These deeply satisfying, rich chocolate gluten free, egg free cookies are unlike any other chocolate cookie you've probably ever had. Like a chewy chocolate shortbread, but never crumbly, they're a chocolate-lover's dream!
Swap out the butter for vegan butter to make them even more allergy-friendly—all without sacrificing taste or texture one bit!
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What makes these the best gluten free egg free cookies
These chocolate cookies are basically gluten free brown sugar shortbread cookies, but with plenty of cocoa powder for deep, rich chocolate flavor. And dark chocolate pieces.
They're gluten free cookies that are naturally egg free, similar to our vegan gluten free chocolate chip cookies. Rather than finding a way to replace the eggs in a recipe that was developed to be made with eggs, they begin as if eggs didn't exist.
The way the original recipe that they're adapted from is written, these dark chocolate cookies can have unpredictable results. But this recipe not only makes an allergy-friendly cookie, but it produces consistently delicious results with the same richness and chewiness every single time.
The origins of the world peace cookie
This recipe is adapted from famed cookbook author Dorie Greenspan's “World Peace Cookies.” They're her version of the chocolate shortbread cookies recipe from French pastry chef Pierre Hermé.
According to Dorie Greenspan, she originally reproduced this delightfully sandy, rich chocolate chip cookie as chocolate sablé cookies. They are, basically, a chocolate version of our gluten free sablé cookies.
Dorie Greenspan says that a friend told her that, if everyone ate these slightly chewy, rich chocolate cookies, there would be peace in the world. So she republished and tweaked the recipe in a later cookbook under the name “World Peace Cookies.”
I don't think it's really the greatest name for a cookie, but that's not the point. I do think they're excellent cookies that have a cult following.
It bothers me when there's a cultural food phenomenon—and it's not naturally gluten free. I'm then compelled to make a gluten free version that's at least as good as the original.
This is that cookie!
Tips for making the best egg free gf choc chip cookies
Be sure your butter is at cool room temperature
Ingredient temperature is often really important in baking. When the recipe calls for “butter, at room temperature,” like in this recipe, it should be about 65°F/18°C.
Your kitchen is probably warmer than that temperature, but that just means that you don't let the butter sit out quite as long before baking with it. If you touch room temperature butter with your finger, it shouldn't feel greasy—and should actually be cool to the touch.
If your butter is too cold, it won't combine properly with the other ingredients. Try to let it sit until it's ready (usually about 1½ hours).
Sift your dry ingredients to ensure proper blending
Cocoa powder and cornstarch, two of the critical ingredients in this gluten free cookie recipe, tend to clump. Sifting the dry ingredients removes all lumps, so you get a smooth, uniform batter.
Cocoa powder also resists combining with other ingredients, especially wet ingredients. Sifting it with the other dry ingredients helps it absorb into the butter and sugar mixture.
Use an electric mixer to make this thick chocolate cookie dough
You don't have to use a stand mixer to make this cookie dough, but you'll at least need a handheld mixer. The original recipe talks a lot about how sometimes the dough is crumbly, but if your ingredients are at the proper temperature, and they're combined properly, your dough should never be crumbly when you're done making it.
Your dough will appear crumbly at first, when you have just added the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in your mixer. But keep mixing, and the dough will somewhat suddenly become darker in color and it will come together.
Have your large round cookie cutter ready!
If you've let your raw cookie dough sit for 3 or even 4 days, your cookie dough will probably bake very evenly. You may not even need to use a cookie cutter to clean up the edges after baking.
But assuming at least some of your cookies aren't perfect, it's worth standing by during the 10 to 12 minutes the cookies take to bake, round cookie cutter in hand. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, place that cookie cutter over the top of each cookie and use it to press those melty pieces of dough toward the center.
Substitutions and variations for these rich gluten free chocolate cookies
How to make gluten free vegan World Peace Cookies
Since these cookies are already egg-free, you only need to make them dairy free to make them vegan. Replace the butter with vegan butter (Melt brand and Miyoko's Kitchen brand are my favorites).
Vegan butter tends to soften faster than dairy butter, so watch the temperature carefully. If it's at cool room temperature, your vegan butter should whip properly with the butter, just like dairy does.
How to make these gluten free chocolate cookies without cornstarch
The cornstarch in this recipe helps lighten the blend while keeping the cookies properly chewy. In its place, you can use potato starch or arrowroot.
What can you use in place of chocolate discs?
Try replacing the dark chocolate wafers with miniature dark chocolate chips (standard size chocolate chips make the chilled dough log very hard to slice). For other flavor variations, try replacing some or all of the chocolate wafers with:
- White chocolate drops or wafers, for a sweeter cookie
- Peanut butter chips (softer than semi-sweet chocolate chips, so easier to slice the cookies)
- Raw walnuts or pecans (or another soft nut), broken into irregular pieces
FAQs
What's the best gluten free flour to use for these chocolate chip egg free gluten free cookies?
I like to use the original blend of Better Batter gluten free flour for cookies in general. It's a strong blend that holds cookies together well.
Here, I also add some cornstarch to the blend, to lighten it a bit. If you're already using Cup4Cup gluten free flour, which is a higher starch blend, replace the cornstarch in the recipe with 1/4 cup (36 g) more Cup4Cup.
What's the best chocolate to use in these gluten free choc chip sablé cookies?
I like to use dark chocolate wafers in this recipe, broken into irregular bits. They're thin enough that you can slice the chilled cookie dough without the chips making the dough shatter as you slice.
