Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Name: Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 3 cups 1:1 gluten-free flour with xanthan gum; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 2/3 cup margarine or dairy free butter (softened to room temperature); 2/3 cup vegetable shortening (like Crisco); 2 eggs; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 cup brown sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 cups chocolate chips (dairy free)

Soft in the center, lightly crisp on the edges, and packed with melty chocolate chips, these gluten-free dairy-free chocolate chip cookies are everything you want in a classic cookie recipe. Based on my childhood favorite, they're naturally dairy-free without a single substitution, require no chill time, and deliver 24 bakery-style cookies that stay fresh for days.

A bowl filled with gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, a glass of milk, a plate with cookie dough and a spoon, and a cooling rack with cookies sit on a light blue surface.

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Skill Level: Beginner

Shortcut Central: Make and freeze dough balls for warm cookies on demand.

Flavor Remix: Swap the chocolate chips for chopped dark chocolate chunks or stir in toasted coconut.

Allergy Watch: Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Nut-Free

Growing up, with always made our chocolate chip cookies without butter. Cookies made with butter tend to spread and get thin and crispy. Which is fine, but I like mine soft with the perfect mixture of softness and crisp texture. And that is what these cookies are.

One thing I love about making chocolate chip cookies is that they take pantry and fridge staples. Like with my oat flour chocolate chip cookies, these are ingredients I typically have on hand.

The mix of shortening and margarine makes for cookies perfectly moist. The result is a classic cookie that stays soft for days and has just the right amount of crisp around the edges.

Ingredient Notes

Gluten-Free Flour: Use any 1:1 gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum, like Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Flour or King Arthur Measure for Measure.
Margarine (Dairy Free): Margarine is a combination of vegetable oil and water. Some brands add whey or lactose back, so be sure the brand you are using is in fact dairy-free, or use vegan butter baking sticks. I have tested both methods and got similar results.
Vegetable Shortening: Use a solid shortening like Crisco. Do not use Crisco butter sticks (I tried and it was an utter fail) or a liquid vegetable oil.
Eggs: I have not tested this recipe with an egg replacement.
Sugar: This recipe uses a blend of white sugar and brown sugar for the perfect flavor.
Chocolate Chips (Dairy Free): use Enjoy Life brand because they are totally allergy-free. Even nut-free.
Vanilla Extract: Or use an equal amount of vanilla paste.

Top-down view of labeled baking ingredients for gluten free dairy free chocolate chip cookies in bowls and cups on a blue surface, including gluten-free flour, chocolate chips, eggs, vanilla extract, shortening, margarine, sugars, salt, and baking soda.

How to Make Gluten and Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

A step-by-step visual guide for making gluten-free dairy-free cookies. You can skip to the recipe for the full written instructions.

Sift the Dry Ingredients

Whisk together your gluten-free flour, baking soda, and salt. This ensures every cookie gets even lift and flavor.

Side-by-side images of a stand mixer bowl: the left shows whipped mixture with a paddle attachment; the right shows thick dough with a spatula.

Make the Dough

Beat the margarine and shortening together for about 2 minutes. This step traps air, giving your cookies a light texture. Mix in both sugars, eggs, and vanilla until the mixture looks pale and fluffy-about 2 more minutes. This step creates that soft, chewy interior. Then add the dry ingredients slowly.

A glass bowl of chocolate chip cookie dough and hands scooping the dough onto a baking sheet with a spoon on a white countertop.

Bake

Rest the dough before scooping onto your baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes, turn the sheets halfway through for even cookig.

Cool

Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Recipe Tips

I prefer a richer flavor in my chocolate chip cookies so I do slightly less of the white sugar and slightly more of the brown sugar.
Don't reduce the salt, it may seem like a lot but it perfectly balances out the sweetness of the cookies.
Don't skip softening the margarine, cold margarine will create folds in the cookie.
Don't skipping resting the dough. Gluten- free flours need to be hydrated before baking to ensure the proper structure develops.
Leave space between cookies; they spread just slightly.
For perfectly round cookies, use a cookie scoop.
Press a few chocolate chips into the top for a bakery-style look.

A person places a plate of gluten-free chocolate chip cookies on a marble counter, with milk, chocolate chips, and a napkin nearby. Two cookies and a spoon rest on the counter.

More Gluten and Dairy Free Treats

Make Ahead and Storing

Make Ahead: Scoop the dough onto a baking sheet, freeze until firm, then store in a freezer-safe bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the bake time.

Storing: Keep cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.

Freezing: Baked cookies freeze beautifully for up to 2 months. Rewarm at 325°F for 5-10 minutes to refresh the texture.

📖 Recipe

Recipe Questions

Can you use all vegetable shortening or all margarine in cookies?

Unfortunately, the answer is no. Margarine ranges between 51% and 65% vegetable oil, and the rest is water. By using one or the other the water content of the recipe is thrown off.

Can these cookies be made vegan?

Typically, cookies need a binder to avoid being too crumbly. If you want to make them vegan, use a powdered egg replacer specifically for baking. Do not use a homemade flax egg or aquafaba.

This recipe originally appeared on my website Peel with Zeal.