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.
Can I use the same recipe with regular flour?
Hi Pat, yes you can use regular flour as a 1:1 swap for the gluten-free flour. We hope you enjoy the cookies!
To add on to Mrs. Pat do i have to use almond flour? Thank you so much!
Hi Courtney, nope! You can replace the almond flour with more of the other flour, whether baking with gluten-free or regular flour. We hope you love the cookies!
These cookies are truly amazing. Me and my husband adore them! My mom does as well but as she’s a bit older and can’t have too much sugar I’m wondering if I could cut some of the sugar without affecting the consistency/integrity of the dough? (I know the flavor integrity will definitely be affected lol) Thanks for this amazing recipe!
Hi Evie, we’re so happy to hear this recipe has been such a hit! Yes, the sugar plays into the structure and texture, just as much as the flavor. We would recommend reducing the sugar incrementally, a little at a time, to try to adapt the recipe for your mom. Also, we have a lot of great readers who share their own experiments with sugar substitutes or reduced sugar in the comments section so you may find some helpful tips from others too. Happy baking!
So good. Soooo good. This was my first time making gluten free cookies using gf flour. Texture and flavor were hard to resist, but I had made them to share and had to stop eating them. Thank you.
We’re so glad you found these cookies to be so irresistible, Jennifer! We hope those you shared them with enjoyed them just as much! Thank you for your kind feedback.
Amazing recipe, the crumb of the cookie is fairly nice considering there is no gluten. Only thing I changed was that after the doughballs were placed on the baking sheet, I put the baking sheet in the freezer for 10minutes to reduce the spread of the cookies. They came out so goooood
We’re so glad you enjoyed the cookies, Robyn! Thank you for sharing your positive experience with us!
Hey I am a teen baker that had been gluten free for six years now and this is the best recipe by far! I am pretty sure I have it memorized! My family always asks for these cookies!
Aww, we’re so pleased to hear this has become such a go-to for you, Elle! Thank you for your kind feedback. Happy baking!
The best cookies ever! Can you make this dough into a cookie cake?
Hi Audra, we actually have a gluten-free cookie cake recipe! Happy baking!
These are the truly the best GF cookies I have tried…and I’ve tried a lot within my 12 years on this GF journey. I love how many chocolate chips there are in each cookie. Fantastic consistency. I did not find spreading to be an issue and I didn’t even use a great cup for cup GF brand. I believe it’s the almond flour that really adds to the cookie structure. I’ll be making these again soon. I did find them a bit sweet for my taste so I’ll experiment with a bit less sugar. Great job on this recipe. Oh and I slipped and added about a table spoon of vanilla…they were still perfect!!
Thank you for such a thoughtful, positive review, Valerie! We’re so pleased to hear you love this recipe so much. Happy baking!
This is great recipe! It’s hard to get them in the oven when the dough is this good! I do find that the cookies spread a lot…is there a way to prevent that? I’ve done the recommended 30 minutes on the counter, in the fridge, and even freezing/refrigerating for hours to days (yes I’ve made this recipe A LOT haha) and no matter what I try, they spread.
We’re so glad you love the recipe, Abigail! Thank you for your kind feedback! Cookies can spread for a variety of reasons. If chilling the dough didn’t help, it could be a matter of heat. The material type of the baking sheet and the oven temperature’s accuracy can both make them spread. Also, are you using the recommend gf flour blend or a different brand? The wet/dry ratio can play a part and other flour blends may not work the same. We hope these ideas help!
I wanted to make some chocolate chip cookies for a family get together the other day, but my daughter in law needs gluten free. So we got the flour, and…now what? Find a recipe. Ok, fine. This was the second or third recipe I looked at, maybe because of the pictures, or just something made me check it out. I am so so glad I did! These are absolutely phenomenol! I’m almost 67 and haven’t baked cookies in probably 55 years in my grandmother’s kitchen. When they were all leaving I bagged up the cookies for them to take home. My wife looked at me and said, “Wait a minute, what about us?! MAKE MORE!” So today I am making another batch.
Aww, thank you for sharing your positive experience with us, Michael! We’re so happy to hear that the cookies were loved so much by the whole family!
Wow! This recipe for GF chocolate chip cookies is THE ONE. Definitely a keeper. Question though; should I press the cookie dough down a bit after scooping them onto the bake sheet? I used a 2tbsp cookie scooper for reference!
Hi Jeremy, thank you for such amazing feedback! We’re so glad you loved the cookies. There’s no need to press the dough down after scooping unless you prefer to. Different factors can impact how much the cookies spread. If they stayed puffed up, you could try letting the dough sit out for 5-10 minutes before baking so the butter isn’t quite as cold. We hope this helps!
omg they r so chewy i have never had cookies this good before!!!!!
Aww, we’re so happy to hear how much you loved these cookies, Miyoteh! Thank you for your kind feedback!
I made these for my gluten free neighbor and he said they were the best chocolate chip cookies he ever had! I made one small substitute, and I used mini chocolate chips instead of regular size, so there were chips in every chocolatey bite!! My non gluten daughter and her husband thought they were great and I hadn’t told them they were gf. Great recipe!!
Hi Wilma, we’re so glad this recipe was such a hit with your family and friends! Thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience with us!
I’ve made a lot of different GF cookies and these ones definitely shine! Nice consistency. Excellent flavour and no grittiness. What a win! Thanks! This recipe is a keeper.
We’re so glad you loved these cookies, Lynette! Thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience with us!
I don’t leave reviews from recipes often at all, but these cookies…WOW!!! My family of 5 turned into a bunch of fatties and devoured these in 1 night! They are just so delicious! Not just delicious for being gluten-free, but ACTUALLY delicious cookies! These are just like regular (non-gluten free) cookies, but better:)
Aww, thank you for such an amazing review, Cristina! We’re so happy to hear how much your whole family loved the cookies! Happy baking!
I’ve made these twice and my batter is just way to runny to form balls. What’s ongoing on?
Hi Anna, we’re sorry you had this experience! Are you using King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure Flour or Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Flour? We find these two work really well with the recipe. If using another flour, does it contain xanthan gum? Beyond that, the resting time is key to allow the gluten-free flour an opportunity to hydrate and absorb the moisture. Chilling it in the fridge during this time will help it to firm up more too. We hope these ideas help!
Thank you for sharing this culinary masterpiece with your online friends. I just made a triple batch to enjoy over the next 2 weeks with my family as it’s end of term and lots of stressful assignments to complete. I need a delicious taste vacation. I made 12 tonight, will make another 12 tomorrow, and freeze the rest in shapes balls to bake easily.
Aww, thank you for such kind feedback, David! We’re so happy to hear how much you love this recipe. We hope the cookies help your family through all of the end of term stress. Happy baking!