Chewy Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
No one can tell that these gluten free chocolate chip cookies are actually gluten free. That’s because I’ve been testing and perfecting gluten free recipes since I was diagnosed with gluten sensitivity in 2006.
When you follow my easy step-by-step recipe below, you’ll have the best gluten free cookies you’ve ever tasted.
Why these are the Best Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- ready to bake in 10 minutes, no chilling the dough
- no weird ingredients, uses pantry staples
- chewy cookies with crispy edges and soft insides
- will fool all your friends and family, they will not know they are gluten free
- the dough can be frozen for later
- I recommend King Arthur gluten free all purpose flour.
Back in 2006 when I found out I have a gluten intolerance, the gluten free world was very limited. We had to go to the expensive health food store to find gluten free products and they were bad. I’m talking cardboard bread. And gluten free all purpose flour was definitely not a thing then.
I’m thankful there have been so many gluten free food developments over the years, but you definitely still need to weed through them and decide what’s actually good.
I’ve seen a lot and tried a lot of different kinds of gluten free flours since 2006. The one that I personally like the best based on taste and texture is King Arthur’s Gluten Free All Purpose Flour. I think it mimics the taste and texture of regular flour the best.
I can’t say with 100% certainty that this recipe will work with any gluten free all purpose flour because I exclusively use King Arthur’s, so if you try these cookies with a different brand of gluten free flour, please leave a comment and let me know your experience!
While we’re on the topic of flour, be sure to properly measure it.
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe ingredients
- gluten free all purpose flour: flour is necessary to build structure in cookies. I recommend and tested this recipe with King Arthur’s gluten free all purpose flour.
- cornstarch: helps to produce chewy but soft cookies
- baking soda: helps to leaven and lift the dough
- salt: enhances the other flavors
- chocolate chips: I used semi-sweet chocolate chips
- unsalted butter: adds flavor and tender texture
- brown sugar: adds sweetness & flavor, keeps the cookies moist and adds chewiness
- granulated sugar: adds sweetness, flavor and encourages browning
- egg: binds the cookies together by providing structure
- vanilla extract: adds flavor
Recommended cookie baking tools
I use a cookie scoop that is 1.6” in diameter, this is technically considered a small cookie scoop. When I use it, I scoop the dough so it’s heaping over the scoop. A good estimate is to make golf ball sized cookie dough balls.
I specifically like this brand of cookie sheets because they are light aluminum, which encourages even baking and browning. The half sheet size is perfect and the silicone baking mats fit perfectly on them. I recommend using shiny, heavy cookie sheets that have very low or no sides. Avoid dark aluminum sheets because they can cause overcooking.
Pro Tip: To ensure even baking, place only 1 cookie sheet in the oven at a time.
How to Properly Measure Flour
The most accurate way to measure flour is to use a kitchen scale, weighing it in grams.
If you don’t have a kitchen scale, follow this method.
- Aerate the flour with a whisk or spoon. Flour becomes heavy and compact as it sits. Aerating is the same as fluffing the flour, but not the same as sifting it. Do not sift the flour unless the recipe specifically calls for it.
- Use a spoon to sprinkle the flour into the measuring cup. Do not tap the cup against the counter, as this will compact the flour.
- Use the back of a butter knife to level off the excess.
How to make Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl combine the gluten free all purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and 1 cup of chocolate chips. Set aside.
- In a larger mixing bowl combine the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, beat for 30 seconds.
- Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed. The dough will be thick.
- Use a cookie scoop to form golf ball sized cookie dough balls, roll into a smooth ball between your hands. Press the remaining 1 cup of chocolate chips on the outside of the dough balls. Place about 8 cookies on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat at a time. I recommend only baking 1 cookie sheet at a time for even baking.
- Bake the cookies based off the recommended times in the recipe card below.
Baking time suggestions
For the gluten free chocolate chip cookies in the photos, the dough balls were about 3-4 heaping tablespoons (golf ball sized), so that’s a large cookie! I baked those for 15 minutes – just until the edges of the cookies would begin to firm up and brown slightly. The result is a soft and chewy chocolate cookie!
If you make regular sized dough balls (about 2 tablespoons of dough), you should reduce the baking time to 10-13 minutes.
Total time required
- 5 minutes to make the cookie dough
- 13-17 minutes to bake the cookies
- 15 minutes to cool the cookies
Storing Chewy Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
How to freeze cookie dough
- Portion the dough into cookie dough balls. Press chocolate chips into the outside of the dough.
