Fit to Eat: Amazing Chocolate Cookies

Thanks to Amy Allsopp for writing this gluten free chocolate cookie post!

Via King Arthur Flour

A little while ago Alice shared this recipe for flourless fudge cookies. In the past I have been decidedly less than excited about gluten-free baked goods. Also I thought it was ironic that the recipe came from the website for a flour company, but it turns out they have a whole section of gluten-free recipes! A couple weeks later when I was craving something super chocolatey but not heavy, I remembered this recipe. I was kind of amazed that it didn't call for any dairy either - no flour, no butter, essentially just powdered sugar, egg whites, and a whole lotta dark cocoa. I found a similar recipe from Molly Wizenberg at Orangette. This one includes chopped walnuts and cocoa nibs. I wasn't interested in nuts at the time, but loved the idea of cocoa nibs to add a bit of texture and an additional chocolate note to the flavor profile. I essentially followed the King Arthur recipe, skipping the espresso powder and adding cocoa nibs. The second time I made them, I decided the cookies needed to be half the original size. (Did I mention the chocolate flavor is kind of intense?)

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dark cocoa powder (Dutch-process)
• 3 large egg whites
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup cocoa nibs (optional ~ see other recipe links above for more add-in options)

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment, and lightly grease the parchment.
• Stir together all of the ingredients until smooth. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, and stir again until smooth.
• Drop the soft dough onto the prepared baking sheets in whatever size you prefer. (Tablespoon will yield about 16 cookies; teaspoon and a half will yield about twice that.)
• Bake the cookies for about 8 minutes; they should spread, become somewhat shiny, and develop faintly crackly tops. (Baking time may vary depending on your oven, and will increase a bit with the optional additions. Check after 6-7 minutes and keep a close eye on them.)
• Remove the cookies from the oven, and allow them to cool briefly on the pan before removing with a thin spatula.

Share these chewy, chocolatey treats with a loved one over a good cup of coffee or whatever suits your fancy.

Amy Allsopp loves design and editing - whether it's for marketing communications materials, homes and indoor spaces, gardens and outdoor spaces, or food and drink! She writes about some of these things on her blog.