Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Texture: Chewy, with crisp golden edges and gooey centers.
Taste: Nutty notes from the brown butter and richness from the almond flour. Sprinkle them with flaky salt after baking!
Ease: SO easy to make! No mixer required.
Recommended GF Flour: Works great with many gluten-free flour blends. Use a high-quality flour that contains xanthan gum. I like King Arthur Flour and Bob’s Red Mill.
Would I make these again? Absolutely! Of all the recipes on my website, this is my very favorite! We make these cookies at least once a month. I especially love freezing the cookie dough balls so we can have freshly baked cookies in minutes.
xoxo erin
If you’ve been searching for the BEST gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe – look no further! I’ve been eating 100% gluten-free for over 10 years now and THIS is the chocolate chip cookie recipe of my dreams
Featured Comment
From Christine: “100 STARS!! Browning the butter is genius. My Mother made the best chocolate chip cookies (with regular flour)….I would put these up against her and no one would know they were gluten free. Thank you.”
Table of Contents
- Erin’s Recipe Rundown
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Why do I have to let the dough rest for 30 minutes?
- Why do you add almond flour? Can I make these cookies nut-free?
- Can I use all almond flour?
- Dough Consistency?
- Can I make these cookies dairy-free?
- Storage/Freezer Instructions
- More Favorite Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes
- Top Tips for Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies (5-Star Recipe!) Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Gluten-Free Flour: For best results, use a high quality gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure-For-Measure Flour is my favorite gluten-free flour. I’ve also had good results with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour.
- Almond Flour: I like to add a little almond flour along with the gluten-free flour. It gives the cookies richness and helps them to bake up golden brown. It’s my secret ingredient in many gluten-free baked goods like my gluten-free banana bread and gluten-free muffins! If you’re allergic to nuts you can leave out the almond flour and substitute more gluten-free flour.
- Butter: Sometimes gluten-free baked goods can lack flavor. Brown butter gives these cookies a delectable nutty, toasty almost caramelized flavor that you can’t get from anything else.
- Milk: I add 1 tablespoon of milk to replace the moisture lost by browning the butter. Any kind of milk will work.
- Chocolate Chips: Chocolate chips are usually naturally gluten-free! My favorite brand is Guittard. You can also use chopped chocolate bars – any kind you like! I’ve used the bag from Costco, Nestle and Enjoy Life all with great results.
How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
To make these cookies, start by whisking together the dry ingredients. They you’ll brown the butter.
TO BROWN THE BUTTER:
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Once the butter is melted and begins to foam, stir continuously to prevent the milk solids from sticking to the skillet. The butter will change from yellow to golden brown quickly and will have a nutty aroma. Remove from the heat and immediately pour into a medium bowl.
Whisk the brown butter together with the sugar, followed by the eggs and vanilla. Then stir in the dry ingredients and the chocolate chips.
Let the dough rest for 30 minutes before baking, or even better – chill it overnight to let the flavors develop.
Why do I have to let the dough rest for 30 minutes?
After you mix the dough together it’s important to give it at least a 30-minute rest. This gives the gluten-free flour time to hydrate and the flavors a chance to develop. It also helps guarantee non-gritty cookies.
If you have more time, I recommend refrigerating the dough for an even better flavor. The dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The longer the dough sits the better the flavor will be!
Luckily just a room temperature 30-minute rest will do and no overnight-in-the-fridge chill is needed. So you can still have chocolate chip cookies shortly after a craving strikes!
Why do you add almond flour? Can I make these cookies nut-free?
I like using a little almond flour because it gives the cookie dough moisture and richness. It helps the cookies bake up nice and golden color. To make these cookies nut-free substitute the 1/4 cup almond flour with an additional 1/4 cup gluten-free baking flour.
Can I use all almond flour?
No. I don’t recommend using all almond flour in this recipe. Almond flour has very different properties than gluten-free 1:1 baking flour. Check out this recipe for a great almond flour chocolate chip cookie!
Dough Consistency?
If your cookie dough looks too thin, add a few tablespoons of extra flour. The brand of flour and how you measure it can affect the dough’s consistency. (See the video/process shots for the ideal thickness!)
Can I make these cookies dairy-free?
Yes! To make these gluten-free chocolate chip cookies dairy-free you can use melted vegan butter in place of the brown butter. No need to brown the vegan butter (it won’t work!). You can also replace the milk with almond milk.
Storage/Freezer Instructions
- To Store: Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze: Scoop the dough into balls and place them on a small baking sheet or plate lined with parchment paper. Pop the sheet into the freezer until the dough balls are solid, which usually takes about 1-2 hours. Then, transfer the frozen dough balls into a freezer bag or air-tight container, making sure to squeeze out any extra air. Label the bag with the date.
- To Bake From Frozen: When you’re craving cookies, simply take out as many dough balls as you need, place them on a baking sheet and bake according to the recipe instructions. You may need to add a few minutes onto the bake time. It’s a simple way to enjoy warm, fresh-baked cookies anytime!
More Favorite Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes
- Gluten-Free Brown Butter Snickerdoodles
- The One True Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Gluten-Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies
- Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies
Top Tips for Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brown butter: Gives these cookies a delectable nutty flavor
- A tablespoon of milk: Prevents grittiness and helps the cookies get golden
- 1/4 cup almond flour: For a golden brown color and yummy flavor (can use more gluten-free flour instead if you have a nut allergy)
- 30 minute rest: Gives the flour time to hydrate and prevents grittiness
- A sprinkle of sea salt: Optional, but delicious for gourmet bakery-style cookies!
