These gluten-free chocolate chip cookies are also dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan! Grab a glass of almond milk and enjoy these delicious cookies!
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In my family, we are big chocolate chip cookie lovers. However, with a number of foods off the table for me (gluten, dairy, eggs), finding cookies that work for my diet at the grocery store or at local specialty shops are really hard to come by.
I’ll be the first to tell you that I enjoy baked goods, but not so much the act of baking them. I far prefer cooking to baking. But with the limited diet, it’s almost a necessity to learn how to make certain things for yourself at home.
That’s why I started making these gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. And why my family has been enjoying them for over two years now.
Even though I’m the only one in my house with food intolerances, my son and husband will gladly eat a batch of these within 24 hours, no sweat.
When I set out to make this recipe, I knew that it would be one that we would make often and it would likely become a go-to recipe in our household. That’s why it was important for me to hit a few important points.
These gluten-free chocolate chip cookies needed to be…
- Gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free
- Super easy for me to make and feel like a no-brainer
- Fast to whip up for a quick movie night snack or birthday party treat
- Simple to clean up – only a handful of dishes, not a sink full!
- Somewhat nutritionally dense, if I planned to make them often
As you can see, I had and still have high expectations for this cookie. The last point above being maybe the hardest to create.
Read on: 25 egg-free cookie recipes
Making healthier chocolate chip cookies
While I get a sweet tooth fairly often, I wanted to make a chocolate chip cookie that didn’t make me feel too sugared up after I ate it. I wanted a sweet bite that I felt good about eating, maybe even two cookies at a time.
I also wanted to know my cookie wasn’t loaded with too much sugar for my son. He gets enough added sugar in some of the other foods he eats, that this treat was going to be sweet, but not overly so.
I’m always trying to make sure he gets LESS sugar, not more.
The goal with this recipe was to create the healthiest cookie that I could without sacrificing the flavor of a real and true chocolate chip cookie.
So what makes these chocolate chip cookies a little bit healthier?
The ingredients
The ingredients first and foremost make these cookies healthier than the average chocolate chip cookie recipe or brand you can find at the store.
We’ll discuss the ingredients further down in this post about what I chose and why I chose them.
No eggs or dairy
Another thing that makes these cookies healthier is that they don’t have any eggs or dairy.
While this might be the “make or break” thing for you when it comes to the best cookies, the healthiest version of a cookie for me is one that doesn’t make me sick after I eat them.
I will hands-down agree that cookies with butter and sugar taste superior to any vegan version, but it’s not in the cards for me to eat these without breaking out in hives, getting stomach cramps, or having a headache for 3 days after eating them.
To those of us with food intolerances, this cookie is healthy.
Smaller portion size
The last thing that makes these cookies more healthy is the size. You can go to any store and buy giant cookies, never knowing what the true serving size is.
I like to make these cookies small, because they are surprisingly filling from the almond flour, but also, because I find I need less cookie to satisfy my craving.
But even if I do feel like going back for seconds, I don’t feel bad about it, because they are full of fiber, fat, and protein.
I like to use a rounded tablespoon or 1 ½-inch size cookie scoop to portion out the cookie dough when I’m making these cookies.
Not only do I get consistent cookie sizes, making them bake evenly on the cookie sheet, but I get more cookies per batch.
Know that the smaller the cookie you make, the shorter you’ll need for baking time.
Looking for an edible cookie dough? Try my gluten-free cookie dough that’s also dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan!
Ways to customize these gluten-free chocolate chip cookies
I’ve been making this recipe for a while now and have had time to experiment with different variations of enjoying them.
While my family really loves making these just plain and eating them straight off the baking sheet, here are a few more ideas to customize your own.
Make festive gluten-free chocolate chip cookies
Add two tablespoons of sprinkles to the cookies when you’re folding in the chocolate chips to make them extra fun for kids! Use any color you like for birthdays, holidays, or other special occasions.
This last summer when we were avoiding having large gatherings, we met up with two families we’re friends with to celebrate my son’s birthday at the beach and community gardens.
We were able to celebrate while keeping distance. Instead of packing cupcakes, my son requested his favorite chocolate chip cookies and I surprised him with sprinkles to make them “fancy.”
My friends and their kids don’t have food intolerances or allergies, but the whole batch was gobbled up by the time we headed back home.
Make gluten-free chocolate chip cookie dough balls
If you like to live on the wild side, omit the baking soda and roll out ½ tablespoons of dough onto a sheet of parchment paper. Roll into balls and freeze. These make a yummy and easy treat that requires no baking at all!
Dunk the frozen cookie dough balls in some melted dairy-free chocolate to make your own chocolate covered cookies dough bites. Yum!
Use dairy-free white chocolate chips
If you love white chocolate, swap out the regular dairy-free chocolate chips in this recipe for dairy-free white chocolate chips. Or better yet, use half and half to make a unique cookie.
Read on: Is white chocolate gluten-free?
Read on: Dairy-free white chocolate brands
Read on: Dairy-free white chocolate chips
Ingredients for gluten-free chocolate chip cookies
There are only a few simple ingredients that you need to make your own gluten-free vegan chocolate chip cookies at home.
