The best gluten free Chocolate Chip Cookies (Cookie times!)
Updated: Mar 3, 2022
Takes 1 hour. Makes about 12 large cookies.
It's finally time to share my *secret* cookie recipe. There's nothing fancy about it, no crazy, hard to find ingredients - in fact this recipe is easy, quick, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. And now with a recipe video which you can find below!
Self proclaimed chocolate chip cookie goodesss of the gluten world - one of the first things I though of after my coeliac diagnosis was, "how the heck am I going to continue my reign now?". Unfortunately, it's not as easy as switching the flour to the gluten free version, as it will end up dry and crumbly. This recipe that I've developed aims to get the golden crunchiness on the outside, but soft and chewy on the inside with dark bitter chocolate chunks to cut up the sweetness.
Yes, these are pretty much homemade Cookie Times!
If you are from New Zealand, and were diagnosed later in life - I could almost guarantee you've have the pleasure of eating a cookie time. While it might not be the case in 2021, these cookies were a staple item at a cool tuck shop or canteen when I was in school. Usually sitting on top of the food warmer, which was just enough heat to melt the chocolate inside. One of the best things to eat on a winters day. If you've have the unfortunate experience of trying a gluten free cookie time - let me apologise on behalf. They aren't good. They are weirdly over sweetened, the chocolate chunk have miraculously turned into mere fragments of chocolate, and the biscuit has the structural integrity of a stack of cards. We can only assume this is because they don't care about gluten free people. But not to worry - I care about gluten free people! Now, I would just like to mention that it's not just me saying this recipe tastes like Cookie Times, it's also my gluten eating partner - who couldn't even tell they were gluten free. In his words, "there are no difference between these biscuits and Cookie Times". And I felt like I'd probably peaked in life, and it was all downhill from here.
One of the techniques I used is browning butter in a saucepan. This gives it a slightly nutty and caramelised flavour - be careful not to burn it. While I say this recipe doesn't have any "hard-to-find" ingredients - it does contain one thing that may throw you off - Xanthan Gum. If you are new to gluten free cooking, I would recommend having a small container of this stuff handy, just to add into your baking when you are using a gluten free flour mix. It acts as a binder, like the gluten protein, and holds your baking together without becoming too heavy. Luckily, it can be found in most supermarkets in the Free From section, or you can get it from multiple places online. If you don't have it on hand - don't worry, you can still make this recipe without it, it will have a slightly more dry and crumbly texture. If you wanted to see what Xanthan Gum does for yourself, try this recipe with and without it, so you can see how it affects your cooking. Anyway - here's the recipe!
NB: Gluten Version for my Overseas New Zealand Friends!
If you would like a Cookie Time and you live overseas like me, but don't adhere to a gluten free diet - I got you! To make a gluten version, don't use Xanthan Gum, and use about 1 1/4 cups of flour instead of 1 and a half. Everything else is the same!
I N G R E D I E N T S
125 grams butter
1/4 cups white sugar
3/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
210 grams of gluten free flour
1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of salt
200 grams/a block of good quality dark chocolate (around 60-70%)
M E T H O D
Heat oven to 200° celcius on bake. Line a tray with baking paper.
Brown butter in a pot over a low heat on the stove, swirling often to make sure the butter doesn't burn..
Pour butter into a large bowl (preferably glass because the butter will still be hot), and add the brown and white sugars. Whisk by hand until combined, making sure there are no lumps of brown sugar clumped together.
Then add egg and whisk again..
Sift in gluten free flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix with a spoon until just combined.
Roughly chop your choice of chocolate and add to bowl and give it a quick mix. Don't cut the chocolate too small, you want to make sure you have some good sized chunks!
Roll dough into roughly palm sized balls, put on the pre-lined baking tray, and flatten with your hand. Keep cookies at least 5cm apart. I usually can only fit about 9 on a tray at a time.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden and then remove from the oven and cool.
Enjoy!
