The Quest for the Perfect Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Finding gluten free chocolate chip cookies that doesn’t crumble the moment you take a bite is often the “holy grail” for those living with Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. Many store-bought cookies are either rock-hard or overly gritty.
This updated recipe for Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies changes the narrative. By focusing on the perfect ratio of moisture to flour and leveraging the chemistry of modern gluten free blends, we’ve created a cookie that rivals any traditional wheat-based version. These are cookies that your non-gluten free friends won’t even realize are alternative treats.
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter salted – softened (browned butter works best)
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour gluten free
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Beat butter and sugars in a large bowl of an electric mixer until well combined.1 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.2 eggs
- Add vanilla.2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Combine flour blend, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate large bowl.3 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
- Stir dry ingredients well.
- Add to butter mixture.
- With mixer on low speed, beat until dry mixture is well blended.
- Add chocolate chips.2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Place dough by 1 ½ tbsp, 2” (5 cm) apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Press dough down slightly.
- Bake in preheated oven, 12 to 14 minutes.
- Cool on wire cooling rack.
Nutrition Details
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Tried this gluten free recipe?
Let us know how it was!Why This Recipe Works: The “No-Chill” Advantage
One of the biggest hurdles in cookie baking is the waiting game. Many recipes require 12 to 24 hours of chilling to prevent spreading. However, this updated version is engineered for immediate gratification.
By using a specific balance of brown sugar (for moisture and chew) and granulated sugar (for those iconic crisp edges), the dough maintains its structure perfectly in a 350-degree oven. The result is a cookie that holds its shape, providing a soft, pillowy center while developing a golden-brown, caramelized exterior.
Choosing the Right Gluten Free Flour Blend
Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. For this chocolate chip cookies recipe, we recommend a high-quality cup-for-cup or all-purpose gluten free flour blend that already contains xanthan gum. Xanthan gum acts as the “glue” that gluten usually provides, ensuring your cookies have that essential chew rather than a sandy texture. If your preferred blend doesn’t include it, you may need to add 1/2 teaspoon to the dry ingredients to ensure the cookies don’t spread too thin.
The Role of Room Temperature Ingredients
To achieve the best emulsion, the smooth mixture of fats and sugars, it is vital to use softened butter and room-temperature eggs. When butter is at the right consistency (supple but not melting), it traps air during the creaming process. This air expands in the oven, giving the cookies a slight lift and preventing them from becoming dense. If you’ve ever had a cookie turn out “greasy,” it’s often because the butter was too warm before it even hit the mixer.
Pro-Tips for Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies Results
- The Scoop Method: For uniform baking, use a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop. This ensures every cookie finishes at the exact same time, preventing the edges of smaller cookies from burning while the larger ones stay raw.
- The “Slam” Technique: For those ripples of chocolate and a fudgier center, gently tap the baking sheet against the oven rack or counter halfway through baking. This collapses any air pockets and creates a denser, chewier texture.
- Don’t Overbake: Gluten free treats continue to firm up significantly as they cool. Take them out when the edges are golden but the centers still look slightly underdone. Let them rest on the warm baking sheet for 5–10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.
Customizing This Recipe
While semi-sweet chips are the classic choice, don’t be afraid to experiment. Use dark chocolate chunks for a sophisticated bitterness, or add a pinch of flaky sea salt on top immediately after baking to balance the sweetness.
For a nutty crunch, toasted walnuts or pecans provide a wonderful contrast to the buttery dough.
Frequently Asked Questions About Baking Gluten Free Cookies
Yes! You can substitute the butter with a high-quality vegan buttery stick (look for one that is formulated for baking). Ensure your chocolate chips are also dairy-free/vegan-certified, such as the Nestle Toll House Allergen-Free Morsels.
This usually happens if the butter was too soft (almost melted) or if the kitchen was too warm. If you find your first batch is spreading too much, pop the remaining dough in the fridge for 20 minutes before baking the rest.
Avoid scooping the measuring cup directly into the flour bag, as this packs the flour down and leads to a dry, crumbly cookie. Instead, use the “spoon and level” method: spoon the flour into the cup and level it off with a flat knife.
Absolutely. Scoop the dough into balls and place them on a tray in the freezer. Once frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. You can bake them straight from the freezer—just add 1–2 minutes to the total baking time.
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container with a small piece of bread (gluten free bread works too!). The cookies will absorb the moisture from the bread, keeping them soft and chewy for up to 4 days.
Only if your gluten free flour blend does not already include it. Check the ingredient list on your flour bag; if “Xanthan Gum” or “Guar Gum” isn’t listed, add 1/2 teaspoon to this recipe to prevent the cookies from falling apart.
My kids favorite, allergy-friendly Chocolate Chip Cookies with crisp golden edges a chewy center.
I LOVE THIS RECIPE!!
personally i’m gluten free, and this recipe works great with a simple one-for-one gluten-free flour. every time i make a batch these cookies never last more than three days in my house. definitely recommend!! 🙂
Literally the best cookie ever 10/10
These are excellent!! Be sure not to overbake. Have made several times.
I used white chocolate chips,just for fun!
Delicious cookies every time!
These. Are. Amazing.
Just perfect 👌🏽 simple yet delicious and perfect
This recipe is literally perfect!! It creates the best chocolate chip cookies you will ever taste in your life, and are now a favourite among my friends and family! Highly recommend!
Turned out great. Was easy to make for a nice treat for the kids to come home to after school. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe. Have a great day!
Rlly good
They really are the best. They turn out exactly as described in the recipe.
Best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever. Hands down. Tons of compliments. I’ve made them like 10 times now and always great results.
I’ve made these 3 times in 3 weeks. Excellent recipe. I took the liberty of increasing the chocolate chips to 18oz in the last batch and wasn’t disappointed.
Delicious every time!
Aw, this was a very nice cookie recipe.