These gluten-free chocolate chip cookies are one of my most-made recipes. I’ve been perfecting them for over five years, and if you ask my family and friends, they’ll tell you I make them almost every week. I always keep a stash in my freezer, portioned out and ready to bake whenever the cookie cravings hit (more on my break and bake method later!). These cookies are perfectly chewy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and super easy to customize based on your dietary needs.
Want to save this recipe?
I'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later! -Sarah
With the recent rising prices and lack of availability of eggs, I love that this recipe is naturally egg-free, making it not only budget-friendly but also accessible for those with egg allergies or dietary restrictions. Plus, these egg-free chocolate chip cookies hold together beautifully, thanks to the combination of pure maple syrup and the right mix of gluten-free flours.
Why You’ll Love These Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gluten-free & egg-free – perfect for those with allergies or dietary restrictions.
- Easily made dairy-free & vegan – just swap in plant-based butter and dairy-free chocolate chips.
- One-bowl recipe – no need to cream the butter and sugar!
- Customizable – use your favorite chocolate chips, from dark to white chocolate.
- Freezer-friendly – my break and bake method makes fresh cookies anytime a breeze!
Ingredients Breakdown
Blanched Almond Flour
Almond flour adds moisture and chewiness to the cookies, making them soft on the inside while still holding their shape.
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour
I use an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend that’s a 1:1 replacement for regular flour. My go-to brand is Bob’s Red Mill, but any similar blend should work. If you don’t need the cookies to be gluten-free, you can use regular all-purpose flour or even whole wheat flour instead.
Granulated Sweetener
A granulated sweetener (pure cane sugar, coconut sugar, or a sugar-free alternative like erythritol or allulose – I’ve tested these with all of them) helps with the classic cookie texture, giving them the right amount of sweetness and slight crispiness on the edges. Appearance and texture will vary a bit across different sweeteners, but I can confirm they all work!
Pure Maple Syrup
This is the secret ingredient that binds everything together in the absence of eggs. It also adds a subtle depth of flavor and helps keep the cookies moist and chewy. Be sure to use pure maple syrup, as sugar-free alternatives won’t work the same way. I don’t recommend substituting this – it’s truly the secret ingredient and glue that holds these cookies together!
Leavening & Salt
Baking soda gives the cookies just the right lift, and salt enhances the flavor of the chocolate and sweetener.
Unsalted Butter (or Dairy-Free Alternative)
Butter brings richness and helps create the crispy edges we love. I usually use a high-quality grass-fed butter, but dairy-free options work perfectly too. I’ve tested them with Earth Balance. This makes these cookies ideal for anyone looking for gluten-free dairy-free chocolate chip cookies. If you use a pre-salted butter option, you may want to reduce the added salt.
Vanilla Extract
A generous amount of vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor of the cookies. They wouldn’t be chocolate chip cookies without vanilla! Make sure to use high quality pure vanilla extract for best flavor.
Chocolate Chips
The star of the show! You can use milk, dark, white, or even sugar-free chocolate chips to suit your preference. If you need dairy free gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, be sure to use dairy-free chocolate chips.
How to Make These Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, combine the gluten-free all-purpose flour, almond flour, granulated sweetener, baking soda, and salt.
Step 2: Prepare the Butter
Soften the butter until it’s half melted and half softened. I usually do this in the microwave for a few seconds. This method makes the cookies chewier and easier to mix.
Step 3: Combine Butter & Dry Ingredients
Add the softened butter to the dry ingredients and stir until the mixture looks crumbly.
Step 4: Add the Liquid Ingredients
Pour in the pure maple syrup and vanilla extract, then stir until everything is well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Step 5: Chill the Dough
Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes. I usually just stick the entire bowl in the fridge. If you refrigerate longer, let it sit out for a few minutes before scooping.
Step 6: Scoop & Bake
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to portion out the dough into 1.5-inch balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press down slightly and top with extra chocolate chips if you like.
Step 7: Bake & Enjoy
Bake for 8-12 minutes, depending on how soft or crispy you want them. Let cool before enjoying!
Break and Bake: My Freezer Method for Cookies Anytime!
I always have these break and bake cookies ready to go in my freezer! Here’s how:
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough into a gallon-size freezer bag (see photo below).
- After all cookie dough balls have been added to the bag, flatten them all slightly, seal the bag, and store in the freezer, making sure it is completely flat and level.
- When ready to bake, bake frozen cookies as usual, adding 1-2 extra minutes to the baking time.
This makes fresh, homemade gluten-free chocolate chip cookies super convenient!
FAQs
Can I make these completely vegan?
Yes! Just use dairy-free butter and vegan chocolate chips. This will give you perfect gluten-free vegan chocolate chip cookies.
What’s the texture like?
They’re chewy in the center with crisp edges—just the way a perfect chocolate chip cookie should be!
Do I have to chill the dough?
Chilling for about 30 minutes helps the flavors develop and prevents the cookies from spreading too much. If you’re short on time, even just 10-15 minutes in the freezer works too. I’ve also tested them without chilling at all, and they still work but may be a bit thinner.
Can I use a different flour?
I don’t recommend skipping the almond flour, but you can try oat flour instead of the gluten-free flour blend. Regular all purpose flour can also be used if you don’t need them to be gluten free.
Can I eat the dough raw?
Because this recipe doesn’t contain eggs or regular wheat flour (unless you decide to sub it in), it’s totally safe to eat the dough raw! I usually taste test at least a spoonful or two of dough while I’m making them 😉
Can this recipe be made keto friendly?
While this recipe doesn’t work well for keto, if you’re looking for a keto-friendly chocolate chip cookie recipe, try my Keto Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies!
Ready to give these cookies a try?
If you try this recipe for gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, let me know how they turned out! Leave a rating, drop a comment, or tag me on Instagram—I love seeing your creations!
XO,
Sarah
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Want to save this recipe?
I’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later! -Sarah
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup blanched almond flour
- 1 cup all purpose gluten-free flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sweetener see notes for options
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter or dairy free butter
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flours, granulated sweetener, baking soda, and salt.
- Soften the butter, I like to get it to the point where it’s about half melted and half softened. I usually do this in the microwave.
- Add the butter to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. It will look like a crumbly dough.
- Add maple syrup and vanilla extract, and stir until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes, or until you plan to make them. I usually just stick the entire mixing bowl in the fridge. If the dough is in the fridge longer than 30 minutes, it may be a bit firmer in texture and more difficult to scoop out, so you may want to let it sit out at room temp for a few minutes before scooping.
- Preheat oven to 350 °F.
- Using either a spoon or cookie scoop, scoop out 1.5 inch balls and place on.a parchment lined cookie sheet. I usually bake as many as I want to have immediately, then freeze the rest using my break and bake method (see notes).
- Press down slightly, and top each cookie dough ball with a few extra chocolate chips (optional).
- Bake for 8-12 minutes. Baking time is completely up to personal preference, on whether you prefer them slightly underbaked or more firm and crispy. I usually bake mine for around 9-10 minutes.
- Allow to cool, and enjoy!
Simply the best & my personal fave 🙂