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, and these are truly my most favorite gluten-free cookies to make. They really are the chocolate chip cookies 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.”
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!
- 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. I also use it in my chewy gluten-free snickerdoodles!
- 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 so I recommend using an almond flour chocolate chip cookie recipe that’s specifically designed for that kind of flour!
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 Sugar Cookies
- 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.
Hi! Love the way this tasted but I was curious if I need to let the brown butter cool a bit before adding the egg? I wasn’t sure if the egg should be mixed with the brown butter and sugar right away or not? Thank you!!!!
Hi Bianca! Once the brown butter is removed from the heat it typically cools fast. We haven’t found a need to wait to continue with the dough. We’re so glad you loved the flavor! Happy baking!
Hi, I’ve tried to make these twice. I follow everything and each time the cookies end up flat and not in circle cookie shape.
Hi Daphne! We’re sorry you had this experience with the recipe twice now. Are you using King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill? Other GF flour blends will hydrate differently which can impact moisture and spread. Beyond that measuring too little flour/too much liquid, the dough going into the oven too warm, or even the material type of the baking sheets can cause the cookies to spread more than expected. We hope these ideas help and your next batch goes much better!
After I tried this Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe I was hooked. They turned out moist and delicious. My friends who eat regular gluten filled cookies were very surprised at the taste. We all love them and I make them often. Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
We love to hear this, Mary! Thank you for sharing such positive feedback with us. We’re pleased to hear how much you loved the recipe and that the cookies were a hit with all of your friends. We love hearing when recipes become repeat favorites!
I’ve made these several times before and love them! I’m it of almond flour. What would be best substitution? Coconut flour or chickpea flour? Or more of the gluten free baking powder?
Hi Erin! We’re so glad you love the cookies enough to make them again! We recommend using more GF measure-for-measure flour in place of the almond flour. Happy baking!
Only GF chocolate chip cookies I make now!
We love this so much! Thank you, Lisa!
I am new to being gluten free and as someone who loves a sweet treat, I was worried about finding something I could eat. This recipe was super easy to follow and went seamlessly. They turned out so delicious and I continue to come back to this website each week to find more treats to make. Even my parents who are not GF, said they were so good and they didn’t even know they were gluten free! I highly recommend this recipes and tell all my friends when they love these cookies as much as do. I cooked them for less time, more like 10 minutes and they turned out delicious!
Aww, this is so amazing to hear, Katie! Thank you so much for sharing your positive baking experience with us. It means a lot to us that the recipes are helping as you adjust to gluten-free eating. Than you for recommending the recipes to others too! Happy baking!
these are the best gf chocolate chip cookies we’ve ever had! we have one family member who is gf and made these for a recent holiday gathering — what a huge hit! DELISH!
that said, just out of curiosity, could you make this recipe as written with regular flour? (my family is not gf). Thanks!
Hi Sarah! We’re happy to hear the cookies were a hit with the whole family. Thank you for sharing! Yes, you can definitely make this recipe with regular flour as a 1:1 swap. We hope everyone enjoys them as much as the regular gluten-free recipe. Happy baking!
I’ve made this recipe many times before with excellent results. This time they still taste good but they weren’t flat they rose somehow. I’m trying to stay away from granulated sugar. I subbed the brown sugar with coconut sugar and halved the granulated sugar. Did everything else the same including the rest time. Do you know why they are so high? Not as tasty. Should I add more milk. My husband is gf and I’m dairy intolerant. Used Bobs flour and used goat milk and vegan butter which I can tolerate. Your input would be greatly appreciated. Karen
Hi Karen! The sugar substitutions are likely what changed the texture of your cookies. Coconut sugar behaves a little differently than brown sugar, and reducing the granulated sugar can change how much the cookies spread. Sugar contributes to the cookies texture, in addition to their flavor, so using less can result in thicker cookies. We wouldn’t recommend adding more milk, as that could affect the structure in other ways. If you’d like to experiment, try gently flattening the dough balls before baking to encourage more spreading. We’re glad they still tasted good. We hope these ideas helps for next time!
Use monkfruit for replacement of sugar, they also have brown sugar in monkfruit. Tastes like sugar but its not. Doesn’t give off that aftertaste
Delicious cookies! Followed the recipe and the cookies spread so much that they were quite flat. Suggestions on what I might be doing wrong would be much appreciated.
