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In less than 30 minutes you can have these Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies out of the oven and on your plate. Soft and chewy, these gluten-free cookies will all but melt in your mouth.
After many requests from gluten-free friends and readers who wanted to know how they can also enjoy my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, I wanted to share with you just how easy it is to make soft and chewy gluten-free cookies!
With just one swap (and of course double-checking all labels), you can turn my easy chocolate chip cookies into the best gluten-free cookies you’ll ever try! These cookies are soft and chewy in the center with crisp edges on the outside. I under-bake them slightly so they’ll have a moist and chewy flavor for days after being baked – though they rarely last longer than 2 days in my home!
Gluten-free or no, everyone loves these chocolate chip cookies! These are perfect when you have a gluten-free person or two joining for dessert and want to make one dessert that everyone can love and enjoy! I’ve yet to have someone say no to these!
What You’ll Need
These easy gluten-free cookies simply swap flour for gluten-free flour. No fancy extra ingredients necessary!
- Butter – I prefer unsalted butter for baking. You’ll want melted butter for this recipe.
- Sugar – A combination of light brown sugar and granulated sugar. Brown sugar helps create the chewy texture of the cookies.
- Egg – Eggs help form the structure of the cookies.
- Vanilla extract – Look for pure vanilla instead of imitation vanilla.
- Gluten-free 1:1: all-purpose flour – See my notes below on the best gluten-free flour.
- Salt – Adds flavor.
- Baking soda – Helps the cookies puff up during baking.
- Chocolate chips – Your preferred gluten-free chocolate chips. I like to use high quality chocolate, like Ghiradelli or Guittard. You can use dark chocolate or milk chocolate and chips or chunks.
- Flaky sea salt – Added at the end for a bit of salty flavor to contrast the sweetness of the cookies.
Since the goal is to make things as easy as possible when baking gluten-free cookies, I use and recommend a measure for measure gluten-free flour. That means it’s an exact replacement of regular flour for gluten-free flour, so 1 cup of regular flour = 1 cup of gluten-free flour. Measure for measure gluten-free flour includes xanthan gum.
Xantham gum is a stabilizer and binding agent in gluten-free baking, essentially acting as gluten in traditional baked goods. However, not all gluten-free flour contains xanthan gum so be sure to look for a cup-for-cup (1:1) replacement or you will need additional ingredients.
My go-to gluten-free flour is from King Arthur, as I think it has the best texture for baked goods. Since I always use 1:1 gluten-free flour, I don’t have a recommendation for flour without xantham gum.
Important note! If you choose to use weight measurements when preparing this recipe, double-check the weight measurement in grams on the packaging of the gluten-free flour you are using. For instance, Iif you double the recipe to 2 1/2 cups, you’d want to double-check the weight. Not all flour weights are the same and over or under-measuring can affect the end result of your cookies.
These gluten-free cookies come together in minutes. There’s no need to let the dough chill, so you can have freshly baked cookies ready to enjoy in well under an hour from start to finish!
- Preheat the oven then prepare your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet.
- Combine the wet ingredients. Microwave butter for 30-45 seconds then allow to cool for a few minutes. Combine with sugars until well combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and add to the mixing bowl. As the dough thickens, add the chocolate chips.
- Bake. Use a large cookie scoop to transfer the dough to the baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with sea salt and additional chocolate chips and Bake. The center should be slightly undercooked but not gooey when you remove them from the oven.
Tips for Success
After trying various versions to get to the perfectly soft on the inside, crispy on the outside cookie, I’ve discovered a trick or two. Keep these in mind as you bake for the best cookies!
- Press extra chocolate chips on top. Either right before the cookies go into the oven or right after they come out, press a few more chocolate chips to the top to give the cookies an extra chocolatey look, with the chips fully visible on top.
- Use melted butter. While in many cookie recipes I say to use room temperature butter or even cold butter, for these chewy gluten-free cookies, I’ve found fully melted butter works best. They’re a little more dense and less airy, with a crumb that’s a lot more delicate. They all but melt in your mouth!
- Remove from the oven slightly under-baked. Pull these cookies from the oven when the center is still slightly under-baked but not too gooey. They’ll continue to cook on the baking sheet for several minutes after it’s removed from the oven.
- Perfectly shaped cookies. If the cookies spread out during baking, use a round cookie cutter or knife to push the edges back towards the center for perfectly round, puffy cookies. You must do this immediately after removing them from the oven before they’ve had a chance to set.
Store your gluten-free cookies in an airtight container. They’ll last at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you still have extras after a day or two, I recommend popping them in the freezer to stay even fresher.
Can I Freeze These?
Absolutely yes! To freeze baked cookies, place them in an airtight container or Ziploc once they’ve cooled completely. Then you can pull them from the freezer as desired and allow to thaw on the counter or, if you’re impatient like me, pop them in the microwave for 15 or so seconds.
Print
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 10-12 large cookies
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
In less than 30 minutes you can have these Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies out of the oven and on your plate. Soft and chewy, these gluten-free cookies will all but melt in your mouth.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup (55g) light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (48g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons (10ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups (175g) gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup (135g) chocolate chips
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a silicone baking sheet.
- Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl for 30-45 seconds. Allow to cool for a few minutes. Combine the melted butter with the brown and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until well combined, 2-3 minutes.
- Next add the egg and vanilla extract and continue beating until well incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking soda. Stir to combine and slowly add the dry ingredients into the dough, mixing on low speed until dough starts to form. As the dough thickens, add the chocolate chips. Beat until incorporated.
- Using large cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto baking sheet, placing 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and place additional chocolate chips on top.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. The center of the cookies should be slightly under baked but not too gooey. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
Important note! If you choose to use weight measurements when preparing this recipe, double-check the weight measurement in grams on the packaging of the gluten-free flour you are using. Not all flour weights are the same and over or under-measuring can affect the end result of your cookies.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
