Malty teff flour adds big flavor to these chunky chocolate chip teff cookies. Made with one bowl in just 30 minutes! Gluten-free and can easily be made dairy-free. These cookies are thick, chewy, and will satisfy all your cookie cravings.
Find all my favorite gluten-free cookie recipes here.
Here's a recipe that just barely made it into my cookbook Alternative Baker – the variation listed under the Teff Oatmeal Cookies with Whiskey Currants.
Jay's favorite ever cookies are oatmeal chocolate chip with walnuts, and I couldn't not include a recipe for them (especially given the 1 million dishes he did during the making of the book). But time was running out. (Er, technically, it had run out long ago, to the chagrin of my editor who kept getting emails from me begging to add more recipes into an already-too-long-manuscript.)
Luckily, the cookies won!
These teff flour cookies have a rich, butterscotchy flavor thanks to earthy teff flour, plenty of butter, and vanilla. They're also:
- chewy
- gooey
- loaded with oats, nuts, and bittersweet chocolate
- so much more flavorful than regular oatmeal CCCs
- not too sweet
- full of nutrient-rich whole grains
How I Developed this Teff Cookie Recipe
Drop cookies can be persnickety beasts, objecting to slight changes in temperature/moisture/Mercury in retrograde/bad vibes, either spreading into flat pancakes or staying in tight little lumps upon hitting the heat of the oven. This humble teff flour recipe was the one that took the most tries to get right for my cookbook.
I tested batch after batch of teff cookies, making tiny adjustments, until I was finally satisfied. The original teff oatmeal cookies in the book are laced with a whiff of fresh nutmeg and studded with plump, boozy currants, all bound up in an earthy base of teff flour, oats, brown sugar, and lots and lots of butter. With each failed batch, I'd console myself with a warmly spiced (albeit overly flat/thick/sweet/salty) cookie and start over again.
When the manuscript was handed in (and I caught up on enough sleep for my synapses to start firing again), I suddenly realized my glaring omission: Jay's favorite cookie in the whole world. It was too late to develop and shoot an entirely new recipe, so, on a whim, I swapped out the nutmeg and currants for a mess of chopped bittersweet chocolate, in the hopes that I could sneak in just one more variation, but sure that the slight change of ingredients would wreck havoc on this most finicky of recipes.
To my surprise and delight, the recipe was far sturdier than expected.
The cookies baked up beautifully, spreading into thick, chewy, chunky cookies laced with the earthy tastes of teff, oat, molasses, dark chocolate, and toasted nuts.
These teff cookies have made the rounds online. Tessa made them with coconut sugar, and Traci shared the originals with step-by-step photos. This is probably the recipe from the book I make most often when I'm craving something quick and sweet late at night or on a rainy day.
Clearly Jay isn't the only cookie monster in the house!
Ingredients & Substitution Suggestions
These teff chocolate chip cookies come together with just a handful of pantry-friendly ingredients.
- Teff flour adds substance and rich, earthy flavor. I tested this recipe with Bob's Red Mill brown teff flour, but ivory teff flour will work too.
- Tapioca flour helps the cookies hold together, making them soft and chewy. Sub by weight arrowroot flour.
- Salt and vanilla sharpen the flavors. Flaky salt adds a bit of crunch on top, but feel free to omit if you don't have any on hand.
- Baking soda makes the cookies spread and brown.
- A combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar sweeten the cookies just enough, adding rich molasses notes. You can sub by weight coconut sugar for both sugars if you prefer.
- Oats add texture and heft. Be sure to use gluten-free oats if need be.
- Chopped bittersweet chocolate complements the earthy flavors of teff flour, oats, and vanilla, melting into gooey pockets. Feel free to use chocolate chips if you prefer.
- Walnuts make them extra chunky. Feel free to sub pecans or leave the nuts off entirely.
- Butter moistens the dough. Feel free to sub DF butter such as Miyoko's, decreasing the salt if necessary.
