Gluten Free Cookie Recipe (Vegan) (2024)

This simple gluten free cookie recipe can be made in around 20 minutes with just four basic ingredients. You can fill the cookies with dairy free chocolate chips, M&M’s or whatever takes your fancy depending on your diet.

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This one is for you Simon…to prove that you don’t have to stop enjoying biscuits when you stop eating gluten!

I created this recipe because I wanted a chewy, soft cookie recipe.

So many gluten free biscuits are dry and crumbly. These most certainly aren’t.

It is a fantastic recipe for kids parties and always features when I’m making gluten and dairy free party food. And given they can be made in under 20 minutes it’s perfect if you suddenly have visitors too.

With just four base ingredients I’m certain you’ll have the ingredients.

The best thing about the recipe is its versatility. The dough can be used for any type of cookie you fancy. Chewy gluten free chocolate chip cookies? No problem, add chocolate chips.

You can add fillings or keep them plain and simple. The choice is yours.

We personally rather like M&M’s, or a mixture of chopped toffees and dark chocolate chips.

If you can’t eat dairy then add dairy-free chocolate chunks or Skittles.

Or if you want to make a Christmas gluten free cookie then add dried cranberries and white chocolate chips.

The options are endless.

What equipment do you need to make these chewy cookies?

I use my trusty Sage mixer for almost all my baking. It makes mixing, beating and whipping ingredients so easy. I make cookie dough like this in it along with cake mixture, bread dough and almost everything else.

Before I had it I used a hand held mixer much like this one. However, if you do a lot of baking investing in a good mixer is so worth while.

Then you need a couple of baking trays to bake the cookies on. These ones get good views and with three different sizes you’ll have the perfect size for any cooking or baking you do.

Finally I find it really useful to line my baking tray with re-usable liners. You can cut them to size and then keep them with the trays. It makes washing up so much easier and the cookies won’t get stuck to the tray.

What gluten free flour do you use?

I’ve used my rice free, wholegrain gluten free flour blend in this recipe. I created it because I was dissatisfied with the gluten free flour blends on the market.

My flour blend works in every recipe and doesn’t need special ingredients to make it work. What’s more, it doesn’t contain xanthan gum which many people find hard to tolerate. So if you’re looking for gluten free chocolate chip cookies without xanthan gum then this is the recipe for you. And indeed the flour blend for you.

I’ve written an article explaining what a gluten free flour blend is for those of you who are unsure.

I highly recommend that you read it if you have trouble with gluten free baking. It will save you from making any more mistakes and wasting expensive ingredients.

Pin my multipurpose chewy cookie recipe so you don’t lose it…

Gluten Free Cookie Recipe (Vegan) (5)

And if you like the sound of this recipe sign up for my free recipe ebook. In it you’ll find recipes for gluten free Victoria sponge, scones, Yorkshire puddings and lots more. You’ll also get my weekly newsletter of recipe inspiration, tips and news…

Gluten Free Cookie Recipe (Vegan)

This simple gluten free cookie recipe can be made in around 20 minutes with just four basic ingredients. You can fill the cookies with dairy free chocolate chips, M&M's or whatever takes your fancy depending on your diet.

4.55 from 24 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Servings 7 large

Author Vicki Montague - the Free From Fairy

Ingredients

  • 100 g hard margarine like Stork (or butter if not dairy free) - softened
  • 100 g Coconut sugar - or light brown sugar
  • 150 g Free From Fairy gluten-free plain flour
  • 1/4 tsp Baking powder
  • 85 g Dark chocolate chips - (could also use M&M's, Skittles, dairy free chocolate chips, chocolate chunks etc)

Instructions

  • Pre-heat over to 180 degrees/160 fan/gas 4

  • Cream the butter/Stork and sugar together until pale and fluffy.

  • Add flour and baking powder and bring together until you have a dough

  • Add your choice of filling to the dough

  • Divide the mixture into 7 balls (14 if you want smaller cookies)

  • Place the balls of dough well apart on greased baking trays and flatten a bit with the palm of your hand.

  • Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This prevents them from spreading so much

  • Bake for approx. 20 - 25 mins until pale golden at the edges.

  • Cool in the trays. If you eat them while still warm they will fall apart.

  • Try not to eat them all in one go!

Notes

Nutritional data to be used as a guide only

Nutrition (Approx)

Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 118mg | Potassium: 123mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 355IU | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 0.7mg

Gluten Free Cookie Recipe (Vegan) (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep gluten-free cookies from falling apart? ›

Chilling helps the flours and xanthan gum absorb liquid, which makes the dough sturdier and easier to handle. Without a proper rest, your cookies are likely to crumble. Think of mix-ins as the Spanx of the cookie world. They are a sly way to ensure that your cookies look like cookies, not misshapen gluten-free blobs.

