If you know me, you know I love to bake. Baking cookies is my favorite past time. When I'm having a tough day? Bake cookies. If you're feeling down? I'll bake you cookies! There's something about baking that calms me and the best part? You reap the reward just 20 minutes later.

This Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe has a secret. It's Gluten Free! Now now, don't roll your eyes and close out this tab. Eating Gluten Free doesn't have to taste bad. When you take a bite out of these cookies, you will feel instant bliss. I promise! You would never know in a million years that they were GF. And guess what? Zero bloat, Zero inflammation!

Life Changing Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

 The Ingredients:

 16 Tablespoons of melted butter (usually 2 sticks) 

*I've used both salted and unsalted. Either is fine!

1 Cup of packed Light Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup of Granulated Sugar

2 Teaspoons of Vanilla Extract

1 Teaspoon of Salt 

2 Large Eggs

2 1/3 Cups of Gluten Free All Purpose Flour

* I like King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour or Bobs Red Mills Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour. Your flour needs Xanthan gum in it so it's important for it to be "measure for measure" or "1 to 1".

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

2 Cups of Chocolate Chips 
* I loooooove to mix one cup milk choc chip and one cup dark choc chip. I discovered this combo around Christmas. Life changing!

 Let's Bake Cookies!

PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 350 DEGREES.

 1. Using an electric beater and a large mixing bowl beat the butter, sugars, vanilla and salt until well combined.

2. Next, beat in the eggs being sure to use a baking spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. You want to make sure you're mixing thoroughly and that all ingredients are combined.

3. In a separate medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder, and baking soda.

4. Slowly add the flour mixture into the large mixing bowl with the sugar/butter mixture. Use the beater to mix all ingredients together. Make sure to use the rubber spatula again to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to combine the ingredients really well.

5. Add in the chocolate chips and stir with a wooden spoon or your rubber spatula. *The cookie dough will have a more soft consistency. You can throw it in the fridge for 1-2 hours for it to become more "cookie dough like" or bake right away. I found they bake beautifully as is.

BAKER'S NOTE: This batch of cookie dough is a big one. I usually fill two cookie pans full of cookies to bake and refrigerate or freeze the rest of the dough for another day.

6. Using a metal spoon, scoop 1-2 TBS of cookie dough onto a cookie pan lined with parchment paper. Remember, they will grow, so space them out about 1in apart. Don't have parchment paper? Lightly rub down the pan with coconut oil.

7. Want chewy cookies? Bake them for exactly 9 minutes and let them cool for 5 minutes. Like a crunchier cookie? Bake for 11 minutes and allow them to cool for 5 minutes.

Storage Tips:

• The raw cookie dough is fresh so it won't last in the fridge for too long. Make sure to bake within 1-2 days or the dough can go bad. Put the cookie dough into a zip lock and into the freezer for cookies up to 1-2 weeks later.

• Store your freshly baked cookies into a cookie jar, cookie tin, or ziplock bag to keep them fresh. I've layered powdered sugar at the bottom of my tins for a little dusting of sweetness!