Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sweet and salty, crisp and chewy, and just begging to be eaten warm from the oven, these Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies are my go-to classic cookie. They taste amazingly buttery and rich, so even your non-GF, DF friends will crave them!

This recipe was originally published on November 28, 2021. It was updated with new photos and information on November 20, 2022.

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Why You’ll Love This Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Cookie Recipe:

You want crisp edges? These gluten and dairy free cookies got ‘em.

You want a soft and chewy center that makes you question whether it's fully cooked? Yup. Got that too.

You want melty chocolate, rich, complex vanilla, but also a touch of salt to bring out that caramelized deliciousness? Mmmm-hmm! Check, check and CHECK!

The bottom and edges of these gf df chocolate chip cookies are lacy crisp and perfectly caramelized thanks to the combination of vegan butter and coconut oil. But, that’s not all. 

The center of the cookie is fudgy and soft (ooey-gooey, even, when they’re fresh out of the oven) by adjusting the bake time. 

What I’m trying to say is: If you need to make gluten-free Toll House cookies this holiday season, this is it!

Aside from being drop-dead delicious, this idyllic (and allergen-friendly) cookie recipe is also:

• Made with mostly pantry ingredients, meaning you can bake up a batch whenever you get the urge for a big ol’ tray of warm, chocolatey, super cozy dairy and gluten free cookies.
• Perfect for prepping ahead. I like to keep a ziptop bag of the dough balls in the freezer for any last-minute guests or unexpected bake sales. Or, if I’m being more honest, so I can have a little bite of heaven waiting for me at the end of the day. What’s better than a cookie warm out of the oven when it’s chilly and dark out? NOTHING. That’s what. Unless maybe it’s the same cookie, but for breakfast instead. 😂
• Super versatile. Once you consider all the add-ins, stuffings, and optional dietary changes you can make to this relatively flexible cookie recipe, you’ll want to memorize the basics stat.

Ingredients & Substitutions

These gluten-free dairy-free cookies are made with mostly pantry ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Dairy-free butter - Use your favorite brand. I’m partial to Miyoko’s and Earth-Balance.
• Coconut oil - You can use either refined or raw coconut oil here. Note that the refined will have no discernible coconut flavor, whereas the raw imparts a lovely touch of tropical perfume.
• Brown sugar - Either dark or light brown will work, though dark will have more of a molasses flavor.
• Granulated sugar - I love the consistency of these cookies with a mix of white and brown sugars, but if you have to choose just one, choose brown. The acidity is important for activating the leavening power of baking soda.
• Egg - Let it come to room temperature for easier mixing. 
• Honey or maple syrup - Both are absolutely delicious in this gluten and dairy free cookies recipe. You can also trade in brown rice syrup or agave nectar if needed, but neither has quite the same nuance as honey or maple. 
• Vanilla extract - An equal measure of vanilla powder or paste will work, as will half as much ground vanilla. 
• Gluten-free 1-to-1 flour - I prefer using Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour, but any cup-for-cup all-purpose GF flour blend that includes xanthan gum should work. If gluten isn’t an issue for you, you can easily swap in regular all-purpose flour instead.
• Fine salt - If you’re using a different style of salt, please refer to this guide.
• Baking soda & baking powder - You need both for the perfect texture for your gluten-free dairy-free cookies.
• Dairy-free chocolate chips - Feel free to use white, dark, or non-dairy “milk” chocolate depending on your preferences.
• Flaky salt - Salt on cookies, you say? Yes. 1000 times yes. It provides the perfect amount of savory contrast and crunchy texture for these nut free chocolate chip cookies. The gorgeous pyramids of Maldon are tough to beat.

What chocolate chips are gluten and dairy-free? 

I typically reach for Enjoy Life or Everland Dark Chocolate Chips because they’re the easiest to find. If you want to try others, here’s a pretty comprehensive list from Veg Out magazine.

Notes on gluten-free flour blends:

If you’re new to gluten-free baking, I strongly recommend you start out with a store-bought gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. These products are specifically formulated with “cup-for-cup” or “measure-for-measure” ratios in mind. 

While you’re welcome to start tinkering with your own blend, I find the number of different bags of flour required an unwelcome burden in my cramped kitchen cabinets. 

The biggest thing to look for is the addition of xanthan gum, which does a bang-up job of emulating gluten proteins.

How To Make Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

The dough for these gluten-free and dairy-free cookies comes together with just 15 minutes of prep. Here’s how they’re made:

Step 1: Wet Ingredients. In a large bowl, cream the butter, coconut oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Add the egg and mix again. Add honey and vanilla, and mix. Set aside.

