Yes, I said flourless. But no, don’t change the channel! These cookies are for everyone! And by everyone, I mean those who are gluten eatin’ and those who are gluten avoidin’!
I made these cookies last night and I couldn’t believe how amazing they were. I was so excited!
Then I went to take pictures of them today and I wasn’t so excited. They were really hard to photograph and I just wasn’t pleased. But I decided to make due anyway.
Then my husband told me they looked like “turd cookies.” Uh. Gross. So I debated not putting them up. You see my husband is not only my biggest fan, but he can be one of my biggest critics too. That is why I love him so much. He challenges me.
Meet my other biggest critic. Our grumpy kitty, Shadow, who is not amused by me or my sous chef Wyatt.
But I HAD to post these. They have blown my baking mind. And they are about to blow yours.
I’ve been doing some research to refine my old gluten free cookie recipes (I am just not happy with their texture). But in the meantime I was searching for other flourless recipes and I ran across these.
You may have heard of them because I saw several other bloggers have posted about them.
Heres the deal. Four ingredients: Powdered sugar, cocoa powder, egg whites, salt. The results: The chewiest, fudgiest, chocolate cookie I have ever made. And they are gluten free! And dairy free! Say what?!
The original recipe is from King Arthur Flour. Don’t ask me why they have a recipe for a flourless cookie. It doesn’t make since to me either. But I’m happy they do!
I tweaked it a bit and came up with a good base recipe. I then spruced it up with some espresso powder and butterscotch chips.
This is also a great time to do a little educating about cocoa powders. YAY learning!
Here we go with installment #4 of Baker Bettie’s Cookies Are The New Cupcake Series!
In baking you will almost always want to use unsweetened cocoa powder. Sweetened cocoa powder is good for mixing to make chocolate milk or hot chocolate, but unsweetened is what you want to use for baking so that you can control the sugar content.
You will hear about two different kinds of unsweetened cocoa powder: Natural, and Dutch Processed. There are also powders out there that are a combination of the two, like Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder, which is what I usually use.
When I first started baking I thought that the two kinds of powder were interchangeable. They aren’t. They not only have different flavors but they react differently in baked goods.
Natural Cocoa Powder is darker in color and richer in taste than the reddish dutch-processed cocoa powder. It also has an acidic component to it that needs to be neutralized with baking soda if the desire is for the baked good to rise (leavening).
Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder is a reddish brown color and is more mild in taste. It has gone through a treatment to neutralize the acidic component. Therefore, baking soda (whose purpose is to neutralize acidity to create leavening) is not effective with dutch-processed cocoa powder and baking powder must be used if leavening is desired.
This recipe does not call for either baking soda or baking powder because it is not meant to rise. The recipe calls for dutch-processed cocoa powder and because of the acidity of natural cocoa powder, the cookies can taste burnt before they are finished cooking if you try to substitute. I used Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder in this recipe which is a blend, and it worked well. The acidity is not as high in this powder as with a powder that is only natural and not blended with dutch-processed.
You would never ever, ever, ever, in a million years, guess that these were gluten free. Never. Seriously!
*A few mix-ins and flavors that would be awesome with these are: chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, pecans, walnuts, dried cranberries or cherries, orange zest, peppermint or mint extract, cayenne, cinnamon, coconut, and many, many more!
Flourless Chocolate Cookie Base Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour
- 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2-4 egg whites
- Add ins and seasonings of your preference
Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cookies w/Butterscotch Chips adapted from King Arthur Flour
- 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1 tsp instant espresso powder or 2 tsp instant coffee granules
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2-4 egg whites
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
{ 67 comments… read them below or add one }
these look great, will have to give them a go
Let me know if you do and what you think!
Gluten free couldn’t possibly ever be this good. Page is Booked marked. Also love your kitty! Take Care, BAM
I was astonished! So easy and so amazing!
These look so yummy. Great recipe. I am always looking for something flourless. I am not gluten intolerant, I just try to keep my intake of wheat down.
I actually think your photos are really good. The milk looks so appetising next to the rich chocolatey biscuits (yes I am from Australia
)
Keep up the great posts, which will inevitibly lead to me gaining 5 kilos from all the baking your are inspiring me to do. All I do now is wait for a family events so I have an excuse to show off another recipe
Thanks!
