These gluten-free brookie cookies are fudgy and delicious; they are going to win you over. Each bite has a soft, chewy brownie center wrapped in rich chocolate cookie flavor. They are deeply chocolaty, perfectly moist, and hard to resist fresh from the oven. Even better, these homemade brookies are completely dairy-free and nut-free, so everyone can enjoy them.
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You must hide these cookies from your family if you want more than one for yourself!! This is one of the best gluten free chocolate cookie recipes!! If you love cookies as much as we do, you will want to check out all of my delicious gluten free cookie recipes. There are a lot of delicious options to try!
If you want an awesome brownie recipe, try my Gluten-Free Brownie recipe. It is also dairy-free!
What Are Brookies?
Consider these to be like brownie cookies. They are moist like brownies but hold their shape like a cookie. Then, they are rolled in powdered sugar, like crinkle cookies. The perfect combination!
I adapted this recipe from one my friend Charissa at Zest Bakery likes to make. Sadly, this bakery is no longer in business. She used to call these “brookies” because they are a cross between a brownie and a cookie.
Ingredient Notes and Recipe Swaps:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure For Measure and Bob’s Red Mill 1:1. Other blends may work, but keep an eye on the moistness of your dough ball. Some blends have more starch and can be drier; therefore, they need more liquid.
- Xanthan Gum – If your blend does not contain either xanthan or guar gum already blended in, you must add one teaspoon to your dry ingredients.
- Cocoa Powder – Most brands should be gluten free. I like Anthony’s Cocoa Powder. It is a great cocoa powder at a lower cost.
- Baking Powder and Salt – I recommend aluminum-free baking powder because regular baking powder can leave a metallic aftertaste.
- Coconut Oil – See the Substitutions below for more options.
- Eggs – Use size large.
- Vanilla Extract – I recommend pure vanilla extract and not imitation.
Substitutions:
- To make this recipe gum-free, use my DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend. It uses psyllium husk instead of xanthan or guar gum.
- You can use dairy-free or regular butter if you can’t have coconut.
If you love soft cookies, you will also want to try these Gluten Free Russian Tea Cookies or these Gluten Free Eggnog Crinkle Cookies.
How to Make Gluten-Free Brookies (Step-By-Step)
Step 1: Add your dry ingredients to a large
Step 2: In a medium bowl, add your wet ingredients and whisk to blend.
Step 3: Pour your wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix into cookie dough.
This is what your gluten free brookie cookie dough will look like when the wet and dry ingredients are blended. It is a little more firm than other cookie dough because you must roll it into balls.
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Step 4: Make a roll with the cookie dough on plastic wrap. For best results, refrigerate the cookie dough for an hour.
Step 5: Preheat the oven to 350º F. Be sure the oven rack is in the middle of the oven. Line a
Step 6: Fill a small bowl with powdered confectioner’s sugar. Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator. Make cookie dough balls and roll them in powdered sugar.
Step 7: Use a glass to flatten the cookies.
Step 8: Now, the brookies are ready to bake. They are already looking like gluten free brookies! Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack and enjoy when they have cooled.
You may also love these Gluten-Free Buckeye Cookies.
Cookie Baking Tips:
1. Measure your gluten free flour correctly. Either use the leveling method or the spoon method. Put the measuring scoop into the flour and fill. Do not pack the flour. Use a knife to scrape along the top to remove the extra flour. You can also use a spoon to fill the measuring cup. Use a knife to level along the top to remove the extra flour.
2. Know that every gluten free flour blend is a little different. Some have a higher starch content, so you may need more or a little less flour. Look at your cookie dough and add flour or more liquids if needed. Read more about why gluten-free flour blends vary for more information.
3. After the cookies have been baked, only let them sit on the cookie sheet for up to 3-5 minutes on the baking sheet. The pan will still be hot and continue baking them otherwise.
Frequently Asked Questions:
You do not have to roll these brookies in powdered sugar, but please know you won’t get that sweet crinkle look when you bake them. They will also be less sweet, so consider adjusting the sugar in the recipe.
Store these cookies in an airtight container. I prefer storing them in the refrigerator, especially during the hot summer. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze room-temperature cookies in a zip-style freezer bag. They will keep fresh for up to 3 months.
Pinterest user Country Grandma sent this picture of her cookies, saying, “Made these for my granddaughter, who is gluten and dairy-free. She loved them. So did I! Very easy to make and delicious. Will be making these again!”
More Gluten Free Chocolate Desserts:
- Thick and creamy Dark Chocolate Custard makes a great dessert.