- An egg gives the cookies just the right amount of spread, adding protein to hold the dough together.
How to Make Teff Flour Cookies
This recipe comes together with 10 minutes of active time, plus 10 minutes of baking time. You can also scoop the dough into balls and chill them until you're ready to bake, which will make the cookies more thick and chewy as shown here.
This small-ish batch recipe makes 15 cookies. Feel free to double the recipe if you need moar cookies!
Whisk in the egg and vanilla.
Sift in the flours, baking soda, and salt.
Stir to combine, then stir in the nuts and chocolate.
Is Teff Flour Gluten-Free?
Yes, teff flour is naturally gluten-free!
If you're new to teff flour, this teff cookie recipe is a perfect introduction. The tiny grain is most commonly used in Ethiopian injera, but the flour has a nutty flavor that reminds me of malted chocolate milk, and it pairs beautifully with other similar flavors. Teff is also high in protein, which helps these cookies hold together.
I love using teff flour in desserts (particularly chocolate desserts!). You can find all of my favorite teff flour recipes here, and more in my cookbook.
Teff Cookies for Everyone
Here, brown sugar, chocolate and oats all work together to show off teff's exceptional flavor. Whip up a batch of these oatmeal teff chocolate chip cookies to share or hoard all to yourself. Hope you enjoy!
*Thanks for reading! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this teff flour cookie recipe, I’d love to see! Tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*
Oatmeal Teff Chocolate Chip Cookies (GF)
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Wet Ingredients
- 8 tbsp (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (80 g) packed light brown sugar*
- ¼ cup (50 g) organic granulated cane sugar*
- 1 large egg (2 ounces out of the shell)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- ¾ cup (100 g) teff flour (preferably Bob’s Red Mill brand)
- ¼ cup (27 g) tapioca flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup (100 g) GF old-fashioned rolled oats
- 6 ounces (170 g) coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate or chocolate chips (60-70%)
- ¾ cup (90 g) walnuts, toasted, cooled, and coarsely chopped or broken
- flaky salt for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Line two rimless cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Make the Cookie Dough
- Place the white and brown sugars in a large bowl. Stir in the melted butter and let cool to warm.
- Whisk in the egg and vanilla.
- Place a mesh strainer over the bowl and sift in the teff and tapioca flours, baking soda, and salt.
- Stir the dough vigorously to combine.
- Stir in the oats, chocolate, and nuts until combined. (You don't have to worry about over-mixing the dough because there are no glutens to turn tough!)
- Let the dough sit for a few minutes until thick enough to scoop, or chill briefly.
Bake the Cookies
- Form the dough into balls that are about 3 tablespoons large (a #24 cookie scoop works well).
- Place the dough balls on the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them 2-3 inches apart.
- Top each dough ball with a pinch of flaky salt, if using.
- Bake the cookies until the edges are set and starting to color but the centers are puffed and look underbaked, 10-12 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and pull them, parchment and all, onto wire racks to cool. They will be delicate at first, but will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Store the teff cookies at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Cover the dough and let stand 1-2 hours at room temperature before baking.
- Or scoop the dough into balls and chill airtight until ready to bake, up to 1 week. This will make thicker, chunkier, chewier cookies as shown here.
Tori//Gringalicious says
These little sweeties are so delicious looking!!! I could probably eat them all!
Ruby says
Eeee I just got some teff flour in a recent "hippie foods" care package from my mom and have been wondering what to do with it besides breakfast porridge! Can't wait to give these a try. And such a lovely gift idea xx
Beata Macklin says
Did you ever consider visiting Canada? How about Anthropology in Toronto?
I love your book. I am making one recipe after another and everything is delicious. Thank you
Christine says
We are major oatmeal chocolate chip cookie fans in my house, so I'm dying to make this asap! I may even need to stay up a little late tonight and bake cookies... Best of luck to you and Sarah at the Anthro event, that sounds like it will be so adorable and so fun!!
