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These gluten free chips ahoy cookies are thick and crispy cookies that taste just the originals made by Nabisco. They're even more like the “real thing” than Nabisco's own gluten free version!
If you want that crispy and crunchy, thickly cut chocolate cookie that crumbles just enough, and smells just like you remember, this is the cookie recipe for you. If you're looking for a more classic cookie, try our thick and chewy gluten free chocolate chip cookies.
Why I love this copycat recipe for gluten free Chips Ahoy
I first developed this recipe in 2012, and today, Nabisco sells its own version of gluten free Chips Ahoy cookies. I've bought them, and eaten more than one package myself. They're delicious! But, unlike Nabisco's gluten free Oreos, they don't taste like the “real thing” to me. This recipe does! Here's why I love it:
- That famous texture: I love thick and chewy cookies, but there's something special about that thick, crispy satisfying texture of the original Chips Ahoy cookie.
- Slice & bake: To achieve the shape of a packaged cookie, we roll the cookie dough into a log, chill it briefly, then slice by cross-section before baking. It's easier than scooping and rolling cookie dough.
- Nostalgic taste: It's always exciting when a brand comes out with a gluten free variety of a famous snack, but this recipe makes cookies that taste more like the original than Nabisco's!
Key ingredient notes & substitution suggestions
- Gluten free flour blend: Be sure to use one of my recommended gluten free blends, and include xanthan gum.
- Baking soda: Helps the cookies brown in the oven and neutralizes the acidity in the brown sugar.
- Salt: Brings out the other flavors and balances sweetness.
- Sugars: Add sweetness and tenderness; white sugar helps the cookies crisp and brown sugar gives them that famous chocolate chip cookie flavor.
- Butter: Adds texture, richness, flavor, and moisture. If you're dairy-free, try using vegan butter instead. Be sure your butter is at room temperature, not cold from the refrigerator, or it won't combine properly with the other ingredients.
- Shortening: Helps the cookies hold their shape so they have those blunt edges and helps create that crisp texture. You can try replacing the shortening with virgin coconut oil.
- Vanilla: Adds depth of flavor.
- Egg: Helps bind the cookie dough together, adds a bit of rise in the oven, adds texture.
- Water: Without adding some lukewarm water to the cookie dough, it won't hold together well enough for you to slice it.
- Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips work great here. You could always use whatever type you like, or even replace half of them with chopped nuts.
How to make gluten free chips ahoy style cookies
Make the chill the cookie dough
Whisk together the gluten free flour blend, baking soda, salt, and the sugars. Mix in the melted shortening, butter, vanilla and beaten egg, and add water until it holds together when you squeeze it in your palm. Mix in the chocolate chips, press the dough together in logs, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Slice, shape, and bake the cookies
Once the dough is chilled, unwrap it, and slice it into disks with a serrated knife. Press the disks back into a proper round shape by squeezing them gently in your palm. Bake at 350°F until golden brown.
Recipe tips & tricks
Pack the cookie dough as tight as you can
When you roll the cookie dough into a log and wrap it in plastic wrap, squeeze the dough tightly to compress it all the way to the center. Otherwise, it may split when you try to slice it.
Don't chill the dough too much
We only want the dough to chill in the refrigerator in plastic-wrapped logs for about 30 minutes. If it chills for too much longer, it will be too hard to slice properly. If you've chilled it until it's too firm, just let it sit on the counter for about an hour or until it's soft enough to slice.
Add water a bit at a time
You will definitely have to add some lukewarm water to the raw cookie dough for it to hold together when pressed, but add it slowly. You can always add more but you can't remove what you've already added.
Saw the dough with a knife to slice
Don't try to slice the logs of chilled dough in one swift motion or it's likely to crack. Saw it back and forth with a serrated knife like you would a steak. That will help it keeps its shape.
Storage & refreshing instructions
When they first come out of the oven, like any cookies, these are very soft. They will crisp as they cool, and should sit on the baking sheet until they're firm (about 10 minutes). To keep their crisp texture, store them at room temperature in a sealed glass container for about 1 week.
For longer storage, you can freeze these cookies for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container like a zip-top bag. Squeeze as much air out of the bag as you can, since trapped air causes freezer burn. Let them defrost at room temperature. You can sprinkle them lightly with a few drops of water and refresh them in a 300°F toaster oven for that fresh-baked taste.
