These Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft and chewy eggless chocolate chip cookies but also decadent and divine. The dark chocolate cookies get their color from two types of cocoa powders! They're what chocolate dreams are made of! If that wasn't enough, they’re also gluten free, nut free, egg free and easily vegan!
These Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies stay soft for days...even without any eggs! Many eggless cookies have a tendency to dry up but not these! Thanks to our special ingredient...molasses! You can also find that secret ingredient in our regular Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies! Or if you're looking for a chocolate cookie without butter or vegan baking sticks, check out my Olive Oil Cookies!
If you’re looking for more dark chocolate cookie recipes, try Dark Chocolate Sugar Cookies, Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies, Eggless Chocolate Cookies, Chocolate Sprinkle Cookies and Double Chocolate Brownie Bites.
Jump to:
Reasons to Love These Cookies
- Allergy Friendly- These cookies are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
- Soft & Gooey Inside- The cookies are thick, soft, chewy and oozing with chocolate inside like my No Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies!
- Chocolate Chips- They are fully loaded and topped with chocolate chips like my Microwave Chocolate Chip Cookie!
- Double Chocolate- There is chocolate in two different ways like in our Eggless Chocolate Cookies! Make sure to check out my Mini Chocolate Cookies if you like smaller treats!
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour- If you also have nut allergies, make sure to use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this gluten free flour because it’s nut safe but it does contain dairy. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce.
- Vegan Baking Stick/Butter- Only use room temperature. If you use melted, the cookies will spread too much while baking.
- Cornstarch and Water- These are eggless cookies so this mixture helps bind everything together.
- Dark Brown Sugar- I use brown sugar instead of granulated for added moisture like in my Chocolate Blossom Cookies.
- Milk- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non dairy, use a non dairy milk of your choosing.
- Molasses- The secret ingredient! I use a tablespoon of unsulphured molasses like in my Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies. Without it, the cookies will dry up within a day.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make these Vegan
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
- Use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Only use a non dairy milk of choice.
- Read the label on your chocolate chips to ensure they’re gluten free, nut free and vegan.
How to Make this recipe with All Purpose Flour
- Use 1 ¼ packed cups of regular flour (210 grams).
- Make sure to also use packed cups of cocoa powder.
- You still need to chill the dough due to the lack of eggs.
This recipe has not been tested with these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
Here are the step by step instructions to make these cookies!
Step 1: Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, combine the gluten free flour, both cocoa powders, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine.
Step 2: Make the Cornstarch Water
In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the cornstarch and water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
Step 3: Cream the Sugar
In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using a hand held mixer, beat the softened vegan baking stick or butter and the dark brown sugar until soft and creamy. About 2 minutes.
Step 4: Add in the Other Wet Ingredients
Slowly beat in the cornstarch water, the milk, molasses and the vanilla until fully combined. It will appear chunky. That’s normal.
Step 5: Add in the Dry Ingredients
With the mixer on low speed, slowly beat in the gluten free flour mixture a little at a time until just combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and combine.
Step 6: Fold in the Chocolate Chips
Gently fold in ¾ cup chocolate chips using a spatula until combined.
Step 7: Chill the Dough and Preheat the Oven
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and pop the entire bowl of dough in the fridge for 2.5 hours. It needs to harden otherwise the cookies will spread all over the place. I like to chill mine overnight.
When the dough is almost done chilling, preheat your oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 8: Scoop the Dough and add Additional Chocolate Chips
Take the dough out of the fridge and use an ice cream scoop to scoop the batter onto a clean plate. There should be 12 scoops. It will be quite sticky.
Pour the additional ½ cup chocolate chips onto another small plate. Press the top of each cookie into the chocolate chips.
Step 9: Bake the Cookies
Place the cookies on the baking sheet about 4 inches apart. I only bake 6 cookies at a time.
Pop the extra dough balls into the fridge while these are baking. Bake the cookies in the center rack of the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 13-15 minutes.
Immediately reshape the cookies when they come out of the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack. If you don't do this, the cookies will break apart into a giant mess.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use 2 Types of Cocoa Powder- The 2 types of cocoa powders give the cookies their dark hue. If you only have one type on hand, use natural unsweetened or dutch...just know their color will not be as dark as mine. DO NOT use dark alone; it will make your cookies too dry and bitter.
- Use Room Temperature Butter- Do NOT use softened or melted butter/vegan baking sticks. The cookies will spread out when baking into a giant mess.
- Chill the Dough- If you don’t chill the dough for at least 2.5 hours, the cookies will spread and be flat and thin. Chilling overnight is the best.
