These naturally gluten free oat flour peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are made with oats, oat flour and some cornstarch for the perfect chewy cookie.
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Why we love this recipe for oat flour peanut butter chocolate chip cookies
I originally created this simple recipe for chewy, peanutty, oatmeal cookies in 2014 using an all purpose gluten free flour, and they were amazing. I've included the original recipe since so many of you loved it when it was first published.
But I love flourless baking, mostly because of its simplicity. This recipe isn't technically flourless, since it contains old fashioned rolled oats ground into a flour (I never buy oat flour—it's just too expensive and too easy to make in a blender or food processor as needed). Plus, it has cornstarch. But, unlike our classic gluten free chocolate chip cookies, it has no rice flour at all.
What makes these gluten free cookies so special
I truly consider this recipe to be a “starter recipe.” If you're new to the gluten free diet or just starting out in gluten free baking, you can make this recipe with nothing more than regular grocery store ingredients.
I remember what it was like starting out baking gluten free, way back in 2004. There are so many products available in most grocery stores these days, but my favorite all purpose gluten free flour blends are all based on rice flour—and most are not sold in neighborhood grocery stores.
If there had been an option to make a chocolate chip cookie that my children would absolutely love ❤️and be proud to serve to friends without any special ingredients, it would have been such a relief, you know? I want you to have that available to you.
Plus, I'm so happy to be able to point reader in the direction of recipes like this when they email me to say that they can't have rice flour but still want to bake a great cookie. These peanut butter oatmeal cookies are great cookies. And a drop cookie is easy for everyone to make.
How to make these simple gluten free peanut butter oatmeal cookies
I always begin any oat-based recipe with old fashioned rolled oats (certified gluten free, since my son has celiac disease), which I buy in huge bags at my local Trader Joe's (love you TJ's!). Place those oats in a food processor and you're one or two pulses away from quick-cooking oats. Place them in a blender and you'll have oat flour in less than 60 seconds.
All you have to do to make these cookies is place all of the dry ingredients (oat flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, oats, granulated sugar, brown sugar) in a bowl and mix them. Then add the butter, peanut butter, eggs and vanilla.
Then just add the chips, mix and roll the dough into balls and chill them. That will help them hold their shape during baking.
The cookie dough is suuuuuper thick, but keep mixing and it will all combine. I really like using the back of the spoon to press down the wet ingredients into the dry when a cookie dough is thick. If you've measured properly by weight, I promise everything will combine in the end.
There is only 1/2 cup of peanut butter in this recipe, so it's not a deep peanut butter cookie like our peanut butter sandwich cookies or gluten free monster cookies. Resist the urge to add more chocolate chips, though, since they'll create a flatter cookie by separating the dough more.
The “original recipe” for these cookies
Originally, this recipe was made using most of the same ingredients, with just a few changes:
- 3/4 cup (105 g) all purpose gluten free flour, including xanthan gum (instead of oat flour)
- 3 tablespoons (27 g) cornstarch (instead of 90 grams)
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (72 g) granulated sugar (instead of a full 1/2 cup)
- 3/4 cup (75 g) old fashioned rolled oats (instead of a full cup)
Everything else in the ingredient list was the same as the recipe is written now. The cookies were also baked in flattened disks at 350°F for 8 minutes instead of 10 minutes at 375°F.
The photo just above shows exactly what the old recipe looked like. They were thick and chewy, still, and had a similar balance of chew from the oats and flavor from the peanut butter. In case you prefer the old recipe, I wanted to be sure you had it.
Popular ingredient substitution suggestions
Dairy free
In place of the butter, you can try using half (56 g) Earth Balance buttery sticks and half (56 g) Spectrum brand nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening. That combination of fats should create the right moisture balance.
If you have Miyoko's Kitchen or Melt brand vegan butter, you can try using just that, since those butter replacements are relatively well-balanced on their own. The cookies won't brown as much, but they should still taste great. Be sure you're using dairy-free chocolate chips.
Egg free
The egg should be able to be replaced with a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel). The additional egg yolk helps provide a chewy texture to the cookies. You can try replacing that with an additional tablespoon of unsalted butter, melted and cooled.
Cornstarch
The cornstarch in this recipe can easily be replaced with arrowroot if you can't have corn. Potato starch (not potato flour) should also work just fine.
Peanut free
These cookies should be great with a no-stir (the kind that you don't have to stir to combine any oil that has separated on top of the jar) almond butter, like Barney Butter.
Oat free
If you're avoiding oats, you should be able to use quinoa flakes in place of the oat flour, and beaten rice in place of the rolled oats. Please see my full discussion of how to replace oats in baking.
