Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

My Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chips Cookies,
with GFCF Substitutions

For several years, I chased after various food sensitivities in hopes of improving my health – with the largest two food groups being dairy and corn.

For that reason, I was slow in posting my best gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe because it uses cornstarch and instant pudding mix.

Although these cookies can easily be made gluten-free dairy-free (GFCF), they cannot be made corn free.

I spent a lot of time trying to create an acceptable chocolate chip cookie using an alternative gluten-free flour mix that fit with my sensitivities. But it didn’t happen.

Nothing compares with Jen’s gluten-free flour mix.

Without the little bit of cornstarch called for in the recipe, I couldn’t find a gluten-free flour combination that even came close to how good my best gluten-free chocolate chip cookies taste.

Nor could I duplicate the texture of the cookies without the pudding mix.

• So I accepted defeat.
• I gave up the search.
• And posted it to one of my retired blogs.

It was only later on, much later, that I discovered that super sensitivity to gluten actually existed. And that most of the reactions people are having after going gluten free are to gluten residues in supposedly gluten-free food.

This morning, I discovered that there are several favorite recipes that have never been posted to this blog, so I intend on correcting that as soon as possible -- starting with these fantastic gluten-free chocolate chip cookies.

Jen’s Gluten-Free Flour Mix

This is the best gluten-free flour mix I have ever used.

It came from Jen, a member of the Delphi Celiac Disease Support Group, which isn't very active any more. It was the gluten-free flour I used when I first went gluten free and works in absolutely everything I have ever tried.

Nothing comes close to taking its place:

• 2-1/2 cups white rice flour
• 1 cup tapioca starch
• 1 cup potato starch
• 1/2 cup cornstarch

GFCF Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies can easily be converted to be dairy free. Before I started reacting to corn, this is how I made them.

Although butter adds a nice flavor, you can use Crisco butter-flavored shortening to replace both the softened butter and white shortening that I originally used in these.

The flavoring in the shortening isn’t made with casein. It’s made from corn. Instant pudding mix is also dairy free.

The only thing you have to watch out for is the type of chocolate chips you use.

If you’re not extremely sensitive to casein or dairy, you can use any dark chocolate chip that doesn’t contain milk in the ingredients, but for those more sensitive, Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips make an acceptable alternative and are guaranteed to be completely casein and dairy free.

My Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Makes about 24 cookies)

Ingredients:

• 1-1/8 cups Jen’s Gluten-Free Flour Mix
• 1-1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup dairy-free margarine
• 1/4 cup shortening (butter-flavored is dairy free)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Butterscotch instant pudding mix (1/2 pkg)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Method:

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine flour mix, xanthan gum, and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together margarine and shortening until light and fluffy. This portion can be done either by hand or with an electric mixer.

Add brown sugar and mix together well.

Stir in vanilla. Add pudding mix and continue beating until nice and smooth. Beat in the egg.

This next step must be done by hand, as an electric mixer or stand mixer will over-work the dough. Gently fold in the flour mixture and combine well. If the weather is humid, you might need to add a little more flour mix. The same will happen if you're using brown-rice flour.

You want the dough just stiff enough to roll into balls, about the size of a walnut. If you can roll them, you have enough flour. If not, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more.

Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Roll into balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

Length of time is going to depend on how hot your oven is, so it's best to do a test cookie first, until you become more familiar with the recipe, and what the dough should look like and feel like.

These cookies come out nice and soft after baking. If you store them right away in a zip-lock bag, they will stay soft and tender for several days without drying out.