Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

These gluten-free chocolate chip cookies are my absolute favorite cookies to bake and eat. They're crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and loaded with ooey-gooey chocolatey goodness in every bite. This recipe is just so easy and gives you perfect, chewy chocolate chip cookies every time! 
A stack of gluten-free chocolate chip cookies.
A stack of gluten-free chocolate chip cookies.

Everyone should have a reliable chocolate chip cookie recipe in their back pocket for days when they need a quick dessert or just want to bake something simple.

These gluten-free chocolate chip cookies are my absolute favorite cookies to bake and eat. Using common pantry staples and allowing for a little bit of time to chill the dough, this recipe gives you perfect, chewy chocolate chip cookies every time!

You’ll love this recipe because:

  • It’s quick. This recipe can be thrown together in just about 10 minutes, which makes it perfect for a quick baking session. While I like to let my dough chill for an hour to hydrate the gluten-free flour and enhance the flavor, the hands-on time is minimal!
  • They’re chewy. While thin and crispy chocolate chip cookies have their time and place, this gluten-free cookie recipe is thick and chewy! You will not be able to tell these cookies are gluten-free at all!
  • They’re gluten-free! When I was diagnosed with celiac disease, chocolate chip cookies were the first food on my list I wanted to eat again. This recipe is made using a gluten-free flour blend. Follow my tips and tricks to make sure your gluten-free cookies turn out just like mine!

Ingredients

Ingredients needed for making gluten-free chocolate chip cookies.

Ingredient Notes

  • Gluten-free flour blend – This recipe has been tested with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. Be sure that you are measuring your flour correctly to ensure that this recipe turns out. I prefer to weigh my flour using a food scale for most accurate results. If you don’t have a food scale, spoon the flour into a measuring cup and then level it off with a straight surface. Do not dig the measuring cup straight into the bag of flour, as it will make your cookies too dense.
  • Xanthan gum – I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour which already contains xanthan gum. If you use another blend that does not contain xanthan gum, you will need to add it to this recipe. 
  • Chocolate – I like to use a combination of chocolates in my cookies for depth of flavor. In this recipe I used a combination of semi-sweet and dark chocolates. 
  • Sugar – Using a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar will give these cookies the perfect amount of moisture and flavor. The brown sugar helps give the cookies that classic chewy texture.
  • Unsalted butter – Use unsalted butter in this recipe so that you can control the amount of salt that gets added to the cookies. Salted butter can vary in the salt content between brands.

I also like to use a combination of chips, chunks and chopped chocolate for varying textures and amounts of chocolate. Chopped chocolate is my favorite because it melts so easily creating puddles of chocolate in the cookie. Plus, you get little chocolate dust when chopping the chocolate that you can add to the dough for a speckled look.

Step-by-Step instructions

These gluten free chocolate chip cookies are incredibly easy to make with just a few simple ingredients.

The below photos with matching steps are meant to help you see the recipe at various stages. Place special attention to the texture of the cookie dough, the spacing of the dough on the pan, and the size of the chocolate chunks.

For the ingredient list with measurements, full instructions, printable recipe, and additional notes, please scroll down to the recipe card.

A glass mixing bowl with gluten free flour, salt, and baking soda in it.
Add the gluten-free flour, salt and baking soda to a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
A glass mixing bowl with granulated sugar, brown sugar and softened unsalted butter in it.
Add the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar to a separate large bowl. Cream for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
A glass mixing bowl with a creamed butter and sugar mixture topped with two raw eggs.
Add the eggs and vanilla to the butter mixture. Mix for 1-2 minutes, until smooth and combined.
A glass mixing bowl with a creamed butter and sugar mixture topped with gluten free flour blend.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing in between each addition.
A glass mixing bowl with gluten free cookie dough in it with a blue rubber spatula.
Mix until no more streaks of flour remain.
A glass mixing bowl with gluten free cookie dough topped with chocolate chunks.
Add the chocolate chunks to the cookie dough. Mix until evenly distributed. Chill the dough for an hour.
Gluten-free chocolate chip cookie dough balls on parchment paper.
Scoop the cookie dough into balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Six gluten-free chocolate chip cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 11-13 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are set and the center is no longer shiny. Let the cookies sit on the pan for 4-5 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Hints & tips

  • I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour which already contains xanthan gum. If you use another blend that does not contain xanthan gum, you will need to add it to this recipe. 
  • I like to use a combination of chocolates in my cookies for depth of flavor. In this recipe I used a combination of semi-sweet and dark chocolates. I also like to use a combination of chips, chunks and chopped chocolate for varying textures and amounts of chocolate. Chopped chocolate is my favorite because it melts so easily creating puddles of chocolate in the cookie. Plus, you get little chocolate dust when chopping the chocolate that you can add to the dough for a speckled look. 
  • I like to add some additional chocolate to the tops of the cookie dough balls just before baking so that you get a melty chocolate appearance on the tops of the cookies as they bake. You can omit this step, but your cookies won’t have the chocolate chunk look on top.
  • Be sure not to overbake your cookies if you’re going for a chewy texture. Overbaking will make for crunchier cookies. In our house, we always err on the side of under-baking!

Storage instructions

Storage

You can store leftover chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They will start to lose their softness after about 2 days. But you can always microwave them for 10 seconds before eating to make them ooey gooey again!

Freezer Options

You can freeze cookie dough for up to 3 months. Place the scooped cookie dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flash freeze for 1 hour. Once frozen solid, place the cookie dough balls in a freezer-safe bag or container. You can bake cookies straight from frozen. You will need to add 1-2 minutes to the bake time for best results.

You can also freeze baked chocolate chip cookies for longer storage. Freeze in a single layer and then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. Let cookies defrost at room temperature for an hour. You can also bake frozen cookies in the oven at 200F for 3-4 minutes until softened.

