Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: Satisfy your sweet tooth with brownie-like flourless chocolate cookies. So fudgy with an unexpected delicate crisp top! This gluten-free recipe is super easy to make.

How long it takes: just under an hour (includes cooling time)
Equipment you’ll need: mixing bowl, baking sheet
Servings: makes 20 cookies

Flourless chocolate cookies with milk.
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Get your chocolate fix with these flourless chocolate cookies. These are serious chocolate cookies. And the amazing thing is that they are gluten-free! It’s hard to believe.

I confess, I always start out thinking I’m just going to have just half a cookie. I don’t have a huge sweet tooth and these cookies are almost like a candy bar. But you guessed it, I always end up eating the other half of the cookie, too. They are pretty much irresistible. 

You’ll love the delicate crisp top on these cookies. You know how brownies get that really thin crackly top that is so good? These cookies are just like that, only more so. Almost like a meringue, but not quite that crispy.

And the surprising thing? The crispiness lasts. I sort of figured that delicate crispness would disappear after a day or two but it doesn’t!

I’ve been getting into the flourless chocolate baking thing. I love this flourless Mexican hot chocolate cake with its warm cinnamon and vanilla flavors.

Anything with ganache kind of rings my bell, how about you? This no-bake chocolate tart is pretty much all ganache in an Oreo cookie crust. You can’t go wrong with that!

The recipe for these flourless chocolate cookies is originally from The Recipe Girl. I made a few changes but you’re welcome to pop on over there to to check out her excellent site.

Stack of chocolate cookies, milk in background.

Ingredient Notes

These cookies are seriously easy to make, with only six ingredients. Check your pantry because you may already have everything you need.

  • Powdered Sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
  • Cocoa Powder: Found in the baking aisle of the grocery store, cocoa powder is unsweetened and rich in antioxidants.
  • Salt
  • Eggs: You’ll only need the whites. Save the yolks to make extra rich scrambled eggs.
  • Pure Vanilla Extract
  • Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

How To Make Flourless Cookies

Whisk together the dry ingredients, stir in the egg whites and vanilla, and then the chocolate chips. Wow, how easy is that! The cookie dough is really similar to brownie batter: fudgy and thick. It looks a little looser than normal cookie dough. 

Use a spring release cookie scoop or a spoon to portion the dough onto the baking sheets. The cookies spread out quite a bit so leave plenty of room between each cookie. 

Bake about 14 minutes or until the tops are glossy and crackly, just like brownies. Cool completely before removing from the baking pans because the cookies are pretty soft. 

Serve with a glass of cold milk or a cup of coffee. Nibble these dark chocolate cookies as you’re sipping a dark red variety of wine, such as Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel or, even better, a glass of port. Oh, is that good!

Flourless chocolate cookies make an excellent dessert as well. Scoop vanilla bean ice cream in a bowl, crumble a cookie alongside, and top with homemade hot fudge or bourbon caramel sauce.

Chocolate cookies with crinkly tops on cooling rack.

FAQs

What are flourless cookies made of?

Flourless chocolate cookies contain sugar, egg whites, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips. Other flourless cookie recipes may also contain peanut butter, rolled oats, or other ingredients.

What do flourless cookies taste like?

Flourless cookies have a softer, fudgy consistency and may remind you of brownies or another type of bar.

Recipe Variations

  • Mocha cookies. Add a tablespoon of espresso powder to the dry ingredients.
  • Mexican hot chocolate cookies. Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the dry ingredients.
  • Add nuts. Stir in a half cup of chopped toasted nuts, like pecans or walnuts.
  • Salty/sweet: Sprinkle tops lightly with coarse sea salt before baking.
  • Looking for a different kind of cookie? Take a look at my complete list of cookies and bars.
Cookie on cooling rack.

Storage Tips

Completely cool cookies before storing them in an airtight container. Put them in a single layer or separate the layers with parchment or waxed paper. They’ll keep for up to three days but they’re best when they’re fresh. They can be frozen, too.

More Chocolate Goodies

Recipe

Flourless Chocolate Cookies

4.50 from 16 votes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Cooling Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 54 minutes
Servings: 20 cookies
Satisfy your sweet tooth with brownie-like flourless chocolate cookies. So fudgy with an unexpected delicate crisp top! 
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Ingredients 

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • cup cocoa powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 large egg whites, at room temperature (see note)
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Spray parchment paper lightly with nonstick spray.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder.
    3 cups powdered sugar, ⅔ cup cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • Stir in two egg whites and vanilla extract; stir just until the batter is moistened. the cookie dough will look like brownie batter, thick and fudgy. If it seems too thick, stir in the other egg white. Fold in chocolate chips.
    3 large egg whites, at room temperature, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Spoon the batter onto the prepared baking sheets in 10 evenly spaced mounds per cookie sheet. I like to use a 1 ½ tablespoon spring-release cookie scoop.
  • Bake about 14 minutes, until the tops are glossy and lightly cracked. Slide the parchment paper (with the cookies) onto wire racks. Let cookies cool completely, and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Notes

  • You may need only 2 egg whites, depending on the egg size.  An average egg contains about 2 tablespoons of egg white.
  • Variations: Add 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder, or 1 teaspoon cinnamon with the dry ingredients. Add a half cup chopped nuts. Lightly sprinkle coarse sea salt on tops of cookies before baking.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 158kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 44mg, Potassium: 128mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 23g, Vitamin A: 7IU, Calcium: 16mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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4.50 from 16 votes (14 ratings without comment)

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7 Comments

  1. Debra says:

    5 stars
    Awesomely easy and delicious! Brownies in cookie form. I added powdered expresso and pecans…. soooo yum!

    1. Rachel Gurk says:

      So glad you enjoyed them!

  2. Jeannette says:

    5 stars
    These are a chocolate lovers dream, I’m sure! They were excellent! I added just walnuts to these instead of the chocolate chips. They came in perfectly handy this afternoon because I had no flour and only minutes to make them before I had to bring them somewhere. Thank you very very much! They were so good. I had one before wrapping them up.

    1. Rachel Gurk says:

      I’m so glad this recipe was able to help in a pinch! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!

  3. cheri says:

    Hi:
    I juts found your site and wow! You are amazing!

    I am anxious to make some of your cookie recipes because I always bake them to give away and never never never eat any myself. I always receive raves all the time and I know, these will be a big hit too!

    Anxious for more!

    1. Rachel Gurk says:

      Thanks so much! This is one of my really old posts, the photos are horrible! Make sure to check out some of my newer stuff. :)

  4. RecipeGirl says:

    You are the best! Glad you liked these! Thanks for the link :)