Flourless Fudge Cookies

Recipe by PJ Hamel

Ultra-chewy, rich chocolate cookies with no added fat? And no gluten? Impossible! But it's true: these flourless chocolate cookies get their texture from egg whites, and their flavor from cocoa powder (which represents the only fat in the recipe). Plus they're easy to make: Just stir together a few simple ingredients, scoop onto a pan, and bake for 7 to 10 minutes. You won't believe the delicious result. Speaking of delicious, though — adding chocolate chips and/or chopped nuts to this basic recipe takes these cookies to a whole new level.  

Prep
5 mins
Bake
7 to 10 mins
Total
42 mins
Yield
16 large cookies or 32 smaller cookies
Flourless Fudge Cookies

Instructions

Prevent your screen from going dark as you follow along.
  1. Lightly grease two baking sheets. Or line with parchment, and grease the parchment. Yes, grease the parchment; these cookies are sticky, and need to be baked on a greased surface.

  2. Whisk together the egg whites and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, except for the chips/nuts/fruit.

  3. Stir the wet and dry ingredients together. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, and stir again until smooth. The batter should be and the consistency of a thick syrup. If it's not, add more egg white until it drips from a spatula in a thick ribbon.

  4. Add the chips and/or nuts, if you're using them.

  5. Drop the syrupy batter onto the prepared baking sheets in 3" circles (for large cookies), or 1 3/4" to 2" circles (for smaller cookies); a tablespoon cookie scoop or teaspoon cookie scoop, respectively, work well here. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 30 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 350°F.

  6. Bake the cookies for 7 minutes (for smaller cookies), 8 to 9 minutes for the larger cookies; they should spread slightly, become somewhat shiny, and develop faintly crackly tops. Note: large cookies with added chips/nuts will need to bake for 10 minutes.

  7. Remove the cookies from the oven, and allow them to cool right on the pan. When they're nearly cool, carefully loosen them from the pan with a spatula.

  8. Storage information: Serve warm; or cool completely, and store airtight at room temperature for several days. For longer storage, wrap well and freeze.

Tips from our Bakers

  • This recipe can be tricky to nail, especially the first time out. Please read our blog post, Putting a Tricky Recipe to the Test, for some handy tips.

  • Join King Arthur baker Martin Philip and his family as they bake Flourless Fudge Cookies together, start to finish. Watch Martin Bakes at Home - Flourless Fudge Cookies now.

  • The yield on this recipe can vary quite a bit, depending on size and add-ins. Without add-ins, you'll get 16 large (3 1/4") cookies or 32 smaller (2 1/2") cookies. With the full amount of chips/nuts added, you'll get 2 dozen large cookies or 4 dozen smaller cookies. (Use the full amount of chocolate chips for an assertive hit of chocolate in every bite; use fewer if you want other flavors, rather than chocolate, to take center stage.)

  • Be aware: some of your baking ingredients can be a hidden source of gluten. Learn more at our blog post: For gluten-free baking, think beyond just flour. For additional information on King Arthur-produced products, read the complete details of our allergen program, including our contact-prevention practices.