DELICIOUS Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Soy Free!)

I was so excited yesterday when I tasted the cookie dough for these gluten free cookies!  Normally, tasting gluten free cookie dough is not always a pleasant experience--so I was delighted to find that this tasted the SAME as "normal" cookie dough!  Afraid I might be delusional and imagining things, I subjected my mother-in-law to a taste test and she said that it did, indeed taste like regular gluten filled cookie dough!

I've adapted this recipe from one of my favorite gluten free cookbooks, "Gluten Free Baking Classics" by Annelise G. Roberts.  Her original recipe is very good, but we are unable to use regular vegetable shortening like Crisco (soy) or eggs.

I have found that the different shortening brands have a varying degree of moisture in them, so depending on which brand you use, you may have to adjust the amount of flour by a tablespoon or two.

Feel free to shoot me a message/comment if you have any questions.  Enjoy!

Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

·         ¾ cup Spectrum Butter flavor soy-free shortening

·         ¼ cup Earth Balance soy free Butter flavor spread

·         ¾ cup granulated sugar

·         ¾ cup brown sugar

·         2 Tbsp. ground flax seeds + 6 Tbsp. HOT water (stir & let sit for a few moments until it gels) OR 2 large eggs.

·         1 Tbsp. vanilla

·         2 cups + 2 – 4 Tbsp. gluten free all purpose flour*

·         1 ½ tsp. baking soda

·         1 tsp. xanthan gum or guar gum

·         ½ tsp. salt

·         12 oz chocolate chips (Enjoy Life  brand is gluten/dairy/soy/nut free).

1 cup chopped nuts, optional.

*I used the all purpose brown rice flour mix found in Gluten Free Baking Classics; however, I also really like the King Arthur Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Mix.  Best results achieved if the brown rice is the super finely ground.

Start with the 2 Tbsp. flour and bake a test cookie.  You may need to add an extra 1-2 Tbsp. to get the cookies the desired consistency. 

1.  Preheat oven to 375 F.  Combine ground flaxseed & hot water; let sit.  In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt.

2.  Beat shortening and butter spread together until blended.  Add both sugars and beat until fluffy.  Add flax gel (or eggs) and vanilla and beat again until fluffy.

3.  Add flour mixture a little at a time, stirring after each addition.  After  all the flour has been mixed in, mix at medium speed for 1-2 minutes.

4.  Add chocolate chips (and nuts, if desired) and mix until evenly distributed.

5.  I like to do a test cookie before baking a whole batch to see if there is enough flour.  If it comes out too flat, add 1-2 tbsp. more flour and blend well.  Then, drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto cookie sheet a few inches apart.  Bake in center of oven for 8-10 minutes until edges are golden.  Cool on wire rack.