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This oat flour chocolate chip cookies recipe yields some of the softest, chewiest gluten-free cookies I have ever made. I use oat flour, brown sugar, and dark chocolate chips for a tender cookie, with that classic rich caramel sweetness that takes just 50 minutes to make.
Gluten-free baking can feel limiting at first, but recipes like oat flour chocolate chip cookies prove that it is not only possible but also delicious! Need further proof? Try my fluffy oat flour pancakes. Once I started making my own oat flour at home, the world of gluten-free treats opened up.
I started making these oat flour chocolate chip cookies when I had an abundance of rolled oats in my pantry. It seemed as good a time as any to focus on some gluten-free treats like my chocolate chip baked oats. My husband loves anything that uses oat flour, not only for its slightly nutty flavor, but also because gluten tends to cause him to bloat. So if you thought these cookies were reserved for my kids’ lunch boxes, you should know my husband consumes these more than anyone else in the house. But he does share his cookies with his work friends. Ha!
My oat flour chocolate chip cookies bring a boost of fiber, a gentle nutty flavor, and a low glycemic index for sustained energy release, unlike store-bought cookies. As a nutritionist, I appreciate the benefits the oat flour brings to this recipe, and as a mom, I love that my kids genuinely enjoy these gluten-free cookies.
Gluten-free baking does not require any difference in technique either. I make these oat flour cookies in the same way as I would any other, and they turn out pillowy soft with crisp edges. To start, I cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add in the wet ingredients before folding in my dry ingredients. One key difference is that I allow my cookie dough to chill, which gives my dough a chance to hydrate.
A good friend of mine has celiac disease and has to be incredibly mindful of what she eats. Whenever I try out new gluten-free dishes, I always get her seal of approval before rolling them out for the public. For a long time, I focused on savory meals, and my friend was always very complimentary, but one day she jokingly asked: “What does a girl have to do to get a gluten-free cookie around here?”
I asked why she did not just buy them or make them herself, and she said that she prefers cookies with an Anjali touch. Blatant flattery got her a large container of these oat flour chocolate chip cookies later that week. Even if you eat gluten, I highly recommend trying this recipe the next time you are craving cookies.
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🥘 Ingredients
These are the simple ingredients I use to create the ideal flavor and texture in my oat flour chocolate chip cookies:
Butter: Softened butter creates a creamy base that helps the cookies stay tender and rich.
Brown sugar: This adds moisture and contributes to the chewy center.
Egg: I use 1 egg to bind the dough and give the cookies structure as they bake.
Vanilla extract: I mix in vanilla extract to round out the flavors and give my cookies a classic finish.
Oat flour: I use finely ground oat flour for a soft and gluten-free texture.
Baking powder: This gives my cookies a slight rise as they bake, keeping the interior light.
Chocolate chips: I fold in dark chocolate chips for pockets of rich, melted goodness.
Sea salt flakes: I sprinkle a small pinch of this over the top of the cookies for a mild contrast to the sweetness.
🔪 How To Make
The process for making these oat flour chocolate chip cookies uses just one bowl and an age-old mixing process. This is how I do it:
Preheat and prepare: First, I preheat my oven to 340F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cream butter: Then I cream my softened butter and brown sugar together in a stand mixer until it is light and fluffy.
Add wet ingredients: Next, I add the egg and vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar, and whisk together until fully incorporated.
Add dry ingredients: I add the rest of the dry ingredients, except for the salt flakes, into the mixture and stir until a dough forms.
Chill dough: Then I place my cookie dough in the fridge and let it chill for 30 minutes.
Shape: I scoop out a tablespoon-sized amount of dough and roll it into a ball, place it on the baking sheet, then press down gently. I repeat this step until all the dough has been used up.
Add chocolate chips and salt: I press several dark chocolate chips into the top of each cookie and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt.
Bake: Then I place my cookie rounds in the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden.
Cool: Once out of the oven, I transfer the cookies onto a wire cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.
My #1 Secret Tip for this oat flour chocolate chip cookie recipe is to chill the dough before baking. I never skip this step, as this gives the oat flour time to absorb moisture, which helps the cookies bake thicker with a softer center, instead of spreading.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Space out cookies: When arranging the cookie dough on the baking tray, be sure to leave enough space between each cookie, as they do spread a little. If they are too close together, they may spread into each other and fuse as they bake.
- Room temperature: Before I start baking, I make sure my butter and eggs have reached room temperature. This allows them to blend into the other ingredients easily.
