Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies are crisp on the outside, dense and chewy on the inside, and made with everyday ingredients. Meet your new go-to CCC recipe!
“I have made a bazillion gluten free chocolate chip Cookie recipes. They look similar to yours, which is by far the BEST chocolate chip recipe I have ever used! These cookies are delicious! Finally I have a great recipe!!!”
Anytime someone asks me what I do for a living, I jokingly tell them “I share gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipes on the Internet.” I mean, this explanation isn’t untrue, and it usually works when trying to describe my crazy job to someone I’ve just met!
And now, it’s technically true. Sure, I have recipes for Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies here on IGE, but a tried and true, classic Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe has been missing…until now.
Say hello to the last chocolate chip cookie recipe you’ll ever need. We’re talking dense and chewy on the inside, buttery and crispy on the outside, chocolate chip cookie PERFECTION — made gluten free. I cannot wait for you to try these!
Watch How to Make Them
Simple Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
My requirement for a gluten free chocolate chip cookie is simple: it needs to be objectively good. Not just “good for gluten-free cookies”, but ANYBODY would eat one…then want 5 more.
These babies hit the mark!
While some people like their chocolate chip cookies soft and chewy, others like theirs thin and crisp. This recipe is the perfect mix of both styles. Like I said, chewy and dense on the inside, with a buttery crunch on the edges. Truly irresistible!
This recipe is a near exact replica of the chocolate chip cookie recipe I grew up making as a child. Notice I said making, and not eating. I was usually in the cookie making process for the dough and the dough alone — the thought of baking all. those. cookies. was a little daunting! That said, this recipe makes a trim 1-1/2 dozen cookies so you won’t be scooping and baking cookies for hours.
Ingredients Needed
I love that I always have the ingredients on hand to make Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies. They’re all what I consider “normal” fridge and pantry staples. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Butter: softened to room temperature for even mixing. Feel free to use your favorite vegan butter for a dairy-free option. I’ve been loving Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks lately. Earth Balance is a great option too.
- Brown sugar: for that signature chew and sweetness.
- Granulated sugar: lends sweetness and a crisp edge to the baked cookies.
- Egg: I haven’t tested a vegan egg-replacer in this recipe, though I often use Bob’s Powdered Egg Replacer in my Gluten Free Sugar Cookie recipe with great results.
- Vanilla extract: for a boost of flavor and coziness!
- Gluten free flour baking blend: I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour blend. Your results may vary if you use another blend. Whatever you use, ensure the flour blend contains a binder like xanthan gum.
- Baking soda: this reacts with the brown sugar to give our cookies a nice, yet not too high, rise.
- Salt: to balance out the sweetness of our cookies. A sprinkle of finishing/coarse sea salt on top of the warm, baked cookies is highly recommended if you have it on hand!
- Gluten free chocolate chips: my go to is Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels. I recommend sticking with dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips/chocolate chunks, vs milk chocolate to avoid landing in too-sweet-cookie-territory.
Top 4 Tips for Perfect Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
This is not a recipe to overthink — it’s a chocolate chip cookie recipe for heaven’s sake! — but for perfect gluten free CCCs, here are my top tips:
- Rest the dough. For gluten free chocolate chip cookies with the best flavor and best texture, let the dough rest for 24 – 48 hours before baking. I’ll explain more on that below.
- Use a cookie scoop. For uniform cookies, use a cookie scoop so each dough ball is the same size. I also recommend rolling the dough between your palms to create a ball before placing on the cookie sheet for even baking.
- Dot the top. My secret for especially beautiful chocolate chip cookies is to dot the top of the dough balls with extra chocolate chips before baking. You’ll LOVE the final look!
- Don’t rush the cooling process. Gluten free chocolate chip cookies are more fragile than regular chocolate chip cookies when they’re piping hot out of the oven. That said, let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a full 5 minutes to let them cool slightly and meld together, before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Why You Should Refrigerate Your Cookie Dough
I was first introduced to the concept of chilling cookie dough before baking from the viral New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe back in 2012.
It truly changed the way I bake CCCs!
Practically speaking, chilling the dough before baking prevents the cookies from spreading too thin and all over the baking sheet. More importantly though, chilling the dough first allows the flavors of the ingredients to meld together and intensify. My friend Tessa at Handle the Heat likens this step to letting the cookies “marinate” to develop their flavors, which I love.
After resting, the cookies bake and brown more evenly, have the perfect balance of chewy centers and crispy edges, have a more complex taste, AND the gluten free flour has a chance to hydrate which produces cookies that aren’t grainy or gritty. Honestly — and you know me, I have like zero patience when it comes to this stuff (just give me the dang cookie!) — resting the dough makes SUCH a difference in the final cookie. You will not regret this extra step!
ALL THAT SAID, if you simply don’t have the time or patience to wait 24-48 hours, chill the dough for at least 2 hours in the fridge before scooping and baking.
How to Make Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Step 1: Add softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to the bowl of an electric stand mixer, or large mixing bowl if using a hand-held mixer, then beat until smooth and creamy.
- Step 2: Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add an egg and vanilla extract then beat again to combine.
- Step 3: Whisk together gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour blend, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat to combine.
- Step 4: Add chocolate chips then beat to combine.
- Step 5: Scoop the dough into an airtight container then refrigerate for 24 — 48 hours.
Step 6: Let the gluten free cookie dough rest on the countertop for 10-20 minutes to make it easier to scoop, then scoop 2 Tablespoons worth of dough, roll into a ball between your hands, and place onto a parchment-paper lined cookie sheet.
Recipe Tip
If you want your cookies to look tré-professional, dot the top of the cookie dough balls with extra chocolate chips before baking!
