Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies: Coconut Edition
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These gluten-free chocolate chip cookies with coconut are loved by everyone, whether they’re on a gluten-free diet or simply a cookie lover.
I discovered this recipe in a roundabout way while browsing and baking my way through the Sister Pie cookbook, a book I absolutely love for its many drool-worthy pies and more. Among the recipes, the bakery’s signature gluten-free buckwheat chocolate chip cookies caught my eye. After trying them out, I loved their flavor but found the buckwheat flour gave them a slightly sandy texture. On a whim, I replaced the buckwheat with a standard gluten-free flour blend, and the results were nothing short of spectacular. These cookies weren’t just good for gluten-free; they were outright delicious chocolate chip cookies with a subtle coconut flavor—thanks to the addition of coconut oil and coconut flakes—perfect for anyone, gluten-free diet or not.
“Yummy! One of our daughters has celiac disease so we’re always on the lookout for good GF recipes, and I don’t always want to have to tweak “regular” recipes. This was massively popular and a double batch was gone in no time.”
What you’ll need For Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies With Coconut
I make the cookies with King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour which gets positive reviews from many gluten-free bakers. Also, make sure to use high-quality chocolate chips. I really like Guittard.
How To Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
To begin, combine the flour, coconut, kosher salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
Whisk to combine and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, coconut oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
Beat on medium speed for 4 minutes.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs and vanilla.
Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes more.
Add the flour mixture and the water.
Mix on low speed until the flour is evenly combined.
Add the chocolate chips.
Mix until just combined.
Use a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough into compact golf-ball sized mounds, spacing them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. (If you don’t have a cookie scoop, you can use your hands. If the dough is too sticky to handle, refrigerate it until firm enough to roll.) Top each dough ball with a few flakes of sea salt (go easy – a little goes a long way). Place the baking sheets in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 
Bake for 14 to 17 minutes, until the cookies are puffed and the edges are slightly golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies are best enjoyed fresh on the day they are made; if you don’t plan to serve the whole batch, see instructions below to freeze the dough balls for longer storage.
You may also like
- Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies
- Best Ever Rice Krispies Treats
- Peanut Butter Clouds
- Bailey’s Chocolate Truffles
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies: Coconut Edition
These gluten-free chocolate chip cookies with coconut are loved by everyone, whether they’re on a gluten-free diet or simply a cookie lover.
Ingredients
- 2¾ cups gluten-Free flour blend with xanthan gum (I tested the recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour)
- ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup coconut oil, at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1⅓ cups (about 9 oz) gluten-free semi-sweet chocolate chips, best quality
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling tops
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, coconut, kosher salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, coconut oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat on medium speed for 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes more. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
- Add the flour mixture and the water; mix on low speed until the flour is almost completely incorporated -- you should still be able to see some streaks of flour. Add the chocolate chips and mix until just combined. Use a spatula to give one final mix, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl.
- Use a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough into compact golf-ball sized mounds, spacing them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. (If you don't have a cookie scoop, you can use your hands. If the dough is too sticky to handle, refrigerate it until firm enough to roll.) Top each dough ball with a few flakes of sea salt (go easy - a little goes a long way). Place the baking sheets in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set two oven racks in the middle positions.
- Transfer the baking sheets to the oven and bake for 14 to 17 minutes, until the cookies are puffed and the edges are slightly golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies are best enjoyed fresh on the day they are made; if you don't plan to serve the whole batch, see instructions below to freeze the dough balls for longer storage.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: Scoop the cookie dough into balls, let set on a baking sheet in the freezer for about 30 minutes or until very firm, then place in a sealable bag and press out as much air as possible. Bake as needed directly from the freezer. (Allow 1 to 2 minutes longer in the oven.) To freeze after baking: Let the cookies cool completely and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the cookies from the container and let them come to room temperature.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 237
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Sugar: 19 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 127 mg
- Cholesterol: 26 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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How can I make these cookies so that they will be like Tate’s gluten-free chocolate chip cookies? Thin and crispy! Thank you.
Hi Marilyn, I actually have a copycat recipe for Tate’s cookies. I haven’t made them with gluten-free flour, but I think it’s worth a try. Please LMK how they turn out if you try it!