Roxie says
Okay... buying teff flour asap. The link to Sarah’s cookies isn’t workin’. And I need to buy your book.
Roxie says
Okay...I need to by teff flour asap. The link to Sarah’s cookies isn’t workin’? And I need to buy your book.
Lily says
Can cornstarch be substituted for the tapioca starch? I'm sure tapioca is better, but in a pinch will cornstarch compromise the end result? Thanks.
Anisa says
What a sweet idea - love it! Going to do this at xmas - thanks for the post Alanna xx
Amy @ Thoroughly Nourished Life says
There is no such thing as too many chocolate chip cookie recipes :) I love this hearty, tasty-flour version! And all those chocolate chunks ~swoon~.
I can't wait to try these, and to give jars of mix to my gf friends for Christmas! Good luck with the Anthro demo!
Lawre O'Leary says
I love the book, got my copy and have been sharing it with everyone. I made the Banana Pecan Scones and the Pumpkin Cranberry Bread for an event this past weekend. Both were a hit and GONE in short order. Many people asked about the book. Congratulations on a job well (and beautifully) done. Thank you again and again.. Lawre
Alanna says
Aw, thank you for the sweet words Lawre! I so appreciate your recipe testing help with the book. Thank *you* again and again! <3
Conni says
Alanna, it was such a pleasure to meet you tonight. You are such a kind and gentle person. I love your cookbook! Every recipe I have made has been great (not just great for gluten-free, but great). This is a cookbook for all not just those who are gluten free. Great work. Thank you!
Alanna says
Hi Conni! Meeting you completely made my week. Thanks so much for coming out and for the sweet words. Hope to see you again soon! <3
Angela - Patisserie Makes Perfect says
These look great Alanna - I have been looking for a recipe with teff. I heard all about it on a food programme on radio 4 and it sounded really interesting.
Now I just have to find some online to buy!
Didina Gnagnide Angorinie says
Hi Alanna, I love these kinds of cookies (not too sweet and rich). I made your buckwheat gingersnap cats from your book (I have a cat cutter from a Halloween set) to give to my professor (who is not coeliac). They were good and chewy thanks to the mochi flour, actually I wish I had kept some for myself :D . I also made them vegan because I didn't have butter or eggs: I used 150 gr delicate olive oil and a 'flax egg'. They came out fine, I think the olive oil added something (of course butter is fine too...).
I wish mochi flour was certified gluten free in Italy, it's sad that of all people my coeliac friend can't enjoy them safely. Do you know if you can grind sweet rice in a coffee blender? It would help a lot.
Kelli says
I have not made these yet, but they look wonderful! Do you have a link to print the jar tags?
Alanna says
Aw thank you! Actually Sarah from Snixy Kitchen made those cute tags. I usually just handwrite them because I'm not as crafty, haha!
Natasha @ Salt & Lavender says
These look so tasty... your photos are just mouthwatering!
Alanna says
Aw, thank you!
SallyBR says
Hello there! Just bought your book (yesterday, in fact) and subscribed to your blog (a few minutes ago)...
I was browsing through your beautiful cookbook and saw these absolutely gorgeous cheesecakes made in Weck jars, however, I searched everywhere for them, and cannot find the ones with the dimensions you recommended. Yours are 6 ounces with a diameter larger than 3 inches, I can only find slightly smaller ones, 5.6 inches in capacity. Do you have a source for those jars, by any chance?
thank you so much!
(by the way, I decided to order your book not only for the recipes, but for the very classy reply you offered a person who complained about your use of dairy... oh, my)
Alanna says
Aw, that means so much to me - thank you! I had to take a few days and deep breaths before writing that response, haha. I believe those are the same jars! I must have just rounded up in my measurements to standardize for those who don't have access to Weck. Sorry for the confusion! Please let me know how it goes. :)
SallyBR says
I can imagine how you felt. Don't let that review bother you, in fact I found your book spectacular - I have no issues with any type of food, but love to expand my horizons. I am now set on the mesquite flour - wow!
thanks for clarifying the size of those jars - I guess I can help the economy and place an order... ;-)
Nuna says
This are excellent cookies. Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
m says
what can be substituted for tapioca flour? really want to make them, but don't have access to tapioca.
