Best Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies: Soft, Chewy & Perfect Every Time

After testing dozens of gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipes, this is the ONE. Perfectly soft and chewy centers, golden crispy edges, loaded with chocolate chips, and absolutely indistinguishable from regular cookies. Whether you're baking for your gluten-free family or bringing treats to share, this recipe will become your go-to.

Why This Recipe Works

Most gluten-free chocolate chip cookies fail because they're: too crumbly (fall apart when you bite), too dry and cakey (not chewy), weird aftertaste (from poor flour blend), spread too much or not enough, dense and heavy (not light).

This Recipe Solves All Those Problems:

Secret Ingredient #1 - Brown Butter: Adds incredible depth of flavor and moisture, creates nutty, caramel notes, makes cookies taste gourmet.

Secret Ingredient #2 - Cornstarch: Creates tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture, prevents grittiness, helps cookies stay soft.

Secret Ingredient #3 - Chill Time: Resting dough allows flour to hydrate fully, creates better texture and flavor, controls spreading during baking.

Perfect Ratio: The exact balance of butter, sugars, eggs, and flour creates ideal texture—soft centers, crispy edges.

The Ultimate Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Ingredients (Makes 24 cookies)

Dry Ingredients:

• 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (with xanthan gum)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:

• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Mix-Ins:

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (or mix of semi-sweet and dark)
• Optional: 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Special Equipment: 2 baking sheets, parchment paper or silicone baking mats, medium saucepan (for brown butter), stand mixer or hand mixer, cookie scoop (2 tablespoon size).

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Brown the Butter (10 minutes)

1. Cut butter into tablespoon-sized pieces
2. Melt in medium saucepan over medium heat
3. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until butter turns golden brown and smells nutty (5-7 minutes)
4. Watch carefully—it goes from brown to burnt quickly!
5. Pour into heat-safe bowl and let cool 10 minutes

Why This Matters: Brown butter adds incredible flavor depth. The milk solids caramelize, creating nutty, toffee-like notes that make these cookies taste amazing.

Visual Cue: When butter foams, then foam subsides and you see golden-brown specks on bottom of pan, it's done.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients (2 minutes)

1. In medium bowl, whisk together: flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, salt
2. Whisk thoroughly to break up any lumps
3. Set aside

Pro Tip: Measure flour by spooning into measuring cup and leveling off (don't pack or scoop directly). Too much flour = dry cookies.

Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugars (3 minutes)

1. In large bowl or stand mixer, combine cooled brown butter, brown sugar, and white sugar
2. Beat on medium speed 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy
3. Scrape down sides of bowl

What You're Looking For: Mixture should be lighter in color, fluffy, and increased in volume.

Step 4: Add Eggs and Vanilla (2 minutes)

1. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition
2. Add vanilla extract
3. Beat until fully incorporated and smooth
4. Scrape down sides again

Room Temperature Eggs: Cold eggs don't incorporate as well. Leave eggs on counter 30 minutes before baking, or place in warm water 5 minutes.

Step 5: Add Dry Ingredients (2 minutes)

1. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients
2. Mix on low speed until JUST combined
3. Don't overmix—stop as soon as you don't see dry flour
4. Some small lumps are okay

Critical Rule: Overmixing = tough, dense cookies. Mix just until flour disappears.

Step 6: Add Chocolate Chips (1 minute)

1. Fold in chocolate chips (and nuts if using) with spatula or wooden spoon
2. Mix just until evenly distributed
3. Reserve a small handful of chips for topping

Chocolate Chip Tips: Use quality chocolate chips (Ghirardelli, Enjoy Life, Guittard), mix of semi-sweet and dark chocolate adds depth, you can NEVER have too many chocolate chips (add more if desired!).

Step 7: Chill the Dough (30 minutes minimum)

1. Cover bowl with plastic wrap
2. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes (up to 72 hours)
3. Chilling is NOT optional—it's essential!

Why Chilling Matters: Allows flour to fully hydrate (better texture), solidifies butter (controls spreading), develops deeper flavor, makes dough easier to scoop.

Time Options: 30 minutes = minimum, 2 hours = better, overnight = best flavor and texture.

Step 8: Preheat and Prep (While dough chills)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (conventional) or 325°F (convection)
2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats
3. Don't skip lining—prevents sticking and ensures even baking

Step 9: Scoop and Shape (5 minutes)

1. Use 2-tablespoon cookie scoop (or form into 2-tablespoon balls)
2. Place dough balls 3 inches apart on baking sheet (they spread!)
3. Press a few extra chocolate chips on top of each cookie
4. Don't flatten—leave as balls

Uniform Size: Using cookie scoop ensures even baking. All cookies done at same time.

Step 10: Bake (11-13 minutes)

1. Bake one sheet at a time (for best results)
2. Bake 11-13 minutes until edges are golden but centers look slightly underdone
3. Cookies will look puffy and soft—that's correct!
4. Don't overbake—they firm up as they cool

Perfect Timing: Edges should be golden brown, centers should look soft and slightly underbaked (they'll finish cooking on the pan).

