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Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

A stack of thick gluten-free chocolate chip cookies with golden-brown edges and melted chocolate chips, cooling on a wire rack.
Photo by Maurício Mascaro on Pexels

Chilling the dough gives the gluten-free flour blend time to fully hydrate, which is what keeps these cookies from turning gritty or spreading into thin, crisp discs, and pulling them from the oven while the centers still look slightly underbaked keeps them chewy instead of dry.

Prep
20 min
Cook
12 min
Total
62 min
Servings
24

Ingredients

Servings24
  • 2 1/4 cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour blend (with xanthan gum)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp fine salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg large egg
  • 1 yolk large egg yolk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups gluten-free semisweet chocolate chips

Nutrition per serving

Calories
205
Protein
1g
Carbs
26g
Fat
11g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

Need different units or a different yield? Try our Conversion Calculator →

Instructions

  1. 1In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour blend, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  2. 2In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
  3. 3Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until fully combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
  4. 4Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined, with no dry streaks remaining.
  5. 5Fold in the chocolate chips by hand with a spatula.
  6. 6Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours.
  7. 7Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  8. 8Scoop the chilled dough into 2-tablespoon portions and roll into balls, spacing them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
  9. 9Bake for 11-13 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden but the centers still look slightly underbaked.
  10. 10Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Tips & variations

  • Not all gluten-free 1:1 blends behave the same; blends built on rice flour tend to spread more than those built on oat or almond flour bases, so watch the first batch and adjust chill time if cookies spread too thin.
  • If the blend doesn't already contain xanthan gum, add 1/2 teaspoon to the dry ingredients or the cookies may crumble apart when warm.
  • Browning the butter before creaming (then cooling it back to solid before use) adds a nutty depth that plays well against the mild flavor of most gluten-free blends.
  • For a dairy-free version, swap in a plant-based butter stick (not the tub spread, which has too much water) and check that the chocolate chips are dairy-free.
  • Stir in 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts along with the chocolate chips for added texture.

Storage & reheating

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze baked cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. To serve warm, microwave for 10-15 seconds or reheat in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes. Scooped raw dough balls can also be frozen on a tray and baked straight from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the bake time.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • Weigh the flour blend if possible; scooping straight from the bag can pack in 20-30% more flour than intended and dries the cookies out.
  • Use a light-colored, heavy baking sheet rather than a dark nonstick one, which can cause the bottoms to overbake before the centers are set.
  • Rotate the baking sheets halfway through if the oven runs unevenly, since gluten-free doughs are more sensitive to uneven heat than wheat-based ones.

FAQ

What's the best gluten-free flour blend for cookies?

A 1:1 or 'measure for measure' blend that already includes xanthan gum (such as those built on rice flour or a rice/oat blend) works most reliably here, since it's designed to swap directly for wheat flour without recipe adjustments.

Why did my gluten-free cookies turn out gritty?

Gritty texture almost always means the dough didn't chill long enough for the flour to hydrate, or the blend used relies heavily on rice flour, which stays slightly grainy even when fully rested.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes. The dough can be chilled up to 24 hours before baking, and it actually improves the texture. For longer storage, scoop the dough into balls and freeze them, then bake straight from frozen.

Why are my gluten-free cookies falling apart?

This usually means the blend lacks xanthan gum, or too little fat and egg were used relative to the flour. Adding 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum per batch, if the blend doesn't already include it, fixes most crumbling issues.

Do gluten-free cookies need to bake longer than regular cookies?

Not usually; bake times are similar to a standard chocolate chip cookie recipe. The key difference is pulling them out while the centers still look slightly soft, since they firm up fully as they cool.