This is the cookie recipe you have been waiting for. These gluten free chocolate chip cookies with walnuts are chewy, with just a slight bit of crispness on the outside. I also include dairy-free and nut-free options so anyone can enjoy these delicious cookies!
As I was saying above, these cookies are incredible. My daughter wanted to make cookies today, and I am so glad I let her! These homemade cookies have all the classic ingredients for the perfect cookie…brown sugar, butter, chocolate chips, and walnuts! These cookies are easy to make, and you can go from mixing the cookie dough to eating them in about 20 minutes.
These homemade gluten free chocolate chip cookies are perfect for a snack, dessert, bake sales, class parties, and more! These are some of the best cookies on the blog, and you are going to want to make a big batch! If you are a cookie fanatic like me, check out my delicious gluten free cookie recipes!
If you are looking for the best gluten free chocolate chip walnut cookie recipe, this is definitely one you need to try! Just in case you are making several kinds of cookies, you will also want to try this delicious drop-style gluten free sugar cookie recipe.
Reader Raves
10 years GF, and these are the BEST chocolate chip cookies EVER!” Lori I., Blog comment
Wow! Wow! Wow! I’ve settled on using a less than amazing recipe for chocolate chip cookies because at least it resembles a chocolate chip cookie. But the results were inconsistent and I didn’t get a thrill from baking them. But these… after failing at so many recipes, these worked! Beautifully! Thank you! Wish I could attach a picture.”
Ashley
If you love classic cookies, you will also want to try my delicious Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies recipe.
Allergen Information:
These homemade chocolate chip cookies are gluten-free, soy-free, and oat-free. Make them nut-free by omitting the walnuts. Make them dairy-free using plant-based butter and dairy-free chocolate chips like Enjoy Life brand.
Ingredient Notes:
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – I tested this gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend, My DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend, and King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work; I just have not tested other flours.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add ¾ teaspoon. If you need this to be xanthan gum-free, use my DIY Blend listed above.
- Brown Sugar – This cookie recipe can use dark brown or light brown sugar.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder – Use aluminum-free baking powder.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter.
- Eggs – Use size large.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – I do not recommend imitation vanilla for this cookie recipe.
- Chocolate Chips – Use Lily’s brand for sugar-free chocolate chips, or Enjoy life if you need dairy-free chocolate chips
- Chopped Walnuts – Optional. You can use any nut in these cookies or omit them if you are nut-free. Pecans also taste great.
Check out my Gluten Free Cookie Troubleshooting Guide and my Favorite Tools For Baking Cookies article for more tips.
Cookie Baking Tips:
1. Take special care to measure correctly. If you add in too much gluten free flour or other ingredients, it can mess with the cookies as they bake.
2. Chill the dough when possible. I know you are probably ready to eat your cookies, but taking a few minutes to chill the batter makes them less likely to spread.
3. Don’t let the cookies sit on the pan too long. After they have baked, only let them sit on the baking sheet for up to 5 minutes. The pan will still be hot and continue baking them otherwise.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
Step 1: Combine your gluten free flour blend, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large
Step 2: In a smaller bowl, add the wet ingredients and whisk to blend.
🔑 Sandi says: You can also mix your dough in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment if you prefer.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients. Add the chocolate chips and nuts. Use a wooden spoon to mix the two into cookie dough.
📢 Sandi says: Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the batter. If your cake batter is too runny, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquids.
Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
TIP: Some gluten free flour blends are a bit grainy. I recommend letting your cookie dough sit for 15 minutes before scooping and baking. This is optional, but it greatly affects the cookie’s taste and texture.
Step 4: Scoop your cookie dough onto a
HINT: The best way to prevent cookies from sticking to the baking pan is to line the
Step 5: Bake the cookies at 350º F. This cookie dough will spread out when baking, so leave an inch or two between each cookie dough ball. To lessen the spread, chill your dough for 45 minutes first.
Cookie Mix-In Ideas:
Customize your cookies with even more of your favorite things. Here are some great ideas to try:
- M&Ms
- Peanut butter chips
- Heath or Butterfinger candy pieces
- Mini marshmallows
- Raisins or different dried fruits
You may also love my Gluten Free Toll House Cookies. They are classic chewy cookies.
