Gluten-free Flourless Fudge Cookies taste rich and fudgy – like the edge of a brownie! And the cookies have less than 70 calories each! 
These flourless chocolate cookies are light and crisp at the edges, like meringue cookies. The centers are rich and fudgy like a brownie. And at 68 calories each, these cookies are lighter than most cookies.
Also, they don’t take much time to make. Since they’re made in one bowl and there’s so butter to soften, I can get these cookies made in about 5 minutes. So, from start to finish, these cookies take less than 15 minutes to make!
How To Make Flourless Fudge Cookies
Whisk the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the egg whites and vanilla and whisk in until just combined.
Stir in the chocolate chips just until incorporated. Scoop tablespoonfuls of the batter and place about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet.
Bake until the tops are lightly cracked and glossy, about 8-10 minutes. Oven temperatures vary, so your baking time may vary.
Tips
Tips - Mixing: These cookies will have meringue-like edges but soft, fudgy centers. Mixing by hand helps to get the proper consistency. Whipping the eggs will give you a meringue-like cookie without the fudgy centers.
- Egg whites: I’ve made this recipe dozens of times, and I always use 4 egg whites. However, some people have found that they have better luck with 3 egg whites and other people have found that the recipe works better as written. You may want to start with 3 egg whites, and add the 4th egg white if needed.
- Extracts: You can swap out the vanilla extract with another flavor, like peppermint, to change up the flavor of the cookies.
- Consistency: The cookies will be thin. The edges are crisp, the middles are soft. The batter is thin and isn’t like a traditional thick cookie dough.
- If you want a thicker chocolate cookie, try my Brownie Cookie recipe instead. If you’re looking for a softer, chewier gluten-free cookie with add-ins, this is the recipe you want.
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More Gluten Free Dessert Recipes!More Easy Cookie Recipes!
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Flourless Fudge Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3-4 large egg whites1
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract2
- ½ cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats. Spray mats with nonstick cooking spray. You can also line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar with cocoa powder and salt.3 cups powdered sugar, ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Stir in the vanilla and egg whites.3-4 large egg whites1, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract2
- Whisk just until the batter is moistened.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.½ cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
- Scoop the batter by the tablespoonful onto the baking sheets. The batter will be thin. Leave enough space between each cookie for them to spread (about 2 ½” of space between each cookie).
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the tops are glossy and lightly cracked.
- Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet, and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Video
Notes
- Some people have found that they have better luck with 3 egg whites and other people have found that the recipe works better with 4. You may want to start with 3 egg whites, and add the 4th egg white if needed.
- You can swap out part or all of the vanilla for other extracts and flavorings, like peppermint, to change up the flavor.
- Nutrition facts have been estimated.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Originally published 6/3/12. Updated with new photos and tips 1/7/19.
Adapted from chocolateandcarrots.com
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Danielle says
I made these tonight. So easy and delicious! The kids say that these are their new favourite gluten free cookie.
Kate says
I’m so glad that you and your kids liked the cookies!! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know! =)
Anisa says
These are a fantastic! Especially if you have a craving & just need a little to satisfy your craving. I cut the recipe in half & only used one egg white & they turned out great. Will definitely keep this recipe to make in the future
Kate says
I’m so glad that you like the cookies!! =)
Candace says
Love love this cookie… Love the side of brownie and these were GREAT!!!
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked the cookies! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know! =)
Erika says
These turned out great! The batter was gooey so was spectical but followed through! Amazing results!
Kate says
I’m glad you liked the cookies!! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!! =)
Melissa says
I just tried making these and for some reason they didn’t go well at all!
I wanted to experiment so I only used enough for a few cookies…1 cup sugar and only 2 egg whites etc.
The batter I used was incredibly runny and the cookies just turned into one giant lump.
I might try these again soon but use different quantities.
Kate says
I could see that ratio ending up with a runny batter. If you want to try it with 1 cup of sugar, I’d suggest starting with 1 egg white and then adding in additional egg white as needed. If you try it with the quantities as written, you may want to try 3 egg whites and then go from there.
Good luck! If you have any questions, please let me know!
Nancy Y says
Have you ever whipped the eggs to soft peaks before adding to the other ingredients? Wondering how that would work.
Kate says
I haven’t tried it. I would guess that it’d make the cookies more meringue-like, but I’d be interested to hear how it works out if you try it!
De Anna Twigg says
Wanted to let you know that I did do this the first time and then the second and third time I just put the egg whites straight into the chocolate and powdered sugar. It made no difference in the consistency. Let me say it’s easier to just add them straight in.
The third time I also added crushed walnuts to the mixture. It was a hit! My husband says that these cookies are like the edge of brownies, so they are the best!
Kate says
That’s good to know! I’ve always made the recipe as it’s written, and I’ve always had the cookies turn out, so I’ve never tried it any other way. The crushed walnuts sound like a delicious addition! I love walnuts or pecans in my brownies, so I’ll have to try that next time. =)
shelby says
what is the yield for this recipe
Kate says
It makes 32 cookies.
Jami R. says
I see it says there are 68 calories per cookie, can you tell me how much fat and sugar are in each serving as well?
Kate says
This is according to the nutrition calculator that I used (per serving) – 1.1 grams of fat and 12.5 grams of sugar.
Hope that helps!
Kate says
I have never commented on anything before, but I just wanted share my enthusiasm for these cookies. I follow a strict gluten-free and dairy-free lifestyle, and I am so happy to have found a recipe like this that doesn’t require any special substitutions- just regular pantry ingredients. I live in a small town in Southern Africa and am very limited to what I can eat because specialty foods are almost non-existent here. My cookies turned out perfectly and looked just as expected. I sprayed my baking paper first and had zero problems. Wonderful recipe!
