Description
Delight in these Gluten Free Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies, perfect for those avoiding gluten but craving a chewy, chocolatey treat. Made with a blend of gluten-free flours, oats, and rich chocolate chips, these cookies offer a perfect balance of softness and crisp edges. The recipe involves chilling the dough to enhance texture and minimize spreading, resulting in consistently delicious cookies every time.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup (140g) gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum
- 1/4 cup (30g) almond flour
- 1 1/2 cups (150g) certified gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup (133g) dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Mix-ins and Toppings
- 3/4 cup (130g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup (45g) chocolate chunks
- Flaky sea salt for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined. Using weight measurements helps ensure consistency, especially important in gluten-free baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter with both the brown and granulated sugars for 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This aeration creates tiny air pockets that contribute to a chewy center and slightly crisp edges in the cookies.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the room temperature egg, vanilla extract, and maple syrup to the creamed butter mixture. Beat until the mixture is smooth and well incorporated. The maple syrup helps retain moisture to counteract the dryness typical of gluten-free flours.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Slowly add the prepared dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Avoid overmixing, as it can lead to tougher cookies even without gluten.
- Fold in Oats and Chocolate: Gently fold in the gluten-free oats, followed by the chocolate chips and chunks, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the dough to provide varied texture and pockets of melty chocolate.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour. Chilling hydrates the flours fully and controls cookie spread during baking, which is especially important for gluten-free doughs.
- Prepare Cookies for Baking: After chilling, scoop the dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing cookie dough balls about two inches apart. Slightly flatten the tops with your palm to promote even baking, as gluten-free doughs tend to spread less.
- Garnish Cookies: Press a few extra chocolate chips onto the tops of the dough balls for a bakery-style appearance. Optionally, sprinkle flaky sea salt over the cookies to enhance the chocolate flavor.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake the cookies for 11-13 minutes until edges turn golden but centers remain slightly underdone. Timely removal prevents overbaking and dryness.
- Cool: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, allowing them to set without breaking apart, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Weighing flours rather than relying on cup measurements promotes consistent results in gluten-free baking.
- Chilling the dough is critical to hydrate the gluten-free flours fully and manage spread during baking.
- Do not overmix the dough to prevent tough cookies despite being gluten-free.
- Remove cookies from the oven when centers are still slightly underdone as they continue to firm up while cooling.
- Adding flaky sea salt enhances the depth of chocolate flavor and adds a pleasant contrast.
