• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Heather Cooan logo
  • My Story
  • Recipes
  • Articles
  • Resources
  • Services
  • Success Stories
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • My Story
  • Recipes
  • Articles
  • Resources
  • Services
  • Success Stories
    • Amazon
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • My Story
    • Recipes
    • Articles
    • Resources
    • Services
    • Success Stories
    • Amazon
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Gluten-Free (GF)

    Gluten-Free Sourdough Chocolate Chunk Cookies

    Published: Sep 25, 2022 · Modified: Oct 13, 2022 by Heather Cooan, MBA, NTP, FDN-P, ONC · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    These chocolate chunk cookies are not only gluten-free, but they harness the power of sourdough fermentation to produce a nutrient-rich delicious dessert! These light and fluffy cookies are sure to be a hit with anyone who is missing the "real" deal or anyone who enjoys a good cookie.

    Plate of Gluten-Free Sourdough Chocolate Chunk Cookies
    QUICK REFERENCE
    • Why This Recipe Works
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Tips and Tricks
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes You'll Love
    • Recipe
    • Discussion

    Why This Recipe Works

    These gluten-free sourdough chocolate chunk cookies are awesome. The quick cookie version is a really great quick and easy way to use up that sourdough starter or discard. The long ferment version also uses up sourdough starter or discard, while also liberating the nutritional value of the grains and reducing the anti-nutrient and sugar content of the grains.

    You can mix in anything you want. You don't have to stick with boring old chocolate chunks. You can also add nuts or seeds, dried fruit, or even experiment with different types of chips. Maybe butterscotch, peanut butter, white chocolate, or a combo. This recipe would make a fantastic white chocolate macadamia nut cookie.

    Ingredient Notes

    Gluten-free sourdough chocolate chunk cookie ingredients with labels

    Really? You've never thought to use a sourdough starter or discard in a cookie recipe? You should totally try it, it makes the cookies so light and fluffy!

    • Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter: You can easily make your own by capturing the wild yeast in the air by mixing gluten-free flour into a thick pancake batter consistency, adding a breathable cover, and leaving it on the countertop. I use a commercial gluten-free sourdough starter culture from Cultures for Life.
    • Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: I love Pamela's brand Gluten-Free All Purpose Artisan Flour Blend. The ingredients are clean, with no weirdness, and it performs exceedingly well in all things gluten-free baking.
    • Vanilla Extract: I make my own from Bourbon and vanilla beans. I have found this to be the cheapest way to get a good quality pure vanilla extract. It lasts forever and is delicious.
    • Brown Sugar: I don't bother to stock brown sugar. We don't eat real sugar all that often and it's incredibly easy to make your own brown sugar. So I stock white sugar (mostly for the hummingbirds in the garden) and molasses. When I need brown sugar, I simply mix up a batch. Light brown sugar is a ratio of 1 cup of sugar to 2 teaspoons of molasses. Dark brown sugar is a ratio of 1 cup of sugar to 1 tablespoon of molasses.
    • Chocolate: I'm all about high-quality ingredients and chocolate is no exception. Splurge for the good stuff and use an Alter Eco chocolate bar or two!

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    You can make these gluten-free sourdough chocolate chunk cookies on demand like a typical cookie, or you can ferment the dough for 8-24 hours to maximize the health benefits of the sourdough process by increasing the nutritive value of the grains and reducing the carbohydrate content.

    Quick Variation

    1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
    2. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, cream butter, and sugar together for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
    3. Add egg and mix until well incorporated.
    4. Add vanilla and sourdough starter and mix until just combined.
    5. In a separate bowl, mix salt, baking soda, baking powder, and gluten-free flour together.
    6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients about ⅓ at a time, and mix until just incorporated.
    7. Gently fold in chocolate chunks until combined.
    8. Place on an oiled or parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until the edges start to brown.
    Gluten-free sourdough chocolate chunk cookie process

    Long Ferment Variation

    1. The night before, mix together melted butter, sourdough starter, and flour in a stand mixer bowl or a mixing bowl using a hand mixer and cover. Allow the grains to ferment for 8-24 hours.
    2. Add egg and vanilla to the sourdough starter mixture, and mix well.
    3. Sprinkle sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder into the bowl and stir.
    4. Fold in chocolate chunks.
    5. For best results, refrigerate the dough for at least one hour prior to baking.
    6. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until the edges start to turn golden brown.

