Flourless Double Chocolate Cookies

For a brief period last year, my family went on a gluten-free diet.  This was as a result of a doctor telling me that my son, Luke, was allergic to about 10 different foods, including wheat and some other grains.  Thankfully, it was a misdiagnosis and we all happily returned to our old eating ways after a few months.  But during that period I learned a lot!

First off, we all lost about 5 pounds each so I learned that gluten-rich foods are fattening!  No big surprise there.

Secondly, I learned that buying alternative foods masquerading as foods with gluten (cookies, pretzels, pasta, bread, etc.) is not only very expensive ($8 for a bag of pretzels!!) but most often, quite disappointing.  Although brown rice pasta isn’t half bad if you have a mad craving.  After a few attempts we stopped trying most of this stuff and just ate foods that are naturally gluten-free for the most part.

Thirdly, and by far the most surprising, I found some gluten-free recipes that I absolutely love, that I probably never would have tried otherwise.  One of those recipes was for these cookies.  Chewy, fudgy, rich and decadent, they are everything a chocolate lover could ever hope for.  Plus they are quick and easy to make and have surprisingly few ingredients.  You have to make these.

Flourless Double Chocolate Cookies

Flourless Double Chocolate Cookies
(from Chocolate & Carrots) 

3 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp. salt
2-4 large egg whites at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups 60% cacao chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli bittersweet chips)

Preheat oven to 350˚.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  In a large bowl whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa, and salt.  Whisk in vanilla and 2 eggs whites.  Whisk until batter is just moistened.  If batter is too thick to get the whisk through, add another egg white and whisk some more.  You are going for a thick, brownie-batter consistency here.  If it’s still too thick, add a 4th egg white.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop in 1 tablespoon scoops onto lined cookie sheets.  Leave room for them to spread.

They don’t look like much, but trust me, one tablespoon is all you need.

Bake approximately 10 minutes until tops are firm and glossy.  Remove from oven and slide parchment sheet with cookies on it onto the table or cooling rack.  Let cool a few minutes and the cookies will peel off the parchment easily.  This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies.

10 minutes in the oven and magic happens.

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