Chewy Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies with Golden Edges
Chewy-centered, crisp-edged gluten-free chocolate chip cookies made with melted butter, an extra egg yolk, and a short dough rest so they never taste gritty.
- Prep time
- 20 mins
- Cook time
- 27 mins
- Total time
- 47 mins
- Servings
- 24
Gluten-free flour blends absorb liquid more slowly than wheat flour. That is why so many cookies come out sandy, pale, or flat. This recipe for gluten free chocolate chip cookies works around the problem in two ways. Melted butter coats the rice and starch flours evenly, and an hour in the fridge lets the flour fully hydrate before baking.
The extra egg yolk adds fat and binding, so the centers stay chewy and hold together instead of crumbling. Brown sugar keeps the middle soft, and granulated sugar helps the edges crisp and turn golden.
Weigh the flour if you can. Gluten-free blends vary widely in how much a cup weighs. Too much flour is the most common reason these cookies bake up dry and domed.
Published October 28, 2026
Tips for success
- Weigh the flour blend at 315 g. A cup of gluten-free flour can weigh anywhere from about 120 g to 160 g depending on the brand. Too much flour gives thick, dry, cakey cookies that don't spread.
- Don't skip the chill. Unrested dough tastes sandy and spreads thin, because rice flour needs time to absorb moisture that wheat flour picks up almost immediately.
- In a shared kitchen, use parchment on baking sheets that may have held wheat-based baked goods, and wash the mixing bowls, whisk, and cookie scoop right before you start. Open a fresh stick of butter rather than using a shared butter dish, which can carry toast crumbs. Bake these before any wheat flour comes out, since airborne flour dust settles on counters and open bowls.
- For uniform cookies that bake evenly, use a 2-tablespoon spring-loaded scoop and level each portion.
Ingredient substitutions
| Instead of | Use |
|---|---|
| unsalted butter | dairy-free plant-based butter sticks (not tub spread)Makes the cookies dairy-free if the chocolate chips are also dairy-free. The dough is softer and spreads more, so chill for at least 2 hours. If the butter sticks are salted, reduce the fine sea salt to 1/2 teaspoon. |
| semisweet chocolate chips | chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate bar labeled gluten-freeChopped bars melt into wider pools and streaks instead of holding a chip shape, and the shards add a slightly crisper texture. |
| light brown sugar | dark brown sugarAdds deeper molasses flavor and a slightly softer, chewier center. The cookies will bake up a bit darker. |
| egg yolk | omit and add 1 tablespoon milkThe cookies will be less chewy and a little more crumbly, since the yolk supplies fat and binding. |
Gluten-free kitchen notes
Check the label on these ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend: Make sure the flour blend is certified or clearly labeled gluten-free.
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum: Check that the binder is labeled gluten-free.
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips: Chocolate and confectionery can be made on shared lines. Check the label.
Avoid cross-contact. Use clean pans, utensils, cutting boards and colanders, and a toaster or oven rack that has not been used for wheat products. Store gluten-free flours separately and wipe down counters before you start.
This recipe uses gluten-free ingredients, but we cannot guarantee it is safe for everyone with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. Read our recipe disclaimer.
Recipe
Chewy Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies with Golden Edges
- Prep 20 mins
- Cook 27 mins
- Total 47 mins
- About 24 cookies
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (315 g), rice-based 1-to-1 style blend; spoon and level, or weighCheck GF label
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum, omit if your flour blend already contains xanthan gumCheck GF label
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Wet ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (170 g), 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks)
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar (150 g), firmly packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Mix-ins
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (255 g), labeled gluten-free; many brands contain milk and soy lecithinCheck GF label
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional, for topping
Contains: Milk, Eggs, Soy. Check labels on packaged ingredients for other allergens.
Instructions
Make the dough
- 1
Melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, about 3 minutes, swirling until fully liquid. Pour it into a large mixing bowl and let it cool for 10 minutes, until warm but not hot to the touch. Butter that is too hot will scramble the egg and make greasy cookies.
- 2
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, xanthan gum (if using), baking soda, and fine sea salt until evenly combined, about 20 seconds.
- 3
Add the light brown sugar and granulated sugar to the bowl of melted butter. Whisk vigorously for 1 minute, until smooth and glossy with no dry lumps of brown sugar.
- 4
Add the egg, egg yolk, and pure vanilla extract. Whisk for 30 to 45 seconds, until the mixture lightens slightly in color and thickens to a ribbon-like consistency.
- 5
Add the flour mixture and fold with a silicone spatula until no dry streaks remain. Fold in the semisweet chocolate chips. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky at this point.
Rest the dough
- 6
Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. During this rest the flour absorbs moisture, which removes grittiness and firms the dough so the cookies spread less.
Bake
- 7
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two 13x18-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 8
Scoop the chilled dough into 2-tablespoon portions (about 45 g each) and roll each into a ball. Arrange 12 balls per baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart. If the dough rested overnight or longer and is very firm, let the scooped balls sit at room temperature briefly, until they just lose their hard chill, before baking.
- 9
Bake the first sheet for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through. The cookies are done when the edges are golden brown and set and the centers look puffy and slightly underbaked. They will firm up as they cool.
- 10
As soon as the sheet comes out of the oven, sprinkle the cookies lightly with flaky sea salt, if using. Bake the second sheet the same way, 10 to 12 minutes, and top it with flaky sea salt as well.
Cool
- 11
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets until firm enough to lift cleanly, about 10 minutes. Warm gluten-free cookies are fragile and can break if moved too soon. Transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Storage
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. A slice of gluten-free bread in the container helps keep them soft. Refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days. To freeze, scoop the dough into balls, freeze them on a parchment-lined sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the baking time. Baked cookies can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Always check ingredient labels to confirm products are gluten-free. Not medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
Why do my gluten-free cookies taste gritty?
Grittiness usually means the rice flour in the blend didn't have time to absorb moisture. Resting the dough in the fridge for at least an hour fixes this, and an overnight rest gives an even smoother texture.
Why did my cookies spread flat?
The butter was likely too hot when mixed, or the dough wasn't chilled long enough. Also check that your oven truly reaches 350°F with an oven thermometer, since a cool oven gives the dough more time to spread before it sets.
Do I need xanthan gum?
Only if your gluten-free flour blend doesn't already contain it. Check the ingredient label. Adding extra to a blend that already has xanthan gum can make the cookies gummy.
Can I use almond flour or coconut flour instead of the flour blend?
Not as a direct swap. Almond flour has no starch structure and will make flat, oily cookies, and coconut flour absorbs far more liquid than this recipe allows. Use a rice-based gluten-free all-purpose blend for these proportions.
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. The dough keeps covered in the fridge for up to 3 days, and the flavor deepens the longer it rests. Very cold dough may need a few minutes at room temperature after scooping so it spreads properly.
Why are my cookies crumbly?
They were probably moved off the baking sheet too soon, or too much flour was measured. Let them cool on the sheet for a full 10 minutes, and weigh the flour next time.
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