These gluten free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, filled with brown sugar, chocolate chips and gluten free oats, are my family’s favourite. I bet you can’t eat just one!
These. Cookies. Are. Gluten. Free.
There, I said it. But, if you don’t tell anyone, they would NEVER know. Seriously!
These cookies are the based on the recipe for the cookies that I’ve been making my family for the past 18 years. After being diagnosed with celiac disease, and having to adopt a gluten free diet, I’d make them for the rest of the family to enjoy, while I continued searching for a “tried and true” gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Let me tell you…every single gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipe failed. None could live up to the standards that the old stand-by recipe had set. None were good enough. A lot did not contain oatmeal (chocolate chip cookies need oatmeal, in my opinion). Some were just greasy little flat puddles by the time they baked, even with refrigeration. Not one of those cookies could hold a candle to the families favorite cookies. Until now.
For years, I have baked these cookies as a “first day of school” after-school treat. When the kids come home on that first day, there is a plate of warm cookies waiting for them, so we can sit and chat about all the new things they experienced that day. It’s become a great tradition. That doesn’t mean we limit these cookies to that one day only though, we enjoy them any time, year round as well. Sometimes I change things up a bit by using half chocolate chips, and half peanut butter or butterscotch chips. No matter what I do, they area always devoured in no time.
I’ve fed these gluten free Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies to family, friends, neighbor kids, classmates, and no one can tell the difference between these and “regular” chocolate chip cookies. They are that good. Seriously. If you can tolerate oats, try them, you won’t be disappointed!
Now, if you will excuse me…I’ve got a cuppa coffee and a cookie waiting for me. You can’t doddle here, these cookies get gobbled up quickly. Get your butter out now, so it can soften while you read and print the recipe. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line a baking pan with parchment paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the softened butter and the brown sugar. Scrape down the bowl. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix until fully incorporated. In a large bowl, combine brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, baking powder and baking soda. Stir to blend. With the mixer running on low, incorporate the dry ingredients into butter/sugar mixture. Add the gluten free oats and chocolate chips, and mix until fully combined. Using a cookie scoop (or two tablespoons), drop cookies onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2-inches (5 cm) between cookies. Bake in preheated oven for 11-12 minutes, depending on your oven. You want them to be slightly browned around the outside, but still slightly moist in the middle. Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cool completely, then store in an airtight container. You can also make bakery sized cookies using this recipe. Scoop about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of dough per cookie, and flatten just slightly with the palm of your hand. Leave 2-inches between cookies. You will need to increase your bake time to about 13-15 minutes, depending on your oven.
Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Photo and Recipe updated June 2016
Eliana says
September 10, 2010 at 2:25 pmThese look like picture perfect chocolate chip cookies 🙂 I wish I could have a few of them right now.
Jeanine says
September 10, 2010 at 2:27 pmAw, thanks Eliana! I would be more than happy to share with you. 🙂
if you don't need GF, just replace the flour with 2 cups all purpose, and drop the xanthan gum. Such great cookies. You can also do 1 cup M&M's in place of 1 cup of chocolate chips. Mmm…
Susan says
September 10, 2010 at 2:32 pmThose cookies look great!! I'm making a fresh cuppa coffee as I'm reading this and one of those good lookiing cookies would be great right about now…
Jeanine says
September 10, 2010 at 2:35 pmI'm about to go get my coffee too…ya think I can Skype you a cookie?? Fewer calories that way. 😉
Amber says
September 10, 2010 at 10:33 pmMmm Must make lol Thanks for this recipe! 🙂
Jeanine says
September 11, 2010 at 8:21 amYou're welcome,Amber! Let me know how they turn out. 🙂
Sarah says
September 11, 2010 at 9:41 amThese look wonderful. i'll have to try them. I've been in the cookie mood lately, but not in the baking GF mood. Hence, no cookies. Thanks for the recipe.
Jeanine says
September 11, 2010 at 10:10 amSarah, I know exactly what you mean about the gf cooking mood. It does take a certain mood to be willing to experiment with it, doesn't it? More like a science experiment than baking. 😛 Enjoy the cookies! 😉
betty r says
September 11, 2010 at 5:33 pmYumm..these cookies look fantastic Jeanine and with a cup of coffee..oh my over the top! By the way I have 'monster cookies' baking as I type:)
Jeanine says
September 11, 2010 at 6:00 pmOhh…Monster cookies are really good too, Betty! Cookies & Coffee are just a winning combo. 🙂
Simply...Gluten-free says
September 12, 2010 at 11:39 amI have one word – yum! Your blog is just lovely. I would love it if you would consider entering my gluten free fodd photo contest, can be an old post. I would not normally leave a link in a comment but in case you want to join the fun – http://simplygluten-free.blogspot.com/2010/08/gluten-free-photo-contest-scanpan.html
Jeanine says
September 12, 2010 at 1:27 pmHi Carol! Thanks so much for the comment, I appreciate it. 🙂 And thanks for the link too, I have every intention of entering…just need to figure out which pic to use. Nice to know it can be older posts too, that helps. 🙂 Thanks again!
Jenna says
September 13, 2010 at 8:09 amI have a big bag of gluten-free oats in the cabinet to use up. I just found another use. Of course, my husband can't eat oats. I guess that just leaves more for me.
Jeanine says
September 13, 2010 at 8:11 amNot everyone can tolerate the oats, but for those of us that can, this recipe is a great way to use them! 🙂 Since I bake these cookies and the whole family eats them, I never have a problem finding a use for the GF oats. 🙂
Tasty Eats At Home says
September 13, 2010 at 3:36 pmI bet your daughter (and everyone else) loved these!