By the way I love love love your kitten.
Well you should definitely try these. Without any chips added in they are only 80 calories a cookie! That isn’t bad for something so decadent!
80 calories – I might just need to have two
you had me at dark chocolate and espresso! don’t you just hate it when the subjects of your photography don’t cooperate? great info on the cocoa powder!
I think food is the most finicky subject!
Reblogged this on finnegan2749.
Reblogged this on The Writers Escape with Words and commented:
Yummy!
Hi
I like to follow food blogs, but I notice that few of you actually do step-by-step photos. Why?
Would give so much encouragement to readers if you showed the process and not just the end result.
K
There are several out there that do but it just isn’t my style. I am more interested in food styling and food photography than pictures of the process. I try to be as detailed as possible in my instructions and will always answer any questions you have! Feel free to pick my brain!
Okay.
I also often bake at night and have to take pictures in the morning really quick before work with the natural light. If I bake something during the day soon I will take pics of the steps while I have natural light just for you!
Nice. Thank you.
Hi Baker Bettie,
I agree with you, I do step-by-step photos in my blog (just because that style helped me learn to cook – mostly from the famous blogger, Pioneer Woman) but I like your blog style, and I especially respect that you create your own recipes and teach us some science behind it.
Furthermore, what you said about natural light is SO true. Any research I do on food photography says that it is essential. As a newlywed/beginner baker/cook and an even beginner photographer who cooks late at night before work (I work the night shift), I have to take my photos in yucky apartment kitchen lighting, so I agree with you.
In my new post, I just played around with natural light and what a difference, but not always possible – who cooks dinner in the afternoon, anyways? Ps. Love the cat on husband photo and they are still beautiful, I love your food photography and your blog – I just caught up on your past posts…I’m definitely a follower.
<3 Cait (www.caitsfoodtherapy.wordpress.com)
yum!
Flourless cookies, purely sinful. I like!
Love the kitty! And, though chocolate isn’t my big love, I have to say that these look great.
I am thinking about trying to figure out the science of why these work so well and creating a non-chocolate version of these flourless cookies!
BB
Well done.
Oh….Is that a “picture-glass-of-milk” in the last photo…? Just askin’…
Smile. Here.
RR
HAHA! No that is drinkin’ milk.
Too good!!
There’s such a thing as sweetened cocoa powder? You’re blowing my mind
However, good to know that I have both of the other kinds of cocoa powder mentioned in the post, and can proceed happily to making these cookies. I think the mix-ins are going to make this a very versatile cookie recipe to have!
I’m going to make some of these next week!
Let me know how they turn out!
Will do!
BAKER BETTIE!!! I ALMOST TOOK A BITE OUTTA MY MONITOR WITH THIS POST! For future reference I will just forward you the repair bill.
Oh no! With my little social worker salary I can barely afford the ingredients for the post. Please try to control yourself!
Hahahah you should me some samples then
lol have a great day!
Why do you constantly do this to me with each posting? I am drooling over everything you show on here and thank goodness i can’t eat it or else I’d be 400 pounds!
I especially love the way these cookies look because 1) I am a chocoholic and 2) they look nice and thin with a wonderful chewy consistency. You rock, despite your cat being less than enthralled by the outcome!
Ha! Thanks Danny. I JUST got finished watching your latest video. Looks amazing!
And she always puts me in my place. No matter how awesome I start thinking I am she always knocks me right back off the pedestal with her glares and hisses. I guess she’s keeping me grounded.
Thank you, but how in the world can rosemary sprigs compare to flourless dark chocolate cookies?????? Good thing you have that cat
Looks absolutely delicious! I would love to try some.
These look delicious! Not at all turd-like to me =)
Thanks for the info on cocoa powders too. I had no idea!
I will relay this to my husband. The reader consensus is: “Not turd like!”
I have to say I am LOVING this cookie series! I will have to give these a go. Just a question, I’m from Australia so I was just wondering what you mean by kosher salt? Kosher to me says abiding by Jewish rules but I’m pretty ignorant in that respect, so wondering what that means when it comes to salt!
