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top view of gluten free brown butter chocolate chunk cookies.
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5 from 1 vote

Gluten-Free Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brown butter takes a classic gluten-free chocolate chip cookie over the top. Deliciously thick & chewy, these easy cookies are ready from start to finish in under an hour. Brown butter, chunks of dark chocolate, and flaky sea salt create the best gluten-free cookie you've ever had!
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 10 cookies
Calories: 279kcal

Ingredients

  • ½ cup salted butter, melted see instructions for how to brown the butter
  • cup packed brown sugar
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg + 1 yolk
  • cup gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum I use Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour (blue bag)
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt add an extra pinch if using unsalted butter
  • bars of dark chocolate, chopped about 150g
  • 1 tablespoon flaky sea salt optional

Instructions

Brown the butter

  • Cube the butter and place it into a saucepan. Turn the heat to medium-high and allow the butter to melt, stirring occasionally. Once melted, it will begin to bubble, foam, and brown. When the butter is an amber colour, pour it into a heatproof bowl, scraping all the brown bits with it. This whole process should take 6-10 minutes. Allow the butter to cool for 10 minutes.

Make the cookies

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare 1-2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the melted brown butter, sugars, vanilla extract, egg, and yolk until smooth. Add the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the same bowl. Use a rubber spatula to gently mix together the dry ingredients, then fold into the wet ingredients to create the dough. Finally, fold in the chocolate chunks, saving some to top the cookies with before baking.
  • Use a 3 tablespoon scoop or an ice cream scoop to form the dough into 10 balls. You can bake the cookies immediately to be slightly crispier, or place the dough balls on a plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes for chewier cookies.
  • Place the cookie dough balls the baking sheet(s) with enough room to spread. Press some extra chocolate into the tops. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden. The middles will still look soft. I do about 11 minutes.
  • Wearing oven mitts, slam the baking sheet on the counter a few times to encourage the cookies to spread. Immediately take a large cookie cutter or a glass and gently swirl it around each cookie to create the perfect circle shape.
  • Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes until they are set, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Enjoy warm or allow to come to room temperature.

Notes

  • Make it dairy-free: Use an equal amount of dairy-free butter or coconut oil in place of butter. Dairy-free butter won't brown well, so skip that step and just melt it. Ensure the chocolate is dairy-free.
  • Storage: Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Reheat for 10 seconds in the microwave if desired.
  • Freezing cookie dough: Cookie dough can be rolled into balls and placed on a parchment-lined baking sheet to flash freeze for 10 minutes. This will prevent the cookies from sticking to each other. Then place the cookie dough balls in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake as directed, plus 1-2 minutes.
  • Freezing baked cookies: Wrap cookies tightly in plastic wrap or tin foil and place in an airtight, freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
    • To thaw, allow to sit at room temperature for a few hours. Reheat for 10-15 seconds in the microwave if desired.
 
Nutrition facts are an estimate.

Nutrition

Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2.6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.4g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 57.6mg | Sodium: 203mg | Potassium: 97.6mg | Fiber: 2.4g | Sugar: 10.5g | Vitamin A: 99IU | Calcium: 30.2mg | Iron: 1.1mg