Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
For a long time I struggled to make chocolate chip cookies that wouldn’t come out of the oven completely flat! To add to that struggle we have changed the way we bake by going gluten free, most of the time dairy free, and we also try to avoid refined sugars! All of these categories bring new challenges when baking and substituting with different ingredients. So I was thrilled to finally make a chocolate chip cookie that was not only thick and chewy, but also gluten free, dairy free, and refined sugar free!!!
I think a big trick to keeping these cookies from going flat is to refrigerate the dough once rolled into balls. This keeps the dough from going completely soft in the oven, especially if using butter. We have made these both ways, with butter and with coconut oil. When using butter it is best to roll the balls of dough slightly higher than wide to get that tall chewy center. When using coconut oil, the balls of dough can be made slightly flatter, as they don’t flatten out as easily when baking. Either way you’ll come out with some delicious soft chocolate chip cookies… says my 3 kiddos!
Makes 2 dozen cookies
INGREDIENTS:
2 1/4 cups gluten free flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour)
1 teaspoon gluten free baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup grass-fed butter, melted (substitute with coconut oil for dairy free)
1 1/2 cups coconut sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
1 cup chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life dairy free chocolate chips)
Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl combine the melted butter or coconut oil with sugar. Beat until combined. Add vanilla and eggs. Beat until smooth. Slowly add in the dry ingredients, mixing until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Next roll the cookie dough into balls about 2 tablespoons in size. If using butter roll the balls slightly taller than wider to keep the cookies thick in the center during baking. Place on a plate, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the cookie dough 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 minutes. The cookies will still be soft in the center, but the edges will be starting to turn golden brown. Let them cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy!