What makes a cookie not vegan? ›

Animal ingredients in cookies

Butter and eggs are the most common animal products found in cookies. In addition to butter, dairy can also make its way into store-bought cookies in the form of whey. While not as common, there are a number of boxed cookies that use honey for added sweetness.

Why are my gluten-free cookies not rising? ›

13- Make sure your baking soda and/or baking powder are fresh. These are the leavening agents in your cookie recipe and if they are no longer active, your cookies won't puff up and may spread more. Try a fresh container if they've been open longer than 3 months. 14- Use a tried and true gluten free cookie mix.

How do you thicken gluten-free cookies? ›

Chilling the dough for at least several hours results in cookies that are extra-thick and chonky because it allows the flours to absorb more moisture. Here's how to do it: What is this? Make the dough as directed, then let sit until firm enough to scoop (or chill for a few minutes to speed this up).

How do you make gluten-free cookies less dry and crumbly? ›

Add extra liquid: Gluten-free flours tend to absorb more liquid than regular flour, so you may need to add more liquid to your recipes to compensate. This can help to keep your baked goods moist and prevent them from becoming dry and crumbly.

What holds gluten-free cookies together? ›

As with gluten, this could stop a cookie from spreading too much as it bakes. So I've decided to try adding a hydrocolloid to my gluten-free dough. Some grocery stores sell xanthan gum and guar gum, especially if the stores have a gluten-free aisle. Many gluten-free recipes call for xanthan gum.

What binds vegan cookies? ›

Ground flax seeds

This is made by combining ground (not whole) flax seeds with water and leaving to sit for 15 minutes until the mixture becomes thick, almost the same consistency as a regular egg. The binding properties of flax seeds make this a great addition to cookies, brownies and other sweet treats.

What is surprisingly not vegan? ›

Candy. Candy includes many possible non-vegan ingredients, including sugar, honey, carmine, gelatin, shellac, and dairy. Most of these ingredients should sound familiar. Shellac is a “confectioner's glaze” and a varnish, the same as used on floors.

Why are Oreos not vegan? ›

The longer answer. As the Oreo FAQ page states, while Oreos are indeed veggie-friendly, they are not strictly vegan as 'Oreo have milk as cross-contact and therefore they are not suitable for vegans'.

What is the best flour for gluten-free cookies? ›

Oat Flour. With its creamy, earthy flavor and delicate texture, gluten-free oat flour is a staple of my gluten-free baking recipes. It bakes up soft and smooth, adding necessary starch to many GF baked goods and keeping them moist and tender due to its high fat content and stable protein structure.

Should I add xanthan gum to gluten-free cookies? ›

Using xanthan gum helps provide some of the stickiness that gluten free goods lack, replacing some elasticity. Xanthan gum mimics some of gluten's most essential properties by sticking to flour and its moisture. This helps create moist goods that hold their shape after being baked.

What happens when you use gluten-free flour in cookies? ›

Gluten-free flours often contain 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.

Why use tapioca flour in gluten-free baking? ›

When added to baked goods, tapioca starch helps the ingredients properly bind together. A function that gluten is often used for. Tapioca starch's binding abilities help bakers achieve baked goods that are fluffy, light and spongy in texture.

Why use potato starch in gluten-free baking? ›

Potato starch is a popular ingredient in many gluten-free baking recipes and is often an ingredient in all-purpose gluten-free flours because it provides structure, tenderness, and binding properties to cookies, cakes, and more.

Does peanut butter contain gluten? ›

Living gluten-free can be a challenge. It's important to know that peanuts, peanut butter, peanut flour and peanut oil are considered naturally gluten-free foods. Gluten is a form of protein found in wheat, barley and rye (2).

Why is gluten-free baking crumbly? ›

One common reason is that gluten-free flours tend to be lower in protein than wheat flour, which means that they don't have as much structural support. This can result in a softer, less cohesive dough that is more prone to crumbling or falling apart.

Should I refrigerate gluten free cookie dough before baking? ›

— resting the dough makes SUCH a difference in the final cookie. You will not regret this extra step! ALL THAT SAID, if you simply don't have the time or patience to wait 24-48 hours, chill the dough for at least 2 hours in the fridge before scooping and baking.

How do you improve the texture of gluten-free cookies? ›

I add a packet of unflavored gelatin to the dry ingredients before adding liquid ingredients. My cookies have a “normal" texture. The gelatin strengthens the structure of the cookie so it won't be crumbly. It also adds moisture which is good as gluten free baked goods tend to be dry.

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