Hundreds of reviewers agree these cookies are the most delicious gluten-free chocolate chip cookies around! This tried-and-true recipe was originally published in 2018 and is still my #1 recipe today!
My top tips for exceptional gluten-free chocolate chip cookies – brown the butter, let the dough rest 30 minutes and use a high-quality gluten-free flour blend. Read on for all the tips!
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 10 years now and THIS is 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 and crisp edges every time.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Rated 5-stars by hundreds of reviewers
- Easy-to-make – no mixer required!
- Soft and chewy
- AMAZING flavor
- Undetectably gluten-free
VIDEO: Watch how to make them!
Table of Contents
- The Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- VIDEO: Watch how to make them!
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- Weighing Gluten-Free Flour
- How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- The Science Behind the Recipe – Why it Works!
- Storage/Freezer Instructions
- Recipe FAQs
- In Summary…
- MORE GLUTEN-FREE COOKIE RECIPES
- The Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on the key ingredients to make gluten-free chocolate chip cookies.
- Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure Baking 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 using a little almond flour because it gives the cookies richness and helps them to bake up golden brown. It’s my secret ingredient in many gluten-free baked goods! If you’re allergic to nuts you can leave out the almond flour and substitute more gluten-free baking flour.
- Butter: Browning the butter is the secret step to AMAZING gluten-free cookies! 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.
- Chocolate Chips: Chocolate chips are usually naturally gluten-free! I’ve used the bag from Costco, Nestle and Enjoy Life all with great results.
Weighing Gluten-Free Flour
On my site I use 150 grams = 1 cup of gluten-free flour.
I recommend weighing gluten-free flour for results. I find that 1 cup of King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour weighs about 150 grams. The package says 120 grams, but I find it’s always more when I scoop it myself.
At the end of the day a cup measurement is subjective. I like to make my recipes so they will turn out for both people using cup measurements and grams measurements.
How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
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 at room temperature 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!
The Science Behind the Recipe – Why it Works!
1. Brown the Butter
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!
2. Add a Tablespoon of Milk
The next trick for this gluten-free cookie recipe 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 for best results so you don’t have chalky cookies.
3. Use a High-Quality Gluten-Free Flour
I wanted to keep this recipe simple with easy-to-find ingredients. I like to use a high quality gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend like King Arthur Flour in this recipe. This blend has a mixture of brown rice flour, white rice flour, potato starch and tapioca starch. Other high-quality brands of gluten-free flour will work, just be sure to use a blend that contains xanthan gum.
4. Add Almond Flour
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.
5. Use Brown Sugar
Using mostly brown sugar instead of mostly white sugar also gives these cookies delicious flavor and chew. A splash of vanilla extract is also key!
This recipe works with any kind of chocolate chip you like. I usually use semi-sweet chocolate chips but milk chocolate chips are also amazing!
6. Give the Dough a Rest
After you mix the dough altogether it’s important to give it a 30-minute rest at room temperature. 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 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!
Storage/Freezer Instructions
- TO STORE: Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- TO FREEZE: I love to make a double batch of this gluten free cookie dough to freeze for later! Just scoop the dough into balls then place the them in a ziplock bag or freezer container to freeze. You can bake the cookie dough balls straight from the freezer – simply add 2-3 minutes onto the bake time. Just pop onto a baking sheet and bake – no thawing needed!
Recipe FAQs
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.
Yes! To make these cookies nut-free simply substitute the 1/4 cup almond flour with an additional 1/4 cup gluten-free baking flour.
Yes! This dough really only gets better as it sits. The flour absorbs more and the cookies take on a depth of flavor. If you’re letting this cookie dough sit more than 30 minutes, refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Be sure the container is airtight so the cookies don’t dry out!
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!
In Summary…
- 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 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!
MORE GLUTEN-FREE COOKIE RECIPES
There you have it! I hope all the tips and tricks in this post have set you up for success making gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. If you try this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I hope you love the cookies as much as my family and I do!
The Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113g) butter
- 1 tablespoon milk or almond milk
- 3/4 cup (160g) brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 g) white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups (200g) gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
- 1/4 cup (25g) almond flour finely ground
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 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 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!
These are just perfect. My son loves them and didn’t even notice the shredded zucchini I added.
Thank you for this recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies!
Omg best gf cookies ever thanku
I’ve had the original version (as you posted) and they are awesome! I’m searching for a good DF option too; can this be made with a 1:1 swap of coconut oil in place of the butter?
I recommend using a vegan butter like Earth Balance Buttery sticks (don’t brown it, just melt it) to make these dairy free. 🙂
I cannot believe a GF cookie could taste just as good as the original Toll House version. These spread a bit differently, but they are so delicious. I can’t tell you how many recipes I’ve tried that were complete disasters and a waste of time, ingredients, and money. These will not disappoint. Thank you!
Hooray! I’m so glad the cookies turned out for you! Thanks for the comment 🙂
What about high altitude, above 5000 ft. I followed recipe exactly and my cookies spread. However they taste great. They’re just not as pretty… any suggestions.
These really are the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made. All the tips combine to make one perfect cookie. I’ve never browned butter before but wow – it makes a difference. Thank you from our gluten free family.
Hi hi. I just made these and HOLY BUCKETS! They’re amazing! Fat! Flavorful (hello, brown butter)! Thick! Perfect ratio of crisp:soft:gooey. Basically, the chocolate chip cookie of my dreams! THANK YOU for such an amazing recipe, Erin. Will be making again and again 🙂
Really wanting to try this recipe, as sounds amazing! Would you have the measurements in grams? For example you mentioned 1 cup of flour is 120g but am in Australia and 1 cup is 250g.
Thank you
I actually find gluten-free flour to be denser than 120 grams/cup (which is the weight for standard flour). I find it to be closer to 150 grams/cup. I would use 210-215 grams in this recipe – that is equal to the 7.5 ounce measurement. I hope this helps!
These were amazing. I made them for work (I bake at a retirement community) All that tried them, loved them.
Is it better to use unsalted or salted butter?
I usually use salted! I never mind a little extra salt in cookies 😉
Dark or light brown sugar?
You can use either one! I usually use light brown sugar 🙂
This recipe nails it. Beautiful GF chocolate chip cookies that aren’t gritty and taste AMAZING. Thank you! Can’t wait to try other recipes.
Hooray! I’m so glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Could you use gluten Free flour and add xanthan gum to it. If yes, any idea what the amount would be? Im having a hard time finding the flour w the xanthan gum in it.
I would add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum. I hope this helps!
Great recipe! I used half the sugar because we don’t like things too sweet and a bit of coconut oil since I ran out of butter, but I probably should have used less salt too… I think my butter was salted and there is some extra salt and/or sugar in the vanilla powder we have available here so they were a little too much something… not sure what though will try again with less salt and keep looking for vanilla extract 🙂
yum
Erin
If my GF does not include Xanathan gum- can I add this and if so, how much
Thanks- just started making and realized my flour does not have XG Help !
You can use 1/2 teaspoon additional xanthan gum! I hope this helps 🙂
I need your feedback on your cup vs. weight values. If flour is 120 gms per cup and you refer to King Arthur Measure for Measure as 8.5 oz. That works out as 2 cups or 8.5 oz. If GF flour is 140 g vs 120 g per cup. I believe the recipe needs some adjusting to flour amounts.
120 grams is the standard weight for 1 cup of flour. However I find that gluten-free flour is has a higher density that regular flour. I create my recipes for both people who weigh and measure their ingredients. If I go with the 120 grams per cup measurement I find the cookies don’t turn out. I find 1 cup of gluten-free flour (which is a subjective measurement) to always be closer to 140 grams. I hope this makes sense!