Visual Cue: When edges are set and starting to brown but centers still look pale and soft, they're done.

Step 11: Cool (Critical step!)

1. Remove from oven when centers still look underdone
2. Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes (cookies firm up during this time)
3. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely
4. Resist urge to eat immediately (let them set for best texture)

Why This Works: Cookies continue baking on hot pan (carryover cooking), cooling on pan = perfect texture, moving too soon = broken cookies.

**Step 12: Enjoy!

Now bite into chocolate chip cookie perfection—soft, chewy, loaded with chocolate, and completely gluten-free!

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Problem: Cookies spread too much (flat and thin)

• Cause: Butter too warm, didn't chill dough, oven too cool, too much butter
• Solution: Chill dough fully (even re-chill between batches), check oven temperature with thermometer, measure butter carefully

Problem: Cookies don't spread enough (thick pucks)

• Cause: Dough too cold, too much flour, oven too hot
• Solution: Let dough sit at room temp 5-10 minutes before baking, measure flour correctly (don't pack), verify oven temp

Problem: Cookies are dry and crumbly

• Cause: Too much flour, overbaked, didn't brown butter properly
• Solution: Measure flour by spooning and leveling, bake less time (err on underdone side), ensure brown butter is cooled but still liquid

Problem: Cookies are cakey, not chewy

• Cause: Too much baking powder, wrong flour blend, overmixed
• Solution: Use exact measurements, ensure flour blend has xanthan gum, mix just until combined

Problem: Cookies taste "off" or gritty

• Cause: Poor quality flour blend, didn't add cornstarch, flour not hydrated
• Solution: Use recommended flour blends, add cornstarch as specified, chill dough longer (overnight best)

Problem: Cookies fall apart

• Cause: Flour blend without xanthan gum, not enough binding, moved while too hot
• Solution: Ensure flour has xanthan gum (or add ½ tsp), cool on pan full 5 minutes before moving

Best Gluten-Free Flour Blends for Cookies

Top Recommendations (in order):

1. King Arthur Measure for Measure (★★★★★)

• Perfect 1:1 substitute
• Includes xanthan gum
• Excellent texture and taste
• Widely available
• My #1 choice for cookies

2. Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour (★★★★★)

• Consistently great results
• Contains xanthan gum
• Easy to find
• Budget-friendly

3. Cup4Cup (★★★★☆)

• Slightly sweet flavor
• Very tender cookies
• More expensive
• Great for special occasions

Also Work Well:

• Pamela's Artisan Blend
• Better Batter
• Simple Mills (though adds almond flour taste)

Important: Always use blend WITH xanthan gum already included. If yours doesn't have it, add ½ teaspoon.

Avoid: Single flours (rice flour, almond flour alone, coconut flour alone) won't work with this recipe.

Variations & Add-Ins

Flavor Variations:

Triple Chocolate: Replace ¼ cup flour with ¼ cup cocoa powder, use mix of dark, semi-sweet, and white chocolate chips.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip: Add ½ cup peanut butter to wet ingredients, reduce butter to ½ cup.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip: Add 1 cup certified GF old-fashioned oats, increase flour by ¼ cup.

Brown Butter Toffee: Add 1 cup toffee bits in place of half the chocolate chips.

Salted Caramel: Add 1 cup caramel chips, sprinkle with flaky sea salt before baking.

Mix-In Ideas:

• Dark chocolate chunks (irregular pieces = pockets of melty chocolate)
• White chocolate chips
• Butterscotch chips
• Chopped pecans or walnuts (1 cup)
• Toffee bits
• Dried cherries or cranberries
• Shredded coconut (½ cup)
• Mini M&Ms (kids love this!)
• Crushed pretzels (sweet and salty)

Size Variations:

Mini Cookies: Use 1-tablespoon scoop, bake 8-10 minutes, makes ~48 cookies.

Giant Cookies: Use ¼-cup scoop, bake 14-16 minutes, makes ~12 cookies.

Cookie Bars: Press dough into 9x13" pan, bake 20-25 minutes, cool and cut into squares.

Storage & Freezing

Room Temperature Storage:

• Store in airtight container
• Layer with parchment paper between cookies
• Keep at room temp up to 5 days
• Add slice of bread to container (keeps cookies soft)

Refrigerator Storage:

• Not recommended (cookies get hard)
• If you must, bring to room temp before eating

Freezing Baked Cookies:

• Cool completely
• Layer with parchment in freezer-safe container
• Freeze up to 3 months
• Thaw at room temperature 30 minutes
• Refresh in 300°F oven 5 minutes if desired

Freezing Cookie Dough (Highly recommended!):

• Scoop dough into balls
• Freeze on baking sheet 1 hour
• Transfer to freezer bag
• Freeze up to 3 months
• Bake directly from frozen (add 1-2 minutes to bake time)
• Perfect for fresh cookies anytime!

