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
- 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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Flourless Fudge Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3-4 large egg whites1
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract2
- 1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar with cocoa powder and salt.
- Stir in the vanilla and egg whites.
- Whisk just until the batter is moistened.
- Stir in the 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
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Comments & Reviews
Sarah says
so i don’t have time to read through every comment, but my cookies totally were flat, not fluffy at all and middle was super gooey. the taste was great but i can’t even get them off the pan and my nonstick liner! i didnt cook them all, luckily, is there a way to save the batter? add something to it to keep them fluffy? i did use liquid eggwhites which was 3 T equivalent to 1 large egg white. so i’m sure they are too runny, but i can’t fix that now. any suggestions would be great!!
Kate says
I’m sorry to hear that! The cookies should have a chewy/crisp texture – kind of like the edge of a brownie.
Someone said they baked them in a muffin tin and that worked well when they were having issues with runniness. You could also try addING more powdered sugar and cocoa powder to thicken it up a bit. Good luck!
Chris says
Mine were too. I eventually added almond flour and baking powder to get a substantial cookie. My first few trays were awful and inedible. Could be a great recipe but needs some tweaking and needs some kind of rising agent or maybe the egg whites whipped first
Hayley says
Can you use the whole egg instead of just the whites?
Thank you!
Kate says
I’ve never tried it with a whole egg, and I don’t think that I’ve heard from anyone who had. If you try it, I’d be interested to hear how it works! =)
CK says
So are these pretty much cookie sized pavlovas?
Kate says
Well, usually with pavlovas, the egg whites are beaten first, so they’re crunchy. These cookies will have more of a chewy/crisp texture.
Fernanda says
I’m making these today! Will let you know how they come out :)
Kate says
Great! Hope you enjoy them! =)
Anon says
These looked amazing, I just had to try them! At first when i scooped them onto the tray with baking paper they looked a little runny, but i left them. I opened the oven to take them out and they looked really thick and had a nice crispy outside. However, when i let them cool down a bit, they deflated and when i tried to take them off the baking paper they were still gooey underneath, and i let them cook for roughly another 20 minutes! How can i resolve this problem for future use?!
Kate says
Yes, it’s more of a batter and not thick cookie dough. How many egg whites did you use? My guess would be that if the batter was runny, the cookies were gooey underneath, and you had to cook them for that long, that there was too much moisture. Four egg whites works for me, but I’ve heard from people who have said they’ve had success with 2 or 3. So, my suggestion would be to try reducing the amount of egg whites next time. Good luck!
Joyce says
Has anyone tried freezing the dough and baking as needed?
Leslie says
These cookies were a delicious addition to our Passover Seder meal. I followed the recipe exactly, used liquid egg whites (4), and the batter was not runny at all. I got 30 good-sized cookies. They were crispy and light on the outside, and fudgy-chewy on the inside. Thanks!
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked them! Your comment about using liquid eggs is really helpful as I’m sure others would like to make that substitution. Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment! =)
sherry stone says
Too bad you aren’t supposed to use powdered sugar (cornstarch isn’t acceptable passover food). But they are delish!
K Blair says
It depends on which region your Jewish practice is from. The Ashkenazic (Germanic) Jews consider corn too much like a grain product, but Sephardic Jews (from Spain and the Mediterranean areas) do not traditionally prohibit rice, millet, corn or legumes on Passover.
dalia says
I just made these but when I tried to put them on cookie sheet, they were too liqiudy and it didnt work. what am I doing wrong?
Kate says
How liquidy were they, and how many egg whites did you use?
Eden Passante says
Love a gluten free cookie option! These look so good!
Kate says
Thanks so much!
Jennifer says
Since these are flourless does that mean they are gluten free? I want to make them for school but some people need stuff to be GF
Kate says
Yes, they will be gluten free as long as the ingredients are certified as being gluten free. There’s nothing that *should* contain gluten, but it’s a good idea to check the labels to make sure that they’re certified as GF. =)
nugget says
I made these, and they were awesome. :)
Made a few tiny tweaks (to fit with my own taste).
2 cups sugar instead of 3.
3 large egg whites instead of 4.
Less vanilla.
Added orange essence.
GOLD SPRINKLES!
