This is THE BEST gluten free chocolate chip cookies recipe. So rich, crispy and chewy all at the same time...you seriously won't believe they're gluten free!
In addition to my standard chocolate chip cookies recipe, I was determined to develop a gluten-free version that was so good my family wouldn't know the difference.
And I am happy to report that not only can they not tell they're gluten free cookies, they actually request this version over the gluten equivalent! Mission accomplished. 😉
How did I find success? Well, a lot (A LOT) of testing. We had chocolate chip cookies on hand for weeks with all of the test batches. Not that this is a bad thing, but wow was that a lot of cookies. I tested multiple kinds of gluten-free flours and ingredient ratios, and in the end the winning formula was actually a magical combo of two specific flours.
Almond flour chocolate chip cookies
So in experimenting, I found that the one flour that consistently produced rich, soft melty chocolate chip cookies was almond flour. So buttery, delicate and delicious. Unfortunately, using ONLY almond flour also makes for very flat cookies even though the flavor is awesome.
So I knew I wanted to keep some almond flour in the recipe, but I also needed to supplement with a base of other gluten free flour options. I tested various single-ingredient flours and starches like rice flour and arrowroot powder and some worked quite well in combination but things started to get a little complicated and I didn't want readers to have to buy several different expensive flour ingredients just to bake one batch of cookies!
After going back to the drawing board and testing commercially available gluten free flour products, I finally found the winning combo when I tested Cup4Cup Gluten Free Flour with Bob's Red Mill Super-Fine Almond Flour (both easily found online or at many grocery stores like Whole Foods Market). It was exactly the texture and flavor I was after, and it was so good that my family literally couldn't tell a difference between these cookies and their gluten flour counterpart!
Pro tip: If you can't find Cup4Cup flour or you have a different gluten free flour already, most gluten free flours still work perfectly fine but may have slightly different texture results. Just make sure the one you choose is white or brown rice based and not bean based as the flavor may be too strong for these cookies.
Feel free to use your own favorite brand of almond flour if you'd like. I find that the blanched and finely ground almond flours work best for cookie recipes.
The full ingredient list
So here's the complete list of ingredients you'll need for this recipe, and as mentioned above, don't fret too much if you can't find the same brands of GF and almond flour! It'll still work out great.
- Cup4Cup Gluten Free Flour or other gluten free flour
- almond flour
- sugar (2 kinds, white + light brown)
- cornstarch
- sea salt
- baking soda
- butter (unsalted, room temperature)
- eggs (also room temperature)
- vanilla
- semi-sweet chocolate chips + dark chocolate, chopped into chunks
The method
To get started, whisk the flours and other dry ingredients (cornstarch, salt and baking soda) together in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Then in a separate mixing bowl blend the butter and sugars together using a stand mixer or hand mixer, followed by the eggs and vanilla.
Next, add about half the dry mixture into the wet ingredients and blend at low speed; add the rest and blend one more time.
If you haven't already, chop up your dark chocolate into chunks and then use a spatula to fold the chunks and chocolate chips into the batter.
Then let your cookie dough batter firm in the fridge--ideally 2 hours but if you're in a hurry you can shorten that a little if necessary and put the batter back in the fridge in between batches. (This is an important step so don't skip it; if you don't refrigerate, the cookies will be too flat when they bake.)
And last but not least, let's bake!
First, center a rack in the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
Place rounded tablespoonful cookie dough balls on a greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet; make sure they're at least a couple inches apart.
Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet once. Remove the from the oven once the edges are just starting to brown and the tops are golden (the middle should still look soft.)
Important: Once the cookies come out of the oven, let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (they will continue to bake on the sheet, so don't skip this step!) Then, transfer the cookies to a cooling rack using a spatula and place a second cookie sheet in the oven to bake (if you're using the same sheet, let it cool before you place the next batch on it.)
Enjoy your cookies once they've cooled a little, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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🍳 Recipe
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups Cup4Cup Gluten Free Flour or other all-purpose gluten-free flour (see notes)
- ½ cup almond flour I used Bob's Red Mill Super-Fine Almond Flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
- ⅔ cup white sugar
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips or mini chips
- 4 ounces dark chocolate bar chopped into small chunks
Instructions
- Prepare the dry ingredients: Whisk the flours, cornstarch, salt and baking soda in a large bowl and set aside.
- Prepare the wet ingredients: Place the room temperature butter and both sugars into a second mixing bowl and beat together until creamy using either a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then add the vanilla and eggs one at a time while beating for at least 30 seconds after each egg is added.
- Incorporate: Add half of the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low for about 20 seconds; add the rest of the dry mixture and continue to mix just until incorporated. Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to fold in the chocolate chips and chunks.
- Chill: Place the batter in the refrigerator and chill for a minimum of 2 hours, or overnight. Tip: to chill the dough faster, divide into 2 separate bowls.
- Bake: Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place rounded tablespoonfuls of batter onto each sheet at least 2 inches apart and bake the first cookie sheet for 11-12 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet once. Remove the from the oven once the edges are just starting to brown and the tops are golden (the middle should still look soft.)
- Cool: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack using a spatula. Place the second cookie sheet in the oven to bake (if you're using the same sheet, let it cool before you place the next batch on it.)
- Enjoy: Enjoy the cookies while they're warm; there's nothing better! The rest of the cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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