Easy Gluten Free Sunbutter Chocolate Chip Cookies

As I sit down to type up this post, I'm scarfing down ANOTHER Sunbutter chocolate chip cookie.

Dang, y'all, these are GOOD. Like, really good. These paleo cookies might win my personal award for cookie recipes on this website. These cookies are soft, chewy, buttery, and studded with gluten free chocolate chips.

Since they use coconut sugar, these cookies have the caramel notes of a brown sugar-based chocolate chip cookie. They rely on depth of flavor rather than smacking you in the face with sugary sweetness.

The long hunt for the BEST Sunbutter cookie

The first time I made these cookies, my results were perfect. It was more or less a happy accident - I used a previous recipe I'd developed as a base and simply swapped out a few things, but I didn't write down exactly what I'd done.

Big mistake.

I ended up testing this recipe half a dozen times, tweaking and experimenting and subjecting my eager friends to taste tests. Each time, they assured me the cookies taste great. But each time, I wasn't satisfied with the texture. It just wasn't right.

But finally, I nailed it! And because I put so much effort into getting the texture of these cookies JUST RIGHT, I have a couple notes for you:

• The consistency of your Sunbutter matters! Make sure your jar is well-stirred so you don't end up with too thick Sunbutter from the bottom of the jar or too oily Sunbutter from the top. I used No Sugar Added Sunbutter. I find that the consistency is just a bit creamier than the Organic Sunbutter. You need that extra oil content to ensure the cookies spread out sufficiently.
• When measuring the cassava flour and other dry ingredients, use the scoop and level method. Reach in the bag and scoop up the flour, then run the back of a butter knife along the measuring cup to level off the top. Growing up, I always thought the way you measure didn't matter. But I'm increasingly realizing that it makes a big difference, especially for picky grain free flours like cassava. (Yes, weighing ingredients is the most precise way to measure. I just don't want a kitchen scale.)
• I used homemade ghee (butter that's been cooked to remove the dairy solids) for the recipe. Presumably, using softened butter or storebought ghee will change the finished cookies slightly.

Sunbutter baking science - why do the cookies turn green?

If you've ever baked with sunflower seeds or Sunbutter before, you likely discovered an interesting reaction - your cookies turn a lovely shade of green!

This is totally normal and completely harmless. The change happens because the naturally occurring chlorogenic acid in sunflower seeds reacts with baking soda (an alkali), effectively cooking at an elevated pH level. The green hue appears when the baked goods cool (and oxidize)!

I know, that's awfully science-y. All you really need to know is that the green hue is normal and absolutely safe.

Sunbutter's FAQs state that you can reduce the amount of baking soda or add a little lemon juice to counteract the reaction. I think it's pretty rad.

So I've got no desire to take the green out. After all, that makes these cookies perfect for St. Patrick's Day, the holidays, or your friend whose favorite color is green!

More gluten free cookie recipes

Did you try this gluten free Sunbutter Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe? I'd love to hear what you think! Please leave a comment and rating or tag me on Instagram - I appreciate your feedback.