Jeanine says
September 13, 2010 at 8:15 pmYep, I even got told "You're the best Mom ever". worth it to me! 🙂
Diamond says
September 14, 2010 at 3:57 pmThese look just right, and I've been on a GF CC Cookie quest this summer. I'll have to try these, even if summer is over 😉
Jeanine says
September 14, 2010 at 4:23 pmDefinitely! Nothing as good as chocolate chip cookies & a warm drink! 🙂
Melanie says
September 20, 2010 at 7:54 amThese cookies looked wonderful so I made them once with terrible results:they were totally flat and all ran together in the pan but they tasted good so I had hope.I made them again and this time I refrigerated the dough overnight and when cooked they looked and tasted beautiful just like your picture.FYI! Thanks for a my kids new favorite cookie recipe!
Jeanine says
September 20, 2010 at 8:08 amPhew! I'm so glad that you gave them another try, and that they worked for you the second time too. 🙂 Every kid needs to have a oatmeal chocolate chip cookie! 🙂
Michelle B says
September 24, 2010 at 3:34 pmThese are just perfect! Made a batch today. I am so glad it makes a big batch, because I wanted to take some to a get together, but my family wanted some, too. These were probably the best GF cookies I've made. I love it when they look normal and taste normal and don't fall apart! Thank you for a wonderful recipe! Oatmeal chocolate chip is one of my faves. Looking forward to when I can try more recipes.
Queen of the Hill says
May 21, 2011 at 5:57 pmI have been celiac for 2 1/2 years and I just found your sight. Boy, oh boy, have I been missing out. Thank you thank you for this cookie recipe. I hate that most gf chocolate chip cookies are "cake-like". A chocolate chip cookie should be gooey and chewy. They were delicious! It completely made my whole day.
Anonymous says
May 27, 2011 at 5:18 amAMAZING! Made them for my mums group. 3 year old kids and mums all loved them. Thanks so much!
Anya says
January 1, 2012 at 4:55 pmI made your recipe for a New Year’s Eve party yesterday. I have only been gluten free for a few months and I think these were the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies I have ever made gluten free or not. Everyone at the party loved them and had no idea that they were gluten free! Thanks for the recipe!
Jeanine says
January 6, 2012 at 8:48 pmYes! That’s what I love to hear!! So happy that they were a hit for you, Anya! 🙂
M says
January 23, 2012 at 7:12 amI too am having problems with cookie puddles. Can I subsitute butter for the Margarine??
Jeanine says
January 23, 2012 at 7:17 amYes, you can substitute butter for the margarine. However, from my reading, butter creates a thinner cookie than margarine does. Shortening creates the thickest cookie. I would add a little bit more flour if you are finding they are still going flat. HTH.
Tami says
June 25, 2012 at 10:04 pmThese cookies are baking now.=) My husband and 2 year old already named them yummy and “not gluten-free tasting”. What I love so far is the ease of the recipe, very straight forward ingredients, and the cookies didn’t fall apart when I moved them from the cookie sheet to the cooling rack. I have had that happen plenty of times. I just have to tell you that your recipes are very consistent and I have learned to always search your blog first when I’m looking for a specific recipe. I have made a few muffins, most recently your pumpkin cream cheese that were so yummy and your sunrise rolls that were SO delicious! Thank you for being consistent and making easy recipes. There is another gf blog that I regularly follow and though her recipes LOOK amazing, I have had far too many fail and I feel that they’re for a more advanced baker, which I don’t claim to be.=) anyway, thought I’d share some encouragement!
Tami says
June 25, 2012 at 10:04 pmBy the way, I used butter and my cookies weren’t flat at all.
Jeanine says
June 27, 2012 at 9:57 pmFANTASTIC!! 🙂 So happy to hear that, Tammy! Nothing makes me smile more than hearing about happy kids. 🙂
Nic says
December 9, 2012 at 3:56 pmI have made these cookies numerous times, but substitute 2 tbsp ground flax mixed with 6 tbsp warm water for the eggs and use non-dairy chips to make them vegan also! I’ve also tried a huge variety of add ins, such as dried cranberries/raisins, hard shelled chocolate candies, nuts…everything is good! They are soft and chewy, just the way they should be! Thank you!
Robin says
January 29, 2013 at 10:39 pmAfter over 2 years of being gluten-free, I can finally tolerate GF oats! To celebrate, I made these cookies. They were AWESOME! Thanks for this recipe.
Jeanine says
January 31, 2013 at 7:18 amAh, welcome back to oats!! 🙂 When you can add oats back into your diet, the number of foods you can eat again increases too! I LOVE these cookies too, glad to hear you do as well. 🙂
Alisha says
February 10, 2013 at 2:07 pmThese are some seriously solid gf cookies. Chewy and soft but with substance. I had to bake them on one sheet at a time and the texture of the first batch differs from the second because the batter sat for 15 minutes or so. The first batch turned themselves into square cookies and ran together and flattened. The second batch only slightly ran together and stayed round and thicker. I think I’ll let the whole bowl sit before baking next time. Both equally delicious though!
Jeanine says
February 11, 2013 at 11:40 amInteresting! Did you use quick cook oats? Or just regular rolled oats? I find regular causes the cookies to run more. I agree, they are very yummy though. 🙂
yaz says
May 22, 2014 at 9:07 amHi Jeanine,
I want to make oatmeal gluten free cookies for a person with Celiac disease,can I use Quaker Oates old fashion oats? I don’t know, if they are gluten free.
Thank you.
YK
Jeanine says
May 22, 2014 at 9:16 amHi yaz,
Quaker oats are not gluten-free. To make this gluten-free, you have to use gluten-free (sometimes called pure) oats.
Bridy says
May 5, 2018 at 10:55 pmWhat can i say. I love these! It is 11pm and after working for 12 hours I needed a treat! Came home at whipped these up in no time. Thank you for another great recipe!