Flourless Chocolate Cookies

By On Sep 25, 2023

These Flourless Chocolate Cookies have a crispy meringue exterior, fudgy and brownie-like on the inside. They melt in your mouth and are insanely delicious!

Whether you are on a special diet or don’t have any flour on hand, flourless cookies are the way to go! Try out more recipes like these Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies, these Flourless Chocolate Brownies, or this incredible Flourless Chocolate Cake!

The top view of chocolate cookies on a wire cooling rack.

What are Flourless Chocolate Cookies?

Obviously, as the name says, these chocolate cookies don’t contain any flour which makes these a great gluten-free dessert. BUT… That is not what’s so special about them! Because these cookies use egg whites, their texture is to die for! The inside of the cookies has a delightful chewy texture, almost like a brownie. The outside of the cookie is crispy and resembles that of a macaron.

Not only are these chocolate cookies unlike any other that you’ve had, they are so simple to make! Using just six ingredients, the dough comes together in minutes. The cooking is quick and easy. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out on this recipe!

Ingredients in Flourless Cookies

These flourless chocolate cookies only require a few simple ingredients, yet they make a delicious and sophisticated cookie that is perfect for any occasion. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all of the exact measurements.

Semi-Sweet Chocolate: Using semi-sweet chocolate creates the perfect balance.
Egg Whites: Let your egg whites come to room temperature before mixing them in.
Cream of Tartar: This gives the cookies a chewy, brownie-like texture on the inside.
Powdered Sugar: The confectioner’s sugar makes these cookies nice and sweet.
Cocoa Powder: This adds the perfect chocolate flavor to the dough.
Chocolate Chunks: An added touch, the chocolate chunks take this cookie to the next level.

How to Make Flourless Chocolate Cookies

The process of making these cookies is even easier than making normal cookies. Not to mention, because these cookies don’t use flour, they can be served to everyone… Even your gluten-free friends!

Prep: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Melt Chocolate: Melt the semi-sweet chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals until completely melted. Set aside and let cool while you whip up the egg whites.
Whisk: In a large bowl, add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment to whip until foamy. Add the powdered sugar slowly while whipping. Whip until you reach medium-soft peaks.
Sift and Whip: Sift in the cocoa powder and whip slowly until it is absorbed into the egg whites. The mixture will seem too soft to scoop into cookies, but it will thicken after the melted chocolate is added.
Add Chocolate: Fold in the cooled, melted chocolate until mostly combined. Add in the chopped chocolate and continue folding until completely combined.
Scoop Dough: Use a large cookie scoop, about 2 1/2-3 tablespoons, to scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between them.
Bake: Bake for 10-11 minutes. The tops should crackle and the edges should be set. Remove from the oven and let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for another 10-15 minutes, until cooled. They will continue to bake and set up as they cool down.

6 pictures in a collage showing how to make the batter.

Quick Tips

There are a few preparations that you can do beforehand to make sure that these Flourless Chocolate Cookies turn out perfectly every time!

Prep Bowl and Beaters: Prep your mixing bowl and beaters (or whisk) by wiping them down with a clean paper towel damped with distilled white vinegar. Meringue doesn’t like any fat, whether it’s a tiny bit of egg yolk or residual fat on your tools.
Use the right egg whites! Cartons of egg whites tend not to make the best meringue. It’s better to use the freshest eggs and bring them to room temperature before using them.
No Yolk: Make sure your egg whites have NO specks of egg yolks in them when you are cracking the egg into a small bowl to separate out the egg white. Add each egg white individually to the large bowl in order to prevent one contaminated egg white from ruining all of them.
Chocolate Variations: Try switching it up by using milk chocolate for the melted chocolate and chocolate chunks instead of semi-sweet. You can also substitute the chopped chocolate for chopped nuts, coconut flakes, or even peanut butter chips.

Baked flourless chocolate chip cookies on a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Storing Leftovers

Can you Freeze Flourless Chocolate Cookie Dough? Since these cookies have a meringue base, I don’t recommend freezing the dough. It doesn’t hold up well in the freezer and won’t thaw well.
How to Store Baked Cookies: These flourless chocolate cookies are best when you can eat them fresh! But if you do happen to have any leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

NOTE: If your cookies were overbaked (you can tell this because they will be crispy all the way through without that chewy center) then you can store them overnight in an airtight container with a slice of sandwich bread. The cookies will absorb the moisture from the bread and become nice and chewy.

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