Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

I sneak oats into desserts every chance I get. From Biscoff butter cookie sandwiches to a chocolate chip oatmeal banana bread, oats can make desserts even tastier. They add a nice chewiness and flavor. So I wondered how I could make oat flour cookies, where the recipe uses *only* oats instead of a combination of oats and another flour. Here, I ground up old fashioned oats to make the key ingredient in these oat flour chocolate chip cookies. And as a bonus, if you check your oats packaging and it’s certified gluten free, then this recipe is also naturally gluten-free for you!

Ingredients for these Gluten-Free Cookies

You probably already have all or most of the ingredients you need for this recipe. Here are some of the key ones:

Ground oats from old fashioned oats – They add texture and chewiness. I’m not sure there’s such a thing as healthy chocolate chip cookies, BUT with oats, there are health benefits! They add fiber, vitamins, and minerals to the cookie! If you’re gluten-free, this recipe will work for you so long as your oats are certified gluten-free.

Baking baking powder and baking soda – Baking soda helps a cookie spread while baking, but too much soda can lead to a thin, crispy cookie. To counterbalance that, this recipe also uses baking powder. This leavening agent helps give your cookie the ability to rise. The combination makes these chewy oat flour chocolate chip cookies.

Chocolate chunks – Chocolate chips will work fine. Just know that they contain added ingredients that make chips keep their shape, meaning they won’t melt.

Meanwhile, chopped chunks of chocolate will make all of your cookies unique in appearance as bits and larger pieces of chocolate are scattered throughout. This Epicurious article called “Why Chocolate Chips Ruin Chocolate Chip Cookies” really sold me on the idea of chopping my chocolate.

I usually throw in a mix of milk and dark chocolate chunks. While I love dark chocolate, I recommend chopping up bars with roughly 50-70% cacao. A higher percentage of cacao can lead to an unpleasant, bitter flavor.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• Mix by hand: You can combine the dough in a mixing bowl with just a whisk and rubber or wooden spatula. No hand or stand mixer required.
• Chewy oat flour chocolate chip cookies: Thanks to the combination of oats, melted/brown butter, and sugars, these cookies are deliciously soft and chewy.
• No-chill cookie dough: I tested the cookies by chilling the dough and not. There’s no major difference. You can bake this dough immediately after scooping it onto an unlined cookie sheet.
• Cozy flavor: Browned butter, which is easy to make, gives these cookies tons of moisture but also a cozy, nutty flavor.
• Gluten-free cookie recipe: If your oats are certified gluten-free, then this recipe is one that people with gluten allergies can enjoy.

Browning Butter

For the first step in this recipe, brown your butter over medium heat for 6-10 minutes. Stir occasionally until the butter begins to foam and becomes golden brown. Once it smells nutty and becomes amber in color, remove butter from the heat source and pour it into a heat-resistant container.

Then place it on a flat surface to expedite the cooling process for the next few minutes as you proceed through the recipe.

Next, preheat your oven to 350°F.

How to Make Oat Flour

Making oat flour at home is simple!

I make mine using my Magic Bullet, but you could get the same end result with a blender or food processor.

After you’ve browned your butter, begin working on your oat flour.

This recipe calls for 270 grams of oat flour. Simply pour that amount of old fashioned oats into your processor/blender of choice, and grind until your oats are powdery in appearance. It will somewhat resemble all-purpose flour but have a different feel.

Steps to Make Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

After you’ve browned your butter and ground your old fashioned oats, start measuring out all your other ingredients.

If using chocolate chunks, roughly chop your bars of chocolate and set aside. 

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cooled brown butter, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, nutmeg, baking powder, and baking soda. Start on a low speed to moisten, then increase speed to medium until dough is well combined, about 4 minutes. If not mixing by hand, you may need to pause the mixer and scrape down the sides of your bowl halfway through the process to ensure your ingredients are incorporated. 

Stop the mixer and add your egg and oat flour. Beat until smooth, about one minute. 

Stop the mixer to add your chocolate and beat for another 15-30 seconds or continue mixing by hand.

Scoop golf-ball sized portions of your cookie dough onto ungreased aluminum baking sheets, with about 2 inches between each of them. Bake for 13-14 minutes. Let cookies cool and firm up on the sheet for 5-10 minutes or until they’re firm enough to handle and transfer to a cooling rack.

Freezing and Storing these Cookies

• Leftover cookies will stay good for a few days after baking. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. They’ll also stay fresh if you keep them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for about 3 days.
• You can bake these cookies ahead of time. Freeze the baked cookies or cookie dough balls for up to 3 months in an airtight container. If baking the frozen cookie dough balls, bake them directly from freezer to a baking sheet. You may need to increase the baking time by a minute or two.

Tips to Bake Like a Pro

• If you’re not already, use a kitchen scale for accuracy in baking. Weighing your ingredients and writing or following a recipe using a standard metric like grams ensures consistency. I highly recommend investing $30 or less in a kitchen scale.
• Avoid over-mixing your dough. Only mix until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.
• Want a hack for cookies that taste like they’re straight from the oven days after baking them? Microwave a cookie for 15 seconds on a low power, and it’ll be perfectly warm, gooey, and delicious.

Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookie Q&A

More Dessert Recipes

If you’re in the mood for cake instead of cookies, maybe these mini lemon Bundt cakes are just what you need.

Or looking for more cookies made with oats? My matcha cookies use ground oats are so nice and chewy!

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