Super Simple Gluten Free Chocolate Cookies
Chocolate cookies are decadent, gooey, delicious treats that are absolutely irresistible. But what are you supposed to do when you can no longer eat one of the main ingredients? Many recipes for these yummy cookies include wheat-based flour, which is off-limits for anyone with a gluten allergy or intolerance. Even if you’re adhering to a gluten-free diet for other health reasons, you’ll still need to steer clear of lots of chocolate cookies to avoid gluten. We know, we’re about to cry, too.
Luckily, all is not lost. We’ve got a super-easy gluten-free chocolate cookie recipe to share with you that is out of this world! The best part? Even if you’re not gluten-free, you won’t be able to tell the difference. Seriously, that’s how good these are. Whether you’re a veteran baker or a newcomer to the world of do-it-yourself dessert, these cookies are definitely worth a try.
If you’re drooling just at the thought of a fresh-out-of-the-oven cookie, keep reading.
Wheat-Free Flour: Which Do I Choose?
To make gluten-free chocolate cookies, you’ll need gluten-free flour. We’re stating the obvious here, but hey, this is important. This flour is the base of your cookie, so of course you need a gluten-free option. There are several options to consider when it comes to flour alternatives, so here are some standout choices.
Oat Flour
It’s like your daily bowl of oatmeal, but better. Oats are a grain, but they’re almost always gluten-free. Oat flour is renowned by gluten-free bakers for its ability to give a cookie a chewy middle and crispy edges (which, as we all know, is the best kind of cookie).
Tapioca Flour
If your first thought was tapioca pudding or boba, think again. This stuff has tons more uses. You might not want to use tapioca flour as the basis for your cookie dough on its own. However, it’s an excellent gluten-free thickening agent that can be combined with other forms of wheat-free flour to improve the texture of your cookies.
Sweet Rice Flour
This gluten-free derivative of short-grain rice is 100% gluten-free and perfect for boosting the texture of baked goods like cookies. Like tapioca flour, it’s best to use sweet rice flour as a supplement for another wheat-free flour rather than using it as the sole base for your dough.
Almond Flour
This wheat substitute isn’t made from grain at all – instead, it’s a product of almonds, which are low in carbohydrates and high in fat and protein. Almond flour is often used by adherents of the ketogenic diet, which encourages limiting carbs to less than 50 grams per day. If you’re trying to make delicious chocolate cookies that are both gluten-free and low-carb, almond flour is a perfect option for you! Low-carb and gluten-free? Count us in.
Coconut Flour
Is there anything as delicious as chocolate and coconut together? We don’t think so. Like almond flour, coconut flour is a keto-friendly and grain-free ingredient that is often used in low-carb baked goods. It’s gluten-free, and it will give your cookies a distinctly rich, nutty taste. If that sounds appealing to you, coconut flour is the way to go!
Just keep in mind that coconut flour is very absorbent, so you typically need less of it in a recipe. It also tends to have a gritty texture, so make sure you sift the flour before using it (although you should be doing this with all flours).
It’s up to you to decide what the best wheat-free flour is for your baking adventures, and there’s no wrong decision! You can make the call based on your dietary preferences and restrictions, but it’s also a great idea to always pick ingredients that taste good. So, if you’re not crazy about oat flour, go with almond or coconut flour, or vice versa. You can’t lose! That’s the best part about baking for yourself—all those decisions are up to you, so you can make sure that you’re getting the yummiest possible final creation.
Adding Corn Starch
When baking gluten-free desserts, it’s often a great idea to include a little bit of cornstarch in your dough. Cornstarch, another gluten-free ingredient, can help to give your cookies a little extra crispy texture if you’re in the crunchy cookie camp.
To offset the crunchiness, it’s wise to include a thickening agent like tapioca flour or sweet rice flour as well. Balancing these ingredients with cornstarch can help to perfect your cookies’ texture. It may take some trial and error to get this balance down perfectly, so don’t give up after one try! After all, these are cookies we’re talking about. What is an imperfect batch if not an opportunity to just eat more cookies?
Can I Use Low-Carb Chocolate in My Cookies?
If you’re eating a keto or low-carb diet, you might be wondering about whether this cookie recipe will work for you… and the answer is yes! We told you it was basically the perfect recipe.