Hello, I made this recipe yesterday, following the directions and using the ingredients listed. The exceptions I made were leaving out the cinnamon, reducing the sugar by 1/3 cup total and using a stick of Earth Balance nondairy ‘butter’ for the butter. The results were cake-y tall muffin-like cookies with a sandy crumb. The only variable that may have caused this was the dairy free butter. However it has worked for other recipes.
Very disappointing considering the time taken to make. :/
Hi Kathy,
I absolutely LOVE this recipe and it’s my go to for celiac/gluten-avoidant friends. Today was my first attempt with vegan butter to make for a friend who is cutting out gluten and dairy. I’m with you on the sandy texture—it’s definitely the butter swap! Not sure how to correct for that, but I can assure you it’s the butter!
-Angela
I don’t like coconut but am looking for a good GF cookie recipe. Can I just eliminate the shredded coco or do I need to add something to make up for the 1/4 C of missing ingredients?
Hi Cheryl, you can omit the coconut – just add two additional tablespoons of flour to the batter. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn, I am a huge follower and have used many of your recipes. Everything is always perfect each time. I am new to gluten free recipes. What does Measure for Measure mean in this recipe. And, is the xanthan gum already in the flour? I use King Arthur Flour per your recommendation all the time! Many thanks
Hi Paula, so glad you have had success with the recipes! The Measure for Measure is just the name of the flour. This is it (and it includes xanthan gum). Hope that clarifies!
Thank you so much! I am learning so many wonderful things from you!
We just made these & they are so awesome – you are amazing!! Now question – what do you think of using Sukrin alternative sugar to make them Keto ?
Thanks
Robbie
So glad you enjoyed them! I wish I could help but I’ve never worked with sugar substitutes so I can’t say how it would impact recipes. (If it helps at all, I have read plenty of comments from readers who have said they’ve replaced some or all of the sugar in a recipe with a substitute like Stevia and have had good results.) Hope that helps at least a bit!
I have found the Swerve is an excellent 𝙺𝚎𝚝o alternative to sugar, it comes in granulated, confectionery and brown sugar. It’s a lot better than stevia or the others in my opinion.
Yummy! One of our daughters has celiac disease so we’re always on the lookout for good GF recipes, and I don’t always want to have to tweak “regular” recipes. This was massively popular and a double batch was gone in no time. Thanks for sharing!
Award winning!!! My teenage daughter was bringing her boyfriend for dinner for the first time and I was looking for a dessert that was not “over the top” (says my daughter..) My husband and daughter have celiac so I wanted to make something that everyone could eat. I paired the cookies with homemade vanilla ice cream and made my own version of a “chipwich”. Theye were fantastic. They were so successful that my son asked me to make some for him and his friends during a baseball carpool – another success! I would have never thought to add cinnamon into chocolate chip cookies but it really added a unique delicious something!
Thank you!
These are fantastic. Do you have any tips for converting standard cookie recipes to gluten free? I know to substitue the flour and make sure there is xanthan gum in the flour sub or add it. I just wondered if there are any other tricks to converting cookie recipes to gluten free.
Hi Jean, Although I developed that recipe, I don’t know a ton about gluten-free baking. I have heard from many readers though that traditional baked goods translate well to gluten-free versions with a good all-purpose gluten-free flour. One that many people have mentioned is this one by King Arthur.
I use King Arthur flour for MOST of my baking and it converts perfectly. I did so on this recipe and the cookies came out fantastic!
I made these for a friend who medically must be on a gluten free diet. Both she and her mother raved over these cookies. They couldn’t stop gushing over how good the cookies were. Next time I will make a double batch and keep some for myself!
Hi Jenn-I made these cookies for a friend coming in town that follows a gluten-free diet. I was curious how they tasted, so I made a few and froze the remaining dough. The cookies didn’t expand out and they didn’t turn dark. Now, the few I made I didn’t freeze the dough prior to baking. Could that be causing this? That’s the only thing I didn’t follow exactly. Thank you!
Hi Shelly, Yes, I assume that is what the difference was, but you should be able to freeze the dough and put them directly in the oven to bake. Did you add an extra minute or two to the frozen ones? That can make a difference.
Would it be okay to use all butter? How would that impact the finished cookies?
Sure, Sarah, using all butter is fine — the cookies will still turn out great — enjoy!
