The Best Gluten Free Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe

Maybe it’s bold to call these the best gluten-free brown butter chocolate chip cookie recipe (whew, that’s a mouthful), but I truly believe it is. If you are looking to either impress friends or make a very special cookie, this recipe is for you. It requires some patience in making the brown butter but the flavor and texture of the cookie might just blow your mind. Adding the flakey sea salt on top really elevates the recipe.

People have often said to me “wait, this is gluten-free? It’s really awesome!” which makes me feel like it’s worth all of the effort. Most recently, my son’s roommates (who are non gf eaters) gave me a double thumbs up. To me, that says a lot. I hope you will also love these cookies.

Gluten-Free Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 20 cookies

• 1 cup (2 sticks; 226 gm) unsalted butter
• 330 gm Steve’s Cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon/4 gm fine sea or kosher salt

• 250 gm brown sugar
• 100 gm granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 ½ teaspoons/7 – 8 gm vanilla extract

• 300 gm chocolate chips (I prefer Guittard)
• Optional for the top before baking: about 1 teaspoon Maldon flaky sea salt

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1. Make the brown butter. Place the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring or swirling often, until it foams. Keep a close eye on the pan and lower heat if necessary. After 7 to 10 minutes, the foam will subside and you will start to see the butter turn light brown. Once you see brown specks, remove from the heat and immediately scrape into stand mixer bowl to stop the cooking. Scrape with a silicone spatula to remove all of the butter. Set aside to allow to cool slightly for about 10 minutes. Do not add any other ingredients yet.
2. In a medium bowl, mix cake flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Once the temperature of the butter is about 125°F, or the temperature of hot tap water, add brown sugar and granulated sugar. Using a stand mixer on medium speed with the paddle attachment, beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. It should look like wet sand.
4. Add eggs and vanilla, increase mixer speed to medium-high, and beat until mixture lightens and begins to thicken, about 1 minute. 
5. Reduce mixer speed to low; add dry ingredients and beat just to combine. Scrape down the sides. Add chocolate chips and mix briefly. Remove paddle and cover bowl.
6. Place dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up until about 24 hours.
7. Remove from fridge about 20 to 30 minutes before you are ready to bake.
8. When you remove the dough, preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
9. After the dough has been at room temperature for at least 20 minutes, portion out ping pong sized balls of dough or about 47 to 49 grams and place on the baking sheet, spacing about 3″ apart. Note: smaller cookies are easier to form into perfect circles without losing too much cookie (see photo below). Press slightly but do not flatten; cookies will spread as they bake.  Place 12 balls per tray.
10. Pinch some flaky salt between your index finger and thumb. Rub between your fingers to make the salt pieces smaller and sprinkle a bit of salt onto the top of each ball.
11. Place one tray in the oven and bake cookies until edges are golden brown and firm but centers are still soft, 14 to 16 minutes. See tip below if you want perfectly round cookies.
12. Let cool on baking sheets 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Want bakery style cookies like these below? As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, use a mason jar or wide glass, press down on the outside of the cookie, and rotate the jar or glass quickly to form perfect circles. Wow!