Frequently Asked Questions:
You can definitely use different nuts. I also love to use pecans and macadamia nuts! If you want to try a great cookie recipe with macadamia nuts, give this easy gluten free cranberry macadamia nut cookie recipe a try.
These cookies will bake for 8-10 minutes or when the tops are slightly golden brown. If you are making large oversized cookies, you will need to adjust the baking time to longer.
To freeze them, allow the cookies to cool completely. Place the cookies in a freezer bag.
More Gluten Free Cookie Recipes:
- Gluten Free Brownie Cookies – Double chocolate and seriously good!
- These Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossoms are for peanut butter lovers!
- Easy Gluten Free Sables
- If you love cinnamon, these Gluten Free Snickerdoodles are amazing.
Reader Testimonials:
I substituted applesauce for the egg as I am gf, df, ef at the time. They did not spread, but they had great cookie dough texture.”
Sarah, Pinterest User
Thank you so much for recipe I missed chocolate chip cookies since I quit gluten, dairy, and eggs. Came out delicious.”
Maria G, Pinterest User
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup gluten free flour blend * see note
- ¾ cup brown sugar use light or dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder aluminum free
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 eggs large
- ½ cup butter + 1 TBSP softened
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- In a large mixing bowl, add your gluten free flour blend, baking powder and soda, brown sugar, and sea salt and whisk well.
- In a small bowl, add your wet ingredients and whisk to blend.
- Note you can also use a standing mixer to mix up your chocolate chip cookie dough.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the chips and walnuts and mix well. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (if you don't have a non-stick cookie sheet) and use a medium-sized cookie scoop to drop cookie balls onto the cookie sheet.
- The cookies will spread so leave an inch or two between each cookie.
- Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove to cool on a cooling rack when done baking.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend in this recipe. That doesn’t mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum, add ¾ teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
- You can easily make monster-sized cookies for ice cream sandwiches. Bake an additional 5 minutes for larger cookies.
- These cookies will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer. To freeze these cookies, be sure they are completely cooled. Put the chocolate chip cookies to a freezer bag and place in the freezer.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
Delicious! It comes together quickly with the ingredients I have in my pantry. I love that these do not require chill time. I used Better Batter gluten-free flour blend and had perfect results. Highly recommend. Thank you for your recipes!
Hi Julianne, I am so glad Better Batter worked well in this recipe. I added it to my spreadsheet for folks who reach out about it. Thank you!
These cookies are delicious. My kiddos loved them. This will be my go to recipe for chocolate chip cookies. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much, Devon. I am so glad everyone loved the cookies.
The recipe calls for softened butter but the picture shows melted butter in with the eggs.
Hi Marie, I partially melt the butter, but you can use softened if you prefer. Since the dough is chilled, the butter still firms up again to prevent spreading.
Best chocolate chip cookies I have had in 12 years. Delicious, I,bow toy.you Queen Sandy. I saw this recipe on FB then couldn’t find it but very easy to find on your site.
I am really glad you loved the cookies. Thank you so much!!
Sandy…Hi, your site is amazing and I’m definitely going to try more recipes. The GF Chocolate Chip Cookies were the strangest ever made in my baking history. Unable to figure it—more of that in a minute. They were too brown before they were done, spread very wildly, too gooey in the middle. Solution: Put two layers into an 8×8 glass baking dish, interspersed with remaining cookie dough, more of that on top in drops. Baked another 17 minutes at 325, topped with more chocolate chips, 2 more minutes in oven to melt. Spread that around. Out it comes as chip/nut brownies! Perhaps the extra humidity lately in the northwest that did not favor cookies today. Brownie squares yes! Thank you again for the new experience!!
Hi Jill, I haven’t heard of this happening. What gluten free flour blend did you use?
Sandi: Would you please confirm the recipe only uses 1 1/4 c of flour? Every cookie recipe I have used at least two cups of flour with 1/2 cup butter etc? I’m going to make with my granddaughter tommorrow! Thank you kindly! Patricia
Hi Patricia, the recipe is correct with the blends I tested. If you use a different blend and think it needs more flour, you could add it.
