These bakery-style oat flour chocolate chip cookies are thick, chewy, and naturally gluten-free. Made with nutty brown butter, coconut sugar (refined sugar-free!) or brown sugar, and lots of melty chocolate chips, they're gooey, nostalgic, and just a little healthier.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies (Brown Butter, Gluten-Free)
- 🕒 Ready In: 35 minutes + chill time
- 👪 Serves: About 24-26 cookies
- 🍽 Calories: ~130-160 per cookie (depending on sugar + chocolate)
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Butter, coconut sugar (or brown sugar), eggs, oat flour, chocolate chips
- 📖 Dietary Info: Naturally gluten-free, refined sugar-free, dairy-free option
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: A bakery-style cookie with a chewy center, crisp edges, and rich brown-butter flavor. Naturally gluten-free, refined-sugar-free optional, and easy to customize.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
Chocolate chip cookies were the first thing I ever baked on my own, and I've been chasing that soft, gooey, right-off-the-pan feeling ever since.
Now that I do this for a living and love creating healthier spins on classics, I started experimenting with oat flour - and this was the recipe that finally tasted like a "real" bakery cookie. The brown butter, the coconut sugar, the melty chocolate… It's everything I love, just made with ingredients I reach for now.
These oat flour chocolate chip cookies (or "oatmeal flour cookies," as some people call them) are the ones I make for friends, gift boxes, and cozy Sunday afternoons at home. People always ask for the recipe, and no one ever guesses they're naturally gluten-free.
They're perfect for cookie swaps, holidays, or anytime you want a cozy, homemade treat - right alongside my Healthy Snickerdoodles, Chewy Coffee Cookies, and Healthy Coconut Sugar Cookies.
Jump to:
- A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Easy Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Quick Video Tutorial (Step-by-Step)
- Expert Tips
- Troubleshooting Guide
- Storage & Freezing Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Gluten-Free Desserts You'll Love
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
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BEST oat flour cookie recipe I have found! I make these regularly and keep them in the freezer. So good and gluten-free.
- Cynthia V
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Thick, chewy, bakery-style texture. Oat flour makes the centers soft and gooey, while brown butter gives the edges that perfect golden chew.
- Naturally gluten-free with simple ingredients. Just homemade oat flour - no gums, no blends, nothing complicated.
- Rich brown-butter flavor. This is what makes them taste like real bakery cookies, even with healthier ingredients.
- Lightly sweetened. Still indulgent, just a little better for you, and refined-sugar-free if you use coconut sugar.
- A guaranteed crowd favorite. No one ever guesses they're gluten-free - even picky cookie people love them.
- Great for make-ahead and gifting. The dough chills well, bakes evenly, and freezes perfectly for holiday baking or cookie swaps.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finally, an oat flour cookie recipe that uses coconut sugar and eggs! Perfect combination with the rich flavor of brown butter.
- Susan King
Ingredients You'll Need
- Oat Flour: The base of this recipe! It makes the cookies naturally gluten-free and gives them a soft, chewy texture. Store-bought oat flour gives the most consistent results, but you can blend rolled oats into a very fine flour if that's what you have. If you want more oat-flour desserts, try my Healthy Oat Flour Brownies and Oat Flour Banana Bread.
- Unsalted Butter: We'll brown it for that rich, bakery-style flavor. Brown butter adds a nutty, caramel-like taste you can't get from regular melted butter.
- Coconut Sugar (or Brown Sugar): Coconut sugar keeps these refined sugar-free with a deep caramel sweetness. Brown sugar works perfectly, too, and makes the cookies extra soft and chewy. I've tested both, and you truly can't go wrong. If you love coconut sugar recipes, try my Healthy Sugar Cookies - they're reader favorites.
- Eggs: Bind the dough and keep the cookies thick and soft. You'll need two.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds that warm, classic chocolate-chip-cookie flavor.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise slightly and spread just the right amount.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Chocolate Chips or Chunks: Use your favorite! Semi-sweet, dark, mini chips, or chopped chocolate bars all work. Chunks will give you those melty chocolate puddles on top.
Scroll to recipe card for quantities!
How to Make Homemade Oat Flour
Blend rolled oats in a high-speed blender until very fine - about 30-60 seconds. The texture should feel like soft flour, not gritty. Always measure after blending for accuracy, since blending changes the volume.