    Tips and Tricks

    • Be careful to not over-bake or over-mix. You may end up with a tough or more dense cake-like cookie.
    • Add in any additional mixins you would like such as nuts, seeds, different flavored chips, coconut, or dried fruit.
    • These are delicate cookies and can be a bit crumbly due to the lack of gluten. If you bake them for a little longer, they may hold together better. Just watch them closely so they don't get too dark!

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I use alternative sweeteners?

    Yes. I recommend monk fruit, erythritol, allulose, or stevia. You'll need to experiment with blends to figure out the correct amounts of each. Erythritol or monk fruit should be a straight swap for the sugar.

    Can I use any gluten-free flour?

    You can absolutely create your own blend or use another all-purpose blend. Lots of folks like the King Arthur brand as it's less expensive.

    Is this recipe low-carb?

    No, this recipe is definitely high in carbohydrates. So if you're dealing with a chronic illness, this one is probably not a good idea for you at this time.

    Can I use an active starter or discard?

    Yes! You can use either.

    This cookie is surprisingly light and fluffy but still holds together pretty well for being gluten-free. Sourdough starter is a fantastic addition to any cookie recipe. Especially, gluten-free cookie recipes. Gluten-free cookies tend to be on the dry side and the addition of the sourdough starter turns that dryness into a soft pillowing flake that's just awesome.

    Inside of a gluten-free sourdough chocolate chunk cookie

    More Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes You'll Love

    • Dairy-free keto peanut butter cookies.
      Peanut Butter Cookies (GFDF, Keto)
    • No-Bake Cookies
      Chocolate Coconut No-Bake Cookies (Keto, Paleo, GFDF)
    • Bacon Grease Sugar Cookie
      Bacon Grease Sugar Cookie (GFDF, Paleo, Keto)
    • 20 Holiday Keto Cookie Recipes

    Have you tried this Gluten-Free Sourdough Chocolate Chunk Cookie or any of my other recipes? I'd love to know how they turned out in the comments below, and please leave a star rating too!

    Recipe

    Gluten-Free Sourdough Chocolate Chunk Cookie

    Heather Cooan
    These chocolate chunk cookies are not only gluten-free, but they harness the power of sourdough fermentation to produce a nutrient-rich delicious dessert! These light and fluffy cookies are sure to be a hit with anyone who is missing the "real" deal or anyone who enjoys a good cookie.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Fermentation 8 hrs
    Total Time 8 hrs 30 mins
    Course Desserts
    Cuisine American
    Servings 24 Servings
    Calories 231 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Mixer Stand mixer or hand mixer
    • 1 Cookie Sheet

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 Sticks Butter Softened
    • ½ Cup Organic Pure Cane Sugar or Sugar Replacement of Choice
    • ½ Cup Organic Brown Pure Cane Sugar or Brown Sugar Replacement of Choice
    • 1 Egg
    • ¾ Cup Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter
    • 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
    • 2 Cups Pamela's Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour
    • 1 Teaspoon Redmond Real Salt
    • ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
    • ¼ Teaspoon Baking Powder
    • 2 Cups Chocolate Chunks

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • In a stand mixer with paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, cream butter and sugar together for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
    • Add egg and mix until well incorporated.
    • Add vanilla and sourdough starter and mix until just combined.
    • In a separate bowl, mix salt, baking soda, baking powder, and gluten-free flour together.
    • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients about ⅓ at a time, and mix until just incorporated.
    • Gently fold in chocolate chocolate chunks until combined.
    • Place on an oiled or parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden.

    Long Ferment Instructions

    • The night before, mix together melted butter, sourdough starter and flour in a stand mixer bowl or a mixing bowl using a hand mixer and cover. Allow the grains to ferment for 8-24 hours.
    • Add egg and vanilla to the sourdough starter mixture, and mix well.
    • Sprinkle sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder into the bowl and stir.
    • Fold in chocolate chunks.
    • For best results, refrigerate dough for at least one hour prior to baking.
    • Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until the edges start to turn golden brown.

