Just when you thought a Gluten Free Cookie can't get any better, this Small Batch Recipe for Gluten Free Snickers cookies enters the room. A delectable gluten free cookie with crispy edges, a chewy middle, packed with pieces of Snickers and Peanuts and finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Perfect for when that candy craving hits. This recipe uses more brown sugar than white sugar to give it a more caramel flavor from the molasses.
If you love Snickers, make sure to check out my Gluten Free Mini Snickers Cheesecake
Recipe Ingredient Notes
Gluten Free Flour: I have tried with Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1, King Arthur Measure for Measure, and my own gluten free flour blend. Cup4Cup works as well but be aware that the dough might be a bit more sticky and cookies spread more. All those blends do already contain xanthan gum. If your blend does not include xanthan gum, I recommend adding 1 teaspoons of xanthan to this recipe.
Snickers: YES, Snickers are gluten-free. I went down the google hole regarding this candy bar many many times. Snickers is made by the Mars company who also makes M&Ms, Milky Way, and many other candy bars.
Peanuts: I use lightly salted Cocktail Peanuts in my recipes. Please make sure whatever peanut you use are gluten-free and does not contain any random seasonings (This is often the case with Dry Roasted Peanuts)
Cornstarch: The added cornstarch gives this cookie a tender crumb and keeps them soft as well as chewy. Most cornstarch being sold in regular grocery stores is labeled as gluten free but please make sure to double-check.
Whole Milk Powder: Milk powder has been a staple in my kitchen and recipes for years. It enhances the taste of the baked goods by adding just a hint of sweetness as well as a creamier texture (think of it as an additional emulsifier). The fat found in milk powder also acts as a tenderizer resulting in a softer bake. You can find milk powder in the baking section or near the canned milk in your local grocery store. I buy this product online: Whole Milk Powder.
Chocolate: I use dark chocolate chunks in the dough for this recipe and top the cookies with a mix of Valrhona 64% and Valrhona Caramelized White Chocolate. A great substitute for caramelized white chocolate would be either using all dark chocolate or use butterscotch chips.
Are Snickers Gluten Free?
Snickers are made by Mars who also makes products like M&Ms, 3Musketeers, and Dove Chocolate. Because of no actual information provided by Mars, I have reached out to them directly. Sadly without any luck.
Snickers are made with milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate, skim milk, lactose, milkfat, soy lecithin, artificial flavor), peanuts, corn syrup, sugar, palm oil, skim milk, lactose, salt, egg whites, and artificial flavor. Allergens listed are peanuts, egg, milk, and soy (may also contain tree nuts)
Snickers are considered gluten free by many resources online. Therefore I feel very confident to recommend the Original Snickers Bar for gluten free baking.
What is room temperature butter?
Almost every recipe I share starts with room-temperature unsalted butter. I prefer my butter soft, but cool and should not appear shiny or greasy. Especially during the summer month I only allow for it to sit out for 5 minutes before using it.
The ideal temperature for butter is 65F which is a lot colder than many of us consider room temperature. To test if your butter is at room temperature nudge it with your finger. You should see an indent but the butter should not feel like you can poke right through it. If your butter is too warm, it won't cream very well — it won't retain any air, which causes dense cookie dough and cookies that will collapse.
Cold butter is used in recipes where we want to build layers and structure such as my Gluten Free Flaky Biscuits or my Gluten Free Levain Style Cookies. If you use too warm butter your cookies will collapse.
How to make the picture perfect cookies
Due to popular requests, I have put together a video on Instagram on how to assemble cookies to achieve those big puddles you see in my pictures. I do use a #20 scoop for those cookies. You can find this short clip here: Make perfect cookies.
Why chill chookie dough?
Chilling the cookie dough for gluten free snickers cookies (or any cookies) prevents cookies from spreading out too quickly once they’re in the oven. It allows the fat in your dough to solidify (harden back up).
Also during chilling your dough will develop flavors (kinda like marinating). The liquids in your dough (eggs) get a chance to hydrate the starches found in your flour. This hydration makes the dough less wet, concentrating the flavors and you will be rewarded with an even bake and golden brown cookies.
How do I get perfect round cookies?
Because of the addition of candy (which will ooze from the cookies), I highly recommend scooting those cookies. To get perfectly round cookies, I like to use a round cutter or bowl that’s slightly larger than my cookies and “scoot them” into a perfectly round shape when they come from the oven. This is not a must but people sure are impressed with perfect round cookies.
FAQ for Gluten Free Snickers Cookies
Can I use “regular” all purpose flour in this recipe?
Of course. Please use 185 grams of all purpose flour in this recipe for Snickers Cookies.