Pro Tip: Always have frozen cookie dough balls ready. Freshly baked cookies in 15 minutes? Yes please!

Making Cookies with Kids

Age-Appropriate Tasks:

Ages 4-6:

• Measuring ingredients (with help)
• Stirring dry ingredients
• Adding chocolate chips
• Placing chips on top of dough balls

Ages 7-10:

• Measuring most ingredients independently
• Mixing with hand mixer (supervised)
• Scooping cookie dough
• Setting timer

Ages 11+:

• Making brown butter (supervised)
• Full recipe with guidance
• Reading recipe independently
• Problem-solving

Safety First: Adult handles oven and hot pans, supervise mixer use, keep kids away from stovetop during brown butter step.

Make It Fun: Let kids add chocolate chips, taste test dough (GF dough is safe to eat raw!), decorate with extra chips, make different sizes.

Allergy-Friendly Modifications

Dairy-Free:

• Replace butter with vegan butter or coconut oil (can still brown it!)
• Use dairy-free chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand)
• Everything else stays same

Egg-Free:

• Replace each egg with: 1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, let sit 5 min)
• Or use Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer
• Cookies will be slightly less chewy but still delicious

Nut-Free:

• Use nut-free flour blend (most are)
• Omit nuts from mix-ins
• Check chocolate chips for "may contain nuts" warning

Vegan:

• Use vegan butter
• Use flax eggs or commercial egg replacer
• Dairy-free chocolate chips

Nutrition Information

Per Cookie (recipe makes 24):

• Calories: 165
• Fat: 8g
• Saturated Fat: 5g
• Carbohydrates: 23g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 15g
• Protein: 2g

Healthier Modifications:

• Reduce sugar by ¼ cup (cookies will be less sweet but still good)
• Use dark chocolate chips (less sugar, more antioxidants)
• Add ¼ cup ground flaxseed (fiber and omega-3s)
• Replace half white sugar with coconut sugar

Tips for Perfect Cookies Every Time

Measure Accurately: Use measuring cups/spoons properly, weigh ingredients if possible (most accurate), level off dry ingredients with knife.

Don't Skip Chilling: Even 30 minutes makes huge difference, overnight is ideal for best flavor and texture.

Use Parchment or Silicone Mat: Prevents sticking, ensures even baking, easy cleanup.

Don't Overbake: Cookies look underdone when perfect, they firm up while cooling, err on side of underdone.

Cool on Pan First: Cookies are too soft to move immediately, 5 minutes on pan = perfect texture.

One Sheet at a Time: Center rack, middle of oven, rotate halfway through if cookies browning unevenly.

Room Temperature Ingredients: Butter (after browning), eggs, ensures proper mixing and texture.

Use Quality Chocolate: Cheap chocolate chips don't melt as nicely, Ghirardelli, Guittard, or Enjoy Life recommended.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different flour blend? Yes, but results vary. Use blend with xanthan gum. King Arthur or Bob's Red Mill work best.

Can I skip browning the butter? You can, but cookies won't taste as amazing. Brown butter adds incredible flavor. Worth the extra 10 minutes!

Why are my cookies flat? Dough wasn't chilled enough, butter was too warm, or oven temp too low. Chill dough fully and verify oven temp.

Can I make these ahead? Yes! Freeze dough balls up to 3 months. Bake fresh whenever you want cookies.

Is the raw dough safe to eat? Yes! Gluten-free flour isn't made with wheat (no raw flour risk). If using pasteurized eggs, it's safe. We still recommend baking, but taste testing is fine!

Can I make these without chocolate chips? Sure! They're butter cookies then. Still delicious. Or substitute dried fruit, butterscotch chips, etc.

Do I have to use cornstarch? Yes, it makes significant texture difference. Creates tenderness and prevents grittiness.

How do I know when they're done? Edges golden brown, centers look slightly underdone. They firm up as they cool.

Can I double this recipe? Absolutely! All measurements double perfectly. Make huge batch and freeze dough.

Conclusion

This is THE gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe that finally works. Soft, chewy, loaded with chocolate, and completely indistinguishable from regular cookies. Whether you're baking for yourself, your gluten-free child, or sharing with friends, these cookies will impress everyone.

Key Takeaways: ✅ Brown butter adds incredible flavor depth ✅ Cornstarch creates perfect tender texture ✅ Chilling dough is essential (not optional!) ✅ Bake until edges golden but centers look underdone ✅ Cool on pan 5 minutes before moving ✅ Use quality GF flour blend with xanthan gum ✅ Freeze dough balls for fresh cookies anytime ✅ Don't overbake—err on side of underdone ✅ Room temperature ingredients mix better ✅ These taste EXACTLY like regular chocolate chip cookies

Make a batch this weekend and watch them disappear. You've finally found your go-to gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe. Bookmark this page—you'll be making these forever!