Chewy, Fudgy Flourless Chocolate Cookies are a naturally gluten free chocolate cookie that only takes five ingredients to make. If you are looking for an extremely decadent, chocolate fudge cookie that tastes exactly like the Starbucks version, you have come to right place!
Flourless chocolate Cookies Recipe
Chewy, fudgy Flourless Chocolate Cookies recipe is a great introduction to gluten free baking. Just like No Bake Cookies, you won’t have to mess around with (expensive!) gluten free flour blends.
Plus, chances are you have all the five simple ingredients for these chewy, chocolate cookies right in your kitchen.
Even if gluten free baking is of no concern to you, these cookies will not disappoint. They have a crackly, crunchy exterior with a whole lot of gooey, fudgy goodness inside, just like gluten-free brownie cookies.
Flourless chocolate chip cookies’ unique texture and structure comes from the egg whites, which essentially makes this a meringue cookie. Since they taste like light, puffs of rich chocolately heaven, be forewarned they are eaten quickly!
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What’s the secret ingredient?
Using dutch cocoa powder in place or regular / natural baking cocoa helps offset any potential bitter cocoa aftertaste. Dutch cocoa powder is alkalized, so it has a smoother, less acidic taste, and is great in flourless recipes such as these cookies and chocolate almond flour cake.
If you don’t have dutch cocoa on hand, natural baking cocoa may be used or try these Gluten Free Chocolate Cookies recipe.
natural unsweetened cocoa versus Dutch-processed
Look if the recipe calls for baking soda or not. Baking soda will react with natural baking cocoa to take away the acidity, so regular cocoa is fine in this case.
If a recipe calls for only baking powder or no leavening agents, use Dutch cocoa powder interchangeably. Dutch cocoa will elevate the taste of chocolate whipped cream frosting, hot fudge, and your favorite brownie recipe.
Read more about the difference between natural and Dutch-processed cocoa.
Can these Cookies Be Made Keto Without Powdered Sugar?
Some readers have written in about their attempts to make these flourless cookies keto. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem like their attempts have been successful and they have wasted (expensive!) sugar free xylitol.
This cookie recipe only uses powdered sugar and egg whites for the structure. Replacing the sugar with such a chemically different, keto-friendly, compound changes the recipe too much. Sadly, it yields some disappointing results.
How to Make Flourless Chocolate Cookies Recipe
- Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl whisk cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and salt together in a large bowl.
- Add the egg whites and vanilla extract. Stir to combine. The batter will get very thick and require some oomph to stir. TIP: Using a silicone spoon helps immensely with being able to stir, scrape, and fold until all the ingredients are moistened. Fold in the chocolate chips or any additional add-ins. (Scroll down for more add-in options)
- Scoop batter onto the prepared baking sheet. TIP: Using a cookie scoop quickly makes evenly sized cookies. If you are a baker, this tiny little cookie scoop will change your life.
- Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet for 30 minutes before baking. This will result in a better shaped cookie. (See image below) But, truth be told, these things will be eaten either way.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until tops are glossy and slightly cracked. Cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring.
What else can I add?
- chopped walnuts, pecans or pistachios
- peanut butter chips
- crushed peppermint candies
- substitute chopped dark chocolate chunks for chocolate chips
- sprinkle with flaky salt before baking
- drizzle melted white chocolate over cooled cookies
- substitute orange extract
- crushed peanuts sprinkled on top
troubleshooting
Avoid a disappointing baking disaster! Here are some common mistakes made when baking this flourless cookie recipe.
- Substituting a sugar alternative for the powdered sugar. Keto friendly Swerve, granulated sugar, Truvia, or Splenda may not be used.
- Not lining the baking sheet with parchment paper. I often see readers post their cookie “failures” on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Foil is a no no!
- Forgetting to spray the parchment paper with cooking spray first.
- Whipping the egg whites first. Although this won’t yield a total disaster, it does change the texture and shape of the cookie.
- Letting the batter sit too long before scooping onto the baking sheet. Once the egg whites, powdered sugar, and baking cocoa are mixed, scoop the batter onto the baking sheet.
- Many readers have asked about adding the whole egg. While some have had success with this, I have not. It added too much liquid and the cookies were extremely flat and chewy.