These are possibly the best cookies I’ve eaten! Perfection! Thanks for the awesome recipe 🙂
Made these yesterday and they turned out perfectly and were so delicious!
These are wonderful. Sweet, soft, chewy. Just delicious. And Gluten Free. First cookies I’ve eaten in over 5 years. Thank you.
Hi Jen!
Wondering why you add cinnamon to chocolate chip cookies? Is it because they are gluten free? I didn’t have Gluten Free cinnamon so I eliminated it in the recipe. Best Gluten Free cookies!! I also didn’t have SeaSalt flakes. I only had Fine Sea Salt so I didn’t use it because I didn’t know if it would work?
Hi Denise, So glad you enjoyed them! I just like the flavor of the cinnamon but it’s perfectly fine to leave it out.
Thank you, Jennifer, for trying out some gluten free recipes. Can’t wait to try these chocolate chip cookies!
These are AMAZING cookies. I made them for my gluten free grandsons and everyone including my non-gluten free family said they were the best cookies they ever had!!!! -as with most of your recipes (i.e. Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes etc, etc).
I have a question. Can I use regular non GF flour for my non-gluten free family?
So glad everyone enjoyed them, Carol! I haven’t tried these with regular flour but I think it should work just fine. You might also enjoy this recipe, which has similar flavors.
Sorry that these were a bit of a disappointment with the regular flour – thanks for the follow-up though as I’m sure your comments will be helpful to other readers!
These cookies are SO amazing! Each time I make them I eat 3 or 4 right away. Not sure if that’s a good thing! 😉 LOVE
It’s really hard to go gluten-free when there are so many great recipes for cookies, cakes and bars. But this chocolate chip cookie recipe changes the game. Now I can enjoy dessert with the rest of my family and not feel like I’m having second best. I like to double the recipe and freeze individual Cookie balls so that when the craving hits I’m ready. So good warm.
Wonderful, delicious gluten free cookie! I followed this recipe just as written. Thank you for putting this on your blog. Many of us have to cook for a family member with a special dietary need. I love your recipes and this one satisfied my gluten eaters as well😋 .
Hi Jenn, I can’t wait to make these cookies, but King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Gluten Free flour isn’t available in my area. I can only find KA All purpose Gluten Free. Is that a good substitute? Sharon
Hi Sharon, I think that should work. Please report back and LMK how they turn out! 🙂
I’d love to try this recipe. I would need to eliminate the butter, my son is allergic. What would you recommend for this recipe as an alternative?
Hi Paula, I haven’t tried it this way, but you could replace the butter with additional coconut oil. Hope you enjoy!
I’m excited to try these! I adapt all your recipes since I’m celiac. (Sweet rice flour in your stew works perfectly). One tip for buckwheat flour is to grind Bobs red mill GF creamy buckwheat cereal in a coffee grinder, and sift. No grit! And it doesn’t take long at all. 🙂 Thank you for putting this recipe up!!! I might give oat flour a try too 🙂
Great tip, Chrishy – thank you!
Wow…THANK YOU for the first gluten free cookie recipe which I will actually eat. They are delicious. My husband is wheat intolerant & it has been a challenge when it comes to baking to find recipes we both enjoy. I am a frequent user of your site & all recipes deliver over & above. Please do more gluten free baking recipes. Greatly appreciated.
I’ve been able to adapt most of my cooking to gluten free while retaining the flavours we enjoy since being diagnosed with celiac but baking has been very hit and miss. These cookies are great. No gritty or dissolving texture and wonderful taste. I really appreciate the advice on freezing the dough to make a few at a time whenever we want.
I loved these cookies! I omitted the coconut and cinnamon and refrigerated the dough for about 24 hours. They came out perfectly. I also made the buckwheat cookies from the Sister Pie book and they were fantastic – not grainy at all.
These look great! Two quick questions – in the book, they want you to put the dough in the refrigerator for days – is this necessary for this recipe? And what kind of buckwheat flour did you use? Thanks!
Hi Sally, I don’t think it’s necessary to refrigerate this dough overnight, although it wouldn’t hurt if you wanted to make them ahead. I used Arrowhead Mills buckwheat flour, which is the only one I could find. The cookies made with buckwheat flour tasted wonderful but the texture was extremely gritty. The cookies were also much darker in color than the ones shown in the book.
Can I sub some of the flour with almond flour and oat flour?
Hi Jenny, I’d be reluctant to alter the balance of flours since gluten-free cookies are so tricky and the texture is just right as is. Sorry!
I was super excited to bake these cookies. I recently began trying a gluten free diet, but my daughter loves to bake with me. Our whole family was pleasantly surprised at how good these are! I’m hoping I can use it for a base recipe and alter to make different kinds of cookies.
Thank you!!
Hi so I made them today and they came out very sandy and not flat at all… what went wrong?
Hi Rin, Sorry to hear you had a problem with these! I found the cookies to be sandy when I tested them with buckwheat flour. Did you use that or a gluten-free flour blend? Did you make any other adjustments to the recipe?
Hi Jen,
First of all I want to thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes with all of us.
Can I make these gluten free cookies dairy free too. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. -Jo
Hi Jo, so glad you like the recipes! 🙂 You can make these cookies dairy-free by replacing the butter in them with additional coconut oil. Hope you enjoy!
My daughter made these straight from the book with the buckwheat flour. They were delicious. I’m going to try with your gluten free flour recipe. 🙂
This is the best gf cookie I’ve ever tasted! Thank you, Jenn:)
Jenn,
I have a GF relative who is also allergic to corn products. Since there is cornstarch in baking powder, is there a reliable substitute? I appreciate any suggestions you may have. Kind regards and happy cooking!
HI Karen, I’ve never tried this so I can’t vouch for it, but I read online that you can make your own corn-free baking powder. For each teaspoon of baking powder, replace it with 1 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp cream of tartar. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
I have a gluten and corn allergy as well. I order baking soda and baking powder that is GF and corn free from vitacost. They have the best selection of GF and corn free products. I even bought vanilla marshmallows that I could eat.
Hi Jenn:
Could this recipe be made without a stand mixer? I just have a hand mixer.
I love your recipes and your new cookbook.
Leslie
Sure, Leslie – that’s fine. Enjoy!
Loved these! Thanks for the gluten-free recipe! Since others are offering their opinions, I’ll add mine. Cup 4 Cup is my favorite gluten-free flour.
Hi Jenn! Can I refrigerate the dough overnight and bake the next day? Thank you!!!
Sure, Amanda 🙂
Hi. I’m allergic to coconut. What oil can I substitute that would be good and will the cookies be less most when I leave out the coconut? Thank you!!
Hi Connie, I would replace the coconut oil with more butter and I’d replace the dried coconut with 2 more tablespoons of the flour. Hope you enjoy the cookies!
Being Celiac, I am very excited that you posted a gluten free recipe! I own your cookbook and just adapt where needed. I have been cooking and baking GF for years. Hands down King Arthur Flour Measure for Measure is my all time very favorite, never lets me down, GF flour. If anyone else out there needs a trusty GF flour I highly recommend it. Now….I’m off to try your recipe! Perfect for this cold and overcast day.
Another measure-for-measure substitute for white flour that I have had excellent results with is Pamela’s Products Gluten-Free All-Purpose Artisan Flour Blend.
I’m so excited you posted a gluten free cookie. Cant wait to try it, your recipes haven’t failed me yet. Thank you.
Can’t wait to try! Come to Detroit so we can go to Sister Pie 🙂
Thank you, thank you for posting a gluten free recipe! My daughter is going to be so excited!
So happy to see this recipe, Jean, I’ll try it this weekend! One question – is the shredded coconut noticeable? I love coconut in any form but I’m not sure the GF member of our family is a fan of coconut’s texture. (BTW, I just recently made the King Arthur Flour GF chocolate cake recipe as cupcakes, using the Measure for Measure blend. They were phenomenal! Truly the only GF cupcake I’ve ever had that was virtually indistinguishable from non-GF.)
Hi Emilie, the shredded coconut is noticeable, so if someone in your house doesn’t like the texture, you can omit it – just add two additional tablespoons of flour to the batter. Hope everyone enjoys! 🙂
Great, that’s what I’ll do. Thanks Jenn!
Any problem with eliminating the shredded coconut? And can white chocolate chips be substituted?
Hi Jim, you can omit the coconut, but add 2 more tablespoons of flour. And, sure, white chocolate chips should work here. I’d love to hear how they turn out! 🙂