A gluten-free chocolate chip cookie for the ages
- The San Juan Daily Star
- Jul 24
- 2 min read
By Melissa Clark
It’s a matter of great debate among chocolate chip cookie lovers: Chewy and gooey? Cakelike and tender? Crisp and crunchy? (Or maybe you’re one of those people who likes to eat just the dough? We see you.)
“THEEESE!! Gluten-free game changer,” said one reader about Ali Slagle’s miso chocolate chip cookies. While it’s hard to believe that any cookie made without butter, flour or leaveners, can hold its own among the chocolate chip cookie greats, this one does and more.
A combination of miso, light brown sugar, nut butter and vanilla extract create crisp, chewy edges; soft, gooey middles and a rich salted caramel flavor. You can use any kind of nut or seed butter you have, keeping in mind that each type will create a slightly different cookie, with some having a more pronounced flavor (like peanut) than others. (Cashew is the least noticeable.)
Looking for more cookies? Find 24 more of our readers’ most-loved chocolate chip cookie recipes at nytcooking.com.
Miso chocolate chip cookies
Here’s a recipe for homemade chocolate chip cookies that doesn’t require butter, flour or leaveners, and it can be ready in less than a half-hour. But how? Inspired by these gluten- and dairy-free salted peanut butter cookies, a combination of miso, light brown sugar, nut butter and vanilla extract create crisp, chewy edges; soft, gooey middles and a rich salted caramel flavor. You can use any kind of nut or seed butter you have, keeping in mind that each type will create a slightly different cookie, with some having a more pronounced flavor (like peanut) than others. (Cashew is the least noticeable.)
By Ali Slagle
Yield: 8 cookies
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
3/4 cup/160 grams light brown sugar (see Tip)
2 tablespoons white miso
1 large egg
3/4 cup nut or seed butter, such as peanut, almond or tahini
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup/85 grams semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
Preparation:
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, vigorously stir the sugar, miso and egg until smooth. Add the nut butter and vanilla extract and stir vigorously until thickened slightly. Stir in the chocolate chips.
2. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into eight portions (roughly 2 1/2-ounce, 3-tablespoon) onto the prepared sheet pan about 2 inches apart. (For extra-gooey bites, press a few more chocolate chips on top.) Bake the cookies, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until the edges are golden and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool completely on the sheet pan.
Tips: Dark brown sugar doesn’t work well here because it darkens the outsides before the insides have a chance to set.
Those cookies look absolutely irresistible! I’ve been experimenting with gluten-free baking lately, and it’s wild how good the results can be when you understand the hidden power of ingredients . Almond flour gives that rich, nutty flavor, while a touch of coconut sugar adds a caramel note that feels nostalgic. I once baked a batch for friends who didn’t even realize they were gluten-free — that’s the real win! It’s amazing how small swaps can make food inclusive without losing any of the joy. Warm cookies, a cozy drink, and good company… that’s what I call simple happiness in a bite.
I’m usually team chewy and gooey when it comes to cookies, but these miso chocolate chip ones really surprised me. The mix of sweet and salty gives them such a unique flavor, almost like a salted caramel vibe. I tried them with almond butter and they turned out amazing, soft centers with crisp edges, exactly how I like them. Baking feels like therapy for me, but sometimes I just want cookies without heating up the oven. On those days, I end up scrolling delivery apps and even once googled how to contact postmates when my order went missing.