- If the batter is too thick to incorporate the dry ingredients, you can add a couple drops of water just till it comes together. Avoid adding too much extra liquid, though, or the cookies will spread and become thin.
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Chewy, Fudgy Flourless Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2/3 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder, (can substitute regular unsweetened baking cocoa too)
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3 large egg whites, unbeaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and SPRAY with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together powder sugar, salt, and cocoa powder. Stir in egg whites and vanilla extract until the batter is completely moistened. It will be very thick, similar to brownie batter. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Spoon the batter on the sprayed parchment lined sheets, about 1 tablespoon per scoop (Using a small cookie scoop makes this very easy!) You will end up with about 12 mounds per sheet. Let the cookie sheets rest for 30 minutes before baking*, meanwhile preheating oven to 350ºF. Bake for 10-12 minutes until tops are glossy and lightly cracked. The edges will be set and the middle slightly undercooked.
- Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before gently transferring them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?? DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE FEEDBACK AND/OR CLICK A STAR RATING ON THE RECIPE CARD!
Recipe Notes
Best Tips and Troubleshooting
- Substituting a sugar alternative for the powdered sugar. Keto friendly Swerve, granulated sugar, Truvia, or Splenda may not be used.
- Not lining the baking sheet with parchment paper. I often see readers post their cookie “failures” on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Foil is a no no!
- Forgetting to spray the parchment paper with cooking spray first.
- Whipping the egg whites first. Although this won’t yield a total disaster, it does change the texture and shape of the cookie.
- Letting the batter sit too long before scooping onto the baking sheet. Once the egg whites, powdered sugar, and baking cocoa are mixed, scoop the batter onto the baking sheet.
- Many readers have asked about adding the whole egg. While some have had success with this, I have not. It added too much liquid and the cookies were extremely flat and chewy.
- If the batter is too thick to incorporate the dry ingredients, you can add a couple drops of water just till it comes together. Avoid adding too much extra liquid, though, or the cookies will spread and become thin.
Michele says
Do I actually have to bake them? 🤭
The dough looks amazing!
Melissa Erdelac says
Lol, I never tried that, but I wouldn’t recommend it!
Best,
Melissa
Renee says
Stuck to the recipe and they turned out great! I just added nuts and sea salt to half of the batch on top of the unbaked cookies for those who don’t like super sweet. Delicious!
Melissa Erdelac says
Thank you so much, Renee! I really appreciate you!
Best,
Melissa
MsMary says
I added 1 tsp of instant coffee to the dry ingredients to give the chocolate a little oomph.
I used 1 C chopped pecans and 1C chocolate chunks instead of 1 1/2 C chocolate chips
My small scooper was just the right size to make 24 cookies.
These turned out great! Waiting for the 1/2 hour is key- I guess like with macarons.
Melissa Erdelac says
Thank you so much for sharing! And I love the additions!
Best,
Melissa
Ruth L says
Success! I just finished baking these and they came out perfectly. They look exactly like your photo. I will say that it took a bit of elbow grease to incorporate all the ingredients at the end but it was worth the effort. I was worried that the mixture was too dry but they turned out great following your recipe exactly. I have convection ovens so I reduced the temperature by 25 degrees and baked them for 10 minutes.
Being diabetic unfortunately I can’t eat them myself, but my two “tasters”, my husband and my son, gave them their seal of approval. Hopefully my guests will feel the same. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Melissa Erdelac says
Thank you for sharing, Ruth! Yes, the thickness of the batter can throw some people off. I’m glad you stuck with it and your tasters were able to enjoy the results!
Best,
Melissa
Ruth L says
I am planning on making these tomorrow. They are perfect for Passover because they are flourless. I have a question though. You say that these are best eaten the same day (hence why I will make the tomorrow) but if there are leftovers can the leftovers be heated in the microwave for a few seconds to soften them up? I’ve made flourless chocolate cake in the past and have done this with the leftover slices after they had been in the refrigerator and it comes out fudgy and delicious instead of cold and hard. What do you think?
Melissa Erdelac says
Hi Ruth,
Yes, that would work! If you have a lot leftover, though, I would freeze some. I think the microwave trick will work for a day, but after that they lose moisture quickly.
Best,
Melissa
mel says
We love these cookies! Have made them a few times – with and without nuts, they’re delicious!