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies (5-Star Recipe!)
Video
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 1/3 cups (200g) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour
- 1/4 cup (25g) almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Other Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (113g) butter
- 1 tablespoon milk of choice
- 3/4 cup (160g) brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (170g) chocolate chips
- sea salt for sprinkling optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, almond flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Once the butter is melted and begins to foam, stir continuously to prevent the milk solids from sticking to the skillet. The butter will change from yellow to golden brown quickly and will have a nutty aroma. Remove from the heat and immediately pour into a medium bowl.
- Add the milk, brown sugar and granulated sugar to the brown butter. Whisk to combine.
- Whisk in the egg and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
- Using a rubber spatula, mix in the dry ingredients until well-combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Scoop the cookie dough into round balls, about 2 tablespoons per ball. Place on the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the center is set.
- Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flaky salt, if desired. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
I made these cookie last night, and WOW! they turned out amazing. My local grocery store did not carry the flour you recommend, so I used Bob Red Mill’s Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour and their almond flour and they turned out amazing! This will now be my go to recipe. I had never browned butter before for a cookie recipe and was a little nervous, but there was no need as it was incredibly easy. Thanks for this amazing gluten free recipe. These cookies beat out another recipe that was my go-to in the past. Thank you!
I just made these and they were delicious. We didn’t have butter so I used olive oil and I left out the white sugar and they still turned out great. Thanks!!!!
Yum! I have just made these for the first time & will definitely be making them again. I added the extra gf flour rather than using almond & they are so good. Thank you
Glad they worked out nut-free for you! 🙂
HI! I’m new to GF baking – what kind/brand of chocolate chips did you use?
I love Enjoy Life Foods! Good old Tollhouse semi-sweet chocolate chips are also gluten-free.
Making these cookies for a school bake sale; hoping to make the dough a day in advance and keep chilled in fridge. Would that hurt the consistency?
I think that should work fine! Just let it come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before scooping. Hope you like them!
Wasn’t sure whether ‘place on baking sheets’ meant on greaseproof paper or not. Definitely use greaseproof paper/ baking parchment to avoid my crumbly mess 🙂
They were very good. Not sure what I did but they tasted brown sugary…but good!
So GOOD! I made it with a Smart Balance buttery stick and did just barely darken the color in a pan. Used almond milk.
So tasty! My husband doesn’t have to eat gluten free and he really liked them :).
I’m glad they worked out dairy-free for you!
I used earth’s balance butter sticks and recommended and these came out totally flat. What went wrong? I used almond milk and Jing Arthur’s gf flour..
Can I use all almond flour?
Unfortunately that won’t work. But this recipe uses all almond flour! https://meaningfuleats.com/almond-flour-chocolate-chip-cookies-grain-free/
Hi, I am 10 yrs old and about a about a year ago I had struggled with a sudden and severe gluten allergy (celiac). To make matters worse, I had a VERY BIG SWEET TOOTH and it was hard to find a trust worthy cookie mix or recipe that I wouldn’t get sick from. I finally decided to check your website and suddenly the clouds opened up and heaven said, “yes Madeleine, you can feel free to totally fall in love with these cookies.” Myself and my family totally loved making them and eating them. Thank you very much for sharing this recipe with everyone, the least I could do is rate you a 5 star.
Thanks so much Madeleine! I’ glad they made your GF cookie dreams come true! 🙂
I tried this recipe melting the butter rather than browning and omitting milk. I used the KA gluten free blend. Unfortunately they spread a ton and came out super thin. I’ll have to try again sometime with the browned butter but was looking for a faster recipe. I’m not sure why they spread so much!
Which KA Flour Blend did you use? There is one that doesn’t contain xanthan gum that comes in a box – I don’t recommend that one just FYI. I use the bagged measure-for-measure kind. Sorry they spread for you!
Erin – I think the issue is that you specify GF flour in the recipe but there are a number of ones out there that do not contain xanthan gum. We used Bob’s Red Mill which does not have it in there and did not include in our recipe. I should have thought of including it but did am not as familiar with GF baking. How much xanthan gum should one include in your recipe if using GF flour without it?
I would recommend adding 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum if you are using a blend that doesn’t already have it. You’re right – xanthan gum will make a big difference!
These turned out horrible ;( I’m making them for gluten intolerant students and they are flat as they can be.
Oh no! What flour blend did you use? I highly recommend a cup-for-cup blend (sometimes called 1:1 blend) with xanthan gum. Also be sure the dough is thick like it is in the video (add a little extra flour if needed). Sorry these didn’t work out for you!
Well, I used King Arthur gluten-free all-purpose flour and red mill finely ground almond flour. Would it matter if I used a handmixer?
Delicious recipe! I exchanged the sugars for coconut sugar and my chocolate chips sweetened with stevia and they were perfect. Thank you for sharing your recipe. My family loved them.
Can I substitute M&M peanut butter candies for the chocolate chips? And can I do without the 1/4 cup almond flour and just substitute it with 1/4 gluten free flour. Thanks.
Yes you can substitute the 1/4 cup almond flour for 1/4 cup gluten-free flour. And peanut butter M&Ms should work great!