Oat flour chocolate chip cookies that are made entirely with “regular” grocery store ingredients—and no rice flour at all. Cheaper than an all purpose gluten free flour, and these cookies have an extra special chewiness you'll love!
Why are these the best naturally gluten free oat flour cookies?
These cookies are the best because of how “ordinary” they are. They're just regular thick and chewy drop cookies made with that classic combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar—but they're the perfect shortcut to a gluten free cookie.
These naturally gluten free cookies taste like “regular” chocolate chip cookies, even though they're made without any rice flour. But they're not flourless, either, which usually makes cookies that are super crispy like flourless fudge cookies or super dense like flourless peanut butter cookies.
Other than the deep, familiar flavors of brown sugar and chocolate chips, these cookies have a really neutral flavor palate. Swap the vanilla extract for another favorite, like almond extract, and you've got a whole new cookie.
Tips for how to make these naturally gluten free cookies
Whether you’re new to gluten free baking, new to baking at all, or you just want a cookie and ran out of your GF flour blend, a drop cookie (where you just make the dough and bake it in rounded portions on a baking sheet) is the perfect baking project.
The best flour for oatmeal flour chocolate chip cookies
These cookies aren’t technically made “flourless” since they have cornstarch in them to lighten them a bit and help them crisp. Plus, we take certified gluten free old fashioned rolled oats and grind them into flour.
You can, of course, buy gluten free oat flour that’s already ground, but you’d likely have to order that by mail—something I never do.
These days, Bob’s Red Mill certified gluten free old fashioned rolled oats are in almost every full-sized grocery store. It’s cheaper to buy less processed oats and just grind them into gluten free oat flour, though.
Plus we’re making cookies that we want to be chewy, so we don’t need the finest grind in our oat flour. If that's important to you, though, either use store-bought gf oat flour, or just grind your oats in smaller batches, and for longer.
Ramp up the flavoring
(and explain why using oat flour and corn starch requires using more flavoring)
A full tablespoon of flavoring/extracts for flavor is indispensable to the taste of these cookies. We are using a lot of oat flour and a fair amount of cornstarch, and they both have very neutral flavors, even after baking.
I’ve made these cookies with just vanilla extract, but I really love them the best with 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon of butter flavoring.
Chill the oat flour cookie dough
We make this cookie dough with melted butter, since it can be very difficult for it to come together if the butter is at room temperature. And we don't want to whip room temperature butter since that introduces more air into the cookies, and they'll be lighter, less chewy.
As a result, once you've made the cookie dough, it will be very soft. If you bake it without chilling it, your cookies will spread too much in the oven.
If you have the time, try chilling the prepared oat flour cookie dough for a few days, wrapped tightly. That will help the flours
Avoid overbaking these oat flour chocolate chip cookies
Since cookies made with a combination of oat flour and cornstarch don't brown as quickly as cookies made with an all purpose gluten free flour, we have to bake these cookies at a relatively high temperature of 375°F/190°C.
Be sure not to overbake them. Just take them out of the oven once they're set in the center and brown on the edges.
Then, let them set on the baking sheet. They'll be crispy on the edges and chewy toward the center.
How to store these chocolate chip oat cookies
These cookies have just the right amount of moisture that they can be stored in a sealed glass container at room temperature for at least 5 days without losing texture or flavor. You can also freeze them in a sealed container for much longer, and even store them in the refrigerator for over a week.
Substitutions, Variations, and Additions for this oat flour chocolate chip cookie recipe
Dairy free oat flour cookies
In place of the butter, you can try using half (48 g) Earth Balance buttery sticks and half (48 g) Spectrum brand nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening. That combination of fats should create the right moisture balance. Be sure you're using dairy-free chocolate chips.
Egg free oat flour cookies
You can try replacing each of the two eggs with a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel), but the eggs really help to provide structure in this recipe so I'm not sure how egg replacements would work.
Corn-free oatmeal flour cookies
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.
“Oatless” oat flour cookies
Certified gluten free oats are safe on a gluten free diet. But if you’re avoiding oats, you should be able to use quinoa flakes in place of the oat flour. Please see my full discussion of how to replace oats in baking.
Flavor Add-In Ideas
Try customizing the taste and texture of these cookies with just a few tweaks to the flavoring extract and the mix-ins. Here are some of my favorite variations:
- Chopped walnuts or pecans in place of some or all of the chocolate chips
- Peanut butter, butterscotch, or white chocolate morsels in place of some or all of the chocolate chips
- Almond extract, butter flavoring, or even citrus extract in place of some or all of the vanilla extract
FAQ
Can I use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar in these cookies?
You can try using coconut palm sugar in place of light brown sugar in these cookies. Since it tends to have a very coarse grind, just pulse it in your blender or food processor before adding it to the mixing bowl.
Can I use coconut flour instead of cornstarch?
No! Coconut flour is a unique type of flour. It should only be used in recipes that are designed specifically to be made using it.
