The Best Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are the best gluten free chocolate chip cookies, loaded with pistachios and finished with a sprinkle of flaky salt.

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They are so addicting, I had to make two batches this weekend to feed my (not gluten free) friends! So whether you’re eating wheat and gluten or not, you will definitely enjoy these cookies.

Baking gluten free 

Baking gluten free baked goods is a scary feat at first. But in reality, once you pick your flour blend (more on that below), it’s usually smooth sailing. 

Sure, some of the textures will be different. The way your batter or dough rolls isn’t quite the same.

But when it comes to baking cookies, banana bread and cakes, it really is just as easy as baking the traditional versions. That’s why I’ve got plenty of gluten free baking recipes on the blog that I’m 100% sure you and your family won’t even taste the difference in! 

Check out some of the reader favorites:

• Coconut Cream Cheese Cake
• S’mores Cookies
• Banana Muffins

Picking the right gluten free flour

If you’ve ever tried blending flour mixes to create your own gluten free flour, you know the process can be pretty intimidating. That’s why I’m a huge fan of the pre-mixed gluten free flour blends available at most grocery stores. 

I’m no expert and I certainly haven’t tried all of the gluten free flour blends out there, but here are a few of my favorites you can buy online:

• Bob’s Red Mill 
• King Aurthur
• Pillsbury Best

The thing with gluten free flour is, they all have a different blend of flours. Whether it’s potato, corn, garbanzo, you name it!

This means that depending on the brand you go with, the result of your baking will be different. And while many gluten free bloggers will swear by their favorite gluten free flour (I’m totally guilty), I really think it comes down to a matter of taste. 

If you prefer your baked goods a bit more light and airy, you might enjoy the King Arthur blend. If you enjoy a bit of density, you’ll probably lean towards Bob’s. 

I recommend trying at least 3 gluten free flour blends in the same recipe and deciding for yourself which one you prefer.

Why pistachios?

Back in elementary school when I went to Morocco to visit my grandma I always looked forward to getting a pistachio ice cream from the shop near her apartment.

Something about the bright green color and the sweet, nutty taste made it my favorite flavor. So adding them to a batch of chocolate chip cookies seemed like a no brainer. Typically, I’m not a huge fan of nuts in my cookies, but pistachios are no ordinary nut. Don’t knock it till you try it.

That said, if you are allergic to tree nuts or a chocolate chip cookie purist, leaving the nuts out from this recipe will result in an equally delicious batch of gluten-free chocolate chip cookies.

Why salt?

If you’re new here at Salima’s Kitchen, you may be asking yourself: “what’s with the salt?” 

Allow me to introduce you to your new favorite cookie baking trick: Maldon salt. 

This thick, flakey salt makes the perfect garnish for just about anything, but especially cookies. If you’re into the classic sweet + salty flavor combo, you will love this. 

I started using this trick almost a decade ago now and I can honestly tell you I will never again serve a plate of cookies that aren’t topped with a generous sprinkle of this salt. 

And while this trick may seem basic at first, there is a bit of nuance to getting it right. 

You see, if you put the salt on before the cookie dough goes in the oven, it will get baked in and essentially dissolve, making the special texture of this salt useless. On the other hand, if you wait until the cookies are fully cooked to sprinkle it on, the salt will fall right off before it reaches your mouth! 

The secret to getting this flake salt to stay on your cookies without dissolving? Pull your cookies from the oven when there are still a few minutes left, sprinkle on your salt (and a couple extra chocolate chunks while we’re there), pop them back in the oven for the remaining time and voila!  

This technique gives the salt just enough time to cling onto some of the melted chocolate chips but not enough time to dissolve completely. The outcome is truly the best gluten free chocolate chip cookie, ever. 

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