I developed a one-bowl, nut-free, dairy-free version of Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies using only pantry staples and simple swaps.

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I can’t stop tinkering with my Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, they somehow hit that chewy yet crispy sweet spot and the dairy free chocolate chips go melty in the middle. The texture comes from using gluten free old fashioned rolled oats, which adds toothsome bite while keeping the cookie light.

People call it Cookies Healthy and I always get surprised looks when I say they’re gluten free because they taste like the real thing. I won’t spill all the secrets here but if you’re curious, they’re exactly the kind of cookie you keep stealing.

Ingredients

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Gluten free all purpose flour: Adds structure, some protein and carbs, keeps cookies tender.
Rolled oats: Give chewy texture, boost fiber and whole grain feel, kinda nutty.
Brown sugar: Makes cookies sweet and moist, adds caramel notes and chewy bite.
Vegan butter: Provides fat for richness, browning and flavor, keeps cookies soft.
Egg plus yolk: Eggs bind dough, add protein and lift, yolk adds richness.
Chocolate chips: Sweet chocolate bursts, add fat and sugar, create melty pockets.
Cornstarch: Helps tenderize dough, gives softer texture and reduces spread.
Vanilla extract: Lifts flavor, makes sweetness rounder and gives warmer aroma.

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/4 cups gluten free all purpose flour (1 to 1)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

1 1/2 cups gluten free old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup (1 stick) dairy free vegan butter, softened

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup dairy free chocolate chips (or regular chocolate chips if not avoiding dairy)

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, set the rack in the middle of the oven.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 1 1/4 cups gluten free all purpose flour (1 to 1), 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon if using.

3. Add 1/2 cup softened dairy free vegan butter, 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar to the same bowl and cream with a wooden spoon or mixer until lighter in color and mostly smooth, scraping the sides. it doesn’t have to be perfect.

4. Beat in 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined. use room temperature eggs if you can.

5. Stir in 1 1/2 cups gluten free old fashioned rolled oats, then fold the dry flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined, don’t overmix or the cookies get tough.

6. Fold in 1 cup dairy free chocolate chips (or regular chips if not avoiding dairy) making sure they’re evenly distributed.

7. For thicker, chewier cookies chill the dough 20 to 30 minutes, but you can bake right away if you’re impatient. chilling also helps control spread.

8. Scoop dough by heaping tablespoons or a medium cookie scoop onto the prepared sheet, about 2 inches apart. press each mound down slightly so they spread evenly.

9. Bake 10 to 12 minutes at 350 F until edges are golden and centers still look a little soft, they firm up as they cool. let the sheet cool 5 to 10 minutes then transfer cookies to a wire rack.

10. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer. quick tip: measure flour by spooning into the cup and level it off so your dough isn’t too dry.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven set to 350 F
2. Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
3. Large mixing bowl (or two if you prefer)
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
5. Whisk for dry ingredients
6. Wooden spoon or handheld electric mixer for creaming
7. Rubber spatula for scraping the bowl
8. Medium cookie scoop or heaping tablespoon for portioning dough
9. Wire cooling rack to cool the cookies
10. Small covered bowl or container for chilling dough if you want thicker cookies

FAQ

Q: Can I make these cookies vegan?
A: Yes. Swap the large egg plus extra yolk for two flax "eggs" (2 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tbsp water, let sit 5 mins) or use 3 tbsp aquafaba plus 1 tbsp dairy free yogurt for richness, they wont be exactly the same but still great.

Q: Can I use quick oats instead of old fashioned rolled oats?
A: Yep, you can, but quick oats make a softer, less chewy cookie. If you want more texture, pulse quick oats briefly in a food processor to mimic rolled oats.

Q: How do I make them chewier or crispier?
A: For chewier, use slightly more brown sugar, underbake by 1-2 minutes, and chill the dough 30-60 minutes. For crispier, flatten balls before baking and bake a few minutes longer until edges are golden.

Q: My cookies are too crumbly, what went wrong?
A: Most likely not enough binder or too much dry ingredient. Make sure your GF flour blend contains xanthan gum, or add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp xanthan gum. Check measurements, don’t overbake, or add an extra egg yolk or 1 tbsp dairy free butter to add moisture.