- If you love cookies, these Gluten-Free Chocolate Mint Crinkle Cookies are great for a bake sale or cookie craving.
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!
Easy Gluten Free Brookies Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie sheet
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ¼ cups cane sugar
- ½ cup coconut oil melted
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour blend
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder aluminum-free
- ⅛ tsp salt
- powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend, 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 1/4 cups cane sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/8 tsp salt. Whisk to blend.
- In another mixing bowl, add 1/2 cup coconut oil (melted), 4 large eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk to blend.
- Slowly stir the liquid mixture into the flour mixture until fully incorporated.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled.
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop the chilled dough into small balls and roll them in confectioner’s sugar. I found that it was easy to just scoop out a chunk of dough, sprinkle some powdered sugar on it, and then roll it into a ball. Use a glass to smoosh the balls flat to about 1 inch thick.
- Place cookie balls on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. Bake in 350F oven for 10-12 minutes.
- They should still be a bit soft, but fully cooked all the way through.
- Allow to cool on the baking sheet for a minute or two before moving the brookies to a cooling rack.
Video
Notes
- I tested this recipe with both King Arthur Measure for Measure and Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 GF blend. Both work well, and other blends should also work. My rule of thumb is if your batter or dough is too runny, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquids.
- If your blend doesn’t contain a binder, add 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum.
- These cookies turn out better if you refrigerate the dough.
- Rolling the cookie balls in powdered sugar gives these cookies a melt-in-your-mouth feel, but if you are cutting back on sugar, you can omit this step.
- Store leftover cookies in an airtight container. They will keep fresh for up to 4 days. I love to freeze these cookies. Just place cooled cookies into a freezer-safe zipper bag.
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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, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
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.
NOTE: This post was one of my very first posts on this blog from 11/2013. I updated the post with more details, reshot the pictures, and added a tutorial video. Updated on 11/28/2022.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
What would be a good substitution for coconut oil?
Hi Elizabeth, you could use butter.
Hi! This recipe sounds delicious! Question – do you think I could use oats or oat flour instead of the gf flour blend? 😀
Hi Gina, I haven’t really used oat flour enough to be able to advise you on this.
Have you ever used almond flour for these?
Hi Ida, I haven’t used almond flour for these. Almond flour does not work in recipes by itself.
Hi! How long can the dough be refrigerated or freezes before baking? Would it be ok to leave the dough in the fridge for 2 days?
Hi Haley, you can refrigerate the dough for two days, then bake.
Thank you!
Can these be made with coconut sugar instead of white sugar? Trying to stay away from white sugar.
Hi Farrah, I have not tested coconut sugar in this recipe. Coconut sugar has a different melting point than regular sugar so I am not sure if it would turn out the same.
Do you think I could use bobs red mill all purpose flour?
Unfortunately, I can not recommend that flour. It has bean flour and behaves and tastes differently in baked recipes.
What could I use instead of bobs red mill all purpose flour?
I would recommend Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF Blend or King Arthur Measure for Measure GF Blend.
I tried your recipe today. Followed your instructions to the ‘t’ w/one exception. I added xanthan gum, since my BRM gf ap flour did not list it as one of the ingredients. I just sampled a ‘test’ cookie and it was chocolatey delicious-soft, light, & chewy. I’m gluten tolerant but would like to make these brookies for a friend who has Crohn’s. Can I freeze the brookie dough (unbaked)? Thank you for sharing your recipe, Sandi!
I am so glad you loved these cookies. You can easily freeze the dough.
I made these cookies for a friend who is gluten intolerant. They are without a doubt the best gluten free cookies I have ever eaten !!! Thank you for sharing this fabulous recipe !
I am so glad you enjoyed them Kathy. If you have time, please do leave a star rating so others will know you loved them.
Turned out so good!! I used almond flour. So so yummy
I am so glad you enjoyed them Megan 🙂 If you have time, I would love it if you could give the recipe a star rating.
Awesome recipe! I’ve just made these and before finishing my first one have passed it on to 4 friends!
I replaced the sugar with coconut sugar but still added the confectioners sugar at the end as didn’t feel as guilty!
A must try for gluten intolerant bakers or not.
I am so glad you all loved them Rianne. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know :-).
Can you use canola or vegetable oil? I ran out of coconut oil!
I haven’t tested either but I don’t see why they wouldn’t work.
Abolutely amazing! We have made these several times. They are now are new favorite! We like to add extras in….this week it is pecans. Thank you for a wonderful gluten free recipe that doesn’t taste gluten free!
I am so glad you love these cookies :-). They are definitely one of my family’s favorites too!