Hi Joyce! We’re so glad you loved the flavor despite the cookies spreading more than expected. The cookies may spread if the dough gets too warm before baking, too little flour is used, the material type of the baking sheet, etc. You can try chilling the dough instead of letting it rest at room temperature to help them hold their shape more while baking. We hope your next batch turns out just right!
I was recently diagnosed with Celiac and I’ve had a number of baking fails with gluten free baking which can get disheartening. BUT these cookies are amazing! I made them for the first time today, rested in the fridge for 2 hours before baking, and they looked and tasted incredible! It wasn’t tricky, I just made the recipe as directed and these cookies would have replaced my go-to gluten chocolate chip cookie recipe, they are just that good! I also live at 5,000 feet and didn’t alter a thing and they were still amazing. Thank you <3
This makes us so happy to hear, Michelle! We definitely understand how hard switching to gluten-free can be. We’re so pleased you loved this recipe and can see using it as a replacement for your previous gluten go-to. And it’s great to learn that no adjustments were needed for high altitude. Thank you for sharing with us!
Awesome! I just loved the chewy middle and you should really try mixing dark chocolate chips with white. There’s one thing though, they didn’t spread out as much as i might’ve wanted, so i figured they turn out better if i already flatten them a little before baking. Otherwise, chef’s kiss!
We’re so pleased you loved the chocolate chip cookies! Dark and white chocolate chips sound like a fun twist on the classic recipe. Thank you for the suggestion! If you chilled the dough, you can let it sit out just 5-10 minutes to help it spread a little more. If you did the room temperature rest, it could be another factor like the material type of your baking sheet limiting spreading. Flattening them a little before baking should help. We hope your next batch is perfect!
Ive made these twice now my first batch (30 minute room temperature rest) completely flatten they went veey greasy and crispy. The second batch (30 mjnutes freezer rest) turned out slot better but 1 try was completely brown the other was just brown on the edges but these ones had longer. Mine don’t look anything like yours ans you cant see the chocolate chips in them I’m not sure what ive done wrong
Hi Lucy! Thanks for trying these twice! We’re sorry they didn’t turn out as expected. The first batch flattening and becoming greasy, followed by a much better result after the freezer rest, suggests the dough got too warm the first time, possibly from a too warm kitchen. The cookies should not be crispy or completely brown, though, and the chocolate chips should definitely be visible. The uneven bake with the second batch could suggest uneven dough ball sizes or an oven issue, but it’s hard to say. Since you had cookies on the same baking sheet turn out very differently, we’d love to troubleshoot this with you further. Did you use King Arthur Measure-for-Measure flour, and did you make any substitutions?
Thank you for the reply. I think it might be the flour I used. I’m in the UK so I use Freee plain white flour. which I’ve just checked doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum. I also didn’t use the almond flour as I was trying to mske them gluten free so I added 38g extra of my flour (was thst right). I’m gunna find a flour thst contains Xanthan Gum and give them ago again.
Hi Lucy! Using a gf flour with xanthan gum should make a big difference. Almond flour is gluten-free, but if you’d still prefer to replace it, then you’d use the 1/4 cup (38g) of gf measure-for-measure flour. This weight is based on King Arthur GF Measure-for-Measure Flour. We haven’t used UK options before so they may be more or less dense depending on what is included in the blend. We hope your next batch turns out much better!
Baking for 20 years but didn’t get your results . Used brand name 1:1 flour and no subs. First batch… Cookies turned out gritty with very little spread. The second tray of 6 i used a bowl to flatten but it still came out like thick domes. I prefer the cookies to be flat around 4-5″ wide with chewy inside. I refrigerated the dough overnight for 8h, took it out and shaped immediately, what went wrong? Should I be shaping on tray first and then refrigerate???
Hi Christian! We’re sorry you had this experience. The grittiness may be related to the flour blend used. We prefer King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill for these cookies. As for the lack of spread, after chilling for so long, we’d recommend letting the dough sit out for a little bit before rolling the dough balls and baking. We hope your next batch goes much better!
I made this recipe but instead of melting the butter on the stove I just softened it in the microwave. I cooked them for 10 min and turned out perfect
I added white chocolate chips and walnuts fabulous!
We’re so glad those changes worked well for you, Kimberley! Thank you for sharing with us. We hope your next bake is just as enjoyable!