If you love soft and tender chocolate chip cookies, you’re going to love these gluten free soft batch chocolate chip cookies. They really do taste like they just came out of the oven!
I already have, like, a million recipes for gluten free chocolate chip cookies. But this is the only recipe for forever-soft chocolate chip cookies. They’re just like the ones by Keebler that are “so soft … they taste like they’re right from the oven.” (I looked that up.)
These cookies are perfect for packing up and sending clear across the country for the holidays. Or for gifting to your coworkers. Or for the mailman (who really just wants money from you but maybe throw in a few cookies too). Or for yourself, because a freezer well-stocked with emergency chocolate chip cookies is the secret to a good life.
How to make soft but stable gf chocolate chip cookies
Like all the other styles of chocolate chip cookies, to make gluten free soft batch chocolate chip cookies, it’s all about the balance of ingredients. A mix of shortening and butter, an egg and an egg yolk for extra chew, and fewer chips.
Fewer chips are actually pretty important to the success of these cookies. Too many chocolate chips will overwhelm the dough, and the cookies won’t stay soft. It’s also important to begin with chilled balls of cookie dough. Ideally, once the cookies are in the oven, the dough will melt like a snowman. If you end up chilling the cookie dough for too long and you find that it’s too firm, flatten each piece of dough by about 1/3. Then, allow the dough to sit at room temperature while the oven preheats.
The result is cookies so soft .. they taste like they’re right out of the oven. They’re very stable once cool, and they really don’t crumble at all.
All too often, a recipe for soft chocolate chip cookies is super fragile because it doesn’t have enough flour and it’s underbaked. Even when the cookies are completely cool, each time you pick one of them up it’s likely to fall apart before it reaches your mouth.
These soft batch CCCs are soft but reliable. When they come out of the oven, they’re fragile. But once you let them cool on the baking sheet, they’re soft in your mouth, but never in your hand. In other words, they’re perfect. ?
Ingredients and substitutions
Dairy-free: I bet a dairy free butter sub would work here, but I would try 5 tablespoons of Earth Balance buttery sticks and 6 tablespoons shortening, instead of 6 of butter and 5 of shortening. Earth Balance has a lot more moisture than butter, and shortening has a lot less. If you’re reluctant to use shortening, don’t be! Spectrum nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening is good for your health and is sourced sustainably.
Egg-free: One key to the soft and chewy texture of these cookies is the addition of an extra egg yolk to the dough. Although you can replace the one egg with a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel), the egg yolk is a little more difficult. Since egg yolks are nearly all fat, without much if any moisture, perhaps 1 tablespoon of a neutral oil would work? Try it and let us know how it goes!
Cornstarch: The cornstarch in these cookies makes for a more tender cookie. If you can’t have corn, try replacing the cornstarch with an equal amount, by weight, of arrowroot or potato starch. Either one should work just fine.
Push play ▶️ and watch me make these GF chocolate chip cookies
Then it’s your turn!
Gluten Free Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
1 7/8 cups (260 g) all purpose gluten free flour (I used Better Batter)
1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
6 1/3 tablespoons (57 g) cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup (133 g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (109 g) packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 tablespoons (60 g) vegetable shortening (I use Spectrum nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 egg (50 g, weighed out of shell) + 1 egg yolk at room temperature, beaten
1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips, tossed with 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.
In a large bowl, place the all purpose gluten free flour blend, xanthan gum, cornstarch, salt, baking soda and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well. Add the light brown sugar, and whisk once again to combine, working out any lumps in the brown sugar. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the butter, shortening, vanilla, egg and egg yolk, mixing to combine well after each addition. The dough will be thick and soft. Add the chips tossed with cornstarch, and mix until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Divide the dough into pieces of about 2 1/2 tablespoons each, roll each tightly into a ball and then place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Place the baking sheets in the refrigerator or freezer to chill until firm (about 1 hour in the refrigerator, or 10 minutes in the freezer). If you’re concerned that the cookie dough has chilled too much, flatten the balls of dough into disks about 1/2-inch thick before baking.
Once the dough has chilled, place in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes, or just until the balls of dough have melted and spread and the cookies are set in the center. They will be very lightly brown around the edges, and some may even be slightly wet toward the center. Be careful not to over bake the cookies. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking sheet or until firm.
Originally published on the blog in 2013. Recipe unchanged, text edited, some photos and video new.
HAzel Harvie says
Would love to buy your new cookbook. I can,t wait to try your many recipes other books have been useless. THanks, HAzel HArvie. I!m 87 years old so not on Facebook or any of the new technology, so please respond to my email address.
Mary Ellen says
I love walnuts in my CC Cookies. Would adding them ruin anything here? You caution about overloading with chips so just wondering about nuts. Thanks!
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Mary Ellen,
I would suggest replacing some of the chips with chopped walnuts. That sounds delicious!
Carol says
As a teenager, my son used to eat Soft Batch by the handfuls. After needing to go gf, he’s not had one for years. This recipe is perfect! Most gf cookie recipes say that the shelf life is five days. If I’m sending it across country, would you suggest how you would send it and what steps to keep them as fresh as possible once they arrive? Thank you!
Nicole Hunn says
These cookies don’t have a shorter life than conventional cookies, Carol, and they travel really well. I would pack them tightly in a bag and remove all of the air so that they hold one shape, together. Then put them in a hard-sided container and pack as much soft packing around them as possible. They should be fine!
Stacey says
I did mine a little different, but LOVE them!!!
Karen Tobin Cole says
I made these yesterday and they are amazing! They remind me of Alton Brown’s The Chewy cookie from my gluten eating days. I’ve been trying to replicate those results ever since because it didn’t translate perfectly just subbing 1:1. This is it by far the closest I’ve come! I have a new standard chocolate chip cookie recipe! Thank you!