2 questions:
1) Wondering if the texture changes if you bake the cookies in advance and freeze? i.e. Once defrosted, are they no longer crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside?
2) Can you freeze the raw dough in balls to bake in the oven at a later time? If so, how do you cook the frozen dought? i.e. do you have to leave it in the refrigerator to defrost overnight or can you bake straight from the freezer? And does freezing the raw dough change the texture of the baked cookie?
Melissa Erdelac says
Hi Mel,
I find these cookies best once they are baked and eaten that day. Luckily they don’t stay around very long. They are very addicting! They still are crunchy and chewy after thawed, but slightly softer right after being baked. I haven’t tried freezing the dough first, but I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. You would bake them straight from frozen adding about 1 minute to the baking time.
Best,
Melissa
Andrea K says
This is soo yummy! Our second time making them! We did dairy free chocolate chips and they are still amazing!
Melissa Erdelac says
Thank you, Andrea! So glad they were a hit!
Best,
Melissa
fart says
tasty
sooooooo good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Melissa Erdelac says
Thank you!
Cid says
You suggest whipping the egg whites but in the video egg whites are nit whipped 🤔🤔. So…whipped whites or not?
Melissa Erdelac says
Hi Cid,
No you don’t whip the egg whites first. It doesn’t say to do that in the recipe card. Under “troubleshooting” I address people’s questions about whipping the egg whites and says it changes the texture of the cookies. So no need to whip first! Thanks for writing and enjoy!
Best,
Melissa
Marcella says
Can these cookies be frozen?
Melissa says
Yes! I freeze them if not enjoying them the same day because they are best the day they are made.
Best,
Melissa
Chelsea says
I always wish recipes had a picture of when to take out of the oven. I would not want to photograph my oven, so I do understand but it would be so helpful!
Melissa Erdelac says
I will try to add this next time I bake them! Thanks for the suggestion, Chelsea!
Best,
Melissa
Gary jones says
I will try someday ok thank a lot
Karla says
I made these with cacao powder so perhaps that affected the outcome. I put the ingredients together, scooped them on sprayed parchment, let them sit for half-an-hour, then baked at 350 degrees (Fahrenheit) for 10 minutes. They seemed a little un-done, so I put them back in for two minutes. They are delicious ( I used dark chocolate chips and peanut butter chips), but they are piles of delicious goo. What the heck did I do wrong?
Melissa says
Hi Karla,
Although delicious goo doesn’t sound bad, it seems like they were just underbaked. Maybe your cocoa powder needed a little longer to absorb the moisture. I would suggest just baking them a couple minutes longer next time. Hope this helps!
Best,
Melissa
Raquel says
I have made these a few times now. They are very similar to the chocolate meringue tubes that go on a Concord Cake. Once I used extra large eggs so the proportion was a little off. Those ones were thinner and softer/chewier. I prefer the slightly dry crunchy outside with the soft fudge inside. Definitely better with mini chips. This is a very intense cookie. We usually make them slightly smaller with more per batch. One with espresso is a perfect dessert. Can’t wait to try the almond butter version! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Melissa says
Thank you for the tips and writing Raquel! I really appreciate it!
Best,
Melissa
Phyllis Bargas says
Should eggs be cold or room temperature or does it matter?
Thanks,
Phyllis
Melissa says
Hi Phyllis,
It doesn’t matter for this recipe. It can be either!
Best,
Melissa
Rani says
What can we substitute for eggs?
Melissa says
I’m sorry, I don’t think this would work without the eggs since there are so few ingredients.
Best,
Melissa
Tammy says
Easy to make, but so sweet. I used dark chocolate chips to try to cut the sweetness a bit but still felt they were too sweet. Also, my batter ended up pretty thin which I was concerned about (I did not add any additional water or anything). I thought for sure they wouldn’t turn out but decided to bake anyway and they surprisingly baked up fine.
I did really enjoy the chewiness of them though. I’ll have to brainstorm some solutions to balance out the sweetness a bit!
Melissa says
Hi Tammy,
Adding nuts balances the sweetness or sometimes I sprinkle course sea salt on them. If you are looking for less sugar, though, some bakers have said they reduced the sugar amount and they baked up fine. I personally have not tried this, though. Thanks for writing!
Best,
Melissa
Kate says
Do you think these could be frozen?