- Place them on baking sheet lined with a silicone mat. You can place the dough balls close together since you won’t be baking them.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the cookies are frozen solid, about 1 hour.
- Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and transfer the frozen cookie dough balls to a ziplock freezer bag. Label the bag with baking directions.
- Freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months.
To bake: remove the dough from the freezer. Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF. Bake for 13-17 minutes. Frozen cookies may need to bake for 1-2 minutes longer.
Tips for Chewy Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Properly measure the all purpose flour using the spoon and sweep method.
- Use room temperature butter for easier creaming of the butter and sugar.
- Use a cookie scoop to form uniform balls.
- Press chocolate chips on the outside of the dough balls before baking for a loaded gluten free chocolate chip cookie presentation like the photos!
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe FAQs
I recommend using King Arthur’s Gluten Free All Purpose Flour to make this gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipe.
I can’t say with 100% certainty that this recipe will work with any gluten free all purpose flour because I exclusively use King Arthur’s, so if you try these cookies with a different brand of gluten free flour, please leave a comment and let me know your experience!
Yes. Be sure to omit the additional salt in the ingredient list.
Press the dough into an even layer in a foil lined 9×13 inch pan. Press the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips onto the top (1 & 1/2 cups chocolate chips go into the batter). Bake for 25-32 minutes or until the top of the bars turn golden in color. Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool for 20 minutes before cutting into squares.
Xanthum gum is the key to great gluten-free cookies. It’s a binding agent so it helps produce a chewy texture. Be sure to use a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthum gum. I recommend King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour.
I have been eating gluten free for 16+ years, which means I have tried so many different flours. My favorite is King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour. Regular gluten eaters aren’t able to tell my baked goods are gluten-free when I use this flour!
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups gluten free all purpose flour, I recommend King Arthur's gluten free all purpose flour
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup), room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl combine the gluten free all purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and 1 cup of chocolate chips. Set aside.
- In a larger mixing bowl combine the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. You want this mixture to be fluffy and pale in color.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, beat for 30 seconds.
- Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed. The dough will be thick. I like to finish mixing the flour into the dough by hand with a spatula.
- Use a cookie scoop to form golf ball sized cookie dough balls, roll into a smooth ball between your hands. Press the remaining 1 cup of chocolate chips on the outside of the dough balls. I like to load mine with chocolate chips! Place about 8 cookies on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat at a time. I recommend only baking 1 cookie sheet at a time for even baking.
- For the cookies in the photos, the dough balls were about 3 heaping tablespoons (golf ball sized), so that’s a large cookie! I baked those for 15 minutes – just until the edges of the cookies would begin to turn firm up and brown slightly. The result is a soft and chewy cookie! If you make smaller dough balls, you should reduce the baking time since the baking estimates are for golf ball sized dough balls.
- Baking time estimates for golf ball sized dough balls (3-4 tbsp dough):∙13 minutes: more pale in color, no crispy edges, very soft & chewy∙15 minutes: browning around edges, crispy edges, soft & chewy inside∙17 minutes: more browning, crispier edges, still soft & chewy but has more crunchBaking time estimates for regular sized dough balls (2 tbsp of dough) bake for 10-13 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool for 15 minutes on the baking sheet before removing.
Notes
- Make sure all of your ingredients are gluten free.
- I can’t say with 100% certainty that this recipe will work with any gluten free all purpose flour because I exclusively use King Arthur’s all purpose gluten free flour, so if you try these cookies with a different brand of gluten free flour, please leave a comment and let me know your experience! Be sure your gluten free flour mix contains xanthan gum.
- Properly measure the all purpose flour using the spoon and sweep method.
How would you make a 10-in pizza pan colossal cookie that for a happy birthday without it being gooey or to make it just right for a birthday that can’t have gluten. Thank you Darla Dutton
Hi Darla! Follow the recipe I’m linking, but replace the all purpose flour with gluten free all purpose flour! You can spread the dough into a 10 inch pizza pan instead of a 9×13.
https://thefirstyearblog.com/chocolate-chip-cookie-bars/
Can I substitute corn starch for arrowroot?
Hi Jennifer! I don’t have experience with arrowroot, so I can’t offer an accurate answer!
I just tasted my first two cookies. They are very good but I didn’t put enough c chips in them. My fault. I forgot put chips on top, My bad. Other than that, they are quite good. Thank you.
Follow up: I pocked more chips on top and reheated for two minutes, Much better. I still need to add another 1/2 cup sugar for my taste. Other than that they are delicious.