Oh yeah…this is (almost) it. The perfect chocolate chip cookie is within my grasp…if only I can make it sugar-free, but there’s something marvelous in the chemistry of brown sugar + white sugar that results in the texture and taste of an awesome chocolate chip cookie. Sugar-free sweeteners just can’t compare, not to mention they can’t nail down the molecular magic that comes from using real sugar.

After poring over tests, photos and baking instructions in the Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Guide and tweaking King Arthur’s gluten free recipe, I’ve come up with this list of ingredients and baking guidelines that is repeat baking-worthy, even if it doesn’t provide instant gratification (unless you’re the type to eat raw cookie dough).

There are some tools required for this endeavor to be successful: a stand mixer, a cookie scoop (1 or 2 oz), baking sheet and cooling rack (silicone mat optional), an oven that heats up to reliable temps, and fridge space to store the cookie dough overnight.

I’ve halved the King Arthur recipe to better suit the robust appetites of 2 cookie-loving adults, not to mention control batch sizes and reduce cookie scooping when baking.

• 113g salted butter
• 107g brown sugar
• 37g coconut sugar
• 40g stevia baking blend
• 10g granulated white sugar
• 1 teaspoons gluten-free vanilla extract
• 2 jumbo eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 181g King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour (ensure this mix has no xanthan gum included)
• 1 teaspoons xanthan gum
• 227g chocolate chips (I’ve used 4oz chocolate chunks and 4oz stevia sweetened chocolate chips)

In a stand mixer, beat the butter, sweeteners, vanilla and salt till runny. Add eggs one at a time, while scraping and beating until combined.

In separate bowl, mix flour blend, xanthan gum, baking powder, and baking soda.

Add dry ingredients into the wet mixture, then fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

Cover the dough and refrigerate overnight, which will solidify the dough mix. This part is also critical to fully developing the flavor of the cookie. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a baking sheet with a nonstick cooking spray (I used a coconut oil spray) or use a silicon mat.

I highly recommend baking 1 or 2 test cookies to account for oven temperature and rack placement before proceeding with batch baking. Once you’ve achieved your perfect test cookie, scoop balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space to spread between them.

Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes, until golden brown. Again oven temps and baking surfaces may vary your results. But I’ve found that I can pull my cookies at the 9 minute mark and let them sit in the pan up to 5 minutes. Afterwards, I transfer them to a rack to cool. Don’t let it cool completely though…coz, there’s nothing more delightful to eat than a warm, soft-melty, crisp-around-the-edges chocolate chip cookie.