Melissa says
Hi Kate,
For sure! I do it all the time to prevent myself from eating the entire batch at once! Wrap stacks of 2 cookies in plastic wrap and then freeze in a ziplock freezer bag.
Best,
Melissa
Stacy says
Delicious. I added 1/3 cup of almond butter and baked them at 350 for 12 minutes. I sprinkled powdered sugar on top at the end. They are so good.
Melissa says
Hi Stacy,
Ohhhh, I love the almond butter idea! I bet that cut the sweetness a little too. I’m going to try!
Best,
Melissa
Lydia Sexton says
I added 1/3 cup of peanut butter (thanks for the tip, Melissa) and decreased the powdered sugar by a half cup and added and extra egg white (because with the peanut butter, it was way too thick!). Baked for 10 minutes and they came out perfectly! Great recipe!!
Melissa says
Oh my mouth is watering, Lydia! I’m definitely making this version this weekend. Thanks so much for sharing!
Best,
Melissa
Karen Nichols says
Everyone needs to have this recipe. Super easy to make and they taste very high end. YUM!!
Kim says
These are the worst cookies ever. Mine are dry as a bone and I followed the recipe exactly. Waste of ingredients and time!
Karen Nichols says
If I may, I think the key to success is to slightly underbake them so they are ooey-gooey. Try again!
Trish says
Can this recipe be baked in a convection oven
Melissa says
Hi Trish,
Yes, for sure. It will just take a couple minutes less. Enjoy!
Best,
Melissa
Rhonda says
Turned out awesome. Wish I could post a pic.
Melissa says
So glad, Rhonda! That would be a cool feature! If you are on instagram, you can always share it there and tag me!
Best,
Melissa
Hannah says
Followed to a T… batter is very runny! All the cookies ran together and no note about how to fix this? Only a note for how to fix if batter is too thick!
Melissa says
Sorry to hear that, Hannah. I am completely stumped for why this could happen. You used powdered sugar and not granulated sugar? The batter should be very thick, it even is a little bit of a workout to stir!
Best,
Melissa
Anonymous says
My batter was also too runny, not sure what happened, I checked the measurements multiple times but they ended up cooking ok anyway?
Melissa Erdelac says
I’m glad to hear they turned out okay even if the batter was runny. Did you beat the egg whites?
Best,
Melissa
Sweet Jae says
Just tried this recipe and they turned out wonderfully!
Melissa says
I’m so glad! Thanks for sharing!
Best,
Melissa
Danielle says
So glad I found this recipe, these cookies are so easy and delicious! My 8 year old daughter just helped me make a batch. She and my husband LOVE them! FYI we’ve made them with white chocolate chips and they turned out great!
Melissa says
Hi Danielle,
I love hearing when kids can help out in the kitchen. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for taking the time to let me know!
Best,
Melissa
Denise says
Have made these several times now, and everyone loves them. Because there are so few ingredients, I use good quality chocolate and cocoa. Also, I always have an extra egg white on hand. Depending on the air temperature, the humidity, and the size of the eggs, I sometimes add all or part of that extra egg white.
Melissa says
Hi Denise,
That’s great advice! I tried to show through the pictures and video what the consistency of the batter should look like, but yes, you may have to add some extra liquid. Thanks for sharing!
Best,
Melissa
Melissa says
Making these now for the first time, and I love how easy the recipe is to follow. It’s 11:00pm, and I just wanted a quick easy cookie that doesn’t require flour, and by a miracle of sorts I came across this one. I’m baking them without resting the dough first, but the next time I’ll follow the recipe to a T. Thank you for sharing this recipe with the masses.
Melissa says
Hi Melissa,
Aww, thank you, that means a lot! I’m all about the emergency cookie recipe and I’m glad I was able to help out!
Best,
Melissa
Olga says
Great easy recipe! Everyone I make these for rave about these cookies!
Melissa says
So glad, Olga! Thanks for sharing!
Jen G says
I love these cookies and they are so simple!
What I have done is used 2 whole eggs and to thin the batter out, i pour a small amount of hot water in the mix.
As these do spread a lot, I have taken to using a full cookie sheet, spreading the mixture out to bake and breaking it up once cooled. My kids nicknamed them Ugly Cookies!