Easy Substitutions & Variations
- Use Brown Sugar Instead of Coconut Sugar: Swap 1:1 for a sweeter, more classic chocolate chip cookie. Brown sugar makes the cookies extra soft and chewy (also check out my Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Brown Sugar if you want a cookie with white sugar)!
- Make Them Dairy-Free: Use vegan butter and choose dairy-free chocolate chips. Brown the vegan butter the same way - it works!
- Oat Flour Swap: I don't recommend swapping the oat flour in this recipe - the texture won't turn out the same. If you want cookies made with other flours, try one of these instead:
- All Purpose Flour: Try these Healthy Oatmeal Walnut Cookies
- Almond Flour: Try these Peanut Butter Almond Flour Cookies.
- Add Nuts: Chopped walnuts or pecans add a little crunch and balance the sweetness.
- Mini Cookies: Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough and bake for 6-7 minutes for bite-sized cookies.
- High-Protein Version: Try my gooey protein chocolate chip cookies - they use oat flour too, but add whey protein powder for 12g of protein per cookie.
Need to substitute an ingredient?
Ask AI for suggestions on how to substitute the particular ingredient.
How to Make Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Step 1: Add the butter to a large saucepan over medium heat. As it melts, it will foam and crackle - totally normal. Whisk constantly for 1-3 minutes, until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty. Pour it immediately into a bowl to prevent burning, then let it cool for about 10 minutes.
- Step 2: Once the brown butter has cooled, whisk it together with the coconut sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk again until smooth. Add the oat flour, baking soda, and salt, then fold until a soft dough forms. Chill for 30-45 minutes so the oat flour can absorb the excess moisture - this keeps the cookies thick and chewy.
- Step 3: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie. Roll each portion into a ball, place on a lined baking sheet, and press a few extra chocolate chips on top. Don't flatten the dough - keeping them tall gives you thicker cookies. This recipe makes about 26 cookies.
- Step 4: Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The centers will look slightly underdone - that's what keeps them chewy. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Quick Video Tutorial (Step-by-Step)
Expert Tips
- Brown the butter correctly. I've tested these cookies so many times, and properly browned butter is what gives them that deep, bakery-style flavor. Let it turn golden and smell nutty, then pull it off the heat right away so it doesn't burn.
- Let the butter cool before mixing. If you add the sugar too soon, the dough gets greasy (I learned this the hard way during early tests!). A quick 10-minute cool keeps the dough thick and easier to work with.
- Chill the dough. Oat flour absorbs moisture much more slowly than all-purpose flour. Chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes helps it firm up, prevents spreading, and gives you those thick, chewy centers.
- Measure oat flour accurately. If you're using homemade oat flour, blend it very fine and measure after blending. During testing, coarse oat flour always made the cookies dry or crumbly.
- Don't overbake. The cookies should look slightly underdone in the center when you pull them out - they finish setting as they cool. This is the trick that keeps them soft and chewy every single time.
Troubleshooting Guide
Here are the most common issues I've run into while testing these cookies - and how to fix them:
- My cookies spread too much: This usually means the dough wasn't chilled long enough or the butter was still warm. Chill for at least 30 minutes, and make sure the brown butter has fully cooled before mixing.
- My cookies turned out dry or crumbly: This happens when the oat flour is too coarse or over-measured. If making homemade oat flour, blend until very fine and measure after blending. Too much oat flour will dry the dough out quickly.
- My cookies didn't spread at all: The dough was likely too cold or had too much flour. Let the dough sit at room temp for 5-10 minutes before baking, or double-check that you measured the oat flour correctly.
- My dough feels greasy: This can happen if the brown butter was too hot when mixed with the sugar. Let it cool for a full 10 minutes before adding the sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
Storage & Freezing Tips
- Store at Room Temperature: These oat flour chocolate chip cookies stay soft and chewy for 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container. Keep them at room temperature for the best texture.
- Store in the Fridge: If you prefer a firmer, denser cookie, you can refrigerate them for up to 1 week. The flavors deepen after the first day, and they're great chilled with coffee.
- Freeze the Baked Cookies: Let the cookies cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave for 10-15 seconds for that fresh-from-the-oven chew.
- Freeze the Cookie Dough: Scoop the dough into balls and freeze on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen at 350°F, adding 1-2 extra minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Blend rolled oats until very fine - almost powdery. Measure the flour after blending for accuracy. This is one of the most searched questions around oat flour cookies.