Frequently asked questions
Regular Nabisco Chips Ahoy cookies are not gluten free, but in 2024, Nabisco introduced a variety of the famous cookie as gluten free Chips Ahoy.
Yes, you can try replacing the butter with vegan butter. Miyoko's Creamy brand is my favorite. Butter-flavored shortening might also work, but it has very little moisture so you'll need to add more water to get the dough to hold together well.
You should be able to replace the egg with a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel).
If your dough doesn't hold together well enough after chilling to slice, you probably didn't add enough water to the dough. Try sprinkling it lightly with a few drops of lukewarm water and squeezing it together tightly before reshaping and slicing it. Also, don't try to slice the cookie dough too thin or you won't be able to get clean slices.
Yes! If you don't care about the blunt edges and proper shape, just roll pieces of the dough into balls and press them into disks, chill briefly, and then bake.
Gluten Free Chips Ahoy Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (280 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend, (I used Better Batter; please click thru for full info on appropriate blends)
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum, (omit if your blend already contains it)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅝ cup (125 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (55 g) packed light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons (48 g) vegetable shortening, melted and cooled (I really like Spectrum brand)
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg, at room temperature, beaten
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Lukewarm water, by the half-teaspoonful, as needed
Instructions
- Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, place the flour blend, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well. Add the brown sugar and whisk, working out any lumps in the brown sugar.
- Add the butter, shortening, beaten egg and vanilla, and mix to combine.
- The dough will be thick and somewhat dry. Add the water by the half-teaspoonful and knead the dough with clean hands until the cookie dough holds together well.
- Add the chocolate chips to the mixture, and mix until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Transfer one-half of the dough to a large sheet of plastic wrap. Shape it into a log about 2 1/2 inches in diameter, squeezing it as tightly as possible to help it hold together well. Close the plastic wrap tightly over the log. Repeat with the other half of the cookie dough.
- Place the dough logs in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or just until the dough begins to firm up a bit.
- While the dough is chilling, preheat your oven to 350°F.
- If you chill the dough too long and find that it's actually hard and very solid, just let it sit, covered, at room temperature until it softens all the way to the center.
- Remove one log of cookie dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and roll it back and forth on the counter to round out the bottom edge, which will have flattened where it rested.
- Using a large serrated bread knife, sawing back and forth, slice the dough thickly in cross-section into rounds that are nearly 3/4-inch thick. If any of the dough has split during slicing, place the disk of dough in the palm of your hand and coax it back together into a round.
- Place the rounds about 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Repeat with the other log of cookie dough.
- Place one baking sheet of cookies into the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden brown and set.
- Allow the cookies to set on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes or until firm. They will crisp as they cool.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These were so good and so easy. My non-gluten free guests gobbleaed them up. Yay! Thanks for making me look good… as usual. :-)
That’s my job, Sarah, to make you look good! Cheers to that. ;)
xoxo Nicole
Okay, so I looked at Costco last weekend for the plastic wrap you referred to. And at our only grocery store in town. I don’t see any that is specifically for the freezer. Can you post what it is? By the way, I plan on trying this recipe tonight! I made the ones from your book recently and they were great!! Your book is my favorite gf book so far!
Okay, Nonie, but only if you promise not to tell anyone. It’s called “freeze-tite brand plastic freezer wrap.” I think it’s made by the same people who make stretch-tite, the super clingy big-box-Costco-style plastic wrap.
xoxo Nicole
Oh, oh, oh! My first batch just finished baking and if I could reach through the screen and hug you I would! I used a new “mix your own” master flour blend with Orgran gluten substitute and nobody would ever know these weren’t Chips Ahoy cookies! (Well, my family certainly won’t as I’m stashing ’em for me..I’ll bake more later to share.) Thank you!!!!
My mouth fell open when I saw the title of this post! Yay for us! You are my hero (and let’s be honest…my son’s too). We love your recipes- we made the chocolate pop tarts this weekend and I did a tiny victory dance in the kitchen when I pulled them out of the oven because they looked and smelled like a piece of chocolate heaven (of course- would it be heaven WITHOUT chocolate? I think not)!
Tomorrow is a baking day and I am pretty sure I have to add these to the list! Thanks friend!
love jess
Only a tiny victory dance? Every time I so much as think of those chocolate pop tarts I victory dance. They are a dead.ringer. And make no mistake – I just post the recipes. You’re your little boy’s hero. :)
xoxo Nicole