Melissa says
Hey Jen,
LOL, I love this! Makes it so much easier too! As long as no cares they are “ugly” I’m sure they still taste great! I’m going to try them next time with 2 whole eggs and see if they will still hold shape as cookies. I get a lot of questions about this!
Thanks for writing!
Melissa
Toni says
I have tried this recipe multiple times now the ratio of dry to wet is far off 3 egg white to 3 cups of powdered sugar doesn’t even form a Homogeneous mixture is still quite dry with completely unincorporated powdered sugar and cocoa powder
Hanna says
I completely agree. Making this now and I don’t know how this could become a dough.
Melissa says
Hi Hanna,
You can try adding a splash of water to bind the dough. That helps for some readers that have drier dough. Perhaps the egg whites are smaller or the powdered sugar is packed down too much? You can try gently scooping it into the measuring cup and leveling with a knife.
Best,
Melissa
Melissa says
Hi Toni,
I certainly applaud your dedication! Some readers do say they add a touch of water if their dough doesn’t come together. I admit I am perplexed when people write in and say this happens because I have made the cookies more times than I can count and I’ve never had a dry dough. Perhaps the egg whites are smaller or the powdered sugar is packed down too much? You can try gently scooping it into the measuring cup and leveling with a knife.
Best,
Melissa
Alex says
Absolutely LOVE this recipe. It’s my go-to for gluten free
Melissa says
So glad! Thanks for letting me know!
Best,
Melissa
Susan J says
Delicious!!
Melissa says
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed!
Julia says
Hi. Thanks for the recipe. Could I use honey instead of powder sugar?
Melissa says
Hi Julia,
Sorry, I don’t think that would work because of there would be nothing to give the cookies shape. I’m afraid they would all just run together.
Best,
Melissa
Danica Jacobi says
can i freeze these easily?
Melissa says
Yes! And I recommend freezing them if you aren’t eating them that day. Just wrap cooled cookies in plastic wrap and transfer to a ziploc freezer bag.
Best,
Melissa
Faith says
Do the eggs need to be at room temp?
Melissa says
Hi Faith, no they do not. Enjoy!
Melissa
Kyra says
Hi Melissa, can I use fine coconut sugar in place of white sugar. Do you think it will work.
Thank you.
Melissa says
Hi Kyra,
I haven’t tried this, but I think it may work. However, I would try it on a half recipe and slightly reduce the amount of sugar since powdered sugar has more volume. So maybe half the recipe and use 3/4 to 1 cup sugar. Hope this helps!
Best,
Melissa
Deb says
Does the powdered sugar need to be sifted?
Melissa says
Nope! Just throw it in!
Amy Carter says
Hi!
Why wouldn’t the powdered/confectioners swerve work?
Amy Carter says
I’m so sorry I just reread the section and saw the answer I had missed
Melissa says
Hi Amy,
Glad you found it. Some people have written in on Pinterest and said it has worked with the swerve, but for others it’s been disastrous, so…I guess try at your own risk?
Best,
Melissa
Patti says
What happens when you use Swerve? Just curious.
Melissa says
Hi Patti,
Judging from what people have commented on Pinterest, it sounds like the cookies are very crumbly.
Best,
Melissa
Phylicia says
These came out delish! Will definitely be making again! Very simple to make for this baking newbie! I will say mine came out a little rounder and not not as flat as the picture maybe I let them set out a little too long but I don’t think it even matters. A smaller cookie is great because they are so rich and delicious. Definitely need a glass of milk with these! So glad I’d found this recipe and tried them! Can’t wait to make more and share!
Melissa says
Hi Phylicia,
I couldn’t be happier these cookies were such a success for you. They definitely deserve a glass of milk! Just made a batch last night as well!
Best,
Melissa
Maureen says
My first rating ever for a fabulous cookie that my granddaughter loved. I will definately make these again as they are exactly what the recipe says. My goodness they turned out so well. Many thanks. Maureen
Melissa says
Hi Maureen,
This couldn’t make me happier. I’m so glad the cookies were such a success! Thank you for taking the time to write.
Best,
Melissa
Sandra says
Delicious & East to make. They don’t last long before everyone from adults to grandchildren gobble them up.
Melissa says
Hi Sandra,
Completely agree. I always brace myself for these cookies to disappear extremely fast when I make them!
Best,
Melissa