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
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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
Leslie says
These cookies are amazing! They’re so easy to make, have a low calorie count and best of all, taste phenomenal! I’ve made them twice and I figured out the ratios. The first time I made them, i used 3 egg whites and the batter was a bit thin and the resulting cookies were too thin. The taste was there, though, so I knew it was worth another try. The second time I weighed my egg whites. I added enough until I got a good batter. Turns out 120 grams of egg whites is the perfect amount for the recipe as written. These have already become a favourite at our home. Thanks so much for the recipe. Have you come up with any variations on the flavour? Maybe peanut butter made with peanut flour and peanut butter chips?
Kate says
I’m glad that you were able to make it work!
I have an almond joy variation. I’ve also tried them with the mini marshmallow bits and mini chocolate chips for a hot chocolaty kind of cookie.
Mel says
I adeed mint oil (a little goes A LOOOONG way) and they turned out amazing!
Kate says
Good tip! Thanks for sharing it! =)
nikki says
Was excited but then my mixture was runny and then they turned out thin as paper..literally.
Should i beat eggwhites before hand to make thick and then fols them into the reat of the mixture? What did i so wrong?
Kate says
How many eggs did you use?
If you whip the egg whites first, you’ll end up with something more like a meringue cookie, and I don’t think that it will have the fudgy texture like these have. I’m happy to help you try to troubleshoot!
Elizabeth says
I had the same problem! Flavor is still delicious (which is the most important thing), but the cookies are extremely thin and hard to remove from the pan! Used the exact recipe above.
My second batch was a little bit better, as I very quickly scooped and immediately put the cookie sheet into the oven-maybe giving the batter less time to spread out on the sheet?
Kate says
I’ve found that if they cool completely, they are easier to remove. Maybe that would help?
Paula says
I also had this problem — followed the recipe exactly (no substitutions) but they turned out paper thin. They were fudgy and chocolatey, but they don’t look like your cookies at all.
Kate says
I’m sorry! The only thing I can guess is that the variance in the size of the eggs plays a part. I’ve had cartons of eggs with quite a difference in the size of the eggs, so maybe that plays a part in it.
Ellen says
Just made these. Used 2 cups powdered sugar and 2 egg whites from XL eggs. My batter was thick like fudge, but I thought I’d try it as is rather than end up with too runny batter. All other ingredients as specified. Baked on parchment lined pans and moved whole sheet from pan to cooling rack carefully. They turned out beautifully. Came right off the parchment when cool. Pressed a walnut half into the the cookies on last pan and they turned out well. Mine have the glossy, crisp look with fudgy centers as pictured. Excellent recipe that I will surely use often. Thank you so much.
Kate says
I’m glad you liked them! =)
Dina says
Do you know if splenda could be substituted for the pwd sugar?
Kate says
I’m not sure that the regular granulated splenda would work. However, if you decide to try it, please let me know how it goes as I’m sure others would be curious.
gill says
Wot is powered sugar exactly is it icing sugar or a specific brand of sugar pls
Kate says
Powdered sugar is also known confectioners’ sugar in the U.S. I think icing sugar is what it’s called in other parts of the world. If you have any other questions, please let me know.
Michelle says
I wish I hadn’t made these. Now I will end up eating them all. Wowzers! Thank you so much for sharing!
Also, I was too lazy to dirty up a third cookie sheet so I put the remaining batter in to a mini muffin tin, as well. So yummy! I got 18 cookies and 2 tiny mini muffins.
Kate says
I’m so glad you like them! =) I’m going to have to try the mini muffin idea. It sounds like they’d be little brownie bites.
Nina Duffus says
Hi Kate,
The problem with runny eggs probably has more to do with the freshness of the eggs, rather than the size. Since eggs that are too fresh tend to stick to the shell when boiled they will probably be runny in a recipe such as this. For people with runny batter problems, I would suggest leaving the eggs in the fridge for a week before using them in this recipe.
Kate says
Thanks for the info! I hadn’t heard that before, and I’m sure it will be helpful for others, too.