- Reshape the Cookies- If you want your cookies nice and round, reshape them as soon as they come out of the oven. Either use a spatula to push them back into a circle shape or use a large circle cookie cutter. If using a cookie cutter, place it over the cookies and rotate quickly in a circle.
Recipe FAQs
You can make the dough the night before. Keep it in a bowl and cover the top with plastic wrap in the fridge.
If doing this, there is no need to chill again prior to baking.
Or you can wrap the dough in plastic and freeze the dough for up to 30 days. Thaw the dough in the fridge the night prior to using.
Most gluten free baked goods are best made the same day, but you can make these cookies a day before!
Unlike most eggless and gluten free cookies, they stay fresh for several days!
I don’t recommend using a different sugar.
Eggless cookies can be very dry and the dark brown sugar adds lots of moisture.
Yes! You can use a small cookie scoop.
Bake the cookies at the same temperature but for 11-13 minutes. Reshape as needed. Should make around 24 cookies.
Once the cookies have cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
If you want them warm and gooey, heat the cookie in the microwave for a few seconds prior to serving. Be careful not to burn your mouth.
Other Double Chocolate Recipes You'll Love
Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!
Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @laneandgreyfare and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and YouTube! Enjoy!!!
📖 Recipe
Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour (I use a 1:1 gluten free flour with xanthan gum)
- ½ cup cocoa powder (I use ¼ cup Dutch or Natural Unsweetened and ¼ cup Dark)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups dark brown sugar , packed
- 2 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons of water
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon unsulphured molasses
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, both cocoa powders, the baking soda and the kosher salt. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the cornstarch and water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first. Set aside.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using a hand held mixer, beat the room temperature butter or vegan baking stick and the dark brown sugar until soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
- With the mixer on low speed, beat in the cornstarch water mixture. Then beat in the vanilla, molasses and milk. The mixture might look slightly chunky and that’s ok.
- Still on low speed, beat the gluten free flour mixture into the wet ingredients, a little at a time until just combined.
- Once combined, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and using the spatula, fold in ¾ cup of the chocolate chips.
- The batter will be very wet and sticky. Don’t try to take it out of the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least 2.5 hours. It needs to harden otherwise the cookies will spread all over the place.
- After 2.5 hours, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Take the bowl of dough out of the fridge. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the dough out. At this point the dough will still be a bit sticky. There should be 12 scoops.
- Place the additional ½ cup of chocolate chips on a plate.
- Press the top of the dough balls into the chips. Gently press so the chips stay in the dough.
- Place the dough balls on the baking sheet about 3-4 inches apart. I only put about 6 cookies on the tray at a time. Put the extra dough back into the fridge in between batches.
- Bake the cookies in the middle rack for 13-15 minutes.
- Take out the cookies and immediately use a spatula to reshape your cookies if they spread a bit.
- After reshaping, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for an additional 5 min after removing them from the oven. If you try to take them off too soon, they will break apart.
- After 5 minutes, transfer them to a cooling rack.
- Repeat this entire process with the rest of the dough.
Julie Santaniello-Brox
Hi, I was asked to bring cookies to Thanksgiving dinner, and I am NOT a baker. Your dark chocolate sugar cookies, caught my eye and then I saw your dark chocolate chip cookies. I will have my hands full cooking so many things so I only want to do one of these and I wonder if you could give me your opinion on which one to try first?? None of the guests have gluten or dairy or sugar issues and I am not familiar with that kind of baking. If they are just as delicious as other non-gluten, free desserts, I’d like to try it… Why not? Please give me your opinion if you see this. Thanks.
Lee
Hi Julie! I really love the dark chocolate sugar cookies! They're one of my favs! I can email you flour recommendations if need be!
Amarjeet Kaur
what if I don't have molasses?
Lee
You could leave it out. It is just added so the cookies stay softer longer. Or you can try to replace it with honey or maple syrup. Hope this helps!
Annie
I have made these cookies about 5 times now and every time I make them they taste better and better! It’s the best of both worlds when you can eat the cookie dough out of the fridge and then pop them in the oven and have a hot gooey cookie with some coconut ice cream. The BEST! Thank you!
Lee
Thank you, Annie!!!! I am so glad!!
Roxanne
Absolutely divine. Made these using buckwheat flour and date syrup instead of molasses as I didn’t have any on hand. So good !!! These will be my go to cookies ❣️
Lee
Thanks so so much!
Shel
Hi Roxxane,
Did you use buckwheat floyr alone or it was in your GF flour mix? Coz I'm looking into using up my BW flour before it goes bad and hoping to find something good that only uses that flour alone.
John
Making sure gluten free and egg free cookies sure is hard! I’m glad you found an easy way to do it!
Lee
Thank you!!