Can I use coconut oil instead of butter for these cookies?
Yes! You can use virgin coconut oil, the type that's solid at cool room temperature, in place of butter in these cookies. If you want to avoid any hint of coconut flavor, use triple filtered virgin coconut oil.
Should I use dark chocolate chips or milk chocolate?
I really like these cookies best with dark chocolate chips, or at least semi-sweet chocolate chips. But you can use milk chocolate chips, for a sweeter cookie.
Why are my oat cookies grainy?
If your cookies have a grainy texture, your oat flour may be too coarsely ground. Try grinding it again before baking with it, or purchase gluten free oat flour, already ground.
Why did my oat cookies spread so much?
If your cookies didn't hold their shape during baking, the cookie dough may have been too warm. If you measured by weight, not volume, so your ingredients are in the proper proportion, they shouldn't spread too much if the cookie dough is firm to the touch before it goes into the oven.
Why are my oatmeal flour cookies so crumbly?
You may have overmeasured your cornstarch, which would absorb too much moisture in the cookies. You may have also overbaked the cookies, leaving them too crispy.
How to make oat flour chocolate chip cookies, step by step
Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies | Naturally Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (210 g) certified gluten free oat flour (I grind my own from GF rolled oats)
- 1 cup (140 g) cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (109 g) packed light brown sugar
- 7 tablespoons (96 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 ounces chocolate chips semi-sweet, dark, or milk chocolate
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, 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, eggs, and vanilla, and mix to combine. The dough will be very thick, but just keep mixing, pressing the dough down with the bowl of the spoon sometimes while mixing.
- Add the chocolate chips and mix until they’re 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.
- Chill the dough in the freezer for about 10 minutes or the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, until firm.
- Place the baking sheets, one at a time, in the center of the preheated oven and bake just until the balls of dough have melted and spread, and the cookies are brown around the edges (10 to 12 minutes). Be careful not to overbake them.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking sheet or until firm.
Notes
Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies | Naturally Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (210 g) certified gluten free oat flour (I grind my own from GF rolled oats)
- 1 cup (140 g) cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (109 g) packed light brown sugar
- 7 tablespoons (96 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 ounces chocolate chips semi-sweet, dark, or milk chocolate
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, 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, eggs, and vanilla, and mix to combine. The dough will be very thick, but just keep mixing, pressing the dough down with the bowl of the spoon sometimes while mixing.
- Add the chocolate chips and mix until they’re 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.
- Chill the dough in the freezer for about 10 minutes or the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, until firm.
- Place the baking sheets, one at a time, in the center of the preheated oven and bake just until the balls of dough have melted and spread, and the cookies are brown around the edges (10 to 12 minutes). Be careful not to overbake them.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking sheet or until firm.
Kathleen says
These are yummy! We made these and measured everything by weight, and baked for 12 mins – they turned out a bit puffier looking, and a bit crumbly, but still very tasty. We left out the chocolate chips and instead rolled the cookie dough balls in sprinkles.
Debra says
This is an outstanding recipe, now a regular for me. I’ve followed the recipe exactly and I’ve also frozen the dough in two rolls and used it as a slice-and-bake cookie, which is equally good. I’m so grateful for the excellent recipes and detailed instructions on this site. They have been invaluable to me. I’m an experienced baker, but gluten-free recipes are new to me, since I was recently diagnosed with a wheat allergy. This site helped me produce a gorgeous array of cookies for the holidays, including this one. Thanks, Nicole.
Nicole Hunn says
That’s so wonderful to hear, Debra. And I give you so much credit for being willing to learn a new way of doing things, especially since you’re an experienced baker. I find that readers who have experience with conventional baking can get frustrated quickly since it can be hard to set your previous experience aside and learn a really new way. Well done, and thank you for the kind note!
Donna says
I made these for Christmas but they didn’t spread…my fault totally as I chilled them way too long. I put them on the front porch to chill and started another recipe…oops! Anyway, they were really good that way. I thought they had wonderful flavor and kind of reminded me a little like biscotti. I look forward to making them the correct way next time though!
Nicole Hunn says
Hahaha no harm done, Donna! Glad you enjoyed them!
Caitlin says
I made these exactly as the recipe was written. They baked wonderfully, look great, but are seriously lacking in flavor. I assume this is because they have such a large amount of cornstarch. These might be great for someone who is very restricted and can’t have rice flours. To me they lack the rich flavor you would expect from a cookie.
Jorge Bizarro says
Hi… have you ever tried an gf flour mix using oat flour in it? – I’m curious because the most popular gf flour mixes in Brazil use rice flour, oat flour and tapioca, potato or corn starch. For instance, I use a mix of oat flour and corn starch in my banana breads and they don’t need xanthan gum because oat flour has a binding/sticky nature by itself.
Nicole Hunn says
All the information I can provide on all purpose gluten free flour blends and their components is on a very comprehensive page on the blog. It’s a really difficult process, developing a blend, and I wouldn’t want to develop one with oat flour as it’s introducing another potential allergen. Oat flour is not a substitute for xanthan gum at all, though.