Great recipe! I followed this exactly and had great results. Even my non GF family members enjoy these. The tip about letting the dough sit and the gf flour differences have made a huge improvement in my baking. Thanks Sandy!
I am so glad everyone loved the cookies, and that the tip for letting dough sit is helping! Thank you!
Excellent cookies! I used earth balance butter and KAF measure for measure. I chilled dough in fridge for two hours. I put salt on top before baking. Big beautiful cookies..and so good.
I am so glad you loved the cookies. Thank you so much for coming back to let folks know.
These cookies look so pretty! Although my dough turned out more like a batter? I’m looking at your pictures and wondering if you actually melted your butter? And Wondering how you incorporated it?
Hi Carmell, I did slightly melt my butter, but not all of the way. It will also depend on the gluten free flour blend. Some mixes are very starch heavy compared to others.
Ok I did end up doubling the flour with the particular brand I used, and surprisingly they turned out great!! Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Hi Carmell, I want to make sure I understand. You doubled the flour but kept the other ingredients the same…or did you double the whole recipe? I am very glad you enjoyed the cookies!
Can I use egg replacer?
Hi Elayne, I haven’t tested an egg replacer in this recipe, but I typically use Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer without issue. If you try it, please keep me posted how they turn out.
Hi Sandi,
I desperately want to make these cookies. Do you perhaps have the conversion to grams?
Mel
Hi Mel, you should be able to do a quick online search for a conversion chart. The calculatorsite .com seems to be a good one.
These were incredible!! You can’t eat just one lol!
I am really glad you loved this recipe Jillian. I would love if you could give it a star rating so others will know :-).
Wow! Wow! Wow! I’ve settled on using a less than amazing recipe for chocolate chip cookies because at least it resembles a chocolate chip cookie. But the results were inconsistent and I didn’t get a thrill from baking them. But these… after failing at so many recipes, these worked! Beautifully! Thank you! Wish I could attach a picture.
I am so glad you liked them Ashley. I would love if you could give them a star rating so others know how much you enjoyed the recipe :-).
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I’ve been gluten free for 8 months after a hashimoto’s diagnosis. I’ve really missed baked goods. The rest of fam (not gluten free) loved them as well! They are the perfect size, texture, chewiness with a crispy outside. I used Bob’s redbmill 1 to 1 and ghiradelli 60% bittersweet. Fantastic. Next time, I may try browned butter, just for a slightly darker cookie with little extra nutty flavor.
I am so glad you enjoyed the cookies Amy :-).
Thanks heaps for creating such a yummy gluten free cookie recipe! I doubled the recipe and added 2tsp of xantham gum- the chocolate I used was a broken up dark chocolate and almond block and some small pieces of 86% cocoa chocolate that melted through and balanced out the sugar beautifully. These are heading to our kiwi cowshed to help feed the farming staff through calving, thanks again for such a great recipe!
You made my day! I am so glad everyone loved them at the farm :-).
I love it, I tried a GF recipe literally right before this one and was so disappointed, it was so dry, so I did this one and didn’t finish the first batter (from diff recipe). I prob beat my wet ingredients longer than I was supposed to, they came out like “cookie muffins” you see at Panera but I still love it. They’re like chocolate chip pillows 🥰 I don’t have a mixer so yeah did by hand. Prob got too carried away lol
I am so glad you liked it Trina, you made my day coming back to tell me.
These cookies are so yummy! The best gluten free version I’ve tried!
I am so glad you liked them Wilhelmina 🙂
Yummy! We have some GF in our family and some who aren’t so it’s always difficult to find recipes that appeal to everyone! I don’t want to cook or bake twice, you know? These were perfect. SO good. The walnuts add a great depth of flavor. Love your website and all your recipes. This is no exception!
You made my day letting me know 🙂
Hi Sandi
Any substitute for the xanthan gum? What about using ground flaxseed? If using it, what is the measurement like?
What if I only have flour blend from authentic foods, can I use this instead?
Thanks
Hi Christine, I haven’t tested other gums or flaxseed. Can you do guar gum? I love Authentic foods and have used their Multiblend quite a bit. That should work well in this recipe. Thank you.