Crispy outside and soft on the inside these gluten-free chocolate chip cookies with peppermint just melt in your mouth. These don't taste like your traditional dry gluten-free cookies.
Make it with or without crushed candy canes and enjoy these chewy cookies any time of the year!
These gluten-free chocolate chip cookies are an excellent sweet addition to your festive table along with our popular Cranberry Orange Mini Loaves, Almond Cranberry Tart, Gluten-Free Apple Cobbler.
There is a skip-to-recipe button in the top left corner along with a clickable table of contents list (just below) that will quickly take you to the part you are more interested in. Enjoy!
Table Of Contents
Ingredients
My few comments on the ingredients + don't forget to read the Tips section!
The full recipe and ingredients can be found in the recipe card below this post.
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour - I like to use flour blends that already contain xanthan gum like this, this or this flours. For Bob's Red Mill there are different choices. Carefully read the label as some of these do not contain xanthan gum. If your flour doesn't contain a thickening agent (necessary for gluten-free cookies) then you have to add it. For best results add ¼ teaspoon of Xanthan gum per 1 cup of flour (for cookies).
- Almond Flour - I also added this flour which helps with flavor and chewy texture. But for nut-free cookies leave this out and substitute with gluten-free flour (the same one that you are going to use).
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate chips - any chocolate chips will work here. Good quality matters though. Some of the brands, especially when using milk chocolate chips will bubble up, melt and burn easily, especially when added on top of the cookies while baking. However, I don't press chocolate chips on top of the dough balls before baking. If I want to decorate the cookies, I will only add chips on top right after baking. Cookies are still warm and wobbly, and once set the chips look very pretty and keep their shape. I usually add these but in this recipe, I added mint candy canes instead. But you can do both!
- For the best texture in any cookie (okay, most of the cookies) both brown and white sugars should be added. Choose organic whenever possible. In theory, if you are avoiding refined sugars, you can replace those with coconut sugar. Flavor and texture may differ slightly. I haven't tried this option, yet.
- Eggs - help the cookies to hold together and puff as they bake. I haven't tried it, but for the vegan option, you could try substituting this with a flax egg. 1 flax egg is about 3 tablespoons water mixed with 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed. And for this recipe, you'll need two of these.
- Butter - unsalted butter is better for baking but if salted one is all you have, it works. Just don't add the ¼ teaspoon of salt as instructed in this recipe. For the vegan option, vegan butter could work here just fine. The flavor of course, will be different.
- If you have sea salt flakes on hand, these help cookies to become even more flavorful and intensify the chocolate flavor even more. Add these after baking while the cookies are warm.
Instructions
In a medium bowl, sift the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside.
In a separate bowl or a bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, coconut oil, and sugars until smooth.
Add the eggs, one by one beating in between until incorporated in the batter. Add vanilla, and peppermint extract. Beat until combined.
Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients bowl in batches and beat on low speed.
Fold in chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop about 1 ½ tablespoon size cookie dough balls (use a cookie scoop or measuring spoons for this) and place on the baking sheet.
Make sure your cookies are at least 2-3 inches apart.
Bake for 11-13 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is still soft.
Cool the cookies for 3 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Recommended Equipment
- Measuring cup and measuring spoons - measure like a pro.
- Baking sheet - a large size is better, and if you have a big oven then you can cook multiple ones at the same time.
- Parchment paper
- Silpat liners - if you have these then great, if not parchment paper works just fine.
Tips
- Measuring - for accurately measuring your ingredients weigh them with a food scale or use the spoon and level method.
Xanthan gum is essential for gluten-free cookies and most of gluten-free baking recipe. It's a must and helps to stabilize the cookie dough and helps the cookies from crumbling and falling apart.
- Oven - every oven is of course different, especially since there's a clear difference in EU and the US oven models and temperatures vary. Your oven needs to be preheated correctly and baking time will depend on that greatly. If you have the opportunity, to purchase an oven thermometer, your cookies will thank you. I also sometimes (well, mainly before the electricity went up insanely in $) baked one cookie first to test it out and then baked the rest of the batch.
- I recommend underbaking rather than overbaking. Once the cookies are removed from the oven they will still continue to bake on the baking sheet. These gluten-free chocolate chip cookies should be still soft and wobbly in the middle after baking. Once set, they will stay soft.
- I refrigerate most of my cookies. This helps them from spreading too much during baking.
Freezing And Storing Instructions
These cookies can be stored at room temperature, and covered with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 2-3 days. I don't recommend refrigerating them as it will dry them out.
You can still freeze these. It's fine if done properly and right after baking and cooling completely. Store in freezer friendly bag or an airtight container for up to 1-2 months.
Thaw in the fridge and let come to room temperature. The texture may slightly differ from freshly baked ones.
Unbaked Gluten free cookie dough can be frozen as well. Let it thaw until the moment you can scoop the dough into balls. It should not be overly frozen or too soft.
FAQ
Gluten-free flour and flour blends contain essential fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.
Almond flour helps with flavor, and sweetness and helps to retain moisture in cookies.
Yes, you can use other butter such as dairy-free or vegan butter in gluten free cookies. The flavor may slightly differ but the texture should be very close to the original recipe.
Easy Dessert Recipes
Or try more our favorite cookies such as Oreo Cream Cheese Cookies, raspberry Thumbprint Cookies, or Oatmeal Cookies.
ALL DESSERT recipes.
Thank you for reading,
Love,
Julia
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Recipe
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies With Peppermint
INGREDIENTS
For Cookies
- 1 ⅓ cups gluten-free flour with xantham gum (King Arthur or Schar Mix C)
- ¼ cup almond flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (good quality matters)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- ¼ cup coconut oil preferably in softened solid form
- ¾ cup lightly packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ¾ cup medium-sweet chocolate chips
For Serving
- 1 ½ cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
- ½ cup crushed peppermint candy or candy canes
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a medium bowl, sift the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl or a bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, coconut oil, and sugars until smooth.
- Add the eggs, one by one beating in between until incorporated in the batter. Add vanilla, and peppermint extract. Beat until combined.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients bowl in batches and beat on low speed.
- Fold in chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop about 1 ½ tablespoon size cookie dough balls (use a cookie scoop or measuring spoons for this) and place on the baking sheet. Make sure your cookies are at least 2-3 inches apart.
- Bake for 13 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is still soft. Cool the cookies for 3 minutes on the pan, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Video
NOTES
- Nutrition value calculated without the candy cane and chocolate drizzle topping.
- Xanthan gum is essential for gluten-free cookies and most of gluten-free baking recipe. It's a must and helps to stabilize the cookie dough and helps the cookies from crumbling and falling apart.
- I refrigerate most of my cookies. This helps them from spreading too much during baking.
- I recommend underbaking rather than overbaking. Once the cookies are removed from the oven they will still continue to bake on the baking sheet. These gluten-free chocolate chip cookies should be still soft and wobbly in the middle after baking. Once set, they will stay soft.
PRIVATE NOTES
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
This recipe was inspired and adapted from here.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Chewy and moist gluten free chocolate chip cookies that you have been craving for!