Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten free!)

Name: Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 92 min
Ingredients: 3 cups oat flour (360g (I used Bob's Red Mill brand - recipe note #1)); 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 14 tablespoons butter (at room temperature (1 stick plus 6 tablespoons of butter)); 1 cup brown sugar (packed); 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 2 large eggs (at room temperature); 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (240g)

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Though these Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies are naturally gluten free, they’ll be loved by even the toughest cookie critic.

Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies stacked on a black plate.

And by the most demanding critic, I mean myself. Cookies are one of my favorite treats and I enjoy baking my own. Once I get a recipe right, I want to be able to replicate it exactly. That’s why you’ll always find flour weights in my cookie recipes and, when baking with oat flour, it’s particularly important.

Ingredients You Need to Make Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients on a white marble board.

Oat Flour: whole grain oat flour
Butter: if using unsalted butter, add an extra pinch or two of kosher salt
Brown Sugar: dark or light brown sugar
Sugar: granulated white sugar or superfine sugar
Eggs: large eggs
Vanilla: pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Chips: I used dark chocolate chips, but semi-sweet or milk chocolate will all work just fine. Use your favorite!
Baking Soda
Kosher salt: or half the amount of sea salt

FAQ

Can You Use Oat Flour in Cookies?

Yes, it’s a great option. The real question is, why isn’t everyone doing it! All-purpose flour is an old friend, and we’ve used it forever for traditional chocolate chip cookies. But today we have so many nutritious and flavorful alternatives. I’m not suggesting giving up all-purpose flour completely, for some recipes it’s the best way to go. But it’s worth it to branch out when there are so many tasty, healthful options.

Can you use oat flour instead of all-purpose flour?

Yes, but there are a couple of things to consider. First, oat flour is naturally gluten free, so dough made with it is not as elastic, and often batters don’t bake up as fluffy. But for these cookies, the right amount of baking soda and properly measured flour guarantee light, tender cookies every time.

I mention proper measurement because oat flour is lighter than all-purpose flour, so you have to use a bit more of it. But it’s worth the swap for oat flour’s nutty flavor and superior nutrition, with more fiber, vitamins and minerals because it’s milled from whole grain oat groats.

What is the secret to making soft cookies?

It’s simple: remove your cookies from the oven while they still look under-baked in the middle. Unless you like your cookies crispy (and I know some of you do!), don’t wait until they look completely done to take them out.

Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies on a white marble board with scattered chocolate chips.

Recipe Tips

I recommend weighing your flour for these oat flour cookies. A kitchen scale is affordable and the best way I know (along with a good oven thermometer) to ensure that baked goods have reliable results.
If you love warm, freshly baked cookies, don’t bake the dough all at once. Instead, make the cookie dough, scoop it into pre-portioned dough balls onto a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag labeled with the name of the cookie, the baking temperature and time. When you’re ready to bake, arrange frozen dough balls (just a few or a whole batch) onto a parchment lined baking sheet and let stand at room temperature while the oven preheats. Then bake, adding a minute or two to the baking time if needed.

Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies stacked on a black plate and photographed from above.

Recipe Options

Add chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts or dried fruit like dried cranberries or raisins.
Choose your favorite type of chocolate chips and add up to double the amount if you like your cookies really chocolatey. Dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate and even butterscotch or white chocolate chips are all options. Everything goes, and they’re great for making the cookies your own.

More Must Try Recipes for Gluten Free Baking

How to Make Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

Whisk dry ingredients (oat flour, baking soda and salt) together in a medium bowl.

Cream butter and sugars until fluffy in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla, mixing just until combined after each addition.

Scrape down bowl and add dry ingredients; mix until combined. Add chocolate chips and mix just until distributed. Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.

dry ingredients added to butter sugar egg mixture.

chocolate chips added to oat flour cookie dough.

Scoop dough into two-tablespoon balls and arrange 2-inches apart on parchment lined baking sheet as cookies will spread.

Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookie dough scooped onto parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake in an oven preheated to 375°F for 8-12 minutes (8 minutes for soft and up to 12 minutes for crispy cookies). Remove from oven and transfer cookies on parchment to cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough.