The BEST Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies! A few tricks make these gluten-free cookies perfect – soft, chewy, golden and irresistible! Easy-to-make and NOBODY will guess they are gluten-free!
The Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
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 almost 6 years now and have finally found THE chocolate chip cookie recipe of my dreams.
I’ve tweaked this recipe and tested it many times over the years and this recipe is the ultimate best. No more tweaking or re-testing needed.
These cookies are soft, chewy and golden like a good chocolate chip cookie should be. If you’ve tried making gluten-free chocolate chip cookies before you probably know they can turn out dry, grainy and pale.
This recipe has a few tricks so you get golden, non-grainy cookies with a delicious depth of flavor every time.
The first secret ingredient is brown butter. Sometimes gluten-free cookies can lack a depth of flavor. Brown butter gives these cookies a delectable nutty, toasty almost caramelized flavor that you can’t get from anything else.
If you’ve never browned butter before this is a great tutorial. It’s easier than it sounds!
The next trick is to add a tablespoon of milk. This helps to compensate for the liquid that evaporates from the butter during the browning process. It also helps the cookies get a golden color and prevents grittiness. Gluten-free flour needs a little extra liquid sometimes so you don’t have chalky cookies.
I wanted to keep this recipe simple with easy-to-find ingredients. I use gluten-free all purpose flour (lately I’ve been using this King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure-For-Measure Flour) and a little bit of almond flour for the dry ingredients in this recipe.
I like using a little almond flour because it is non-gritty and helps the cookies get that golden color and chewy texture. It’s my secret ingredient in many baked goods!
If you’re allergic to nuts you can leave out the almond flour and substitute more gluten-free all purpose flour.
After you mix the dough altogether it’s important to give it a 30-minute rest. This gives the gluten-free flour time to hydrate and really makes a difference. It’s key for non-gritty gluten-free cookies!
Luckily just a 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!
Sometimes in life you just need a warm chocolate chip cookie. Whether it’s for Sunday night cookies or a special after-school snack there’s nothing better! I hope you love this recipe as much as my family and I do!
To recap…
How to Make Delicious Gluten-Free Cookies
Brown butter: Gives these cookies a delectable nutty flavor
A tablespoon of milk: Prevents grittiness and helps the cookies get golden
¼ cup almond flour: For a chewy texture and yummy flavor (can use GF all-purpose flour in place of this 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!
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The Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 stick butter, ½ cup
- 1 tablespoon milk, or almond milk
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 ⅓ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (I highly recommend this brand for best results - be sure to get one that contains xanthan gum), 7.5 ounces
- ¼ cup almond flour, 1 ounce
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- Sea salt for sprinkling, optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, almond flour, baking soda and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted start to whisk constantly. First the butter will begin to foam, then after a couple of minutes it will begin to brown on the bottom of the saucepan. Turn off the heat as soon as the solids turn brown and the butter gives off a nutty aroma. Pour into a glass mixing bowl to prevent burning.
- Add the milk, brown sugar and white sugar. Whisk to combine. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk 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 sit for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350F. Scoop the cookie dough (about 2 Tablespoons of dough per cookie) and place a few inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden and the center is set.
- Let cool 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling. Enjoy!
Holly says
When freezing dough, do you thaw before baking?
Erin Collins says
Nope! You can bake the cookie dough balls straight from the freezer. Just add 2-3 minutes onto the bake time – no need to thaw!
Christine says
I was seriously speechless at first taste. One would NEVER guess these are gluten-free. Incredible!!!
100 stars!
Michele says
Hi Erin,
I am getting ready to make these. I was wondering if I can double the recipe?
Looking forward to trying this recipe.
Erin Collins says
Yes absolutely! I double the recipe all the time. I hope they turn out for you 🙂
Angie says
Could you sub coconut flour for the almond flour? And could you add walnuts or pecans?
Erin Collins says
Coconut flour will not work in place of the almond flour. Coconut flour is highly absorptive and will make the cookies dry. I would use more gluten-free 1:1 baking flour in place of the almond flour! Walnuts or pecans will work great – yum!
Annabel says
Hi! These are probably my favorite chocolate chip cookies ever! I had made them originally for my sister in law who has celiac and she loved them and I also am obsessed with them lol. I have yet to have done this, but do these cookies still bake ok if I were to make the dough a head of time and freeze the raw cookies to bake? ( so I can always have them on hand)
Erin Collins says
Yes I freeze the dough balls all the time! It works great! I’m so glad you enjoy them 🙂
Dominik Moonie says
I am about to try the cookies from all the good ratings I am keen to try these cookies
Nicole says
Made these for the first time today and WOW! I did make some slight changes to fit in with allergies- lactose free butter and vanilla sugar instead of extract.
These cookies were delicious fresh out of the oven but also really good later after they had cooled down.
Excited to have this dough in my freezer to make cookies whenever i get a craving.
Erin Collins says
I love keeping the dough in the freezer as well! Great to know the cookies turned out with those substitutes. Thanks for the comment!
Stephanie B. says
Love this recipe, but I am wondering if oat milk would also work?
Erin Collins says
Yes that will work great!
Jody kelsey says
These are the best gf chocolate chip cookie for sure!!! You’d never know they are gf!! Delicious!!
Erin Collins says
I’m so glad you like the cookies! 🙂
Jackie McDermott says
I am making these for my daughter who has Celiac and also is Type 1. I see the carb count is 25g, is that for 1 cookie or 2? Thank you!!!!!’
Erin Collins says
The nutrition facts are based on if you make 18 cookies and 1 cookie is a serving. I hope this helps!
Lisa R says
I have tried SO many GF Choc Chip Cookie recipes….this is BY FAR the absolute best! No one even knows they’re GF! I was hesitant about the 30 min rest time, but it was essential and I think made the difference. The cookies don’t spread, and have an amazing tenderness and chew at the same time. I am GF and lactose intolerant, I followed Erin’s substitution with 8 tbsp (1 stick) of the Earth Balance Buttery Sticks, and I use the allergen free Simple Truth brand semi-sweet morsels from Kroger. They came out amazing. I’m going to try some of the bread recipes next! Thank you Erin!
Lisa R says
Oh! I melted the Earth Balance butter in the microwave and cooled before proceeding with the recipe. Even without browning the butter in a saucepan, the cookies were amazing!
Erin Collins says
I’m so glad they turned out with those dairy-free substitutions! Thanks for the comment!
Shannon says
Life changing! This is the only GF recipe for choco chip cookies that doesn’t flatten right out/has gritty texture and that tastes fantastic! I’ve made them a few times now and people have asked for the recipe everytime. Follow the directions and your in for the best cookies possible.
Samantha says
Holy cow these are amazing. I used half almond extract and half vanilla extract and they’re the best cookies I’ve ever made. People will never believe these are gluten-free.
Erin Collins says
I’m so glad you liked the recipe! Thanks for the comment!
Christina Carle says
These are really good. I was diagnosed with celiac disease this past year and have been learning how to make things like I use to without the gluten. Very impressed, I baked for the whole family and they loved them and couldn’t tell they were gluten free. Best thing ever to be able to eat comfort foods again that I love. Thank for such a great recipe!
Erin Collins says
That’s the best when the family can’t tell they’re GF! So glad you liked the cookies. Glad the recipe is helpful with learning to be gluten-free!
Mary Beth says
When do I sprinkle the salt? Before or after baking
Erin Collins says
I usually do it after baking!