Gluten Free Chocolate Cookies

Name: Gluten Free Chocolate Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Ingredients: 4 ounces dark chocolate (chopped); 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (chopped (See Recipe Notes)); 2 cups all purpose gluten free flour blend ((I used Better Batter; please click thru for full info on appropriate blends)); 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum ((omit if your blend already contains it)); 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder ((Dutch-processed is best)); 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar; 2 eggs (at room temperature, beaten); 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

dark brown chocolate cookies spaced evenly apart cooling on wire metal rack

5 from 11 votes

Prep Time : 20

Cook Time : 12

These gluten free chocolate cookies are made with melted chocolate, cocoa powder, & chocolate chips, for a rich, thick & chewy cookie.

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Rich and chocolatey, but not quite fudgy, these double gluten free chocolate cookies have melted chocolate and cocoa powder, plus chocolate chips.

gluten free chocolate cookies overhead image on a wire rack with a spatula

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What makes these gluten free chocolate cookies special?

These aren't brownie or fudge cookies. They're double chocolate chip cookies, and they're delightful. Soft and a little fudgy in the center, a little bit crispy on the edges, and chewy all the way through, these gluten free chocolate cookies have lots of depth of chocolate flavor.

Rather than just adding cocoa powder to our “regular” gluten free chocolate chip cookies, we've added both cocoa powder and melted chocolate to the batter. Baking with melted chocolate, and not just cocoa powder, adds a smooth, creamy texture and a certain richness.

We shape them into rounds of dough to bake the cookies, and once they're fully baked and begin to cool, they settle into that beautiful crackled top.

brown chocolate cookie dough in a glass bowl with a metal ice cream scoop

Recipe ingredients

overhead image of ingredients for gluten free chocolate cookies in small bowls with name of each one

Chopped chocolate: Adding melted dark chocolate, which is just chocolate that has more cocoa solids than milk chocolate, to the cookie dough makes the cookies rich and deeply chocolate-flavored.
Butter: Adds richness, flavor, and moisture to the cookies
Gluten free flour blend: Since no single gluten free flour can perform like an all purpose flour, we need a blend. I like either Better Batter's original gluten free blend here, which already contains xanthan gum, or Nicole's Best (be sure to add 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum) multipurpose.
Baking soda: Helps the cookies brown in the oven. You won't really see the browning in such dark cookies, but the caramelization adds flavor.
Salt: Brightens the other flavors and balances the sweetness.
Cocoa powder: Adds deep, rich chocolate flavor. I prefer Dutch-processed cocoa powder (Rodelle brand is my favorite) because it is richer, but natural cocoa powder works well. The baking soda already in the recipe will neutralize the added acidity.
Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness, tenderness, and helps the edges get a little crispy.
Brown sugar: Makes the cookies sweet and tender, and also adds depth of flavor from the added molasses.
Eggs: Help bind the cookies together and rise in the oven.
Vanilla: Adds depth and rounds out the chocolate flavor.

How to make gluten free chocolate cookies

Melt the butter and chocolate; mix the dry ingredients

Melt chopped dark chocolate together with butter in the microwave at low power or over a double boiler.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the gluten free flour blend (with xanthan gum), cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and granulated sugar.
Mix in the brown sugar, working out any lumps with the back of the mixing spoon.

hand holding brown melted chocolate and butter mixture in small light tan ceramic bowl

large round metal mixing bowl with white powders and some brown cocoa powder

Add the wet ingredients and mix in the chips

Mix in the beaten melted chocolate and butter, eggs, vanilla.
The cookie dough will be thick, but should not be super stiff.
Add the chocolate chips and until they're evenly distributed throughout the dough.

brown liquid melted chocolate with beaten eggs and light brown vanilla on pale brown powder in bowl

thick dark brown unshaped cookie dough with metal mixing spoon in bowl

Scoop the dough into portions about 1 1/2 tablespoons each.
Roll each piece into a ball between the palms of your hands.
Place on a lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Bake at 325°F for about 12 minutes or until the cookies aren't shiny in the center any more.
Let cool for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

4 large round scoops of dark brown cookie dough spaced evenly apart on white paper on gold tray

same pieces of cookie dough rolled into rounds

Recipe tips

Let the melted butter and chocolate cool

After you melt the butter and chopped chocolate together, even if you don't overheat them, they will be quite warm. Let them cool for 5 to 7 minutes before adding them to the rest of the ingredients. That way, the cookie dough won't be warm when you add the chips, which could begin to melt them.

