As a gluten-free baker, I know from first-hand experience how hard it can be to bake really good gluten-free chocolate chips cookies. My perfect gluten-free chocolate chip cookies recipe has 4 simple tricks: use the right flour, chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes (I explain why below!), shape the dough cylindrically, and bake the cookies at 325°F not 350°F. Recipe yields 24 bakery-style cookies with no grittiness.
In a large bowl or stand mixer beat together the melted butter, brown sugar, sugar, egg, and vanilla until well combined.
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¾ cup light brown sugar, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed until combined and no flour pockets remain. Stir in chocolate chips or mix in on low speed. The dough will be slightly sticky and soft.
1 ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons gluten free all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Tip: The cookies can go on ungreased baking sheets as well, but they release better from parchment or silicone)
Use a medium cookie scoop (or 2 tbsp per cookie) to drop dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Roll the cookie dough into smooth balls and then shape into a tall cylinder with flat bottom (see post for image). This helps the cookies rise instead of flatten.
Bake for 12-14 minutes, rotating pans halfway. Edges should be set, but middle is still soft. Cool on cookie sheets for 10 minutes before transporting to a wire rack.
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Notes
storing / freezing
If you don't plan on eating these treats within a day or two, wrap stacks of 2-3 cookies in plastic wrap, transfer to a ziplock freezer bag, and freeze up to 3 months. For storing at room temperature, make sure the cookies have cooled completely first before stacking and storing in an airtight container. To freeze unbaked cookies, drop portioned cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once the cookies are hard, transfer to a ziplock freezer bag and freeze up to 3 months. When ready to bake, place on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake from frozen, adding an additional 1-2 minutes baking time.
Why let the cookie dough rest before baking?
Letting gluten free chocolate chip cookie dough rest for 30 minutes before baking allows the fats and liquids to saturate the starches, getting rid of any off-putting sandy grittiness. Pull from the oven and bite into the best chocolate chip cookie ever!
Dairy Free adaptations
If you are looking for a dairy free chocolate chip cookie recipe, use Enjoy Life brand chocolate chips and substitute regular unsalted butter for vegan butter sticks. Since dairy free, vegan butter is a little saltier, reduce the salt in the recipe by half. The recommended gluten-free flour, Cup4Cup, does contain milk powder in the blend. Use King Arthur Measure-for-Measure gluten free flour as an allergen-free alternative.