Kate says
Thanks so much! I have lived in small towns, so I know how that can be. I’m really glad that you enjoyed the cookies!! =)
Rebecca says
I just made these, they were so easy to make, I followed the recipe to a T but I whisked the egg whites and vanilla together before adding them to the dry mixture and I baked one batch on a Silpat and one on parchment and neither cookies stuck. I all used a small cookie scoop for uniform cookies and they turned out perfect! I will definitely be using this recipe again.
Kate says
I’m glad that you didn’t have any issues with the cookies sticking and that you liked the recipe! =)
Katharina says
I just made your cookies. First batch turned out a bit thin. I probably should have followed the comments and left out one of the egg whites. For the second batch I added peanut butter, and they look more like your picture. Both batches taste divine though. Thank you for the recipe.
Kate says
I’ve always thought that egg sizes were pretty standard (i.e. a large egg was a large egg), but this recipe makes me wonder.
I’m glad that adding peanut butter worked. I’m sure that was a delicious addition! =)
Sal says
Hello Kate!
Thank you for the recipe, the cookies were heavenly!
I did have the sticking to the parchment issue too even though I incorporated the whites slowly, I guess it’s the same with all the recipes with an important amount of sugar, the sugar cooks into the paper.
But there’s a solution, I put the parchment on some boiling water and the steam made the cookies came off like magic.
Anyways, thank you, this recipe is a keeper!
Kate says
I’m glad you found such an inventive solution and that you enjoyed the cookies! =)
Alix says
These are delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe Kate :)
Here are my feedbacks. I used 4 large egg whites and added them all at once. The dough was very runny to the point they were just pools of batter on the baking sheets. The cookies did come out shiny with some cracklings though they looked nothing like yours, more like flat crisp like some other reviewers. The cookies were slightly crispy around the edges and very moist in the middle, tasting more like brownies.
Also I did cut back on the sugar to 2.5 cup which was still plenty of sweetness. I will definitely try again but this time add the egg whites one at time. I think my eggs must be larger than yours and probably only need 3 like some of the reviewers here.
Thanks again.
Kate says
Thanks! My cookies are usually crisp at the edges (sort of like a meringue cookie), but they’re soft and chewy in the middle, so it sounds like your cookies were pretty right on consistency-wise. I hope cutting back to 3 egg whites helps next time, though! =)
audrey says
Great recipe! Thanks for sharing. I used 2.5 cups of psugar and they came out delicious. Great treat with my morning coffee. =)
Kate says
I’m glad you liked them! Thanks!! =)
Barbara Henry says
I tried to make these, but the were so loose ,I had to make them into a cake. I used eggbeater’s egg whites…maybe that was too many eggs whites. I will try it again with regular eggs the next time.
Kate says
I’ve never tried them with Eggbeaters, but I’m sorry to hear that they were too runny. I’ve gotten some feedback saying that cutting back to 3 egg whites has helped, so maybe that would work next time?
Lindsay Triplitt says
OMG!! I just made these for the first time, and they were absolutely perfect! My eggs were a little on the small side so I added an extra white and they were fantastic, and the stickiness on the bottom goes away as long as you let them cool all the way before you pull them off the parchment. I’ll be making these often!! Thanks for posting!!!
Kate says
I’m so glad that they worked out well for you! =)
erin says
Can you use a sugar substitute?
Kate says
I haven’t tried it with a sugar substitute. I just received a comment from someone who used Splenda, though (it should be the comment right below yours), so you may find her comments helpful.
Elisabeth says
Just made this recipe today. I swapped Splenda for powdered sugar, and used three egg whites instead of four. I added each egg white individually. When I did that, the dough seemed plenty wet after three, so I omitted the fourth egg. I also lightly oiled the cookie sheets. I left out the chocolate chips. The first batch did not spread at all while baking, and did not crack. It’s cool and dry where I am (the Oregon Coast) so I don’t know if humidity or lack of it had to do with that, or the fact that I used Splenda instead of powdered sugar. They did not look like the picture, but my partner, who is on the Atkins diet, LOVED THEM. The second batch I flattened before baking and they turned out perfect (no cracks still.) The recipe made 16 cookies ( I followed the tablespoon size suggestion.) The taste is great!
Kate says
Thank you for leaving your comment! I’ve gotten a few questions about using a sugar substitute, but I’ve never tried it with a substitute. So, thank you for sharing your experience with it!
Brittany says
So, I followed the advice to add the egg whites slowly as people suggested in the comments. Even still, my cookies came out NOTHING like the picture. They were much more like giant thin chocolate cookie crisps, kind of like Brownie Brittle. That being said…they were still delicious (how could any combination of sugar and chocolate not be). The flavor is not too complex..just sweet, which is alright. I added a thin swipe of peanut butter to one and…oh my … DIVINE.
Summary: even if the texture is wonky, you can’t go wrong with chocolate and sugar. Deal with it, add peanut butter, enjoy.
Kate says
I’m sorry that the cookies came out like giant cookie crisps, but I’m glad you were able to save them with some peanut butter! That sounds like a delicious addition! =)
Kristi says
Just made these today, turned out perfect. I added the egg whites in slowly while stirring. Thanks for sharing this easy & delicious recipe!
Kate says
I’m glad they worked out for you! Thanks for coming back to let me know that! =)
Erika says
I made these for a wine tasting party and for a gluten free friend. They were a HUGE hit and everyone keeps asking me to make them for other events. I had no problem with them sticking, as long as used parchment paper on a baking sheet. Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Kate says
I’m so glad that they worked out well for you and that everyone enjoyed them! =)