Since we're adding melted butter and chocolate to the cookie dough, it's easy to mix the dough together and it's somewhat soft. If you let the raw dough rest for 15 to 20 minutes before shaping it, the flours absorb some of the moisture and the dough holds its shape better during baking.

Use Dutch cocoa powder (if you can)

Dutch processed cocoa powder is richer and doesn't have any bite, like natural cocoa powder. But if you can't find it or you just don't want to buy it, then use natural. Don't let that stop you from making these cookies!

Storage suggestions

These cookies will hold up really well at room temperature, covered, for at least 3 days. You can place them in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid to preserve texture.

Freezing instructions

Once they're completely cool, these cookies are stable enough to stack in a plastic freezer-safe zip top bag, seal tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature, or in the microwave for around 20 seconds. Any more, and the chips will melt.

Raw balls of dark brown chocolate cookie dough on light brown paper on a metal baking sheet

Ingredient substitution suggestions

Well, I haven't tested these gluten free chocolate chocolate chip cookies with many substitutions. But here are my best educated guesses:

Dairy free

My favorite dairy-free butter substitute is vegan butter made by either Miyoko's Kitchen or Melt brand. Avoid using Earth Balance buttery sticks because they have way, way more moisture than butter. Using Earth Balance tends to lead to cookies that spread quite a lot during baking.

Egg free

I haven't tested this recipe with any egg substitutes, but in my limited experience I have found that any recipe with two or fewer eggs can handle an egg substitute relatively well. I think it's worth trying.

My favorite egg substitute is a “chia egg,” which is simply 1 tablespoon of ground chia seeds mixed with 1 tablespoon of lukewarm water. Allow the mixture to sit until it gels, and then include it in the recipe where eggs are mentioned, one for one.

Dutch-processed cocoa powder

Dutch cocoa powder is richer than natural cocoa powder, but either one will work in this recipe. If you can Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder, which is a mixture of the two types, use that. It's also quite dark in color, which makes for a truly beautiful cookie.

Chocolate chips

Use whatever sort of chips you like! Since the melted chocolate in the batter is dark, it's kind of nice to use milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet.

White chocolate chips would also be nice, or even peanut butter chips. Dark chocolate disks make for a slightly fancier-looking cookie.

dark brown chocolate cookies on a wire rack with one cookie on its side

FAQs

Do I have to use Dutch processed cocoa powder in these cookies?

You don't have to use Dutch-processed cocoa powder, but it's just so much richer than natural cocoa powder. Hershey's natural cocoa powder is kind of starchy and chalky, and less rich, than cocoa powder that has been “Dutch-processed,” and Dutch processed cocoa powder has a higher percentage of cocoa butter. Natural cocoa powder is acidic, too, but there's enough baking soda to alkalize the acidity in natural cocoa powder, if that's what you choose to use here.

Can I melt chocolate chips instead of chopped chocolate to melt in the cookie dough?

Chocolate chips have stabilizers which help them keep their shape in the oven, and prevent them from melting smoothly. They will melt, but the melted chocolate will be stiffer and so will the cookies.

Can you freeze this cookie dough?

Yes! You can freeze this cookie dough. Form the raw cookie into balls, and then freeze them on a baking sheet before piling them into a freezer-safe bag and storing them until you're ready to bake. Let the cookie dough defrost before baking them, though, or they won't flatten properly in the oven.