They came out wonderful! I’m not even much of a chocolate fan but I love these. :)
Thank you for the great and easy recipe!
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked them! And that’s awesome that you made some tweaks to fit your own tastes! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment. =)
Carla says
how many survings is this
Kate says
This recipe makes 34 cookies.
Jackie says
Hi, just to clarify…are you whipping the egg whites prior to adding them to the batter, as in a meringue cookie, or just lightly beating them? Thanks.
Jackie
Kate says
No, you don’t want to beat the egg whites first. The cookies should have crispy edges, but the centers will be more chewy and brownie-like. You’ll mix them in as directed, and the consistency will be more like a thin cake batter. If you have any other questions, just let me know!
Rachel says
May I ask if the quantity of vanilla extract is correct? 1 x tablespoons seems a lot! Thanks in advance
Kate says
Yes, that’s the amount that I use. I use extra vanilla in my chocolate baked goods because I think it enhances the chocolate. =)
sara says
I can’t use egg whites as im allergic to it, so can u suggest me an alternate please!! i want to try these but couldnt :'(
Kate says
I’m sorry! My knowledge of substitutions for eggs is pretty much limited to bananas and flax eggs. I don’t know of any substitutes for the egg whites in these cookies because the egg whites are the binder, and they give the cookie it’s meringue-like edges.
Katie says
Chickpea can juice is a sub. for egg whites to get the meringue-like edges. Sounds weird I know but google it.
Kate says
Great tip! I’ve used chickpeas in brownies, and it was delicious. So, that’s a sub that I’d definitely try. Thank you! =)
April says
There is a flax seed substitute for eggs that uses flax seed and water. I think it’s 2 parts flax seed to 1 part water, but it’s on Pinterest. Hope that helps.
Kim says
Ithe flax substitute for eggs is 1 tablespoon ground flax seed and 3 tablespoons water for 1 egg
Kate says
Thank you for sharing that! =)
mimi says
You can try aquafaba. It’s the water that canned chickpeas come in. Make sure you get the low sodium variety.
Kate says
Good tip! Thank you for sharing! =)
Kate says
I made these today but they are huge! Tablespoon was way too big a portion for me to use. Guess I’m breaking them up a bit
Kate says
The cookies are good-sized! I’ve never done it, but I’m sure you could make them in 1/2 tablespoon or teaspoon-sized cookies instead.
me says
how much does this make?
Kate says
It makes 34 cookies.
Jade Boyer says
Hi! These look so good! But instead of powdered sugar can you use stevia?
Kate says
I don’t think that using stevia would give you the same result. The stevia that I’ve seen was in liquid or granular form, and that wouldn’t provide the same sort of structure in the cookie.
joy says
tried making these today, if they really are only 68 calories per cookie, that’s pretty amazing. overall, though i thought they were a bit too much like chocolate meringues for my preference. i think i like something with a bit more substance. I’m looking forward to trying your other recipes though. always fun to try something new and learn some new possibilities! thanks for sharing!
Kate says
Well, according to online nutrition calculators, they are! =)
If you’re looking for any suggestions, let me know!
Cat says
There are over 2000 calories in 3 cups of sugar so I’m thinking the claim to low calorie cookies might need to be researched a little more and 3 cups of white powdered sugar in a lot.
Kate says
Here is the link to the online nutrition calculator that I used
Kelly says
You are right that there are more than 2000 calories in 3 cups of sugar, but that refers to grantulated sugar. Her recipe uses powdered sugar, which is significantly lower in calories per cup than granulated sugar.
Vanessa says
I just finished baking these cookies and they turned out wonderfully! I followed the recipe exactly and even though I live at a higher altitude (which is sometimes very tricky for baking) they look and taste great! I think the trick really is to not over mix the batter which is what may have caused a runnier batter in some of the other comments I’ve read. They are VERY very chocalatey…so make sure you have some milk on hand! Great recipe, thank you!!!
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked them! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment! =)
Elisabeth says
These cookies were delicious! Mine were a bit darker, thinner, and stuck to the pan(probably happend when I halfed the recipe)but still tasted wonderful! Thank you for this amazing and delicious treat! I love the texture of the outside and center! Yummy!
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked them! =)