    Video

    Notes

    • Be careful to not over-bake or over-mix. You may end up with a tough or more cake-like cookie.
    • Add in any additional mixins you would like such as nuts, seeds, different flavored chips, or dried fruit.
    • These are delicate cookies and can be a bit crumbly due to the lack of gluten.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1CookieCalories: 231kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 3gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 207mgPotassium: 54mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 250IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Gluten-Free (GF)

    • One dozen keto pumpkin spice muffins stacked on a green plate.
      Keto Pumpkin Spice Muffins
    • Turkey Stew
      Turkey Stew (GFDF, Keto, Paleo, AIP, Whole30, Low Iron)
    • Bacon cheese dip in a cast iron dutch oven
      Bacon Cheese Dip (GF, Keto, Low Iron, Low Oxalate)
    • Pepperoni Mushroom Pizza Chicken on a Plate
      Pepperoni Mushroom Pizza Chicken (GF, Keto, Low Iron)
    90 shares
    • 88

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Tell Me What You Think

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Heather says

      September 27, 2022 at 10:09 am

      5 stars
      My husband absolutely loved these. He said they were super light and fluffy. I didn't put enough chocolate chunks in them, so that was his only complaint. Next time I'll add more, but he's loving them! He misses a lot of baked goods since gluten doesn't agree with him, so it's really nice to have an alternative recipe that we can make at home for him to enjoy.

    Primary Sidebar

    Heather Cooan - Nutrition Consulting, Counseling, and Education

    Hi, I'm Heather! I’m a Functional Nutritionist and Educator helping women suffering from autoimmunity and cancer take control of their health and care through education, data-driven nutritional therapy, and strategic lifestyle design.

    More about me →

    WARM WINTER RECIPES

    • Homemade chicken soup in the crockpot
      Homemade Chicken Soup (GFDF, Keto, Paleo, AIP, Whole30)
    • Shiitake Noodle Pho
      Shirataki Noodle Pho (Keto, Paleo, GFDF, Whole30, Low-Iron)
    • Venison chili in the crockpot.
      End of The World Venison Chili (Keto, Whole30, Paleo, GFDF)
    • Turkey Stew
      Turkey Stew (GFDF, Keto, Paleo, AIP, Whole30, Low Iron)

    POPULAR RECIPES

    • pickle wheels - pickle, cream cheese, ham
      Pickle Wheels (Keto, GF, Low Iron)
    • Vanilla cupcakes on white wood background
      Vanilla Frosted Buttercream Cupcakes (GFDF, Keto, Low-Iron)
    • Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce
      Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce (Keto, GF, Vegetarian, Low-Iron)
    • Roast Duck (Keto, Paleo, GFDF, AIP, Whole30)
    • Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
      Garlic Mashed Cauliflower (GFDF, Keto, Paleo, AIP, Whole30)
    • Vanilla Ice Cream in a Bowl Garnished with Raspberry & Mint
      Vanilla Ice Cream (Keto, Paleo, GFDF)

    LATEST POSTS

    • Variety of beans, grains, and fruit on a table.
      Food Sensitivity, Intolerance, or Allergy?
    • Side profile of a digital man breathing in green pollen particles on a blue and white background.
      Histamine Intolerance an Overview
    • Knife and fork with black handle sitting on a wooden cutting board surrounded by cheese, garlic, avocado, steak, salmon, tomatoes, green beans, and spices.
      The Six Stages of Ketosis
    • female compounding pharmacist holding mortar and pestle with male pharmacist in the background
      Low-Dose Naltrexone for Cancer and Autoimmune Disease

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Affiliate Disclosure
    • Accessibility Policy

    Let's Connect!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Subscribe for Recipes and Updates

    My Amazon Favorites

    Work With Me

    • Functional Nutrition Services
    • Contact Us
    • Media and Press

    Disclaimer All information on this website and in HDC Media products, services, meal plans, and content is general information. Nothing on the website or any HDC Media content is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

    Affiliate Disclosure Many outgoing links on HeatherCooan.com are affiliate links. If you purchase a product after clicking an affiliate link, I receive a small percentage of the sale for referring you, at no extra cost to you. HDC Media is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

    Copyright © 2022 Functional Nutrition Consultant - Heather Cooan

    We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

    You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

    Heather Cooan
    Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

    Strictly Necessary Cookies

    Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

    If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.