These Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies are made with quinoa flour for a wonderful gluten-free twist on an American classic cookie. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt for a delightfully sweet and salty treat.
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It’s Gluten-Free Cookie time, my friends!
I originally posted this recipe as part of Vegan Mofo back in September of 2014. That’s nearly 5 years ago! For the entire month of September, I went through the alphabet creating recipes that highlighted an ingredient for each letter. It was 26 recipes in 30 days!
These vegan gluten-free chocolate chip cookies were created for the letter “Q”. Why? Because these amazing cookies are made with quinoa flour for a soft and fluffy gluten-free cookie that is one of the best. These chocolate chip cookies have no weird aftertaste, no difficult combination of flours, and have a perfect pillowy cookie texture.
I think it’s about time we take another look at these vegan chocolate chip cookies.
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment
These cookies are soft and pillowy with a lightly crisp outside and melt-in-your-mouth chocolate in every bite. And you’re going to love how simple they are. They can be made in just 20 minutes with simple, easy-to-find ingredients and they are 100% vegan and gluten-free!
Here is everything you need.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Quinoa Flour – Because quinoa flour is high in protein (like bread flour) it will bake similarly resulting in a delicious melt-in-your-mouth, ultra soft cookie. You can find quinoa flour at most well-stocked grocery stores and natural grocery stores. You can also pick it up online. (<<affiliate link)
- Baking Powder & Soda
- Salt
- Coconut Oil – While I recommended coconut oil, any neutral flavored oil works.
- Brown Sugar– Check out my guide to vegan sugars and alternative sugar replacements.
- Flax Egg – This is the binder of the recipe. You could replace it with equal amounts chickpea flour egg, 1/4 cup mashed banana or apple sauce. For more options, check out my complete guide to replacing eggs.
- Vanilla Extract – Use 100% pure vanilla extract for best flavor.
- Vegan Chocolate Chips
- Dry Roasted Peanuts
- Coarse Sea Salt
Recommended Equipment
For this recipe you will need basic baking equipments such as mixing bowl, utensils, baking sheets, silicone baking mats, and a wire cooling rack. (<<affiliate links)
Check out the full list of my recommended kitchen tools and gadgets.
How to Make Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Step One – Make the Dough
Start by mixing together the quinoa flour with the baking soda, powder, and salt.
In a separate bowl combining your melted coconut oil, brown sugar, and flax egg. Sift your dry ingredients into your oil/sugar mixture. With a wooden spoon, mix them together until a thick dough forms. Do not over-mix.
Now it’s time for the best part – fold in those chocolate chips!
Step Two – Bake the Cookies
Baking the cookies just right is essential for getting that perfect vegan gluten-free chocolate chip cookie – a delicate crispy edge with a delightfully soft, melt-in-your-mouth center.
Roll the dough into balls about 2 tablespoons in size. Place them on a baking sheet and press them down ever so slightly with the palm of your hand.
Serving and Storing
Serving – If you would like, sprinkle some quality coarse salt on the cookies before baking. The combination of chocolate and salt is perfection. Let these cookies cool 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. When they come out of the oven they are fairly crumbling. They will harden as they cool.
Storing – Leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Tips And Tricks
- The most accurate way to measure flour is to spoon it into your measuring cup, leveling it off with the back of a knife.
- Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Placing these between the baking sheet and your cookies will not only prevent sticking, but it will also encourage the cookies to bake faster on the outside giving you that soft and chewy middle.
- It’s very important that the quinoa flour is superfine, for this reason, I recommend using store-bought rather than grinding your own.
- Bake for less time. I always recommend taking your cookies out when they are slightly underdone. Cookies will continue to bake on the baking sheet as they cool. You can tell cookies are done when they are slightly brown and flattened but still have a bit of wobble.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool at least 5 minutes on the cookie tray before transferring them to a wire cooling rack. This is the final touch in creating that perfect chewy texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can store the dough in the freezer for fresh-baked cookies every day! To do this, roll the cookie dough into balls and place them on a baking sheet in the freezer. Let the cookie balls freeze completely, at least 2 hours, before transferring them into a large ziplock bag to be stored for up to 2 months. This way you can pull out a couple of cookies at a time to bake as you please!
Good question! I have found that swapping quinoa flour for all-purpose works in some of my recipes. I can successfully swap it out in my Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies and Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies. However, the texture does change. Quinoa flour cookies tend to be softer and pillowy rather than chewy and dense.