Trish says
I have been enjoying reading your new book and trying to decide what to make first…there are so many wonderful recipes to choose from. Thank you for hanging in there and insisting that they do it in color, it really is beautiful. I made your new sugar cookies yesterday and they are fantastic! Will be making this new CCC recipe in a couple of days. Thanks for all your hard work to make our lives easier!
Brandy says
So, I just made these and other than the size (I made my first batch way too big and they were just short of making one big cookie sheet) and the premade flour blend (I used one that I had made from a recipe with some grittier flours – sorghum and such), these cookies were amazing. Amazing, seriously. The second batch were smaller and not as gritty and I am well on my way to cooking through your entire Christmas cookie list! (Already made the vanilla sandwich cookies which were also amazing. I put lemon zest in the filling and it was perfectly lemony and not too sweet. Thank you for bringing my love of GF baking back (after numerous failed attempts)!! :)
JoAnn says
Enjoy your recipes so much thank you. Just ordered your book. JoAnn
Dana Schwartz says
You just keep on making chocolate chip cookie recipes and I’ll keep baking them! You rock, Nicole. My family enjoyed your awesome apple pie and soft sugar cookies for Thanksgiving :) Thanks for feeding my family.
-Dana
Nicole Hunn says
You bet, Dana!! Mmmm apple pie. My favorite.
Dana Schwartz says
You just keep on making chocolate chip cookie recipes and I’ll keep baking them! You rock, Nicole. My family enjoyed your awesome apple pie and soft sugar cookies for Thanksgiving :) Thanks for feeding my family.
-Dana
Nicole Hunn says
You bet, Dana!! Mmmm apple pie. My favorite.
Candice says
About Christmas cookies… do you have a recipe for a sugar cookie that can be rolled out and cut into shapes? I’ve made the spritz cookies and will do those again, but am getting requests from my girls to do roll outs that they can cut and decorate. I have all the cookbooks if you have something in there that could work. Just having trouble locating something. Thanks!
I agree – never have too many kinds of chocolate chip cookies!
Taira says
Could I sub coconut oil for the shortning?
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid that would not work, Taira. Coconut oil is not a proper sub for vegetable shortening when you are using shortening for its low moisture content, like here.
Taira says
Could I sub coconut oil for the shortning?
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid that would not work, Taira. Coconut oil is not a proper sub for vegetable shortening when you are using shortening for its low moisture content, like here.
Kate says
Could I freeze the dough in the recipe for individualized cookies at a later time? I like a treat, but without having to make a full batch and eating them all.
Nicole Hunn says
Definitely, Kate!
Kate says
Could I freeze the dough in the recipe for individualized cookies at a later time? I like a treat, but without having to make a full batch and eating them all.
Nicole Hunn says
Definitely, Kate!
Mary Kooistra says
These look delicious! Any suggestions to find a replacement for the cornstarch? Corn allergies at my house.
Nicole Hunn says
I haven’t tested this recipe with any substitutions, Mary, so you’ll have to experiment with another starch. Maybe try arrowroot? Good luck!
rachael mcnicol says
By the way thank you for putting in british measurements. Its impossible without that to follow your ingredients. ;-)
Nicole Hunn says
Weight measurements are always my preferred kind, Rachael. Much more precise. But I have to give corresponding volumes wherever appropriate (although it’s less precise) since I think most American readers still have a strong preference for volume.
rachael mcnicol says
By the way thank you for putting in british measurements. Its impossible without that to follow your ingredients. ;-)
Nicole Hunn says
Weight measurements are always my preferred kind, Rachael. Much more precise. But I have to give corresponding volumes wherever appropriate (although it’s less precise) since I think most American readers still have a strong preference for volume.
Jennifer S. says
Ok – you knew I was going to ask this. How many do I have to buy today? Where are our totals at??? I need numbers.
Thanks for another classic recipe!!!
Nicole Hunn says
I’ve been thinking about you, Jennifer, and how you’d want those numbers! I’m actually waiting on numbers sometime today and promise to report back as soon as I have anything! I think we’re very, very close. Fingers crossed!
rachael mcnicol says
I’ve just seen your Facebook page so didn’t have a chance to buy in time but I will be ordering all post xmas (when I’ve actually got some post xmas money). I love your recipes online and really would love to see you on tv.
anna says
Nicole has a Facebook page?! Logging on now to find her!
Donia Robinson says
These look so good. I love a chewy cookie! Do those flat, thick cookies that are about 3 inches in diameter ever taunt you? They sell them at Noodles and tons of other places. They taste barely cooked in the middle, which I, for one, love. I’m feeling like these are similar, and could grow up to be those.
And to think I thought we had enough CCC recipes on this site! I was so wrong!
Nicole Hunn says
It sounds like these, Donia (although I’ve never heard of Noodles!), just made larger. Like you said. Go for it!
Jennifer S. says
Noodles is a gluten laden noodle shop. GF peeps should not go near it!!! Though I’ve heard they do have some GF options now, but I’m sure the cross contamination is horrendous there. When I ate gluten – it was a nice place to go…..
Jennifer M says
Just bought your cookbook! Love them and thanks for all the recipes! Now…off to make these yummy cookies….
Nicole Hunn says
Thank you so MUCH, Jennifer!! I really appreciate your support!
Jennifer M says
Just bought your cookbook! Love them and thanks for all the recipes! Now…off to make these yummy cookies….
Nicole Hunn says
Thank you so MUCH, Jennifer!! I really appreciate your support!