The Best (& Easiest) Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

When you start wondering if a particular food blogger has fallen off the face of the earth, it can mean one of several things...

1. They fell off the face of the earth.
2. They have kids. And working outside the home part-time while also being self employed part-time working from home while also mom-ing two energetic kiddos who aren't yet both in school full-time is frankly...hard. (How many more months until school starts? Not that the food blogger is counting because they love spending time with their kiddos...but okay...maybe they're counting.)
3. They are doing some SERIOUS, in-depth research and recipe testing and want to get their recipe just right before they share it with the world.

I fall somewhere between #2 and #3.

These gluten-free chewy chocolate chip cookies were DEFINITELY worth the two-month hiatus. And they are crazy easy, which for being gluten-free, is a miracle. With ONLY 7 ingredients all the gluten-free cookie eaters can finally rejoice. Cue music.

YES (in my very biased opinion).

Actually, there are a lot of gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipes out there that make the same claim, and some of those 'other' cookies are probably super tasty too. The more the merrier in my opinion.

And if we're being honest, it's all subjective. We (meaning you, me, and everyone else who wants to shove a cookie in their face) have some REALLY strong preferences and opinions regarding this classic cookie. Just do a quick chocolate chip cookie Google search, click on the cookie recipes that pop up, scroll down to the bottom of the post where people leave their comments, and you will see herds of cookie addicts liberally deconstructing the cookie that the poor food blogger fell off the face of the earth to develop.

Some like their cookies super chewy, some like their cookies super crispy, some want both the crispy edge and the chewy center (that would me be), some like their cookies more cake-like, some like them thick, some like them thin...you get the point.

And that doesn't even include those who are begging to know if the cookie can be altered in some way to make them vegan, paleo, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, ALL the allergens-free. Chocolate chip cookie lovers can be a tough crowd. Especially gluten-free chocolate chip cookie lovers. Like me (slowly raising my hand from the back row).

So you'll have to do your baking homework and determine your 'best' cookie. If you are team gluten-free-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookie-with-an-ever-so-slightly-crisp-edge, well then my friend, you have come to the right place.

All of us gluten-free-ers are trying to make sense out of a bazillion different gluten-free flour blends that claim they are THE ONE that is most similar to normal glutinous white all-purpose flour. Then we cross our fingers and spend way too much money on gluten-free flour only to discover that some of the gluten-free blends on the market are really terrible.

And once you do actually settle on a gluten-free flour blend you forehead smack yourself because you just realized that you have to go back to the store to get some xanthan gum. If you're not a gluten-free baker by nature, you're probably feeling slightly confused at this point with how much xanthan your baked goods need or perhaps by even what xanthan gum actually is.

So let's make this cookie magic easy with just 7 ingredients including a gluten-free flour blend that works like a charm.

• Pamela's Gluten-Free Baking and Pancake Mix: It's the ONLY flour you'll need for these dreamy cookies. DO NOT substitute this flour blend with a different flour blend because it probably won't work with this recipe. Trust me, I've tried (too many times).
• Brown sugar
• Unsalted butter: Always the way to go so you can control the salt without the salt controlling your baked goods. Make sure your butter is room temperature prior to use.
• Vanilla
• Egg: For an egg-free cookie, substitute applesauce.
• Chocolate chips: I love dark chocolate and I love BIG chocolate chips so I always opt for Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Baking Chips. Use any type of chocolate chips you love though!
• Flaked sea salt: I prefer Maldon for that little extra hit of salty yum.

For a full list of ingredients and quantities see the recipe card at the end of this post.

Step 1: Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment cream the butter and brown sugar.

Step 2: Add vanilla and an egg (or applesauce if egg-free). Combine.

Step 3: Add the flour and mix until just combined.

Step 4: Stir in the chocolate chips. Maybe snag a few to taste test. 😉 Then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

Step 5: Once the dough has chilled, using a large cookie scoop, scoop even mounds of cookie dough and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Step 6: Press a few more chocolate chips into each cookie dough mound for some chocolate-ey aesthetics and because we always ♡ more chocolate chips.

Step 7: Sprinkle the tops with flaked sea salt. Salt + Chocolate = Heaven

Step 8: Bake! Allow the cookies to sit on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before removing them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. The rich, toffee-like flavors of the cookie will deepen and become more enhanced if you allow the cookies to cool before eating. If the temptation to devour a cookie before it has cooled is too great, you and I have something in common.

Fresh out of the oven, golden brown edges with warm gooey centers, and with perhaps just as much chocolate as dough. The hardest part might be sharing. ♡

P.S. Don't forget the milk. You know...for the dunking. ♡