Perfectly balanced Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips. Delicious and easy to make. The oats give them a lovely creamy texture. Bake to preference… Crunchy or softer. Optional dairy free.
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My original recipe for Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips
This recipe for Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips dates back to 2013 and is one of the earliest on the blog. Originally developed to mark Coeliac Awareness Week in the UK, they were made to share with colleagues. They also provided a great conversation starter in raising awareness about Coeliac Disease (Celiac Disease) and the associated condition Dermatitis Herpetiformis (DH). Why? Because when you tell people that cookies are made with ‘gluten free oats’ they inevitably look a little bemused and ask ‘why?’
And that gives the opportunity to talk about the importance of NEVER straying from a safe gluten free path when you are Coeliac. Gluten free Oatmeal Cookies require gluten free oats!
Why oats are a problem for people with Coeliac Disease (Celiac Disease)
Anyone who is Coeliac knows to steer well clear of wheat, barley and rye, as these are the key gluten offenders. If they are not completely avoided, the consequences for health can be pretty dire in the short term. And over the long-term, life-threatening.
So where do oats and oatmeal fit into the picture?
Well… While the majority of Coeliacs are still able to eat oats (as long as they are gluten free), a few remain sensitive to a protein called Avenin. Avenin is similar in structure to gluten and is found in oats. This group of people cannot eat oats or oatmeal (whether it is gluten free or not).
For the rest of us, oats are good… In fact, they are a fabulous addition to the diet and have great baking qualities. But they MUST still be gluten free!
What the heck are gluten free oats and oatmeal?
So, what makes an oat ‘gluten free’? Is it a different breed? Specially grown in a lab to be without gluten? No! Not at all…
Whether an oat is gluten free or not comes down to the question of cross contamination… How it has been grown, harvested, milled and processed. If oats are grown in a field where gluten crops have been previously, the chances are fairly high that stray wheat, barley or rye will reappear in the field among the oats, contaminating the crop. And that means they are no longer safe for Coeliacs. Gluten free oats should be pure grown.
Equally, any harvesting, milling or processing that is not 100% separate from other glutenous grains or residue, will result in cross-contamination of the oats and oatmeal.
So… If you are Coeliac or making Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies for someone else who is, be absolutely certain to check that your oats and oat flour are labelled gluten free.
What other ingredients are in Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies?
My recipe for Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies is a fairly standard cookie recipe. It is made with oats, flour, butter, sugar (specifically light brown sugar), egg and chocolate chips. However, being gluten free cookies, the ratios may vary slightly from non-gluten free versions. This is to compensate for slight variations in hydration of the additional gluten free flour that has been added.
Alongside the oats and oat flour and in place of wheat flour, the recipe uses a little tapioca starch. This is not the same as adding a standard gluten free commercial flour blend. Tapioca starch is a unique and single gluten free flour that has been chosen to bring lightness and a little crunch to the final oatmeal cookie.
While it is probable that using the same weight of a general flour blend will work fine, the texture of the final cookie is likely to be a little crumblier… Especially if the blend is mainly rice-flour based.
Are these crunchy Oat Biscuits or soft Oatmeal Cookies?
How do you like your oatmeal cookies? Whether you fall into the crunchy oat biscuits camp or soft and chewy cookies gang, these tea-time treats are fairly flexible. For a softer oat cookie, bake taller (don’t squash the cookie dough before baking) and for less time. If you prefer a crisp biscuit, flatten the dough a little more before baking, and bake a little longer.
I like my Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips to be a little of both… Crisp at the edges with a softer chew in the centre. But, however you like yours, just adjust the bake accordingly.
Can I make Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies dairy free?
Yes. If you need your oatmeal cookies to be dairy free as well as gluten free, simply sub the butter for a good dairy free block alternative and use dairy free chocolate chips. I recommend using either Stork or Flora unsalted baking blocks (UK). There are now also a number of dairy free chocolate drops and chips available on the market, including in some major supermarkets.
Does this recipe use xanthan gum?
No. This oat cookies recipe does not need any xanthan gum to be added. The qualities of the oatmeal combined with tapioca starch alongside the binding provided by the egg is enough to prevent crumbling.
Variations to chocolate chip… What else can I add to my oat cookies?
Don’t fancy chocolate chips in your oatmeal cookies? That’s fine. There are lots of alternatives you can use instead. Try subbing with:
- Raisins or currants
- Chopped dried cranberries or cherries
- Dried blueberries
- Chopped nuts
- Pumpkin seeds
- Little bites of crystallised ginger
Ready to make Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips?
Yes? Then you can find my recipe for Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips below. I hope you love them. But if there are any further questions, just shout.
As always, do let me know if you make them. Leave a comment at the end of the post, or tag me on social media. It’s easy to find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Pinterest. And don’t forget to share photos of how your cookies turned out. I love seeing all your bakes.
Want more gluten free cookie recipes?
Here’s a few to tempt you. But we also have a dedicated Gluten Free Biscuits and Cookies Index on the blog. Why not head over and take a look? And for everything else, there’s 400+ recipes shared for FREE with my love. Your quickest route to navigating them is through our full Gluten Free Recipe Index navigational hub.
