Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies: Coconut Edition
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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 To Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies With Coconut
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend With Xanthan Gum: Provides structure and elasticity similar to wheat flour. King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour gets positive reviews from many gluten-free bakers.
- Unsweetened Shredded Coconut: Adds texture and a subtle coconut flavor.
- Baking Powder And Baking Soda: Help the cookies rise and become tender.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds warmth and depth of flavor.
- Butter: Contributes to the rich, tender texture of the cookies.
- Coconut Oil: Adds moisture and a hint of coconut flavor.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cookies and helps them brown.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and moisture with a hint of molasses flavor. When measuring brown sugar, always pack it tightly to eliminate air pockets.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and add moisture.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the cookies with its aromatic richness.
- Gluten-Free Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Provide bursts of chocolate throughout the cookies. Not all chocolate chips are gluten-free, so always check the packaging for a gluten-free label or allergen warnings.
- • Flaky Sea Salt: Tops off the cookies and adds a touch of salty contrast.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
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
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
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!