PERFECT bakery-style Gluten Free White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies. They’re soft and slightly chewy… packed with zingy raspberry and sweet, vanilla-rich white chocolate… laced with a hint of optional lemon citrus… and as beautiful as they are delicious. But no one will ever guess they’re gluten free. (Optional dairy free)
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Gluten Free White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies with (optional) lemon – bakery style perfection
I had so much fun developing this recipe for Gluten Free White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies… Why? Because they are outrageously good and it gave me the perfect excuse to keep eating them! I mean, what’s not to love? Bakery-style cookies that teeth sink into… Zingy fresh raspberry that is not only deliciously fruity, but also eye-catchingly pretty… Sweet, vanilla-rich white chocolate that melts on the tongue and sits in perfect marriage alongside the berries… And last but not least, optional lemon, bringing a citrus hum to take the whole ‘cookie’ experience up a level.
They are so good, that these White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies are seriously ‘up there’ with the BEST gluten free cookie recipes on the blog… But best of all… They have been tested on wheat-eaters, who have confirmed that they would never have known they were gluten free!
Raspberry Cookies or Biscuits? And what exactly is ‘bakery style’?
In the UK, we have historically eaten ‘biscuits’ rather than ‘cookies’. But are they actually the same thing? I think not!
As the world has opened up, we have also come to love the more ‘American’ style ‘cookie’… Which seems to be larger, softer, a little chewier and definitely without any ‘snap’. And while cookies may themselves come in many different forms, this combination of soft and chewy seems to be the thing that marks them as different to more traditional British biscuits.
The recipe shared here, is without doubt, for White Chocolate Raspberry COOKIES. But what exactly is ‘bakery style’?
I think ultimately it comes down to semantics and the particular experience of eating each cookie… But there is definitely something incredibly good about fresh bakery cookies…
Maybe it’s because we’ve paid a shed-load of money for them… Or, maybe it’s because they are always cooked to be super-fresh and we often eat them while still warm, at their best and a little bit gooey… Perhaps it’s because our senses are fired at the point we buy them, by the incredible aroma that wafts through the air and tempts us through the bakery door… It could even be for us gluten free folk, that they are generally beyond our reach (I’ve never yet found a gluten free cookie bakery). And, that we envy the ease with which those around us (and our historical selves) can buy and enjoy them.
Whatever it is, they are darn delicious… And without doubt, THESE particular White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies are exactly it!
Frequently Asked Questions about the cookie ingredients…
Want to know all the secrets to making amazing bakery-style Gluten Free White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies at home? Read on for the answers to the most frequently asked questions and the best tips to getting the ingredients in the recipe right!
What flour should I use to make gluten free White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies?
The flour listed in the recipe is a combination of a good basic gluten free plain baking flour blend, combined with a little tapioca starch. The base blend that I used was my Gluten Free Alchemist White Flour Blend A (which is at the bottom of my Gluten Free Flours and Flour Blending Page). However, an alternative balanced gluten free blend (such as Doves Freee Plain White Gluten Free Flour) will work fine.
The tapioca starch is added to the recipe both to temper the grittiness of any rice flour and to add a little extra starch for chewiness. While it is possible to make the recipe without the balance of tapioca starch, the texture may not be as good.
Do I have to use xanthan gum in this recipe?
Although these gluten free cookies can be made without any xanthan gum, the very small amount added does support the cookie structure and also a longer shelf life. However, if you cannot tolerate xanthan gum, or would prefer to avoid using it, simply leave it out. It is not essential to making the cookies work.
Why do I have to freeze the raspberries to make White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies?
Using frozen raspberries is essential to getting these White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies perfect… Raspberries are a very soft fruit and thus, unfrozen berries will break down into mush at the drop of a hat! Mushy berries result in cookies that are pippy, grey-coloured and not very pleasant… And will release excess moisture into the dough, so that it spreads when baked to flat, crispy pancake pats.
So… It’s really important to make sure that the berries stay in the freezer (even once broken into smaller pieces) until the moment they are added to the dough. And… That the dough is returned to the freezer to re-chill before it is shaped into balls. It’s this detail that will ensure your White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies stay ‘clean’ with perfectly red and white patterns running through.
If I use more bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), will I get a bigger cookie?
No. While adding a little bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) to the dough helps the cookies to rise and become light, too much will simply make them ‘cakey’. Sure… the ‘cookie-cake’ might be your thing… But if yearning for a great batch of bakery-style gluten free cookies, then stick with the recipe as written.
Can I use baking powder instead of bicarbonate of soda?
Having said the above, I am aware that for some people, the tang that comes from using bicarbonate of soda tastes ‘off-putting’. If you are one of those people, then it is possible to sub the bicarb for standard baking powder (check the label carefully to be sure it’s gluten free). Replace the ½ teaspoon of bicarb with 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
Why use brown sugar and caster sugar to make raspberry white chocolate cookies?