A stack of gluten-free chocolate chip cookies.

Recipe FAQs

Is it best to use chocolate chunks or chocolate chips?

In my opinion, it’s best to use both! I love mixing my chocolates (dark, semi-sweet, chips, chunks) so that the chocolate taste is complex. You can use whatever you want, though! Only chips, only chunks, milk chocolate, dark chocolate… This cookie recipe is very versatile when it comes to mix-ins.

Do I really need to chill the dough before baking?

Yes, chilling the dough for an hour before baking will help the texture of your dough immensely. Chilling the dough solidifies the fats, which means that when you bake the cookie it will spread much less. Trust me, it’s absolutely worth the wait!

Do I need to use xanthan gum?

Yes, but only if your gluten-free blend doesn’t already contain it.

How should I store these cookies?

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can freeze the cookies after they are baked, as well. Freeze in a single layer and then transfer to a freezer safe container for longer storage. To defrost, bake at 200F for 3-4 minutes until soft and chewy. You can refrigerate the fresh dough for up to 3 days before baking. Be sure to cover the dough so that it does not dry out.

Can I freeze the dough to use later?

This dough can easily be frozen if you only want to bake off a few cookies at a time. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet and freeze for an hour. Then transfer the dough balls to a freezer safe container or bag and freeze until ready to bake. Bake straight from frozen. The cookies may take an extra minute or two to bake if done this way. 

A tray of gluten-free chocolate chip cookies.

While you could bake a batch of these gooey chocolate chip cookies and eat them warm from the oven, there are so many other ways I love to serve these gluten-free cookies!

These gluten-free chocolate chip cookies make a fantastic cookie sandwich. Fill them with my peanut butter frosting, chocolate cream cheese frosting, or brown butter cream cheese frosting.

Don’t stop at frosting though, if you need to cool off in the summer use this cookie recipe as a base for a gluten-free ice cream sandwich! My chocolate peanut butter ice cream, strawberry ice cream, or coffee ice cream all would pair perfectly with chocolate chip cookies.

Did you know that chocolate chip cookies make the BEST s’mores? Add them to your next homemade s’mores board or use them in my air fryer s’mores recipe!

Did you make this recipe?

I’d love to know! Leave a comment below and tag @adashofmegnut on Instagram with the hashtag #adashofmegnut.

 

A stack of gluten-free chocolate chip cookies.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

These gluten-free chocolate chip cookies are my absolute favorite cookies to bake and eat. They're crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and loaded with ooey-gooey chocolatey goodness in every bite. This recipe is just so easy and gives you perfect, chewy chocolate chip cookies every time! 
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Total Time: 21 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 233kcal
Author: Megan

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend (360 g)
  • 1/2 tsp xanthan gum (if your blend doesn’t already contain it)
  • 1 tsp baking soda (7g)
  • 1 tsp salt (7g)
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  • 1 cup brown sugar (211g)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (113g)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups chocolate chunks or chips (divided (316g total))

Instructions

  • In a medium mixing bowl, combine gluten-free flour blend, xanthan gum (if using), baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add room temperature butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
  • Cream with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
  • Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
  • Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until just combined. Repeat with the remaining flour, stirring until no more streaks of flour remain.
  • Stir in 1 ½ cups of the chocolate chunks reserving the rest for later.
  • Chill the dough for at least one hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Scoop the dough into 2-3 tablespoon balls. You should get about 24 dough balls in total.
  • Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 3-4 inches in between each one. I can typically get 6-8 cookies on a sheet at a time. Place any remaining dough balls in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
  • Top the cookie dough balls with the remaining chocolate before baking. This will help you get chocolate pockets on top of the cookies as they bake.
  • Bake in the middle rack of the oven at 350F for 11-13 minutes, until the edges of the cookie are lightly browned and the middle is no longer shiny. Let cool on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

Notes

  • I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour which already contains xanthan gum. If you use another blend that does not contain xanthan gum, you will need to add it to this recipe. 
  • I like to use a combination of chocolates in my cookies for depth of flavor. In this recipe I used a combination of semi-sweet and dark chocolates. 
  • I also like to use a combination of chips, chunks and chopped chocolate for varying textures and amounts of chocolate. Chopped chocolate is my favorite because it melts so easily creating puddles of chocolate in the cookie. Plus, you get little chocolate dust when chopping the chocolate that you can add to the dough for a speckled look. 
  • I like to add some additional chocolate to the tops of the cookie dough balls just before baking so that you get a melty chocolate appearance on the tops of the cookies as they bake. You can omit this step, but your cookies won’t have the chocolate chunk look on top. 
  • You can freeze the dough if you want to only bake off a few cookies at a time. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet and freeze for an hour. Then transfer the dough balls to a freezer safe container or bag and freeze until ready to bake. Bake straight from frozen. The cookies may take an extra minute or two to bake since they are frozen. 
  • You can freeze the cookies after they are baked, as well. Freeze in a single layer and then transfer to a freezer safe container for longer storage. To defrost, bake at 200F for 3-4 minutes until soft and chewy. 
  • You can refrigerate the fresh dough for up to 3 days before baking. Be sure to cover the dough so that it does not dry out.

Nutrition

Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 154mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 204IU | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @ADashofMegnut or tag #adashofmegnut!

This recipe was originally posted on May 23, 2012 and updated on October 29, 2021 with new photos, tips and tricks to help you make these gluten-free chocolate chip cookies perfectly every time!

about megan

I’m Megan

A gluten-free food blogger from Chicago and lover of all things food, showing you gluten-free can be easy and delicious, too. Let’s make gluten-free stress free together! Read more…

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3 Comments

  1. Amy Hastings says:

    Please save me one. I need a cookie.