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.
So delicious! Even gluten eaters in my family loved these!
I haven’t tried this yet, but I will! I moved from sea level to high altitude… 6000′ and am having trouble with my baking. Do I need to add anything extra to this recipe for high altitude? Thanks.
I would add 2-3 tablespoons more gluten-free flour to the dough. I would also increase the oven temperature to 375F and decrease the baking time to 9-10 minutes. I hope this helps!
I tried this twice and the flavor was great. But the cookies didn’t flatten both times, basically came out as cookie balls. I did some searching online, and one possibility was expired baking soda? Any other thoughts?
What brand of gluten-free flour did you use? It’s likely the brand of flour or adding too much flour. You can watch the video to see the proper consistency of the dough. I hope this helps!
The cookies turned out tasting delicious, but mine totally flattened out – they don’t look anything like your cookies in the pictures:( Not sure what could have happened. My oven seems to be challenging me lately though – I’ve made your carrot cake twice – first time it was perfect, second time it ended up sinking and was therefore not fully baked. So again, it could be my oven that’s the problem. But I really do need to give you high praise on your recipes – honestly haven’t found another GF site where the recipes are consistently delicious – and you can’t tell their GF. So thank you!!
Best cookie recipe, gluten free or regular!! We found out this morning that my 16yr old daughter has celiac. To cheer her up I searched for some recipes and found your posts. Her and her boyfriend were able to follow the instructions easily and they came out exactly as pictured. Being able to make something that she can safely eat and enjoy has made all the difference for this young girl. We’ll be saying Celiac Yeah with these cookies!! Can’t wait to try your meal recipes too. Thank you for sharing your gifts and making huge impacts in the lives of others.
Hooray! I’m so glad your daughter and her boyfriend were able to make the cookies with the instructions! I’m so happy you all enjoyed them. Comment like this make my day 🙂
Is it best to use unsalted butter or salted?
I always use salted butter as I think it provides a better depth of flavor. I know other bakers swear by unsalted to precisely control the salt level. I personally feel like a little extra salt never hurts 🙂
Erin my question is how do I use maple syrup or honey or agave in this recipe? I bake a lot and so many people say I can only eat it with a natural sugar stating one of the above.. I’ve been using your recipes for a few years now with great reviews but I don’t always have good texture success because I substitute the sugars with the above natural sugars.. I LOVE chocolate chips in anything but I don’t want to ruin these or want to eat all of the mishaps that my recipe may become! Thanks for all the best gf recipes ever!! Zucchini is growing now so that means zucchini bread soon
I’m so glad you like the recipes! Thanks for the kind words. Unfortunately this recipe won’t work with a liquid sweetener. It depends on the recipe, but these cookie partly rely on the sugar for their texture. Sorry about that! I’m excited for zucchini bread too 🙂
Thank you for this delicious gf chocolate chip cookie recipe.
I did add some chopped walnuts to the recipe. They really are the best.
Glad you enjoyed them! Walnuts are a delicious addition 🙂
I’m confused by your flour measurement. It clearly says on the package of King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour that 4 tablespoons (1/4 c) = 31 g. Therefore 1 cup would
= 124 g. So, 1 1/3 c called for in your recipe would be 162 g not the 200 g you stated. Which way is it?
This is a very common question that comes up! I find that 1 cup of KAF weighs much closer to 150 grams. At the end of the day a cup measurement is subjective – and I think the manufacturer doesn’t realize gluten-free flour is denser than traditional wheat flour. Traditional wheat flour is 120 grams/cup. I like to make my recipes so they will turn out for both people using cup measurements and grams measurements. 200 grams is the most accurate amount and I recommend using that. It’s just I find 1 1/3 cup flour ends up weighing 200 grams for this brand of flour. I hope this helps!
can you use white chocolate chips as well?
Yes definitely! You can use any kind of chocolate chip you like 🙂
Can I replace the butter for coconut oil?
Also, can I put maple syrup instead of sugar?
I recommend using a dairy-free butter substitute like Earth Balance buttery sticks of Country Crock Plant Butter instead of coconut oil. They will spread too much with coconut oil! Also you need to use a solid form sugar like coconut sugar. I hope this helps!
I needed to make these cookies nut-free. I highly recommend substituting oat flour for the almond flour. It gives the cookies that bit of “chew.” Also oat four can be whisked up by putting rolled or instant oats into a Nutri-bullet, blender, or food processor.
Oat flour in place of the almond flour sounds amazing! I’ll have to try that myself!
I was looking for something like this, Did you do 1/4 cup, or did you do it by weight?
And did you use something that was the equivalent of ground up oats, or did it have other ingredients in the oat flour?
Thanks!
Hoping to make these this weekend! If I plan to make the dough a day ahead, should I form the cookie balls prior to refrigeration in an airtight container? And how long should refrigerated dough sit out at room temperature before going into the oven? Thanks in advance!
If I’m making the dough in advance I usually chill it unscooped. Then you can let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes so it’s easier to scoop – then bake. You can also just scoop it without it coming to room temperature. It’s very forgiving! I hope this helps!
What other gluten free flour can I sub for the gluten-free all purpose flour that would have the same result???
Are you meaning an individual flour like oat flour or almond flour? Or a different brand of all-purpose flour blend. Any high quality brand of GF flour like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur will work great. If you want to make something like oat flour chocolate cookies here’s a recipe: https://meaningfuleats.com/oat-flour-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Should we put the dough in the fridge for those 30 mins it’s supppsed to rest before we bake? I know it usually helps make cookies chewy but I don’t know if it will affect the dough since the butter was warmed
Either way will work actually! If you’re going to let it rest longer than 30 minutes put it in the fridge. I also refrigerate it if it’s a hot or humid day. It works either way. I hope this helps!
Hi! Can’t wait to try this recipe.
When do you add in the browned butter? Also should it cool before adding it in?
You add the brown butter to the sugars. I usually don’t let it cool! Just make sure you whisk it with the sugars/milk before adding the egg – so it cools a bit and the egg doesn’t cook. I hope this helps!
I wanted to do a taste testing of chocolate chip cookies with my family. I made this recipe and also the recipe on the back of King Arthur GF Flour bag. We chose your cookies as our favorite. It has way more flavor! Yummy.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Honored it won the taste test 😉