Oat Flour Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (90 g) oat flour (certified gluten free if necessary)
- ⅝ cup (90 g) cornstarch
- 1 cup (100 g) old fashioned rolled oats (certified gluten free if necessary)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (109 g) packed light brown sugar
- 8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup (128 g) no stir smooth peanut butter
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg at room temperature, beaten
- 1 (25 g) egg yolk at room temperature, beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.
- In a large bowl, place the oat flour, cornstarch, oats, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well. Add the brown sugar, and mix to combine, working out any lumps.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the butter, peanut butter, egg and egg yolk, and vanilla, and mix to combine. The dough will be very thick, but just keep mixing and it will come together. It helps to press the dough down with the underside of the spoon sometimes while mixing.
- Add most of the chocolate chips and mix until the chips are evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough.
- Divide the dough into pieces of about 1 1/2 tablespoons each, roll each tightly into a ball and then place about 1 1/2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Do not flatten the balls of dough at all.
- Add a few chocolate chips to the tops of the balls of dough and press lightly to help them adhere.
- Chill the dough in the freezer for about 10 minutes or the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, until mostly firm.
- Place the baking sheets, one at a time, with the chilled dough on them, in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes, or just until the balls of dough have melted and spread and the cookies are just beginning to brown around the edges.
- Some may even be slightly wet toward the center. Be careful not to overbake them.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking sheet or until firm.
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Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Annie says
Nicole, I’ve been eyeing recipes for a few weeks after just finding your blog, and finally went a little nuts this weekend and did cheddar bay biscuits for brunch on Saturday, these cookies for an afternoon basketball treat, and pizza crust on Sunday. I was raised in a major baking family and rolled out double crust pies and tarts forever, only to have it all come to a screeching halt when my husband was diagnosed a few years ago! I have enjoyed every recipe so far and can’t wait to experiment further. I want to just thank you so much for all of your work and care you have clearly put into developing this site and your bakery! RAVE reviews from everybody at my house in Wisconsin. I’ve been directed to make these cookies again immediately because the whole batch disappeared in 2 days…
Corrina says
We can not have peanutbutter; would it be 0Kay to use sunflower seed butter?
Jennifer S. says
Be careful about this – it is soo much more oily than PB. I would try it with a hair less than what it calls for in PB. I tried this with another PB chocolate chip recipe and though I wasn’t a fan – tons of others were!! :)
Cassi says
Just wanted to update – I tried the recipe yesterday and again this morning… fabulous! Instead of normal chocolate chips I subbed for white chocolate chips. I also could not resist adding cinnamon to the dough… absolutely delicious! Also further below, there was a mention that if using a high cornstarch-ratio’d flour blend, to use three tablespoons of the flour and not pure cornstarch. I use Cup4Cup and this is what I did, came out great.
I made a full batch, baked half of the dough and put the other half in a tub in the fridge to save. I made the other half this morning and I’m pleased to say that it tastes just as good.
Thank you Nicole!! A copy of GFOAS Bakes Bread is in the mail and I am so super excited. :)
Nicole Hunn says
Thanks for reporting back, Cassi! I’m really glad it worked out. :)
Lorna says
Just ask me if I’ve learned to trust your recipes….I mad a double batch of these yesterday ….used score bits (not a real big fan of chocolate chips) and took them to out dog agility class today. I’m sure glad I left a half dozen at home….because the tin is empty! Everyone loved them and couldn’t believe they were gluten free!. Tonight I’m making a big batch of the high quality all purpose flour and a big batch of the bread flour and either tonight or tomorrow I;ll do the starter and then the dough for the Lean White Sandwich Bread and once that goes in the fridge in my brand new Cambro proofing containers, I’m going to try the English Muffin Bread.I;m working up to Hot Cross Buns for Easter. You are an ANGEL Nicole…..I thought I’;d never eat bread again till I found your blog….and in case you haven’t guessed after trying many of your recipes I am positive your bread recipes will be a super success! Thanks Girl!
Nicole Hunn says
Wow, Lorna! That’s wonderful. If you haven’t yet baked any of the breads from the bread book, I suggest you read through the Bread FAQs on the blog for some extra direction if you’re at all nervous, and watch the YouTube videos I have posted on shaping the dough. Those seem to have been very helpful to many. :)
Diane Decker says
Now I have the perfect excuse to buy the certified gluten free oatmeal I’ve been dreaming of. These are my very favorite cookies of all time and now I can make them again. Thank you so much Nicole!
Nicole Hunn says
:)
Bettina says
Where can I get unbleached parchment paper here in the northeast ?
Jennifer S. says
Amazon
Nicole Hunn says
Yup. As Jennifer says, I usually get it on amazon. I can also find it in my local grocery store, too, and buy it there when I’m in a pinch (but then go order it online because it’s cheaper!)