Step 2: Dry Ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add this to the creamed butter mixture, and mix until combined. Fold the chocolate chips in. 

Step 3: Rest. Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours.

Step 4: Prep. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet or cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

Step 5: Bake. Scoop out the cookie dough onto parchment paper using a cookie scoop (mine holds 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon, or 20ml). Top with extra chocolate chips and sprinkle a pinch of flaky salt on each cookie. Bake for 8-19 minutes. Let the dairy gluten free cookies cool on the cookie sheet for at least 10 minutes before moving them onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Pro Tips

• Use a scale to measure your ingredients. Using measuring cups is perhaps more traditional for some of us, but it's very inconsistent. You could very easily add too much flour to your cookie dough and end up with dry, doughy cookies. If you don’t want to invest in a scale, make sure you’re using the scoop-and-sweep method. 
• Use a cookie scoop to ensure your cookies are evenly sized. I use this one. Cookie baking times will vary depending on how much dough you use in each scoop. 
• Make sure your flour contains xanthan gum. Xanthan gum makes up for the lack of gluten and adds structure to your cookies, so check the ingredient list of your gluten-free all-purpose flour!
• Rest your dough for at least 2 hours in the fridge. You can also keep it in the fridge overnight, which is what I like to do. If you’ve got the patience, try it. You’ll be surprised how much tastier your gluten-free nut-free cookies turn out!
• Add extra chocolate chips before baking... Before you put the cookies in the oven, add about 5 or 6 extra chocolate chips on top! This gives them that *chef’s kiss* straight-from-the-bakery-window look.
• …and don’t forget the flaky sea salt. Before the cookie dough goes into the oven, sprinkle a pinch of flaky salt onto each dough ball. A little sprinkle of flaky salt adds a salty bite to balance the sweetness, as well as add a little crunch.

Optional Variations

Making this exact recipe for gluten-free nut-free cookies is just one way about it. Feel free to riff until you find your own bakery-perfect treat.

If you make something awesome the world should know about, let me know by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram so I can cheer 👏 you 👏on!!!

Here are a few ideas to get your wheels turning:

• Optional add-ins:
  • Nuts (e.g. pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts, pistachios, sliced almonds)
  • Dried fruit (e.g. raisins, sultanas, currants, apricots)
  • Texture (e.g. GF pretzels, cornflakes)
  • Sandwiching material (e.g. ice cream, frosting, gluten-free cookie butter)

• Try different chips! White, (plant-based) milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate are all options to mix and match.
  
  Bonus points if you try differently-sized chocolate pieces. Chocolate fèves (those fancy huge, flat, ovals) are fun to pair with regular-sized chocolate chips. You can also feel free to chop up your favorite bar chocolate (flavored ones, too!).

Also think about all the non-chocolate options like peanut butter, mint, and butterscotch. 

• Skip the cookies and go for the dough. If you’re someone who prefers the fudgy sweetness of cookie dough over cookies, I see you. Sometimes I AM you. To make these gluten and dairy free chocolate chip cookies into edible cookie dough:
  • Heat treat your flour ~OR~ opt for a safe raw flour (e.g. oat flour). Just note that the consistency of your *baked* cookies will change based on which flour you choose. Oat flour will have a tendency to be more lacy and thin, while nut flours will be much denser.
  • Use pasteurized eggs ~OR ~ an egg substitute (e.g. JUST Eggs or Bob’s Red Mill) 

Storing & Freezing These Gluten and Dairy-Free Cookies

The cookies will last about 3 days if kept in an airtight container left at room temperature. That said, they're definitely the tastiest on the day they're baked! Unfortunately, gluten-free baked goods just don't last as long as their gluten-filled counterparts.

I personally like to set myself up for what I call “Cookies on Demand.” Scoop out the chilled dough onto a piece of parchment paper, and let them freeze completely before putting the dough balls into a freezer bag to store in the freezer.

When you're ready to bake them, take out as many out as you need (it can be 2 or it can be a whole batch!) about 10-15 minutes before the oven is preheated. You may need to bake them for an extra minute, depending on how cold your dough stays.

FAQs

Equipment

• Hand- or stand-mixer
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing bowls
• Sheet pan
• Parchment
• Cookie scoop
• Cooling racks
• Airtight food storage containers

More Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Cookie Recipes

• Chewy Ginger Cookies (includes DF option)
• Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies (includes DF option)
• Chocolate Chip Chickpea Cookies
• Vegan Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
• Fudgy Double Chocolate Cookies
• Marshmallow Stuffed Chocolate Cookies
• Vegan Thumbprint Cookies
• Vegan Coconut Macaroons
• Easter Egg Sugar Cookies

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