Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe: Rice Flour-Based Desserts

Gluten-free chocolate chip cookies are a simple treat for families that avoid wheat. This recipe uses sweet rice flour and xanthan gum to give a soft bite. The method is close to regular cookies, so it suits beginners in gluten-free baking. With careful mixing and chilling, you get about 30 crisp-edged, chewy-centred cookies.

These gluten-free chocolate chip cookies rely on sweet rice flour, also called glutinous rice flour. The name sounds confusing, but the flour has no gluten at all. It is common in Asian grocery shops and many premium supermarkets in Indian cities. This makes the recipe easy to follow for most home bakers.

The recipe removes wheat flour but keeps the familiar cookie taste. Butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and chocolate chips create a rich flavour. Xanthan gum and rice flour help the dough hold its shape. The result is a gluten-free dessert that feels close to classic cookies.

For homes managing coeliac disease or gluten intolerance, clean work spaces are vital. All tools, bowls, and trays must be free from wheat flour dust. Check every label, especially on baking powder and similar items. Avoid products with modified starch or hidden gluten sources to keep these gluten-free chocolate chip cookies safe.

Choose additions with care if you like to change the basic dough. Oats may carry small amounts of gluten and are unsafe for strict gluten-free diets. Other gluten-free flours can replace sweet rice flour, but the dough may change. You may need to adjust the flour amount if the dough feels too wet or too dry.

Ingredients for gluten-free chocolate chip cookies

This gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe gives about 30 medium cookies. Use level measures for best results. All ingredients should be at room temperature for even mixing. The butter must be soft but not melted, so it creams well with the sugars.

• ½ cup (120 ml / 1 stick / 113 g) butter, softened

• ½ cup (120 ml / 100 g) white granulated sugar

• ½ cup (120 ml / 110 g) packed brown sugar

• 2 eggs (about 50 g each without shell)

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1¼ cups (300 ml / about 180 g) sweet rice flour

• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum

• ¾ teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• 1 cup (175 g) chocolate chips, or more to taste

  Equipment needed

  Basic baking tools are enough for this gluten-free cookie recipe. A stand mixer helps with creaming, but a hand mixer or even a strong whisk also works. Use a silicone liner if possible, because this dough can stick more than wheat-based cookie dough.

  • Large mixing bowl

  • Stand mixer with bowl or hand mixer with medium bowl

  • Wooden spoon

  • Cookie sheet or flat baking tray

  • Non-stick silicone baking sheet liner or parchment paper

    Step-by-step method

    This gluten-free chocolate chip cookie method follows the classic creaming style. Dry items mix in one bowl while wet items mix in another. Then they come together into a smooth dough. Chilling the shaped dough before baking improves shape and texture.

    1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Place a rack in the centre position. Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

    2. In a large mixing bowl, add sweet rice flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk or stir well so the raising agents spread evenly through the gluten-free flour.

    3. In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Cream until the mixture looks light and slightly fluffy. Use medium speed on a stand mixer or hand mixer for this step.

    4. Add the eggs to the butter mixture, one at a time, beating after each addition. Pour in the vanilla extract and mix again. The wet mixture should look smooth, without streaks of egg or butter.

    5. Tip the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until no dry flour remains. There is no gluten in this dough, so there is no risk from extra mixing during this stage.

    6. Fold in the chocolate chips with the wooden spoon. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to spread them evenly. If you like more chocolate in every bite, add a few extra chips at this point.

    7. Use a spoon or small scoop to form balls of dough about 1½ inches (4 cm) wide. Place them on the lined cookie sheet, leaving space between for spreading during baking.

    8. Chill the shaped cookie dough. Keep the tray in the fridge for 30–40 minutes or in the freezer for 10–20 minutes. This helps the gluten-free chocolate chip cookies hold their shape and bake evenly.

    9. Transfer the chilled tray to the hot oven. Bake until the cookies are golden brown on the edges. This may take around 25 minutes, though time can vary with different gluten-free flours and ovens.

    10. Remove the tray from the oven and let the cookies cool for a few minutes. Once they firm up, move them carefully to a wire rack. Allow them to cool fully before storing them in an airtight box.

    Notes, tips, and variations

    These gluten-free chocolate chip cookies sometimes need a longer baking time than wheat cookies. The sweet rice flour browns at a different rate. Check the colour rather than the clock. Edges should be golden while centres stay slightly soft when you first remove the tray.

    A silicone baking mat is useful because this dough can stick to plain metal trays. If you do not have a mat, line the tray with baking parchment. Avoid oats or any unclear add-ins if you must keep the cookies fully safe for coeliac diets.

    Nutritional values (approximate per cookie)

    The values below are estimates for one cookie when the batch makes 30 cookies. Actual values can change with different brands of butter, sugar, and chocolate chips.

    Nutrient	Amount
    Energy	110 kcal
    Carbohydrates	14 g
    Sugars	10 g
    Protein	1.5 g
    Total fat	5.5 g
    Saturated fat	3.3 g
    Fibre	0.3 g
    Sodium	55 mg

    With proper ingredient checks and a clean kitchen, these gluten-free chocolate chip cookies work well for people avoiding gluten. The recipe keeps the flavour of classic chocolate chip cookies while using sweet rice flour, making it a helpful base for further gluten-free baking experiments.