Happy baking
Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips
Key equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 100 g gluten free oat flour See NOTES
- 90 g gluten free oats
- 60 g tapioca starch flour
- 1 tsp baking powder gluten free
- pinch fine sea salt
- 135 g block butter (or good dairy free block alternative) softened
- 120 g soft light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg At room temperature – UK large (Canadian ‘Extra Large’; Australian ‘Jumbo’; and US ‘Extra or Very Large’)
- 150 g dark chocolate chunks/chips dairy free if needed (or milk chocolate)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4.
- Line 2 to 3 baking trays with baking paper (or if you have less, batch-bake the cookies).
- Weigh and mix together the oat flour, oats, tapioca starch, baking powder and salt and set aside. TIP: Weigh into an airtight container and shake vigorously.
- Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl (preferably with a whisk) until pale and fluffy.
- Add the vanilla and egg and beat until light in texture and well mixed.
- Add the flour mix to the wet ingredients and using a wooden or firm silicone spoon, stir together well, until fully combined and the dry ingredients have become damp.
- Add the chocolate chunks/chips and stir again until fully and evenly combined
- Divide the mixture into small balls either by hand, or with a cake pop scoop.
- Place each ball on the baking sheet, leaving space between them to spread in the oven.
- Using your hand, gently flatten each dough ball slightly to form a fat disk about 1½ to 2 cm thick (or if you prefer thicker cookies that are softer, leave as balls on the baking tray).
- Bake for about 12 -15 minutes until the cookies are pale golden on top and beginning to darken around the edges (dependent on oven and desired texture).
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool for about 10 minutes on the trays before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely..
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2023 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips shared with
- Cook Blog Share 2021 Week 49 with Melissa Traub
- Sundays on Silverado #68 with The House on Silverado
- Full Plate Thursday #565 with Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
- What’s For Dinner #342 with The Lazy Gastronome
- Fiesta Friday #409 with Angie
- Create, Bake, Grow and Gather #497 with Shabby Art Boutique
These were more like the consistency of muffin batter than cookie batter. I had to add another 100g of flour. IS that anyone else’s experience?
That sounds very strange Monique. I am sorry to hear that. I am wondering whether it might have had something to do with a difference in egg size? That would be the most likely possibility (assuming all the ingredients were otherwise as stated).
Occasionally, different brands of flour can also make a difference (although this is more rare). I am assuming that you used block butter or dairy free alternative… but if not, that might have made a difference too. x
how best to adjust the recipe if i need to make them without eggs? I am baking at 7,000 feet so I adjust the timing as temps are different up here.
Thank you, hope to try these in next few days.
Timeteoh
Hi Timeteoh
I’ve never tried making these particular cookies without egg. But if you want to try subbing the egg for a flax egg (not chia) then they should work… I hope 🤞🤞
For the flax egg… Mix 1 tbsp ground/milled flaxseed with 2½ to 3 tbsp water and leave for 5 to 10 mins to form a gel.
Best wishes
Kate
Thank you so much for this recipe! I have a husband who is gluten and dairy free, and a little boy who is dairy/gluten/egg/nuts + 6 other foods free. Baking has gone from a joy to a nightmare for me. Shop bought blends are fine for my little boy, but rice flour doesn’t cut it for my husband (or me). I made these cookies 2 night ago, and my 2 boys have finished them already. I’m so delighted to finally have a win when baking. We have a family reunion this weekend, and I’m definitely making these to bring with me. So often GF baking isn’t for the masses, but these cookies are definitely on my baking list to share with family.
Thanks also for you GF flour blend, I look forward to trying blend B in my bakes.
You’re so welcome Rebecca. It’s such a huge adjustment when you have to cut out key ingredients from baking. But it will get easier… I promise. Stick with it and before long, you’ll find it has become second nature.
I’m so pleased that you loved the cookies though.
I’m with you on the rice flour… I think I probably use it less and less. It’s honestly not the most pleasant thing to eat. But Blend B is really versatile and I’m using it to sub ‘plain flour blend’ more and more often. The only time it’s an issue really, is when you want a lighter-coloured bake.
As for GF for the masses… I came to Coeliac baking in my 40’s and with years before as a ‘normal’ foodie, I am stubborn as an ox when it comes to achieving the texture, flavour and shelf like of foods I remember. I always feed my food to wheat eaters (including bread) and I have converted many a wheat eater to eating gluten free recipes from the blog. I work on the basis that if it doesn’t pass the wheat-eater test then it’s not good enough for us either!
Just shout if you need anything x
I love the texture of oatmeal cookies and these ones sound delicious. I love that they’ve got chocolate chips in too!
Thanks Corina. Me too xx
Oh yes please! I love an oatmeal cookie, easily my favourite cookie and the fact they are packed with chocolate makes them all the better. In fact I would like one of those right now with a cuppa.
Thanks Lesley. What’s not to love? They are perfect with a cuppa xx