!
How to Make Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Making gluten-free chocolate chip cookies is pretty similar to making regular chocolate chip cookies. You can use a stand mixer, hand mixer, or a whisk and wooden spoon.
First, start by browning the butter. Instructions on how to make brown butter are below in the recipe card. You will not want to skip this step. Brown butter adds amazing depth and richness to the cookies, making them taste like they came from a bakery.
Next, mix the melted butter and your sugars together. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and beat until light and airy.
Mix the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together and add to the bowl of wet ingredients.
Mix until combined, then add the chocolate and mix well.
Let the dough chill for at least an hour and then scoop the dough into balls using a “2 tablespoon” cookie scoop.
Bake on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet at 350ºF for 9-12 minutes, and let cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack
Gluten-free cookies don’t have to be dry, flat, and crumbly. With the right ingredients and correct proportions, magic can happen and you can enjoy a gluten-free cookie that is chewy, gooey, and crisp. This recipe is all those things and more, and as you can probably tell, is one of my favorites. I’ll squeeze in one more humble brag and say that these are truly the Best Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies that I’ve ever had or made. I hope I’ve convinced you to add this recipe to your baking list, and if you do end up making these cookies, I would love to hear how it turns out! Happy baking!
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 9 tablespoons (127g) unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup + 1 tablespoon (130 g) brown sugar, packed
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon (80 g) organic cane sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cups (180 g) gluten-free all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup (110 g) chocolate chunks
- Flakey sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- To make the brown butter, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring continuously until it starts to foam. The color will change from yellow, to golden, and finally to a toasty brown. Once you smell a nutty aroma, remove the pan from the stove and transfer the brown butter to a bowl to let cool.
- In a large mixing bowl combine 100 grams (7 tablespoons) of brown butter*, brown sugar, and organic cane sugar. Mix well. Add in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat until light and airy.
- In a separate bowl mix the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Add in the chocolate chunks and mix well.
- Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 1 hour to allow the dough to firm up before scooping it into balls.
- When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Use a “2 tablespoon” cookie scoop to scoop the dough into balls, placing them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet.
- Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with flakey sea salt and let cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy warm from the oven, or let cool completely and store covered at room temperature for about a week.
Notes:
Tips for making the best cookies:
- Since baking is science, and gluten-free baking is even more finicky, I highly recommend that you weigh the ingredients using a kitchen scale (which is very affordable). This will ensure your cookies turn out like expected.
- Use high-quality ingredients if you are able. I use organic cane sugar, Kerrygold butter, real vanilla extract, and dark chocolate with 70-75% cacao mass.
- Let your cookie dough chill for at least 1 hour. Right after mixing, the dough looks wet and oily, but chilling for an hour gives the dough the ability to absorb the oils.
- *As the butter browns, the water will evaporate at different levels. For this reason, I recommend weighing your butter after you brown it to ensure you have the perfect amount, 100 grams.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
166.95Fat (grams)
8.22Sat. Fat (grams)
4.93Carbs (grams)
21.53Fiber (grams)
0.46Net carbs
21.07Sugar (grams)
13.83Protein (grams)
2.00Sodium (milligrams)
135.24Cholesterol (grams)
37.28