Can I freeze this cookie dough?
To freeze this cookie dough, scoop the cookies and place them on a sheet tray big enough to fit your freezer. I love using my ¼ sheet pan for this task. Once the cookie dough is fully frozen, transfer it to an air tight container or ziplock bag and freeze up to 3 months.
How do I bake the frozen cookie dough?
When ready to bake your frozen cookie dough, preheat your oven to 350F and arrange 6 cookies on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Once your oven is preheated, bake them as instructed in the recipe but add an additional 2-4 minutes depending on your oven.
What is the cookie scoot?
To get perfectly round cookies, I like to use a round cutter or bowl that’s slightly larger than my cookies and “scoot them” into a perfect round shape when they come from the oven. This is not a must but people sure are impressed with perfect round cookies.
Are Snickers gluten free?
Yes. While Snickers are not certified gluten free they are considered gluten free by many. The only allergens listed on their labels are Peanuts, Milk, Egg, and Soy. This information is for the Original Snicker Bar.
Note about Salt in my Recipes
I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.
Baking in grams
I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.
Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures
All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.
If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Be also prepared that the convection oven can cause your baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Be aware that it takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.
Substitutions and Modifications
Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Snickers Cookies
A delectable gluten free cookie with crispy edges, a chewy middle, and packed with pieces of Snickers and Peanuts. Perfect for when that candy craving hits.
Ingredients
- 113 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- 120 grams light brown sugar
- 40 grams white granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 195 grams Gluten Free Flour (See Note)
- 10 grams Cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons milk powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 175 grams Dark chocolate chunks (or chips)
- 95 grams Original Snickers Bar, chopped
- 50 grams Cocktail Peanuts
- More Chocolate, Snickers and Peanuts for garnish
- Flaky Sea Salt such as Maldon for finishing
Instructions
How to make the cookie dough
- In the bowl of your stand mixer combine your room temperature butter and both sugars. Beat at medium speed for 5 minutes until fluffy and pale. Halfway through, pause to scrape the bowl and beater with a flexible spatula.
- In the meantime combine gluten free flour, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda, milk powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Make sure to stir it together.
- With the mixer running, add your egg and let fully incorporate by mixing for one minute. When incorporated, turn off your mixer to scrape down the sides.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Add your chocolate, snickers, and peanuts at a low speed just to combine. You don’t want to overmix and break up all the snickers!
- Transfer to a Tupperware container and let the dough rest for at least 4hrs - better even if you can let it sit for 12hrs or longer. During this process the flour hydrates and develops flavor.
Baking Instructions
- Once your cookie dough has rested peacefully in the fridge for an extended time, use a 2 Tablespoon Cookie Scoop (I refer to this as the #20 - yellow scoop) and portion the cookie dough. This recipe should give you 10-12 cookies, depending on how much cookie dough you snack on.
- Preheat your oven to 350F and line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
- Arrange 6 cookie dough balls on a baking sheet. Make sure you leave some room for spreading. Place the remainder of the cookie dough in the fridge (or freezer for future use)
- Bake Cookies for 8 minutes and rotate the cookie tray. Bake an additional 4-6 minutes or until lightly golden and beginning to set. The baking time depends on personal preference (and your oven).
- Once they turn lightly golden and begin to set, remove from oven and top with additional snickers, chocolate, and peanuts. Place the tray back in the oven for roughly a minute. Just until the snickers start to melt.
- Remove from the oven, and to achieve perfect round cookies, you a cookie-cutter slightly bigger than the cookie and shape them into a perfect circle. The cookies must be hot for this. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Allow the cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes on the baking pan before moving to a cooling rack.
- Repeat with the remaining dough if you would like to bake all your cookies at once or freeze them for further use.
Notes
Gluten Free Flour: I have tried with Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1, King Arthur Measure for Measure, and my own gluten free flour blend. Cup4Cup works as well but be aware that the dough might be a bit more sticky and cookies spread more. All those blends do already contain xanthan gum. If your blend does not include xanthan gum, I recommend adding 2 teaspoons of xanthan to this recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1 cookieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 339
Aditi Jain
The cookies look so delicious!!!
Trina Foreman
These look so rich and decadent!!! Cannot wait to try them!!
Julia
These are my kind of cookie... nuts, snickers bars, chocolate... Yum! This recipe was easy to follow and worked out brilliantly. My family were really impressed with them, they must have been, they disappeared really quickly. They've asked that I make more, so this could become a regular fixture at our house. Thank you.
Kayla DiMaggio
Oh my goodness, these look so decadent! I made these for my family and friends and they were gone within an hour!