These gluten-free chocolate cookies are fudgy, chewy, and loaded with dark chocolate chunks. The batter is rich with cocoa powder, and roughly chopped chocolate gets folded into the dough and pressed on top so it melts into big glossy puddles as the cookies bake. A sprinkle of flaky Maldon salt straight out of the oven takes them over the edge.
The dough doesn’t need to chill, so you can go from an empty bowl to warm cookies in about 30 minutes. You just need two bowls and an electric mixer. The edges come out crisp, the centers stay soft and gooey, and nobody will guess they’re gluten-free.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten-free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour and King Arthur Measure for Measure. Both contain xanthan gum and are designed to swap 1-for-1 with all-purpose flour.
- Cocoa Powder – Use regular unsweetened cocoa powder (like Hershey’s), not Dutch-process. This recipe uses baking soda as the only leavener, and it needs the natural acidity in regular cocoa powder to activate.
- Unsalted Butter – Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature so it creams smoothly with the sugars.
- Granulated Sugar and Brown Sugar – The combination gives you the best flavor and texture. Brown sugar adds moisture and chewiness, granulated sugar helps the edges crisp up.
- Chocolate Chunks – I chop a dark chocolate bar by hand instead of using chips. The irregular sizes give you small flecks melted throughout the dough and big chunks that puddle on top. You can also use semi-sweet, milk, or bittersweet chocolate.
- Flaky Sea Salt – I use Maldon salt as a finishing salt right after the cookies come out of the oven. It intensifies the chocolate flavor and adds that sweet-salty contrast in every bite.
Measure your flour by weight, not volume.
A cup of gluten-free flour can vary by 20 grams or more depending on how you scoop it, which is enough to make your cookies dry and dense. I’ve included gram weights in the recipe card for this reason. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a flat edge. Never scoop the measuring cup directly into the bag.
Step-by-Step Instructions
These gluten-free chocolate chunk cookies are so simple to make – there’s no chill time required! Just make the dough, scoop it into balls, and bake! The step-by-step instructions with matching photos below are meant to help you see the cookie dough at various stages so you can make these chocolate cookies perfectly every time!
For the ingredient list with measurements, full instructions, printable recipe, and additional notes, please scroll down to the recipe card.
Recipe FAQs
I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour and King Arthur Measure for Measure. Both already contain xanthan gum and are designed to replace all-purpose flour 1-for-1. If you use a different blend, I can’t guarantee the same results since gluten-free flour blends vary a lot.
If you use one of the gluten-free flour blends I recommend, you do not need to add xanthan gum because those flour blends already contain it. If you are using a different blend, including a homemade gluten-free flour blend, you’ll need to add xanthan gum. Xanthan gum gives the cookies elasticity so that they don’t crumble and fall apart.
I don’t recommend it. This recipe relies on baking soda as the only leavener, and baking soda needs the natural acidity in regular cocoa powder to activate. Dutch-process cocoa has had its acid neutralized, so your cookies may not rise or spread properly.
You can, but the results will be different. Chocolate chips are designed to hold their shape, so you won’t get those big melty puddles on top. If you do use chips, still reserve 1/2 cup and press them into the tops of the dough balls before baking.
Expert Tips
Storage Instructions
- Storage: Store leftover gluten-free chocolate cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer Option: You can freeze cookie dough for long term storage. Place the balls of cookie dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze until solid, about an hour. Then, place the dough balls in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. You may need to add an extra minute of baking time for cookies baked from frozen dough.
Serving Suggestions
If you’re putting together a cookie tray, these are the chocolate anchor. I like to bake a few different kinds at once so there’s variety on the plate. My gluten-free snickerdoodles and gluten-free Nutella stuffed peanut butter cookies are two I come back to over and over, and they both hold up well for a few days alongside these. And if you love these but want something you can bake in a pan and slice, try my gluten-free brownies.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough:
- 2 cups (280 g) gluten-free flour blend - Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (in the blue bag), which contains xanthan gum
- ⅔ cup (60 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter - softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (165 g) brown sugar
- 2 (100 g) large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (270 g) dark chocolate - roughly chopped, for in the dough
For Topping:
- ½ cup (90 g) dark chocolate - roughly chopped, for topping
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt - such as Maldon salt, for topping
**Use the toggle button above to turn the instruction photos on and off!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups (280 g) gluten-free flour blend, ⅔ cup (60 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, cream 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, and ¾ cup (165 g) brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add 2 (100 g) large eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Stir the 1½ cups (270 g) dark chocolate into the dough with a spatula.
- Using a cookie scoop (#30 size, about 2.5 tablespoons), scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between each ball. Press a few pieces of the reserved ½ cup (90 g) dark chocolate into the tops of the dough balls.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still look soft. Do not overbake.
- Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
Notes
- Flour: This recipe was tested with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (in the blue bag) and King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour. Both contain xanthan gum, so there is no need to add it.
- Measuring: For best results, follow the weight measurements instead of the volume measurements. Scooping the flour with a measuring cup can be very inconsistent and may result in too much flour.
- Storage: Airtight container at room temperature, up to 3 to 4 days. Freeze unbaked dough balls for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a minute or two.
I am HERE for these stunning chocolate cookies, Meg! And I cannot wait to bake, try and share them with our gluten free friends and family members! I have a feeling everyone is going to ADORE these. How could we not?
Thank you so much for participating in this year’s Sweetest Season! I am always blown away with the recipes shared and the generosity of its participants. Thank you for making this event such a success. I hope you and yours have a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year!
Excellent!! Turned out perfectly and utterly delicious. I ate three very close together. Lol. I used King Arthur Measure for Measure and a combination of white chocolate chunks (because that’s all I had) and chocolate chips. Wunderbar!