Q: Do I have to chill the dough?
A: No you dont have to, but chilling for 30-60 minutes firms the dough, reduces spread and improves flavor, so I usually do it when I have the time.

Q: Can I freeze the dough or baked cookies?
A: Yes to both. Scoop dough onto a tray, freeze until solid then transfer to a bag, bake from frozen adding 2-4 minutes. Baked cookies freeze well up to 3 months, store airtight with layers of parchment.

Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Gluten free all purpose flour (1 to 1): if you don’t have a 1 to 1 blend, try 1 cup almond flour plus 1/2 cup tapioca starch and 1/4 tsp xanthan gum, it’ll be a bit nuttier and denser but still tasty.
Cornstarch: swap 1 for 1 with arrowroot powder or tapioca starch, same amount, both give tender cookies.
Dairy free vegan butter: use solid coconut oil or a plant based stick margarine 1 for 1; if you use coconut oil chill the dough first cause it can make cookies spread more, and expect a mild coconut note.
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk: for egg free, use 4 tablespoons aquafaba (about 3 tbsp for the whole egg + 1 tbsp to mimic the yolk) or use 2 flax eggs plus 1 tbsp applesauce for extra richness, aquafaba usually gives better lift.

Pro Tips

– Weigh the flour if you can. Gluten free cup measures jump around a lot, so 160-165 g for 1 1/4 cups usually works better than eyeballing. If you dont have a scale, spoon the flour into the cup and level it off instead of scooping.

– Chill the scooped dough or even flash-freeze the scoops on the sheet for 20-30 minutes before baking. Cold dough spreads less, so you’ll get thicker, chewier centers. You can also bake straight from frozen, add a minute or two to bake time.

– Toast the oats quickly in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant, then cool. It boosts flavor and helps keep the texture from getting gummy. Or pulse 1/4 cup of the oats once in a food processor for a finer crumb without losing the chew.

– Sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on top right before baking and underbake by a minute so centers stay soft. Store cooled cookies with a slice of bread in the container to keep them tender longer, or freeze baked cookies flat between parchment for easy snacking later.

Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Kate Sinclair

0.0 from 0 votes

I developed a one-bowl, nut-free, dairy-free version of Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies using only pantry staples and simple swaps.

Servings

servings

Calories

228

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven set to 350 F
2. Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
3. Large mixing bowl (or two if you prefer)
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
5. Whisk for dry ingredients
6. Wooden spoon or handheld electric mixer for creaming
7. Rubber spatula for scraping the bowl
8. Medium cookie scoop or heaping tablespoon for portioning dough
9. Wire cooling rack to cool the cookies
10. Small covered bowl or container for chilling dough if you want thicker cookies

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups gluten free all purpose flour (1 to 1)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1 1/2 cups gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) dairy free vegan butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup dairy free chocolate chips (or regular chocolate chips if not avoiding dairy)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, set the rack in the middle of the oven.
In a large bowl whisk together 1 1/4 cups gluten free all purpose flour (1 to 1), 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon if using.
Add 1/2 cup softened dairy free vegan butter, 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar to the same bowl and cream with a wooden spoon or mixer until lighter in color and mostly smooth, scraping the sides. it doesn't have to be perfect.
Beat in 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined. use room temperature eggs if you can.
Stir in 1 1/2 cups gluten free old fashioned rolled oats, then fold the dry flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined, don’t overmix or the cookies get tough.
Fold in 1 cup dairy free chocolate chips (or regular chips if not avoiding dairy) making sure they're evenly distributed.
For thicker, chewier cookies chill the dough 20 to 30 minutes, but you can bake right away if you're impatient. chilling also helps control spread.
Scoop dough by heaping tablespoons or a medium cookie scoop onto the prepared sheet, about 2 inches apart. press each mound down slightly so they spread evenly.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes at 350 F until edges are golden and centers still look a little soft, they firm up as they cool. let the sheet cool 5 to 10 minutes then transfer cookies to a wire rack.
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer. quick tip: measure flour by spooning into the cup and level it off so your dough isn't too dry.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.