Step 7: Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until the outsides are golden brown and the centers are pale brown. Let the baked cookies rest on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
This is an important step because hot, baked gluten free chocolate chip cookies are more fragile than regular ol’ CCCs and so they have a tendency to fall apart if you try and transfer them when they’re piping hot.
How To Freeze the Dough and Cookies
Just like regular chocolate chip cookies, the gluten free version of both the dough and baked cookies freeze beautifully.
- To freeze the dough: Scoop the rested cookie dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet — you can crowd the baking sheet, just ensure the dough balls aren’t touching each other — then place inside the freezer and freeze solid. Transfer the frozen cookie dough balls into a gallon-size Ziplock freezer bag then freeze for up to 3 months.
- To bake the cookies from frozen, place them onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet then let sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Add a few extra minutes onto the baking time.
- To freeze the cookies: Cool the chocolate chip cookies completely then arrange in a gallon-size Ziplock freezer bag, seal, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Now go forth and bake then devour these AMAZING Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies! Enjoy!
More Easy Gluten Free Cookie Recipes
- Soft and Chewy Gluten Free Sugar Cookies
- Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Granola
- Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gluten Free Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Soft Batch Pumpkin Gingersnap Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-1/4 cups gluten free baking flour blend WITH binder, see notes
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup gluten free chocolate chips, Enjoy Life recommended
Directions
- Add butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to the bowl of an electric stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl if using a hand-held mixer, then beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy, 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add egg and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until egg is just combined.
- To a medium bowl add gluten free flour, baking soda, and salt then whisk to combine. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients then mix until just combined. Add chocolate chips then mix until combined. Scoop the cookie dough into an airtight container then chill in the refrigerator for 24 — 48 hours. If you just can’t wait, let the dough chill for at least 2 hours.
- Remove the cookie dough from the fridge then let sit on the counter for 10-20 minutes so it’s easier to scoop. Preheat oven to 375 degrees then line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Scoop 2 Tablespoons worth of dough then roll between your hands to create a ball and place onto prepared baking sheet. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes or until the outside edges are golden brown and the centers are pale brown.
- Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on the sheet pan before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Don’t rush this step as gluten free chocolate chip cookies are more fragile when hot than regular chocolate chip cookies. Once cool, store in a gallon-size Ziplock bag or airtight container.
Notes
- I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour. Your results may vary if using a different GF flour blend.
- The longer you let the dough sit in the fridge before baking, the better these cookies will be!
- To freeze the dough: Scoop the rested cookie dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet — you can crowd the baking sheet, just ensure the dough balls aren’t touching each other — then place inside the freezer and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen cookie dough balls into a gallon-size Ziplock freezer bag then freeze for up to 3 months. To bake the cookies from frozen, place them onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet then let sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Add a few extra minutes onto the baking time.
- To freeze the cookies: Cool the chocolate chip cookies completely then arrange in a gallon-size Ziplock freezer bag, seal, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Photos by Ashely McLaughlin
This was my first time in 60 years of baking to try gluten-free cookies, and these were fabulous! I chilled the dough overnight then pulled it from the fridge a couple hours before scooping the next day. When chilled, the dough is stiff so recommend this step. They froze beautifully and tasted fresh when served. I followed your directions exactly and consider this my go-to recipe for gluten-free cookies. Thank you for posting this perfect recipe. My CD friends were especially appreciative (but everyone loved them).
I’m thrilled this recipe was such a hit, Judi! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I’m thinking about doing 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 orange extract and adding 1 tsp orange zest and making them orange chocolate chip cookies. I’ve tried the normal recipe and absolutely love these cookies.
Have you tried this recipe in bar form? I’m looking for a recipe to use for a chocolate chip cookie cake (frosted).
Hi Janelle! I haven’t made these into bars! General rules of thumb are to choose a pan where the dough will be 3/4 – 1″ thick (the thicker the bar the doughier/chewier it will be), and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Let us know if you give it a go!
Lots of gf baking being tried at our house, much of it disappointing. Not these cookies, however. Everyone says they taste as good or better than gluten filled cookies. With two of our grandchildren restricted to gf diets, this recipe has been a great discovery.
LOVE to hear this, Robin!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating – I really appreciate it!
I’ve been wanting g to make these cookies for awhile. Today was the day. My grandson was goi g to his friends house and he is gluten free. I thought a snack for him to take would be nice. I liked them a lot. The consistency was very good. I did not refrigerate as instructed, there wasn’t time. the dough only had 20 minutes of rest time then so the oven. I baked for exactly 9 minutes and I. Poles for ten before taking them off the sheet. We all loved them
I’m so glad these were a hit, Maggie!! Thank you so much for your feedback, and recipe rating!!
I have made a bazillion gluten free chocolate chip
Cookie recipes. They look similar to yours, which is by far the BEST chocolate chip recipe I have ever used! These cookies are delicious!
Finally I have a great recipe!!!
Oh my gosh, I am THRILLED to hear this, Mary!!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I decided to brown the butter before creaming and BOY oh boy did they turn out nice. Nice and nutty with a buttery and salty finish! I followed every other part of the recipe the same. You have to be careful when adding in your egg so it doesn’t scramble, but I made sure to cream the butter/sugars a little longer to cool it down.
Sounds so delicious, Riane!! Glad you could put your own spin on this recipe. :) Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I finally made the best cookies of my 60 years of life using this recipe and the tips therein.
I decided to put the mix in the freezer for 10 -15 minutes as I was in a hurry and the final product was stunning. The tip about dotting the balls if dough just prior to making really does make these cookies look like they came from a baking shop. Also, nobody could tell that they were gluten-free using Bob Mills flour.
I’m so, so glad to hear this, Kenneth! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!