Chris says
I don’t eat a lot of sugar. Will it affect the cookies if I only use 1/2 as much?
Nicole Hunn says
Yes, the recipe won’t work as described at all if you halve the sugar, Chris. Sugar isn’t just a sweetener; it’s also a tenderizer and provides bulk in a recipe.
Nancy says
Why unsalted butter?
Nicole Hunn says
Baking is almost always done with unsalted butter, Nancy. It allows you to control the amount of salt in the recipe.
Ellen says
Nicole, what do you use to grind the oats? I have a food processor and a blender. What would you suggest?
Nicole Hunn says
A blender is much better, Ellen. If you click that link, I have a whole post on making quick oats and oat flour from gf rolled oats.
Fiona says
Can’t wait to try these. My mother and my husband are also dairy free so it will be a dairy substitution. We don’t have the brands you suggest as subs in the UK but will give it a go with my usual brand :-)
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Fiona, instead of one of those brands of vegan butter, I’d try virgin coconut oil (the kind that’s solid at room temperature). You don’t want to use a more typical “margarine” like Earth Balance buttery sticks, since there’s just too much moisture and they’ll spread a ton. I hope that helps!
Fiona says
Oh yes I can get virgin coconut oil very easily and have some in my cupboard so will try that. Thank you.
Gracia says
I’ve tried these twice and they didn’t spread and taste horrible. I’ve made many gf things and usually always love your recipes. But for me, these are not your best.
Nicole Hunn says
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy these cookies, Gracia. I’ve made them many, many times and if you make them without any substitutions and measure by weight, not volume, they will turn out and spread. But if you don’t like them enough to call them horrible, then clearly they’re not for you.
Christine says
THANK YOU for the substitution suggestions – my GF daughter is also DF, and we love the recipes we find on your site. Am I missing something here, though? Replacing the 96g of butter with half and half non-dairy spread and non-hydrog shortening at 56g each comes out to 112g. Do I use the 56g/56g sub or do I cut the 96g of butter in half? Thanks again, we always love a new choc chip cookie recipe!
Nicole Hunn says
No you’re 100% right, Christine! I tested this recipe with so many different ingredient ratios and amounts that I forgot that landed on 7 (not 8) tablespoons of butter as yielding the best results. I’ve fixed the substitution suggestion to indicate the right total fats. Thanks for pointing that out!
Kristen says
Very excited to try these! The GF flours can get so expensive so it’s great to see normal ingredients. Being a milk-allergy sufferer, I always appreciate your dairy-free variations! I’ve had my severe milk allergy my whole 27 years of life, and to bake my mom and I always use Fleischmanns Unsalted sticks. They’re margarine, and you have to make sure to use the unsalted (others have milk), but our baking recipes have always come out great. Might want to check them out!
Nicole Hunn says
I grew up in the 80s and 90s when we thought that margarine was healthier for you than butter, Kristen, but I’ve never baked with it as an adult. I didn’t know that the unsalted is dairy-free. That’s good to know! Margarine does tend to have a lot more moisture than butter, which makes baked goods spread quite a bit. I’d try half margarine and half Spectrum nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening to balance the moisture.
Julie L says
Ooh, thanks for the energy ball link! I’ve been wanting to make something like that for weeks and didn’t want to do the same old dates and nuts balls. Yum!
Julie L says
Hi Nicole, I’m loving all these oat flour cookies! My family also loves the peanut butter flavor combo and I’ve found that replacing 1/8-1/4 of the flour called for in most recipes with peanut butter powder (which I get from the bulk section of my grocer for half the cost of packaged) makes an amazingly chewy cookie.
Thanks for another great recipe, I’ve never used butter flavoring but I’ll have to try it. It is one of the best things about a cookie to me ?
Nicole Hunn says
That’s a really interesting substitute, Julie! Thanks for letting us know that it’s worked for you. I started using peanut butter powder years ago, when it wasn’t nearly as widely available as it is today. I love that it’s everywhere now, since it’s actually really useful in baking! And I think you’ll really enjoy butter flavoring. My kids love it when I use it in my energy bites, too. So glad you’re enjoying the oat flour recipes!
Jackie Harrison says
Can I replace the Oat flour with GF oat bran?
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid I really don’t think that would work, Jackie. Sorry! I recommend you make the recipe as written at least once before you try any substitutions. I think you’ll really like it as is.
Patti says
Any substitute for corn starch you would recommend for this recipe. Can’t have corn. Thank you!
Nicole Hunn says
Please see the Ingredients and substitutions section in the post, Patti!
Steph says
Do you grind the oats and then measure, our measure first? Thank you so much.
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Steph, the weight measurement is the same whether the oats are whole still or ground (the beauty of measuring by weight!). The corresponding volume measurements that I supplied are for the flour (so the oats, as ground). I was careful to specify “oat flour,” but I do understand why you’re asking. ?