Jodi says
I made these after seeing this article. They are absolutely fabulous. They taste better than store bought and are way healthier than conventional homemade. I've made them a few times now, also with slight modifications to the recipe. You really can modify this pretty easily and still have them taste great. For example, instead of tapioca starch I used ground flax seed. So glad this recipe is out there!
Alanna says
I'm so glad you like these cookies and that you've had good success modifying the recipe! Thanks so much for the note!
Jessica says
I'm late to the party here. I just made these, and they're fantastic!
I did have to use a substitution for the tapioca flour though, as I couldn't find any anywhere around here. I used the Pillsbury Best Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Blend. In doing this though, I had to add an extra egg to the mixture. I'll have to either order the tapioca flour or keep an eye out when I'm out and about to see if I can find any so I can make the recipe more true.
Alene says
I made these last week and wasn't sure I liked them initially. It might have been the flavor of the teff flour that bothered me. However, they got better and better as the days progressed! It's a full week later, and they are delicious! I have trouble eating in the morning, and these are now my go-to breakfast with a little yougurt on the side, so I don't feel so guilty about having cookies for breakfast! I followed the instructions from your gorgeous and tempting cookbook, from which I want to bake everything! Thank you!!
Alanna says
Thanks for the note Alene! That's so interesting. Is there any chance your teff flour was old and tasted off? It's usually a pretty mild flour so I'm surprised to hear your feedback! On the other hand, it's definitely a more flavorful flour than what we're used to (compared with all-purpose) so I could see how it might take some getting used to. I'll be interested to hear if you try it in other recipes! Please let me know what else you try from the book. In any case, I'm so glad you're enjoying them! I'm a fan of cookies for breakfast too. And I also like how chocolate chip cookies mature after a few days when their flavors meld. You might like my Chewy GF Chocolate Chip Cookies if you're looking for something a bit more classic. :)
Vespa Woolf says
I just made these tonight and even my picky husband (he didn’t want “healthy” cookies) loves them! They’re like a cookie you’d buy in a gourmet bakery. Thank you for sharing your delicious recipes.
Alanna says
Ha! I'm so glad they were a hit. Thanks for trying my recipe and for the sweet note!
Nicole says
These were so lovely! I love them as a gift, but I just made them for my gluten free roomie - I appreciated that it was a simple recipe without a long list of esoteric ingredients. I did add a little touch of cinnamon, and mine came out very slightly flatter, but they were so soft and delightful! Thank you so much!
Alanna says
I'm so glad you liked them! Thanks a bunch for the note and rating. :)
Cyril Marinos says
Honestly my favorite cookies
Alanna says
Awwww that makes me so happy to hear!
Claire says
I've been making a version these for the last week, Alanna, and of course of they are delicious.
I made them first because my friend was preparing to evacuate (again) from the North Bay fires. When that happens, cookies seem like a good balm. She loved them and ate them happily, of course.
We made them 3 more times because everyone here loved them too. Even the little one who usually likes the gluten-ful cookies more. Shhh. I didn't tell her.
The process is so easy. That may have been my favorite part.
Genius. Once again. Of course.
Alanna says
Aw I'm so honored that you're enjoying my recipe Claire! What a sweet friend you are, I'm so glad they were a comfort during this difficult time. And liked by the unwitting child hehe. Your secret's safe with me. ;)
Nadia says
Very dry and didn't hold together.
Alanna says
I'm so sorry to hear that! I tested these many times myself and also had them made by recipe testers for my book. Can I ask what brand of teff flour you used? I've noticed that brands vary in grinds sometimes. A coarser grind might make these crumbly. Did you change anything else about the recipe?
