Food and Recipes Recipes Fudgy Flourless Chocolate-Pecan Cookies 3.5 (13) 12 Reviews You'll never believe these cookies are made without flour. By Pam Lolley Pam Lolley Pam Lolley developed and tested recipes for Southern Living Magazine in the Souths most trusted Test Kitchen for 19 years. She worked closely with the editors planning and packaging stories, collaborating with art and photo teams on food styling and recipe reproduction to ensure reader satisfaction, content quality control, and recipe authenticity history and cooking. Her area of expertise was baking and and pastry development and she acted as the point person for these areas in the Test Kitchen. With 30+ years of experience in the culinary field, Pam created and tested 1000s of recipes for Southern Living. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on December 2, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 45 mins Yield: 20 cookies Jump to recipe Filled with toasted chopped pecans and gooey pockets of melted chocolate, you won't believe these cookies are flourless and gluten-free. And, thanks to whipped egg whites, these flourless chocolate cookies are airy and crisp on the outside while remaining soft and gooey on the inside—they're essentially a brownie in cookie form. Unsweetened cocoa and semisweet chocolate make these cookies an ode to all chocolate lovers out there. The added bonuses? You only need 15 minutes of active prep time and a single bowl to mix all the ingredients. Not only are they fancier than your typical chocolate cookie, but these cookies are also perfect for displaying on any platter or cookie stand at your next church potluck or Sunday supper—so don't hide these away unless you're saving them for yourself! Will Dickey; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee The Secret to Flourless Chocolate Cookies These chocolate-pecan cookies rely on egg whites, not flour, to act as a binder and provide structure, making them gluten-free as well as delicious. The addition of powdered sugar is also responsible for bringing the batter together and results in a cookie that's light with crispy edges and has gooey, chocolatey pockets thanks to the chunks of semisweet chocolate. Learn More: Can I Substitute Regular Sugar for Powdered Sugar? Fudgy Flourless Chocolate Cookie Ingredients You'll never believe that these cookies are made without a speck of flour. Here's everything you'll require to make a batch of flourless chocolate-pecan cookies. Will Dickey; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee Powdered SugarAlso known as confectioners' sugar, powdered sugar is a key ingredient in these flourless cookies. It's responsible for binding the batter and providing structure to the cookies as they bake. Out of powdered sugar? You can easily make some by blending regular sugar in a food processor until it's fine and resembles the same consistency as powdered sugar. Unsweetened CocoaThe richness of these cookies comes from the addition of unsweetened cocoa. If you want a cookie that's heavy on the chocolate and less sweet, use a dark unsweetened cocoa like Hershey's Special Dark. SaltSalt helps enhance the various flavors used in these flourless chocolate cookies. Egg WhitesAn integral ingredient in this recipe, egg whites give these flourless cookies structure as they bake. What makes this recipe incredibly simple is that you only need to whip the egg whites until foamy and not until stiff peaks form like when making meringue. Vanilla ExtractApart from a delicately sweet taste, the use of vanilla extract here is just like the addition of salt—it helps enhance the flavor profiles of all the other ingredients used in this flourless chocolate cookie recipe. Semisweet ChocolateThe recipe calls for four ounces of chopped semisweet chocolate, but you can also use high-quality semisweet chocolate chips—we recommend Ghirardelli. Learn More: How to Choose the Right Sugar for Your Baking How to Make Fudgy Flourless Chocolate Cookies These simple flourless cookies are a snap to bring together. You just have to pay a bit of attention when it comes time to whip the egg whites. Step 1. Mix dry ingredients Sift the dry ingredients, i.e., the powdered sugar, unsweetened cocoa, and salt, into a large mixing bowl. Step 2. Whisk egg whites Beat the egg whites until frothy—an electric mixer will provide the best results. Will Dickey; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee Step 3. Combine wet and dry ingredients Stir the vanilla extract and egg whites into the sifted dry ingredients. Add in the semisweet chocolate and pecans, and stir until well combined. You'll end up with a thick batter. Step 4. Bake the cookies Using a cookie scoop, scoop out cookies onto a parchment-lined and lightly greased baking sheet. Bake according to instructions. Let the flourless chocolate cookies cool completely before eating. How to Store Flourless Chocolate Pecan Cookies While you're most likely not going to end up with leftovers—these cookies are just that good—you can store any remaining cookies in an airtight container or a zip-top bag to keep them moist for several days. Don't want to bake the entire batch? Bake half, and freeze the rest for later. All you need to do is form the cookies on a baking sheet and freeze them until firm. Then, transfer them into a freezer-friendly zip-top bag or airtight container and store until ready to bake. Learn More: Essential Cookie Baking Ingredients Tips for a Moist and Chewy Cookie – The best way to keep these flourless chocolate cookies moist comes down to two things: not overbaking the cookies and storing them in an airtight container. – If you have time, refrigerate your cookie dough before baking. Not only does it allow the flavors to infuse, but you'll end up with a soft, chewy cookie when baked. Learn More: The Best Way to Keep Cookies Fresh Editorial contributions by Christabel Lobo. Ingredients 3 cups powdered sugar ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa ¼ teaspoon salt 3 large egg whites, at room temperature 2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 (4-oz.) semisweet chocolate bar, chopped 1 cup toasted chopped pecans Directions Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift together powdered sugar, cocoa, and salt in a large bowl. Will Dickey; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee Whisk egg whites until frothy. Stir egg whites and vanilla into powdered sugar mixture. (Batter will be very thick.) Stir in chopped chocolate and pecans until well combined. Will Dickey; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee Drop cookies 3 inches apart using a 1 ½-inch cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons) on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet lightly greased with cooking spray. Will Dickey; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee Bake in preheated oven until tops are shiny and cracked, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes; transfer to wire racks, and cool completely, about 15 minutes. Will Dickey; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee Rate it Print