I’m also with the previous commenter above, I had no idea they made sweetened cocoa powder. And I’m off to check my box now to see what type it is. Loving the science lessons too
Kosher salt is a more coarse grain than table salt, but not quite as coarse as sea salt. It also doesn’t have iodine added like table salt does. It doesn’t necessarily mean that it is Kosher certified. I know it is confusing. BUT whatever salt you usually bake with is fine.
Maybe sweetened cocoa powder is just something we have here in America. Not sure. But at least here, if you look on your cocoa powder it will say “Sweetened” or “Unsweetened”
I love your cat!
http://www.freddieandcinnamon.com
Thanks Freddie! I love her too even if she is so judgmental.
Thank you for the recipe! I love backing cookies but it’s always difficult to find a good gluten free cookies recipe (my sister and my mother can’t eat gluten). These cookies look tasty. I’m definitely cooking them on sunday. I’ll tell you about the experience.
Please do! You will be surprised at how easy they are!
Oh Bettie, your cookies are second to none. i adore the gluten free and chocolate combination – exquisite
Thanks Nick! I’m still waiting on your cookie submission…. slacker.
Turd cookies. *snickering* That gave me a good chuckle
Thank you for that cocoa powder lesson! I had noooooooo clue about it and now will be more mindful when baking. Seriously, I am so excited to put my newfound knowledge to work
Awesome Cara! Isn’t learning fun? Especially when it revolves around baked goods. Maybe I would have paid more attention in school if learning always resulted in delicious baked goods.
I honestly was thinking about just this the entire day. All I could think of was past recipes I used with cocoa powder that did not rise nicely and now I know why. You are the best!
HA! You sound like me. I think about food all day. And sometimes bake in my dreams. I learn some new baking rule and think about all the things I need to do go remake and see if it works. Glad I could fill your day with sweet thoughts!
I don’t know what you are complaining about, your pictures look freaking fantastic.
And I also love the picture of grumpy kitty.
And flourless does not scare me one bit. My host mom in France taught me to make a flourless chocolate torte and I will never forget it. So easy, and people go gaga over it with a little raspberry sauce.
Thanks for putting me in my place RFTL. I am actually my own worst critic despite how bitchy my cat is.
Flourless torte is A-MAZ-ING! I just think sometimes people hear “gluten free” and think they don’t want it.
Those cookies look delicious, I can actually imagine the taste and texture vividly! And the photos look really great, nice styling!
Thank you! So fudgy and slightly crispy on the outside. Nom nom nom!
I love your version with the espresso, these look amazing!
Thanks! And they taste amazing too. Just don’t give them to children. They will be bouncing off the walls…
I think these are beautiful! They look perfectly fudgy-just gorgeous. And I love the simplicity! Speaking of turd cookies (and I disagree, these do NOT look like turds-lol!) if you want to see some that REALLY look like turds you should check out my husband’s cookie handiwork: http://veronicascornucopia.com/2010/07/21/no-bake-cookie-bars/
That is hilarious!
I cannot wait to try these! And I too think they look delicious. I also love your commentary on cocoa powder. Very helpful.
Glad it was useful! I always wonder if I’m boring people. I’m sure not everyone cares about the science stuff as much as I do!
These look and sound so delicious I almost want to fake an illness so I can leave work early to make some!
Do it! Do it! Do it!
Love the gluten free cookies, cant say that I agree with the term your husband used… I hope he helped with the dishes!
Actually he did! He almost always does my dishes. I HATE doing them. Isn’t he sweet?!
I made these with Cacao Nibs- Amazing xo PS popping over to say hi from the Communal Pantry xo
http://www.thecommunalpantry.com/106/post/2012/02/the-new-wonder-food-cacao-nibs.html
Great photos! I love adding pics of my little love puppy Daphney too =)
i giggled about the comment that your husband made about your cookies and told my boyfriend, to which he responded: “yeah, they look like turd cookies with corn in them!” yet he wants me to make them haha. he’s weird.
These cookies look so good! I made them the other night. Mine didn’t flatten out as much as yours, but they sure were tasty! I also mentioned your blog in my post!