Although it is possible to make my gluten free White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies with just caster sugar or just soft light brown sugar, I wouldn’t recommend it. Why? For three reasons…
- The use of brown sugar brings a more chewy texture, while the white caster sugar helps provide a little crispness. Used in harmony side by side, this combination contributes to the ‘bakery cookie’ experience.
- Nothing beats brown sugar in a cookie dough for adding yummy caramel notes to the bake.
- Brown sugar tastes more natural and less sweet… And that makes for a more balanced cookie.
Does egg size matter when making this recipe?
Yes. Egg size almost always matters when baking. Recipes are generally developed using specific sized eggs and they work as a result. Eggs particularly bring moisture and structure to a bake and are likely to be balanced in ratio against other ingredients in any recipe. This particular recipe for White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies uses 1 UK large egg.
But… My large egg may not be the same as your large egg! Eggs around the world are not sized by equal weight criteria. So… Be absolutely sure the eggs you bake with are compared by weight rather than name. Check out my printable International Egg Size and Weight Comparison Guide to get it right.
If using an egg that is too large, the dough may be too wet and spread too far and too flat… Conversely, if too small, they will not spread as well and will be harder.
Flavour-up… White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies with lemon and variations
The recipe I have shared suggests adding a little lemon extract and possible zest for extra flavour interest. This is absolutely optional! And I have made White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies with and without it. However, if you like a bit of kitchen flavour experimentation, the options for flavouring up are there… Try subbing the lemon extract for simple vanilla, trendy orange, decadent almond, or even a little cool peppermint.
Are these gluten free White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies safe for Coeliacs?
Yes… absolutely! My recipe for White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies has been created specifically with gluten free ingredients… Thus, it is completely safe for people with Coeliac Disease (Celiac Disease). Just make sure they are made with gluten free flour and that all ingredients are label-checked for potential risk from either ‘hidden’ gluten or ‘May Contain’ warnings.
Can I make these cookies dairy free as well as gluten free?
Yes. To make my White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies dairy free, simply sub the butter for a good quality, comparable dairy free ‘block’ butter alternative (Stork or Flora baking blocks are perfect). And… Make sure you use dairy free white chocolate chips (or chopped, dairy free white chocolate) as well.
Tips for making the BEST Gluten Free White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies – Process
The above covers my tips for making sure the ingredients are perfect… But what about the process?
Start with softened butter and cream it well…
If you forget to get the butter out of the fridge to soften it, either wait until it comes naturally to room temperature… completely! Or, if you are impatient to get on… Pop it in the microwave on a low setting, so that it softens a little bit quicker.
Either way, make absolutely sure the butter is soft and cream it well. Only if the butter is soft, will it mix evenly and effectively with the sugar and ensure enough air gets incorporated to make the cookies light… And cream well (for three to four minutes), preferably with an electric whisk, to ensure enough air is grabbed.
Chill, chill and chill some more…
I can’t emphasise this enough. The freezer is most definitely your friend when making White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies. Working with raspberries means that your pretty dough could turn ugly and wet in seconds… So, make absolutely sure they remain frozen at every step of the way… Before adding to the dough… After gently stirring into the dough… And (if not baking straight away) between rolling and baking!
Should I weigh the cookie dough into even-sized balls?
Whether you weigh the cookie dough balls, will probably depend on your personality and any desire to have perfectly even cookies. Frankly, I relish the fact that these are home-baked and should look home baked. I like a little cookie randomness… It adds interest!
More importantly… The extra time spent faffing around with scales and perfect rolling, will result in defrosted raspberries… And we know that defrosted raspberries are more likely to be squished into the dough, so that it becomes less defined in colour and flatter and crispier in the oven.
So… Unless you are planning on selling your White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies in a bakery, then no… I wouldn’t bother wasting time weighing them.
To scoop or roll? What’s the best way to shape the cookie dough?
Although it’s fine to hand-roll the cookie dough for this recipe, I would advise that, if at all possible, it is better to use a small cookie scoop instead. Warm hands rolling dough with raspberries will quickly lead to wet mush… and we all know where that leads (assuming you’ve read the information above this section).
If you do need or prefer to hand roll the dough, my advice is to work as quickly as possible, re-chilling the dough part way through the process to ensure the raspberries stay frozen. And to wear some food-safe vinyl gloves to limit the dough sticking (which will help you work quicker) and avoid very red hands.
Carefully position the dough balls for the best white chocolate-raspberry colour…
When placing the dough balls onto the baking tray to bake, first and foremost, make sure there is plenty of space around each one. When these cookies bake, they will spread, and unless you want to end up with one huge cookie, they need room.
