These gluten-free soft chocolate chip cookies are everything a great chocolate chip cookie should be-soft and tender in the center, lightly golden at the edges, and packed with rich chocolate chips. They're easy to make, beautifully soft even after they cool, and no one will guess they're gluten-free.
This gluten-free chocolate chip cookie dough comes together easily with everyday baking ingredients. Brown and white sugars provide the right balance of moisture and structure, while a short rest gives the gluten-free flour time to hydrate. Baking just until the edges are lightly golden keeps the centers soft and tender rather than dry or crumbly.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Snapshot
- Soft & tender: Soft and tender centers with lightly golden edges.
- Stay soft: Keep their just-baked texture after cooling.
- Easy to make: Simple ingredients and straightforward prep.
- Chocolate in every bite: Plenty of chocolate chips throughout.
Chef's tip - The secret to gluten-free soft chocolate chip cookies isn't one magic ingredient. It's the right balance of moisture, structure, hydration, and bake time, which is why this recipe was so thoroughly tested. Each one plays a part in creating cookies that stay soft and tender instead of turning dry or crumbly, and this recipe accomplishes exactly that. Enjoy making some, and let me know how you like them.
Chocolate chip meringue cookies are another classic way to enjoy plenty of chocolate chips, with a light, crisp texture.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Flour - I use King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour. Other gluten-free 1:1 blends may work, but results can vary by blend.
- Butter - Use unsalted butter, softened to room temperature so it creams easily with the sugars.
- Light brown sugar - Adds moisture and chewiness, helping the cookies stay soft.
- Granulated sugar - Balances the brown sugar and helps the cookies spread and develop lightly golden edges.
- Eggs - One full egg and one yolk adds moisture, richness, and structure to the cookie dough.
- Vanilla - Adds classic warm vanilla flavor and complements the chocolate.
- Baking soda - Provides leavening and encourages spreading and browning.
- Chocolate chips - Semisweet chocolate chips are classic; I prefer dark chocolate chips for a richer chocolate flavor. Have a few extra on hand to press into the tops before baking if desired.
Please see the recipe card for measurements and salt.
Variations
- Mini chocolate chips - Disperse nicely across the cookies.
- White chocolate - Swap the regular chocolate chips for white chocolate chips and a sweeter variation.
- Add nuts - Replace some of the chocolate chips with chopped walnuts or pecans for extra crunch.
- Add flaky salt - Sprinkle the cookies lightly with flaky sea salt before baking for a sweet-salty finish.
Chef's Tip on baking sheets: Bake cookies on a light-colored aluminum baking sheet lined with parchment. Parchment paper promotes even baking and predictable spread, while silicone baking mats can change how cookies spread and brown. Always start with a cool baking sheet; placing cookie dough on a warm pan can cause the butter to soften prematurely and the cookies to spread too much.
Still have chocolate chips? Make this easy pumpkin chocolate chip cake next.
How to Make Gluten-Free Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F (conventional) and line 1-2 half sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to a bowl and whisk to blend.
- Add the soft butter and sugars to a mixing bowl. With a hand mixer, beat until creamy, 2-3 minutes.
- Add the whole egg and extra yolk plus vanilla and beat in, another 2 minutes, until smooth, creamy, and fluffy.
- Add the dry flour mix to the bowl.
- Beat on low speed until the flour is incorporated, then increase the speed slightly and mix just until the dough is smooth.
- Fold in the chocolate chips by hand until evenly distributed. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to hydrate the gluten-free flour.
7. Using a #30 cookie scoop or 2 tablespoons, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving room for the cookies to spread. Gently flatten each portion with your fingers to about ¾-inch thick. Press 3-5 additional chocolate chips into the top of each cookie if desired.
8. Bake for about 14 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden and the centers are set but still soft. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet 5-10 minutes, the move to a cooling rack for full cooling.
Got ripe bananas? Make my gluten-free banana chocolate chip muffins for breakfast or snacking.
Storage
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQs
Overbaking is one of the most common causes. Measure the flour carefully and bake just until the edges are lightly golden while the centers are still soft. Gluten-free flour blends also vary, which can affect texture.
Use the right balance of brown and granulated sugar, let the dough rest for 30 minutes so the flour can hydrate, and don't overbake. Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container.
Butter that's overly soft, a warm baking sheet, or inaccurate flour measurements can all cause excess spreading. Start with room-temperature butter and a cool, parchment-lined baking sheet.
Gluten-free flour blends are not all formulated the same way, so substitutions can change the texture and spread of the cookies. This recipe was developed and tested with King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour. For the most consistent results, use the flour specified in the recipe.
For More Cookie Recipes
Feel like baking more gluten-free cookies? Try a few of these delicious recipes for more baking inspiration.
📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- #30 cookie scoop aka disher
- Kitchen scale optional but very handy
Ingredients
- 2 cups Gluten-free flour blend I tested with King Arthur Measure 4 Measure. 9 ounces.
- ¾ cup soft unsalted butter 6 ounces ( 1 ½ sticks)
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ½ cups chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips, 10 ounces
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Instructions
Mix the dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking soda, and salt.
Cream the butter and sugars
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy and well combined.
Add the eggs, vanilla, and dry mix
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla until smooth and combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix.
Add chips, rest dough
- By hand, stir in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough. Rest dough on the counter for 30 minutes for hydrating the gluten-free flour.
Pre-heat oven, prepare baking sheet
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop cookies
- Using a #30 cookie scoop, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the dough evenly as the cookies will spread. With your fingers, gently press the cookie mounds to approximately ¾" thickness. If adding extra chips on top, add 3-5 now where there look like there are none. Note - Without a #30 cookie scoop, use 2 tablespoons of cookie dough.
Bake cookies
- Bake cookies for 14-15 minutes, until the cookies are set around the edges but still look soft in the centers. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Allow the cookie sheet to cool before scooping and baking the second dozen, or use a second cookie sheet.
Notes
Nutrition
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