Almond flour
Almonds are naturally gluten-free, meaning almond flour is as well. I chose almond flour for this recipe, because it’s easy to find at many grocery stores and at Costco.
I also love almond flour for this recipe, because it’s full of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. It also lends a nutty flavor to this recipe that I really enjoy.
Read on: Is almond flour gluten-free?
Coconut oil or vegan butter
When it comes to fat in this recipe, I choose to use coconut oil most often. However, I have replaced the coconut oil with Earth Balance vegan butter many times, and this provides a more ‘buttery’ flavor if you prefer that over coconut flavor.
Read on: Dairy-free butter and butter substitutes
Maple syrup
Even though I don’t shy away from using white sugar in many of my recipes, in the case of this recipe, I feel like it’s important for me to have even one SINGLE dessert recipe in my repertoire that isn’t loaded with white sugar.
Especially when I’m trying to pull back on the refined sugar, I tend to opt for maple syrup as a natural sweetener as often as possible. I like that these cookies are sweet, but not overly so.
Read on: Is Maple Syrup Gluten-free?
Salt
The salt in this recipe just brings out the flavor of the chocolate and provides a nice salty balance to the sweetness of the cookie.
Baking soda
Baking soda in this recipe is used to help these cookies rise a little bit. Generally, these cookies do not rise or spread much while baking, but they do get a little bit of lift from the baking soda.
Read on: Is baking soda gluten-free?
Vanilla extract
Vanilla extract gives any cookie it’s homemade flavor, and it gives a ton of flavor to the almond flour cookie dough in this recipe. Plus I love how delicious the house smells whenever I use this ingredient!
Read on: Is vanilla extract gluten-free?
Dairy-free chocolate chips
To make this gluten free cookie recipe dairy free, one of the ingredients you’ll want to use are dairy-free chocolate chips. If you aren’t following a dairy-free diet, you can use any brand and type of chocolate chips that you wish.
There are a few brands that offer dairy-free chocolate chips, ranging from more expensive (Enjoy Life brand) to lower priced (Trader Joe’s or Kirkland Signature).
Check ingredients lists before buying just to be sure what you purchase is in fact dairy-free.
Mini chocolate chips work especially well for these smaller cookies, and I’ve only been able to find them from the Enjoy Life brand at my local grocery store.
Read on: Are chocolate chips gluten-free?
Read on: Are chocolate chips dairy-free?
How to make gluten-free chocolate chip cookies
Making these chocolate chip cookies couldn’t be easier – and they’re super fun to make with kids! These come together in just a few simple steps.
Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. While the oven is preheating, prepare your baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
Make the cookie dough
In a large bowl, combine almond flour, melted coconut oil or vegan butter, maple syrup, sea salt, baking soda, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine the ingredients well, making sure everything is incorporated. Don’t over mix.
Add the chocolate chips
Add in ½ cup of chocolate chips and fold in using a spatula. You’ll want an even distribution of chocolate chips throughout the dough, so you get chocolate in every cookie bite.
Scoop the chocolate chip cookie dough
Using rounded tablespoons or a 1 ½-inch cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough out onto your prepared cookie sheet. The smaller you make the cookies, the more cookies you’ll have and the faster they’ll bake.
Press the cookies
These cookies don’t rise much, so you’ll want to use your fingers to gently press the cookies into discs.
I like to put a plastic sandwich bag over my hand to do this task to make for easy cleanup, but it isn’t necessary if you don’t mind getting your hands a little sticky.
Transfer and bake
Transfer the cookie sheet to the oven and bake for 10 minutes. If you choose to bake smaller cookies, check on the cookies at 10 minutes.
These cookies don’t brown up much from the lack of egg and butter, so even if they don’t look “done,” trust that they’ll harden up as they cool and still taste great.
Cool and enjoy
Once baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before enjoying.
Storing gluten-free chocolate chip cookies
These cookies soften up after about a day at room temperature in an airtight container. If you want them to last longer (they never last very long in my house!), you can store them in the fridge to extend their life and texture.
Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies (Dairy-free, Egg-free, Vegan)
Try these gluten-free chocolate chip cookies that are simple, easy, and come together in 15 minutes! They're dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan too!
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- ¼ cup coconut oil or vegan butter, melted
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup dairy-free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- In a large bowl, combine almond flour, melted coconut oil or vegan butter, maple syrup, sea salt, baking soda, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
- Add the chocolate chips and fold into the cookie dough, until evenly distributed.
- Using rounded tablespoons or a 1 ½-inch cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough out onto your prepared cookie sheet.
- Press the cookies into discs using your fingers, as these cookies don't rise much in the oven.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before enjoying.
Notes
These cookies soften up after about a day at room temperature in an airtight container. If you want them to last longer (they never last very long in my house!), you can store them in the fridge to extend their life and texture.
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I hope if you’ve been looking for a quick, easy, delicious gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe, that you enjoy making this one! It’s been my go-to recipe for my family for a while now, and I hope you love it too!
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