And for the best red cookie visuals, also make sure each dough-ball’s ‘best side’ is facing raspberry side up… This means that when baked, the raspberry will be more beautiful and vivid on the cookie top.
Use the same baking paper when batch-baking cookies
When batch-baking, use the same piece of baking paper (or silicone mat), for the whole batch. It’s not necessary to change or wash it and it’s better for the environment. And don’t grease the cookie sheet either… Cookies don’t need any extra oil to prevent them sticking.
Make sure the baking tins are completely cold before cooking the second batch
If you are batch baking however, make absolutely sure that the baking tins are completely cold, before placing the next batch of cookie dough onto the tray. A hot, or even warm tray will result in oily, melted cookie dough before it hits the oven… And that will lead to the cookies over-spreading and becoming flat and crisp. These are cookies that cook from super-cold and even frozen.
Why have my Gluten Free White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies spread too far?
If your cookies have spread too far, it is likely to be for one of the following reasons…
- The dough wasn’t chilled enough… Or it had been left out at room temperature for too long before baking, resulting in defrosted, wet raspberries and over-soft butter.
- The raspberries had defrosted before being added to the mix, leading to an excess of moisture being released into the dough.
- The dough was too wet, because too large an egg was used.
It’s a myth that leaving cookies in the oven for too long results in cookies that have spread too far… Baking cookies will spread initially with the heat of the oven, but once the crust is set (part way through the bake time), they will spread no further. The rest of the time is to bake and set the internal dough.
How do I know when my cookies are done?
Gluten Free White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies are done when they start to turn a tiny bit golden and the edges are just starting to darken. However, it is important to bear in mind that once they are taken out of the oven, the cookies will continue to bake for a short while. This is both because of the heat of the baking tray and because the cookies themselves are still very hot.
With this in mind, it is always better to slightly under-bake than over-bake. This will ensure they stay soft and chewy and will extend their texture a little longer.
Add extra chocolate chips for extra interest
Although it is not entirely necessary for taste, if you want to get a ‘loaded’ cookie look, it’s worth popping a few additional white chocolate chips on top of each cookie, so that they melt for extra ‘bakery’ style.
There are a couple of options for doing this…
- Strategically sprinkle or embed 3 to 4 chocolate chips onto the top surface of each dough-cookie before they are baked.
Or…
- Take the cookies out of the oven (briefly) when they are part-baked (and have spread) and scatter or slightly embed 3 to 4 white chocolate chips per cookie where you want them to melt. Then return the cookies to the oven to finish baking.
Personally, I prefer the second option, particularly when baking with white chocolate, which can have a tendency to discolour and dry out if left to the harsh heat of the oven for too long.
How long will baked Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies last and how should they be stored?
Gluten free White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies that have already been baked, will last at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. However just like freshly baked, bakery cookies, they are best eaten within a day or two. Store in an airtight container.
They can however, also be frozen after baking, so they are ready to grab when you fancy one. Simply store the cookies in an airtight container and freeze for up to 4 weeks. Defrost completely at room temperature to enjoy.
Freezing white chocolate raspberry cookie dough
It may seem more convenient to bake all the cookies in one go and then freeze some for later already baked. However, for the truly fresh-baked bakery-experience, I would always opt instead, to freeze the cookie balls at dough stage, ready to bake later…
To freeze cookie dough balls and bake later
Because the dough is pretty much frozen anyway before baking (so that the raspberries stay firm), these White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies are perfect for freezing as dough-balls.
Freeze them, slightly flattened, on a tray (to avoid sticking together), before transferring to a freezer-safe airtight container… Then cook straight from frozen as per the instructions in the recipe. (They may require an extra minute’s baking if the freezer is exceptionally cold).
Or… If frozen as round (unflattened) balls, take from the freezer and sit for about 10 minutes (max) at room temperature, before baking as per recipe instructions.
Ready to make my Gluten Free White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies?
That’s pretty much all I can think of that you might need to know. So, you should now be ready to bake the most deliciously amazing Gluten Free White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies. Let me know how you get on.
If I’ve missed anything out or if you have any further questions, just shout. Leave a comment, rate the recipe, email me, or tag me on social media. The best places to find me are on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.
And if you haven’t found it already, why not pop over and have a browse of our huge Gluten Free Recipe Index. It’s packed with recipes and inspiration for your home kitchen to help make anything and everything for the BEST gluten free life.
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More great cookie and biscuit recipes at Gluten Free Alchemist
White Chocolate and Raspberry Cookies (Bakery-Style)
Key equipment
- freezer
- sharp vegetable knife
- Oven
Ingredients
- 290 g plain gluten free flour blend I use GFA Blend A (see NOTES), but an alternative flour blend will work fine.