I like Ghirardelli brand dark chocolate wafers, but you can use regular semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips. Just make sure they're gluten free.
What's the best cocoa powder to use in these gluten free chocolate chip cookies?
You can use Dutch-processed or natural cocoa powder in this recipe. Dutch-processed cocoa powder is less acidic, unlike natural cocoa powder. But the baking soda will neutralize any acid in natural cocoa powder.
I use Rodelle brand Dutch-processed cocoa powder, since it's consistently good quality, and reliably gluten free. Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder is a blend of natural and Dutched cocoa powder, and it makes a beautiful, super dark brown cookie.
Why are my chocolate chip cookies flat and runny?
If your cookies spread a ton during baking, your dough was most likely too warm and/or too wet. If you let the cookie dough sit in the refrigerator for a few days (or even for the minimum 2 hours), the gluten free flours absorb the moisture in the cookie dough.
The longer you let the prepared, raw cookie dough rest, the less your cookies will spread. Try chilling the discs of dough on the baking sheet before baking the cookies, too.
Why is my gf chocolate chip cookie dough so crumbly?
In the original recipe, it seems to be acceptable that sometimes the cookie dough will be too crumbly to hold together properly. This cookie dough should not be crumbly, although if the chilled dough is too cold, it may splinter during shaping.
How to make rich chocolate gluten free world peace cookies, step by step
Gluten Free World Peace Cookies Recipe | (Vegan Option)
Equipment
- Electric mixer
- Large round cookie cutter
Ingredients
- 1 cup (140 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; click thru for full info on appropriate blends)
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- ¼ cup (36 g) cornstarch
- 6 tablespoons (30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder Dutch-processed or natural
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 10 tablespoons (140 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup (218 g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 5 ounces dark chocolate wafers broken into irregular pieces
Instructions
- Place a large sheet of parchment paper on a flat surface. Holding a fine mesh sieve directly over the paper, sift the flour, xanthan gum, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set the dry ingredients aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, place the butter and brown sugar. Beat until light and fluffy (at least 4 minutes). Add the vanilla and beat to combine.
- Add the sifted dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture. Beat slowly until the dry ingredients begin to get absorbed by the butter mixture.
- Turn the mixer up to high speed, and beat until dough comes together. It will be very crumbly at first, and will darken in color and clump eventually.
- Add the chocolate pieces, and mix until the chocolate is evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough.
- Separate the dough into two equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough between the palms of your clean hands into a log with a 1-inch diameter. Wrap each log tightly in parchment paper or plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours, and ideally for 3 days.
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.
- Remove one piece of dough from the refrigerator, and unwrap it on a cutting surface. Using a large serrated bread knife, slice the dough into disks about 3/4-inch thick.
- To minimize cracking in the dough as you cut it, saw the knife back and forth, rather than cutting straight down. If the dough splinters at all, just press it back together firmly.
- Place the disks of dough at least 2 inches apart from one another on the prepared baking sheets.
- Place the baking sheets, one at a time, in the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies have spread and appear set in the center (they won’t be shiny once they’re set). They will feather around the edges a bit.
- Remove the cookies from the oven. Working quickly, place a large, round cookie cutter over each cookie on the hot baking sheet and coax the edges back toward the center of the cookie by moving the cutter in a circular motion around the cookie.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet. They will firm up completely once they’re set.
Notes
Nutrition
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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!
Julie says
When do you add the chocolate cookie wafers?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Julie, in step 5, it says “add the chocolate pieces,” which is the chocolate wafers as broken into pieces, as stated in the ingredients list.
Kate Gomperts says
Very delicious and so chocolaty~
I chilled for 3-4 hours, and had doubled the recipe. I made about 5 dozen cookies from four rolled logs of dough. I cut with a good bread knife, it was tricky getting through the amount of chocolate chopped into the dough but it was doable. I found it took 12 minutes to cook in my oven. I would make these again for a special occasion or a chocolaholic friend.
Mariah says
Sadly these cookies completely fell apart. I used Better Batter Flour and followed the recope to the T.
Thomas K. says
Nicole, these turned out SO GOOD!! I adore this recipe. Pretty simple to make, very unique cookies but so delicious–they might be my new favorite. Plus slice-and-bake style is always convenient. Thanks for the tips on how to slice them without the dough splintering, it definitely helped!
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so glad, Thomas! The original recipe is written as if messiness and inconsistent results are a given, but that is a pet peeve of mine. A good recipe should guide you to success each and every time. Thank you for letting me know. :)
Alene says
I have a terrible problem now. I cannot eat rice at all anymore, and most of the usual gluten free blends have rice flour in them. So I’m experimenting with the rice free blends, and trying to create my own. I always loved your recipes, and it’s pretty discouraging not to be able to use them now. Have you used any of the other blends? They all seem so different. Better Batter has an Artisan blend and Bob’s Red Mill has a rice free blend. Have you had any experience with them? The Loopy Whisk has a rice free blend that I have had some success with, so I think I will use it in some of your more straight forward recipes.
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid I don’t like any of those blends, no, Alene. They are not true “all purpose gluten free flour blends,” and they won’t work in my recipes with any consistency. Eliminating rice from an all purpose gluten free flour blend is like eliminating wheat from conventional flour. It’s the essence of the flour.
If you’d still like to use my recipes, I suggest sticking with the “flourless” recipes and the Paleo recipes. Neither of those categories of recipes have any rice at all. Good luck!