Georgette says
I would think the freshest egg whites would perform best. I learned the following ways to judge egg freshness in culinary school:
Looking at a cracked, raw egg, a fresh egg white will appear thicker, firmer and rounder, and will support the yolk on top. With older eggs, the white is thin and spreads. A fresh egg is a little more difficult to separate because the firm white falls into the bowl as one thick glob.
In a pan of water, a whole egg floats when it’s getting old; a fresh one sinks. This is because as the egg ages, the air space (at the wide end) gets bigger.
Kate says
Thank you for the tip! =)
Veronica says
Hello!! How many cookies should this recipe make?
Kate says
I get 34 cookies.
Tyler says
OMG I just made this recipe, followed it exactly, and the results… DELICIOUS!!! They turned out perfect. This goes down as my new favorite cookie recipe.
Kate says
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
mary says
This was by far my funniest pinterest fail ever. But they still taste awesome! I will definitely make again with less egg whites. Only had three eggs so I added some liquid egg whites, probably should have just used the three! Thanks for the recipe.
Kate says
I’m sorry that they were a fail, but I’m glad that they tasted good! From the comments that I’ve received, it seems as though liquid egg whites don’t work out so well in this recipe.
Maureen says
i used 4 egg whites and exactly as the recipe calls and the were not runny at all just moist batter. Turned out perfect!
Thank You for such a great low calorie treat!
Kate says
I’m so glad that it turned out and that you liked it! Thank you for coming back to leave a comment!
Maureen says
Just a tip: if you refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes before baking the batter thickens. I made these for the 2nd time for a lunch with the girls and they were a hit!
Kate says
Thanks for the tip! Maybe that will help if people find that they have too much egg in it.
Kelly says
I did the recipe as stated with the exception of dark chocolate chips in place of the semi-sweet and baked on a cookie sheet. The batter was very liquidy, as others have stated. And I ended up having to use these as a cookie crumble.
However, I placed the rest of the mix in standard sized cupcake liners and baked for 12 minutes. They turned out perfectly and taste amazing! Filling just under 1/2 full, (about 1.5 tablespoons), they come out to about 20 a batch at 88 calories a piece.
Not to the fault of the recipe, but with the eggs I use, these are just not cookie material! But man they sure do make AMAZING muffins!
Kate says
The batter is runny. It’s not at all like a normal cookie dough.
I’m glad that worked! =)
Tiffany says
Worked well for me on parchment paper. So rich and AMAZING.
Kate says
I’m so glad you liked them! I’ve never had any issues with them sticking to the parchment paper either. I think the key is to let them cool before removing them. Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
Megan says
I just made these and they are awesome! They looked just like the picture. I halved the sugar and added a bit more cocoa powder and used only 3 egg whites. They didn’t stick to the parchment at all. So good!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you like the cookies! I’ll have to try them that way.
Tracey says
Hi, i work in a care home and am always looking for tasty treats for the residents, these went down a storm. Nice and gooey and tasty. These were so quick and easy to make and turned out just perfect. I have been asked for these many times by residents and visitors also (and the staff) So a big hit all round, thankyou
Kate says
I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave such a nice comment! =D
Matea says
Whoah, whoah, whoah. These cookies look DELICIOUS! Can’t wait to try them :)
Kate says
Thank you so much!! =)
madison says
How many cookies does this recipe make?
Kate says
I get 34 cookies from this recipe.
Jesi says
They turned out great. I refrigerated the dough first so it would be easier to work with. There is no flour so of course the texture wont be like regular cookie dough people!
Kate says
I’m so glad! =) Such a smart idea! I refrigerate a lot of my regular cookie doughs, but I’ve never tried it with this recipe. Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!!
Karen Wesley says
Most of the egg white cookie recipes I’ve seen call for the egg whites to be beaten into a meringue and the dry ingredients folded into them. This may solve the runny egg white problem a
Kate says
Thanks for the tip! That may result in a cookie that’s more crispy than these cookies should be, though. The batter for these cookies is on the runnier side and isn’t like a normal, stiffer cookie dough.
Meky says
What did I do wrong T__T https://on.fb.me/1ubqxqB
Kate says
I’m sorry, but it won’t allow me to see the picture.