- 20 g tapioca starch
- ¼ tsp xanthan gum
- pinch fine sea salt
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 130 g white chocolate chips (dairy free if necessary)
- 130 g unsalted butter (or dairy free 'block' alternative) softened
- 120 g soft light brown sugar
- 80 g caster sugar (super-fine sugar)
- 1 large egg UK large (Canadian ‘Extra Large’; Australian ‘Jumbo’; and US ‘Extra or Very Large’)
- ½ tsp lemon extract (or orange or vanilla if you prefer)
- zest ½ lemon finely grated (optional)
- 80 g raspberries frozen
- optional additional white chocolate chips to 'decorate' (approx 3 per cookie)
Instructions
Preparation of raspberries – ahead of time
- Freeze the raspberries ahead of time to ensure they are completely frozen.
- Once frozen, quickly cut the raspberries in half to thirds (approx) and then IMMEDIATELY put back in the freezer (they need to remain frozen). TIP: take each frozen raspberry and push a small sharp knife into the central hole. This should 'shatter' the frozen raspberry into uneven sized pieces, which are perfect for cookies.
- Leave the raspberries in the freezer until further instructed otherwise.
Cookie dough
- Mix together the flours, xanthan gum, salt, bicarbonate of soda and white chocolate chips and set aside. (TIP: Weigh into an airtight container and shake vigorously)
- Cream together the butter and sugars using an electric whisk until pale, fluffy and creamy.
- Add the egg, lemon (or other) extract and lemon zest (if using) and using a firm wooden or silicone spoon, beat well, until the batter is smooth, even and well-blended.
- Add the dry flour mix and beat through well with a wooden or silicone spoon until even.
- Take the raspberry pieces from the freezer and immediately add to the batter, gently folding through, as quickly as possible. Try not to crush the raspberries.
- Return the batter to the freezer to chill for about 10 to 15 minutes. This will ensure the raspberries remain frozen.
Moulding and baking the cookies
- If cooking straight away, base line a couple of large baking sheets with baking paper and pre-heat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4. (However, the cookies can be frozen ready to be cooked later, if preferred – See NOTES).
- After 10 to 15 minutes, take the cookie dough from the freezer and either using a cookie scoop or spoon and hands, quickly mould scoops of the dough into balls (a little larger than a walnut). TIPS: 1) Try to handle and squish the dough as little as possible, to ensure the raspberries stay intact. 2) It is better to use a cookie scoop if you have one as this will keep the dough cooler. 3) For the easiest handling, wear a pair of food-safe vinyl gloves.
- Place the dough balls (with a raspberry showing at the top) on the lined baking trays with a large space between them (at least 5 cm) as they will spread.
- (NOTE: It may be necessary to bake in two batches to ensure room in the oven, in which case place the cookie dough balls that are being baked later back in the freezer, until ready to bake.)
- Bake the dough balls straight away for 13 to 18 minutes (dependent on how 'frozen' the dough is), until they are spread and starting to turn golden at the edges. If concerned that the cookies are browning too quickly, turn the oven down to 170 C/325 F/Gas 3.
- OPTIONAL: For a 'loaded with chocolate' look, either top the cookie dough balls with a couple of extra chocolate chips before baking… OR after 10 to 12 minutes, take the part-baked cookie tray from the oven and scatter a few extra white chocolate chips on the tops (about 3 per cookie). Return to the oven to finish baking.
- Once baked, cool the cookies on the trays for about 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container. Best eaten within a couple of days.
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
White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies shared with
- Cook Blog Share 2022 Week 22 & 23 with Tin and Thyme
- What’s For Dinner #367 with The Lazy Gastronome
- Fiesta Friday #432 with Angie
- Full Plate Thursday #589 with Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
Ooh your raspberry cookies are indeed beautiful. Raspberries and white chocolate go so well together – mmmmm! Great tip re using frozen raspberries. Not sure I’d have thought of that one.
Thanks Choclette. Beautiful and dangerously addictive.
But dangerous or not… frozen raspberries make such a difference… Too soft and they just squidge xx
These look so good ,love a good white chocolate cookie
Thank you. They are so worth making Hazel. But dangerously moreish xx
My all time favourite cookie flavour! I’ve never been able to make them very successfully at home though because using fresh raspberries always ends in a soggy mess so your freezing tip has changed my life.
Oh goodness, yes… Keep them frozen all the way. It makes a huge difference to the result x
I ate the whole batch in one go! Way to easy to eat.
😂😂 Yeah… It’s easily done x
These are beautiful cookies! Thanks for sharing at last week’s what’s for dinner party. Sorry I’m late. Hope to see you at this weeks party too – have a fabulous week.
Thanks Helen. No worries. Thanks for hosting (as always) xx