Yes - oat flour is naturally gluten-free. If you need them to be celiac-safe, use certified gluten-free oat flour to avoid cross-contamination.
Yes - if you use coconut sugar, these oat flour chocolate chip cookies are naturally refined sugar-free. For a more classic flavor, brown sugar also works.
Yes! Oat flour chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal flour chocolate chip cookies are the same thing - oat flour is simply finely blended rolled oats.
Absolutely. Brown sugar works 1:1 and will make the cookies even softer, chewier, and slightly sweeter. This is one of the biggest search-intent swaps.
This usually happens when the oat flour is too coarse or over-measured. Homemade oat flour must be blended very fine, and always measure it after blending. This directly addresses a top-searched troubleshooting query.
Yes! Oat flour absorbs moisture slowly. Chilling prevents spreading and creates thick, chewy centers - a big factor in ranking for "chewy oat flour cookies."
More Gluten-Free Desserts You'll Love
If you loved these gooey brown butter oat flour cookies, here are a few more recipes to try next:
Did you make this recipe?
If you make this recipe, be sure to comment and rate it down below. Also, don't forget to tag me @healthfulblondie on Instagram and use the hashtag #healthfulblondie so I can see your delicious creation and share it with my followers!
📖 Recipe
Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups oat flour (homemade or store-bought), spooned & leveled
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- 8 tablespoon butter, (1 stick)
- 1 cup chocolate chips or chunks, I like to buy a Ghirardelli bar or 2 and chop them up
Instructions
- Brown the butter: Add the butter to a large saucepan over medium heat. It will melt, crackle, and foam - that's normal. Whisk constantly for 1-3 minutes until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty. Immediately pour into a medium bowl to prevent burning. Let cool for 10 minutes.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the oat flour, baking soda, and salt until no clumps remain.
- Mix the wet ingredients: Once the brown butter has cooled, whisk it with the coconut sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
- Combine: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together with a spatula. Stir in the chocolate chips. The dough will be soft - chilling is important.
- Chill: Cover and chill the dough for 30-45 minutes, or until firm enough to scoop. This allows the oat flour to absorb moisture and keeps the cookies thick.
- Prep the oven: While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop the cookies: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie. Roll into balls, place on the prepared baking sheets, and press a few extra chocolate chips on top. Do not flatten the dough. Makes about 26 cookies.
- Bake: Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The centers will look slightly underdone - they will set as they cool.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Promise Oghinan says
Can I swap the butter for coconut oil and can I use honey instead of coconut sugar ?
Tati Chermayeff says
Hi! You can swap the butter for coconut oil, just know you’ll lose that rich, brown butter flavor. I wouldn’t recommend using honey instead of coconut sugar—it has a much different consistency and will make the dough too wet, so the cookies won’t turn out the same.
London says
These were SOOOO good!
Belinda Pratten says
Can swap coconut oil for butter.
Can also roll into a log and cut to bake. These are brilliant we love them.
Rolandi Mostert says
Can you substitute the butter with something else to make it more healthier?
Jane says
Easy and soo soooo good!1
Used vegan butter and added some chopped walnuts.
Came out perfect.
Thank you !
Tati Chermayeff says
Hi Jane, so happy to hear that! Thanks for leaving a review and 5 stars!
Susan King says
Finally an oat flour cookie recipe that uses coconut sugar and eggs! Perfect combination with the rich flavor of brown butter.
Tati Chermayeff says
Susan - so happy to hear that! I hope you enjoyed them 🙂
Cynthia Volpe says
BEST oat flour cookie recipe I have found! I make these regularly and keep them in the freezer. So good and gluten-free. I also make them dairy-free by using Earth Balance instead of butter, and they come out fine.
Olivia says
Would date sugar work?
Harmony says
I make these for my sister and her family, who are trying to eat healthier, and they all love them!
The first time I made it the batter was wet as you said it would be, but the second time I made it the batter was just like normal dry cookie dough… I was curious if that’s because the first time I added the coconut sugar to the butter when the butter was hot, and the second time I let the butter cool completely? Anyways, thank you very much for this amazing recipe, I haven’t found anything like it!
Tati Chermayeff says
Hi Harmony! Thank you so much for leaving a review. I am so happy you loved these cookies. They are my favorite!
Nina says
Hi! Can I substitute the coconut sugar with Stevia or date paste?
Tati Chermayeff says
Hi! I have not tested those subs, so I cannot promise anything. Brown sugar would be the best sub.