- Do not melt butter: The butter needs to be soft, but not melted, before it is creamed with the sugar. Never melt the butter in the microwave; instead, cut it up into smaller pieces and allow it to come to room temperature.
- Watch bake time: I remove the cookies when the centers still look slightly soft. They continue to firm up as they cool, and the centers will set to a soft texture.
📖 Variations
These are 3 of my favorite oat flour chocolate chip cookie variations, which receive praise from everyone:
Nut crunch mix: I add 1/2 cup of finely chopped walnuts or pecans for a classic chocolate chip cookie mix that adds a delightful crunch. My husband loves the extra nutty flavor, and even asks me to add more nuts to the batter.
Double chocolate: I mix in 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder and reduce the oat flour by 2 tablespoons for a richer chocolate flavor. This is obviously my kids’ favorite.
Coconut add-in: For a subtle and sweet coconut flavor, I stir 1/3 cup shredded coconut into the dry ingredients. I love this addition as it gives the cookies a chewier texture.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
Oat flour chocolate chip cookies, like most cookies, go well with a cool glass of almond milk. But if you would like to elevate your experience, serve these cookies with my gluten-free vegan oat flour cake for afternoon tea with a warm mug of my oat milk hot chocolate. And if the weather calls for something cooler, my kids swear by my chocolate milk tea.
At home, we treat our oat flour chocolate chip cookies a little differently. My eldest enjoys their cookies with a lavender latte and a spoonful of my healthy vegan chocolate sauce for dipping purposes. Whereas my youngest has no limits. Most recently, I witnessed these cookies get crumbled and mixed into a bowl of lychee ice cream. And to be fair, it did not taste too bad.
🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating
Room temperature or refrigeration: I store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the fridge if I want them slightly firmer.
Freezing: I freeze baked cookies or raw balls in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Make sure to separate layers with parchment paper.
Reheating: If refrigerated, I allow the cookies to sit at room temperature until serving. For a warmer cookie, I heat them in the oven at 300F for a few minutes.
❓ Recipe FAQs
The difference actually matters more than you may realize. Personally, I love using my own homemade oat flour for certain recipes, but there are times when I prefer a store-bought brand, as it has been milled much finer than I could do at home. These cookies do well with fine flour. If you are making your own oat flour, I recommend blending the oats in a high-speed blender for 60-90 seconds and then passing them through a sieve.
The type of oats you start with makes a significant difference in the final texture of the cookie. I prefer rolled oats, or old-fashioned oats, as they blend down into a fine light flour, which does really well in baked dishes. Quick oats could also work, but since they are already partially processed and break down easily, the flour will be slightly finer, and the cookies will be a bit denser. I do not recommend steel-cut oats as they are too hard and coarse to blend into a decent flour, which will likely yield a gritty cookie.
Before chilling, my dough usually looks soft, slightly sticky, and thick enough to hold its shape when scooped, but not so firm that it is difficult to press together. I look for a matte finish and a tacky feel when touched. After my dough has spent 30 minutes in the fridge, it should look noticeably firmer and feel more like modeling clay. When it holds a clean shape and can roll into a ball without sticking to my hands, then it is ready to be baked. If it still feels too soft after 30 minutes in the fridge, give it another 15 minutes of chill time.
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📋 Recipe Card
Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
This oat flour chocolate chip cookies recipe yields some of the softest, chewiest gluten-free cookies I have ever made. I use oat flour, brown sugar, and dark chocolate chips for a tender cookie, with that classic rich caramel sweetness that takes just 50 minutes to make.
Servings: 18 servings
Calories: 174kcal
- My #1 Secret Tip for this oat flour chocolate chip cookie recipe is to chill the dough before baking. I never skip this step, as this gives the oat flour time to absorb moisture, which helps the cookies bake thicker with a softer center, instead of spreading.
- Space out cookies: When arranging the cookie dough on the baking tray, be sure to leave enough space between each cookie, as they do spread a little. If they are too close together, they may spread into each other and fuse as they bake.
- Room temperature: Before I start baking, I make sure my butter and eggs have reached room temperature. This allows them to blend into the other ingredients easily.
- Do not melt butter: The butter needs to be soft, but not melted, before it is creamed with the sugar. Never melt the butter in the microwave; instead, cut it up into smaller pieces and allow it to come to room temperature.
- Watch bake time: I remove the cookies when the centers still look slightly soft. They continue to firm up as they cool, and the centers will set to a soft texture.
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g