Can I use a different type of chips? Or make the cookies without chocolate chips?

Sure! You can use whatever sort of chocolate chips you like to mix in to the cookie dough. You can replace them with chopped nuts, too, if that's what you'd prefer.

Can I use a sugar substitute?

I haven't tried using a sugar substitute, but you can try Lankato brand monkfruit alternative sweetener in both the white and brown sugar forms. The cookie dough will probably be dry, though, so try adding some lukewarm water a few drops at a time until it looks like the right consistency.

Can you use oil instead of butter in this recipe?

I don't recommend using oil, even though you melt the butter, because oil has more fat than butter and less flavor. The cookies would turn out oily and have much less flavor.

What's the difference between Dutch-processed and natural cocoa powder?

Dutch-processed cocoa powder has been processed with an alkaline solution to remove some of the acidity and bitterness. It has a smoother, richer taste. You can use natural cocoa powder here, though. The cookies won't be as rich, but they'll still be delicious.

Should you refrigerate the cookie dough?

No, you should not refrigerate the raw cookie dough. Between the melted butter and melted chocolate, there's a lot of fat in these cookies that, when cold, becomes pretty solid. If you bake the cookies when the dough is cold, they won't spread very much.

Why didn't my cookies flatten out?

Was your dough cold? Did you use a different flour blend, maybe one that's higher in starch and tends to absorb moisture? You can try banging the cookies on the counter after they come out of the oven, while they're still hot, to get them to flatten out a bit.

What brand of chocolate chips do you use?

I usually use Trader Joe's 72% dark chocolate chips. When I can't find those, I will often use Nestle chocolate chips, Guittard, or Enjoy Life brands.

Can you reduce the sugar?

No, sugar doesn't just provide sweetness, it also makes the cookies tender. If you reduce the sugar, the cookies won't have the same texture.

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Gluten Free Chocolate Cookies Recipe

These gluten free chocolate cookies are made with melted chocolate, cocoa powder, & chocolate chips, for a rich, thick & chewy cookie.

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 12

Resting time: 15

Yield: 22 cookies

Author: Nicole Hunn

Ingredients

4 ounces dark chocolate chopped
8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter chopped (See Recipe Notes)
2 cups (280 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; please click thru for full info on appropriate blends)
¾ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
¼ cup (20 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed is best)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
¾ cup (164 g) packed light brown sugar
2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325°F.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside.

Melt the chocolate and butter.

In a small, heat-safe bowl, place the chopped bittersweet chocolate and the butter.
Melt until smooth by placing in a double boiler or microwaving in 45 second intervals at 60% power, stirring in between intervals.
Set the melted chocolate mixture aside to cool briefly.

Make the cookie dough.

In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well.
Add the brown sugar, and mix to combine, working out any lumps.
Add the melted and cooled chocolate and butter, plus the eggs and vanilla, and mix to combine.
Add the chocolate chips to the cookie dough, and mix until they're evenly distributed throughout it. The cookie dough should be thick but should come together fully.
For thicker cookies, let the cookie dough rest in the bowl for 15 to 20 minutes. It should become easier to handle then, too.

Shape the cookie dough.

Using a medium-size spring-loaded ice cream scoop or 2 spoons, scoop the cookie dough into portions about 1 1/2 tablespoons each.
With clean hands, shape each piece of dough into a ball between your two palms. Place the rounds of cookie dough about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the cookies.

Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the cookies are just set in the center (they will no longer be shiny).
Remove the baking sheet from the oven a final time, and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Don't handle them while they're hot because they're fragile.
Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

The original recipe is made using 7 tablespoons (98 g) of unsalted butter, instead of 8 (112 g). If you'd like slightly thicker and less chewy cookies, use 7 tablespoons of butter. Bake the cookies for 8 minutes, remove them from the oven and bang the pan flat on its bottom 3 to 4 times on a flat, heat-safe surface. Return the cookies to the oven and continue to bake for about 4 minutes more or until set in the center.