This gluten-free chocolate cookie recipe uses our scrumptious low-carb baking chocolate chips. These delicious chocolate morsels are made without any wheat or dairy, making them vegan and gluten-free. To make things even better, our peanut butter baking chips are high in protein, so you can add a punch of peanut buttery flavor and some extra nutritional value. They’re the perfect addition to any homemade low-carb treats, and they taste incredible.
If you want to add some delicious nutty flavor to your cookies, combine our standard baking chips with our peanut butter baking chips in this recipe. The resulting sweet and nutty taste will blow your mind!
The Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Now that we’ve covered the main ingredients that you need to know about, here is the full recipe for these delectable gluten-free chocolate cookies.
The Cookie Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour. Using a grain-free flour would also keep the cookies low-carb.
- ½ cup oat flour
- 1 ¾ cup MiiRO baking chocolate chips
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup melted vegan butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup cane sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground flax meal with 3 tablespoons of water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Prepping the Cookies
Once you’ve assembled all of your ingredients, it’s time to start the prepping process. Make sure you’ve got a clean, well-lit workspace to prepare your cookies in – before you start prepping, clean up the kitchen a bit, putting away dishes, and taking care of other messes if necessary. It’s a game-changer when you can actually see the counter that you’re baking on.
After the kitchen is looking nice and clean, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, grab a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. You’ll be using this baking sheet once your dough is assembled.
Make Your Flax “Egg”
Mix together your flax meal and water and let it sit for 15 minutes to create a substance that will act in a similar way to an egg.
Combine the Wet Ingredients
Take the bowl attachment from your mixer and combine the melted vegan butter and both sugars using the mixer’s paddle attachment. Allow this mixture to blend for a few minutes, then add your flax egg and vanilla extract blend again.
Combine Dry Ingredients
Next, take a medium-sized mixing bowl and combine your gluten-free flour of choice with oat flour, baking soda, and a bit of salt. The salt may sound like an odd ingredient to add, but it will accentuate the sweetness of your cookies. A little bit of salt goes a long way!
Mix It All Up
Once the wet ingredients are combined, it’s time to pick up your bowl of dry ingredients and scoop it into the bowl of your mixer. Set your mixer to low, and periodically add the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl in small amounts, allowing the wet and dry ingredients to blend together seamlessly. Then, fold in your chocolate chips!
Once all the ingredients are mixed, you’ve successfully created cookie dough! Scoop this dough out of the mixing bowl and onto the baking sheet in desired portions. We recommend using 2-3 tablespoons of dough for each cookie and spacing out your cookies by at least 2 inches to prevent accidentally creating one giant cookie in the oven.
Should I Chill the Dough?
If your dough seems a little runny, you may need to let it set in the refrigerator or freezer for a bit. To get your desired texture, it’s often helpful to let the portioned cookie dough sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes before sliding the baking sheet into the oven.
However, the texture and consistency of your unbaked dough often depend on the flour that you choose to use. You might have to try out a few flours before you find the perfect one for you. Better yet, make several small batches with different flours at once so that you can do a taste test.
Get Those Cookies to an Oven, Stat!
These cookies typically only need twelve minutes in the oven to get crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They bake in relatively high heat, which expedites the process.
Paying close attention to the appearance and texture of your cookies throughout the baking process is always essential. If your cookies are looking like they need more time after they reach the ten-minute mark, it’s best to let them bake for a bit longer while keeping a watchful eye on them. Along the same lines, you don’t want to leave them in there for too long and end up with burnt cookies. It’s the most delicious balancing act that you’ll ever have to do.
Conclusion
With a short prep time and an equally quick bake time, these super simple gluten-free chocolate cookies are the perfect recipe for new bakers to try. Or, if you’re a do-it-yourself dessert maker with years of experience, they can be a tasty new treat to have fun with. No matter who you are, this recipe is a great time from start to finish, and it yields some yummy cookies.
If you don’t feel like turning on your oven, you can also satisfy your sweet tooth with some chocolates from MiiRO. We’re talking peanut butter cups, a vegan peanut butter bar, and a vegan white chocolate bar. Is your mouth watering yet?
Sources:
Should you try the keto diet? | Harvard Health
Is Erythritol Keto-Friendly? A Guide To This Low-Carb Sweetener | Perfect Keto