EmSewCrazy says
I’ve got mine in the oven right now! I halved the recipe and had a bit extra flour but the dough tasted scrumptious and I can’t wait to try the cookies. It’s so nice to be able to lick the bowl again.
STephanie says
I made these tonight. They were easy to put together, but took much longer for them to cook (I do have a oven thermometer but it took almost twice as long). I took them out as in the directions, when flattened and just browning. They cooled and were amazing. They look beautiful, their texture was perfect and tasted great. Thanks so much for the recipe!!
Nicole Hunn says
I’m not sure why your cookies took twice as long to bake, Stephanie, but my first thought is that you chilled them longer than instructed. Sounds like you got around it though.
Cammi Carlson Moffatt says
I’m a pretty recent new follower, have bought 2 of your 3 cookbooks, put a lot of your tips into practice and am loving being in the kitchen again. So…I did stop everything I was doing and made these immediately when I got the post!!! They do not disappoint. Oh my goodness!!!! Delish!!! And I used Organic Cane Sugar that sometimes causes a fuss in baking but they turned out perfect. Also I used Trader Joes organic creamy PB (I did have to stir it but I used a fresh jar that hadn’t been refrigerated so it was pretty easy). These will be a family favorite, I’m sure. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!
Nicole Hunn says
Cammi, that is the best news ever. This is my favorite part: that you’re “loving being in the kitchen again.” That’s the home run! And I love that you already made these cookies. Good thing I didn’t sit on the recipe any longer. :)
Lorna says
MY mouth is watering….this is a must make for the weekend. And here I was thinking about tackling something out of GFOAS Bakes Bread……I think I finally have all the ingredients. I’m planning to make buckets full of your different flour mixes so I can just go at it. There are so many wonderful recipes though, that I don’t know where to start! What would you suggest are the best ones to start with?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Lorna, I love your energy! You’re going to do great. Believe it or not, I actually covered that in my Bread FAQs (see Bread FAQ #5. :)
Jennifer S. says
yea buddy! these look so yummy right now. I might blow off all I have to do today just to make these. Thank you sister from the bottom of my heart! P.S. I was going to make the nutella bread for a party this weekend, and then it was cancelled. boo.
Nicole Hunn says
Jennifer, I hate to point out the obvious, but if you make the Braided Nutella Bread … the party will be at YOUR house. ;)
Donia Robinson says
I’m there!
Beth says
What was I thinking, giving up processed sugar for lent???? I have so many recipes that I want to try and this one is tempting me the most! Chocolate, oats and Peanut butter!!! Arrggggghhh!! I just have to remember the Easter season lasts far longer than Lent. Printing this recipe to put on the top of the collection! Thanks Nicole for all of your hard work!
Nicole Hunn says
Oh no, Beth! If you can have unrefined sugars, try replacing the sugars with an equal amount by weight of coconut palm sugar. It will be different (and will probably end up a flatter cookie), but should still be delicious!
Natalie says
If your flour blend has cornstarch in it already, do you need to add the extra cornstarch? Thanks!
Nicole Hunn says
It depends upon how much cornstarch your blend has, Natalie. If you’re using Cup4Cup, that has quite a lot of cornstarch, so instead of cornstarch, I’d use an equal amount by weight of Cup4Cup. So, it would be 3/4 cup (105 g) + 3 tablespoons (27 g) Cup4Cup.
Cassi says
Ohhh my, these look good. I would love to try them tomorrow! Question though – I’m strange in that I actually don’t like chocolate. Would the recipe work with, say, white chocolate chips? Maybe caramel chips, or dried fruit, or nuts, etc.?
I know there are other oatmeal cookies sans chocolate recipes here but, this one has peanut butter. Wonderful, glorious, peanut butter.
Nicole Hunn says
Good question, Cassi! Absolutely. Use whatever kind of chips you like. White chocolate chips would be really lovely in these. :)
Esther says
how big of a difference does it make to use natural PB (which you do often have to stir after opening and before putting in the fridge)
Nicole Hunn says
I find that the natural peanut butter you need to stir makes for much flatter cookies, Esther. It has a lot more oil, and can be really hard to mix well so it really does change the chemistry of the cookies.
momof3onthego says
What about sunflower butter? Peanut butter is a no in our house.
Anneke says
I am totally the girl who breathes a sigh of relief when you post something I probably won’t make! These cookies, however, make me want to bake them right now, they look awesome!
Nicole Hunn says
I know you do, Anneke! Sorry? ;)
Jennifer S. says
I figured this might be you Anneke!! :) Take one for the team because these look awesome!