More Vegan Cookie Recipes:
- Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vegan Snickerdoodles
- Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Double Chocolate Cookies
More Gluten Free Cookie Recipes
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 flax or chickpea flour egg
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts
- coarse sea salt for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl combine the quinoa flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, sugar, and flax or chickpea flour egg. Add the peanut butter and vanilla extract and stir to combine.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet. Once fully incorporated stir in the chocolate chips and peanuts.
- Scoop cookies onto the baking sheet (about 2 tablespoons per cookie), flatten slightly and sprinkle a little sea salt on each cookie. Bake for 8 minutes until slightly brown on the edges. They will feel slightly underdone but will continue to harden while they cool.
- Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to wire cooling racks to cool completely.
Notes
- The most accurate way to measure flour is to spoon it into your measuring cup, leveling it off with the back of a knife.
- Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Placing these between the baking sheet and your cookies will not only prevent sticking, but it will also encourage the cookies to bake faster on the outside giving you that soft and chewy middle.
- It’s very important that the quinoa flour is superfine, for this reason, I recommend using store-bought rather than grinding your own.
- Bake for less time. I always recommend taking your cookies out when they are slightly underdone. Cookies will continue to bake on the baking sheet as they cool. You can tell cookies are done when they are slightly brown and flattened but still have a bit of wobble.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Honey says
Loved these, cant taste the quinoa. I did however have to cook a bit longer as they were still doughy inside. Maybe I made them to thick but they looked like the picture 🤷🏼♀️
Anyway delish!
Kaylee Kozyniak says
Wow, sooo good, thank you!!
David Pozo says
I thought that most gluten free cookies recipe need xanthan gum to staid together. How come yours does not you use this ingredient?
Sarah McMinn says
There are other ways to stick cookies together without xanthan gum. In this case, the quinoa flour works great!
Judy says
Hi Sarah,
I just baked the cookies and they are very good! I have a question about the consistency of the batter. It was so thick that I couldn’t mix it with a spoon, I had to use my hands….does that sound right? Is there something to do to make it thinner? Because it was so thick I could barely mix in the chocolate chips and had to leave out the peanuts. :{
That being said, they are really delicious! Thanks!
Sarah says
It’s a pretty thick batter. I typically make these in my stand up mixer so it’s not an issue but I would imagine needing to use my hands to fold in the chocolate chips if you were mixing by hand.
Jonathan says
Hey there! I was wondering if removing the peanut butter has a big Impact on the recipe and if so, what to change with it. Thanks so much for your time!
Sarah says
I’ve tried that and the cookies fell apart a bit. You could swap it out for another nut butter though.
Theresa Manolitsis says
Would you recommend another flour?
Thanks in advance!!
Sarah says
You could try a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend but I haven’t tried anything else.
Nellie says
Hello Sarah, is there any difference in outcome with using the flax egg or chickpea egg? Is there one you recommend more than the other? Thank you.
Sarah says
Both would work without much difference.
Gopi says
Just finished making these vegan cookies. I’m surprised how great they turned out, can’t given taste the quinoa flour. Sure gonna make these cookies again.
Gopi says
Wondering how many calories are in one cookie?
Amber says
Hi.
Can I use Coconut sugar??
Sarah says
I’ve never tried that before. If you give it a try, let us know how they turn out!
Krystal says
Um…where did you find vegan chocolate chips?
Sarah says
Most grocery stores around here have at least one option. I know Whole Foods and Trader Joes both do. Check the back of semisweet and you might be surprised that some common brands are vegan.
Jojo says
These look so, so delicious! I need to make them ASAP!
Sarah C says
Cannot wait to make these! Did you make the quinoa flour by grinding it up yourself, or buy quinoa flour premade?
Sarah says
I would highly recommend using pre-made. The first time I tried this recipe, I ground my own but because it wasn’t as fine it did not turn out. In fact, I am going to write a note into the recipe about this because it’s pretty important for the quinoa flour to be super fine (aka store bought)
The Vegan Cookie Fairy says
‘It’s going to get colder. The leaves are going to fall. And we’ll eat a lot of pumpkin.’
That is exactly how I feel about autumn 🙂 Bring on the pumpkin-spiced everything!
Chrissy says
I just can’t not make these cookies! And that photo of the single cookie on the white plate… You have outdone yourself, ma’am 🙂
Caeli @ Little Vegan Bear says
Ooh those salt chunks – I’m practically salivating!