Ann says
I am making the lazy version of this recipe which is "bars" instead of cookies. It is my COVID-19 version of baking because it is visiting me. I would be a terrible host to this guest if I didn't at least make bars or cookies:-). They look amazing! Thank you for going through all the trial and error of baking so those of us with sensitive tummies can have dessert too!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Baking these cookies in bar form is brilliant! Sorry you're host to a not very pleasant guest right now - I hope you feel better really soon!
KJ says
About six months ago I was diagnosed with a gluten cross-reacting antibody to Rice, Sorghum, and buckwheat. I have needed to avoid wheat for at least 10 years so having to avoid rice flour truly bummed me out. I was despondent. But lately, I have gotten back into GF baking and trying out different rice-free blends. Bread baking is coming along, but I wanted a cookie that I could eat. I ran across this recipe and tweaked it to omit the sugar and use maple syrup instead. This is wonderful!! Thank you for making a recipe that doesn't use rice flour in baking!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi KJ, I'm really sorry to hear about your diagnosis, it does not sound like fun to have to avoid all those grains.
But I'm so glad these cookies worked out with those tweaks! I'd love to know what quantities you used? And I'd love to see the bread recipe you're using if you have a link to share!
You might like some of my paleo grain-free recipes which don't use any grain flours too!
KJ says
For the cookies, these are my substitutions:
Mine are dairy free, so used Earth Balance Vegan Soy free butter in place of real butter. I omitted all refined/dark sugar and replaced it with 1/3 cup maple syrup. I can't do eggs either and used 3 Tbsp of liquid Just Egg (an egg replacement made from Mung Bean). In place of bittersweet chocolate, I used Enjoy Life Dairy free Chocolate chips. Everything else was the same as you had listed in the recipe. It came out really well. I am very pleased.
As far as the bread, I posted the recipe in the Facebook Group GF Bread Home Bakers. I posted the bread recipe on Dec 31, 2022. https://www.facebook.com/groups/354638545553904/search/?q=karen%20fong
And thank you for the reference to your paleo recipes. Unfortunately I can't do any nuts or eggs, which makes everything just really hard. I will say I saw a few recipes that I might be able to tolerate, but they have a lot of eggs. Still... I might be able to get them to work. It is a challenge to get recipes to work once you go beyond two eggs. Thank you for your work! It is greatly appreciated.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Oh gosh, those food sensitivities all sound really tough, I'm sorry you're having to manage all that. But I'm so glad these modifications all worked, that's fantastic!
So great that you can tolerate Just Egg. I've experimented with that in baking and in pancakes and found that it can work fairly well.
Can you eat seeds (like sesame / tahini?) I want to find more recipes that you can enjoy! :)
Alene says
I also can't eat rice at all. People do post blends without rice flour in them. Keep your eyes peeled. And sorghum is my favorite flour. I am really sorry but I do know you're going through. Good luck.
Alene says
Oh my goodness! I stopped getting your emails. I put in a different email address so let's see what happens. You know I can't live without your emails! Hope you are well. 9
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Thank you for letting me know – that's so strange! Did you check your spam folder to see if they were going in there?
If the new email doesn't work, let me know and I can remove and re-add your email address in the backend of my mail client. :)
jessica says
i made these both as written and subbing cranberries, orange zest, and white chocolate chips, and the result was *phenomenal*. i cannot stress enough how delicious it was.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Those flavors sound delicious here – I need to try your version! I'm so glad you like the base recipe. Thanks a bunch for the note and rating!
Alice says
The best GF cookies I have yet to find! I found your recipe through Luisa Weiss, The Wednesday Chef. She throws in a handful of dried cranberries, a lovely addition. Thank you for the metric weights for ingredients.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Alice,
I'm so glad you love this recipe and that you found your way here via Luisa – I've been following her work for over a decade! Dried cranberries sound delicious here. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for the kind note!
-Alanna