
About These Crispy Yet Chewy Flourless Chocolate Cookies
These flourless chocolate cookies are the perfect blend of crispy and chewy! They are also beautiful to look at, with a shiny chocolate color and signature craggy surface similar to meringue. The cookies are crispest on the day they’re made, but then soften to the perfect chewiness overnight. They are 100% gluten free and don’t require any specialty flours or ingredients to make them: just confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder!
For more delicious gluten free flourless desserts on Hummingbird High, check out my Recipe Collection! Popular recipes include this Gluten Free Pandan Vietnamese Honeycomb Cake, these Flourless Gluten Free Cheesecake Brownies, and Small Batch Baked Ube Mochi Donuts.
The cookies are based on a recipe by the famed pastry chef, Franรงois Payard. Payard was a pastry chef at some of New York’s most famous restaurants. He originally made these cookies with walnuts, but I swapped out them out with chocolate chips to make the cookies extra chocolaty!

Ingredients and Substitutions
Now that I’ve convinced you to make these flourless chocolate cookies, let’s talk about some of the key ingredients in the recipe:
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder. You can use either natural unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch-processed cocoa powder in this recipe. Franรงois Payard’s original recipe uses Dutch-processed cocoa powder, which has has been treated with alkaline to give it a milder flavor and darker color. But I made two different batches of cookies using both types of cocoa powder and actually preferred the ones made with natural unsweetened cocoa powder!
- Egg Whites. If you don’t want to use fresh eggs, you can use egg whites from a carton. The measure for egg whites from a carton is ยผ cup (2 ounces or 57 grams).
- Kosher Salt. Kosher salt is the best salt for baking recipes. But you can replace the kosher salt in the recipe with table salt. Just use half the amount called for in the recipe!
- Chocolate Chips. Check out my post on The Best Chocolate For Chocolate Chip Cookies to see my favorite chocolate chip brands!


Recipe Troubleshooting and FAQ
Help! I think I underbaked the cookies and they are too sticky. I’m having trouble unsticking them from the parchment.
Ah yes, I’ve been there too. Check out the baker’s notes in the yellow box below for more information on how to unstick them from the parchment. You’ll need a stiff metal spatula for the job!
Help! I think I overbaked the cookies and they are too crispy. What should I do?
Don’t panic! These cookies are very similar to meringueโthey’ll soften overnight, especially in humid temperatures. Check out the baker’s notes in the yellow box below for more information on how to save the cookies if you’ve overbaked them. Don’t worry, there’s no need to throw anything out and waste food!
Can you freeze the flourless chocolate cookie dough?
Sadly, no. Because these cookies are gluten free, their dough is actually more similar to a runny pancake or cake batter. Traditional cookie doughs are easy to scoop into a ball shape and freeze for baking later. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to do that with the flourless chocolate cookie doughโit won’t hold its shape when scooped and instead will turn into a puddle.
If you insist on making the cookie dough ahead of time and baking for later, you can simply store it in the fridge (still in its bowl but covered with plastic wrap) for up to 3 days. When ready to bake, follow the recipe’s instructions for scooping and baking the dough accordingly. Just note that because the dough has been chilled, it will be a little bit tough to scoop.
Can you freeze the baked flourless chocolate cookies?
Yes! One reader swears by it and that, when frozen, they turn into the perfect treat on a hot summer’s day. But you can also thaw frozen ones overnight in the refrigerator, then at room temperature for a few more hours. They’ll lose their crispy edges after being frozen, but will still be chewy and delicious.
My Best Recipe Tips
About Ingredients In This Recipe
- Although there are fancy tools that help you sift ingredients, I like to use a fine mesh sieve. Place the sieve over a medium bowl and measure out both the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder on top of the sieve. Use a stiff rubber spatula to stir the ingredients until they fall through the sieve and into the bowl.
- When it comes to egg whites, note that it’s much easier to separate eggs when they’re cold. I like to separate the whites and the yolks right after removing the eggs from the fridge. I then place the egg whites in a small, thick ramekin and let the ramekin sit in a bowl of very warm water. This allows the separated egg whites to come to room temperature much more quickly. Just make sure that no water gets into the ramekin! You only need enough water for it to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekin.
- Cornstarch is typically added to confectioners’ sugar to prevent it from clumping. Different brands of confectioners’ sugar will have varying amounts of cornstarch. This can affect the cookie dough, making it more or less dry. It may seem like the dough will need more liquid in the form of egg whites. Resist adding any more. Instead, simply use a stiff rubber spatula or even a wooden spoon to mix the ingredients together until they’re JUST moistened (any more, and the dough will be too stiff and hard to work with). It’ll come together, I promise.
Equipment You Need
- The cookie dough will be very thin; it will be more like batter than traditional cookie dough. As a result, it can be hard to portion it out without the right tools. Invest in a cookie dough scoop! For this recipe, I used a 2-tablespoon cookie dough scoop. If you can only invest in one cookie dough scoop, I suggest buying a 1-tablespoon cookie dough scoop. You can then use it to form recipes that call for 2 tablespoon or 3 tablespoon sized cookies, too.
Baking Tips
- Because the dough is SO liquidy, the cookies will spread generously in the oven. Be sure to leave plenty of space between each cookie. I ended up using a half sheet pan and only baking four cookies at a time on the pan!
- These cookies have a tendency to stick to the parchment paper if underbaked, so please bake for the exact times listed. But if you’ve accidentally underbaked the cookies and find that they’re stuck to the paper, don’t panic! Instead, use a stiff metal spatula to unstick the cookies by sliding the spatula as far as it can go underneath the cookie and, with the spatula still underneath the cookie, carefully work your way around the cookie to unstick the edges. Once all the edges are unstuck, slide the spatula back underneath the cookie as far as it can go and carefully apply pressure to the center of the cookie to jimmy it loose.
- If youโve gone the other way and ended up with cookies that are too brittle and crisp for your liking, don’t throw them out! You can soften them up to the perfect texture with little effort. Lay flat each cookie on a piece of parchment paper on the counter; let sit, uncovered and undisturbed, overnight. The next morning, the cookies will have softened up to a more ideal chewy and soft texture. These cookies are very similar to meringueโin humid environments, theyโll absorb the moisture from the air and soften up considerably. If you live in a dry climate, place them on a baking sheet in the oven (turned off, please!) overnight with a glass of hot water to create a more humid environment.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Yet Chewy Flourless Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ยฝ cups (6 ounces or 170 grams) confectioners' sugar
- โ cup (1 ounce or 28 grams) Dutch-processed OR natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 ยฝ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ยผ teaspoon kosher salt
- โ cup (2 ounces or 57 grams) chocolate chips
Instructions
For the Flourless Chocolate Cookies
- Prep your oven and pans. Position racks in both the upper third and lower third racks of the oven and preheat the oven to 350ยฐF. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Make the cookies. In a medium bowl, sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder. Add the egg whites, vanilla, and salt and mix with a stiff rubber spatula or wooden spoon until the dough is just moistened. The dough will be liquidy like a batter. Mix in the chocolate chips.
- Working quickly, use a 2-tablespoon cookie dough scoop to portion the dough into four evenly spaced mounds on each half sheet pan. Because the dough is so runny, the portions will likely look misshapenโdon't worry about it too much, they'll spread into even circles in the oven. Be sure to leave at least 3 inches between each cookie.
- Bake the cookies. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are glossy and lightly cracked, rotating the pans between the two racks halfway through the bake time. Cool the cookies completely on the pan on wire racks. Once the cookies have cooled, use a stiff metal spatula to release each cookie by sliding it quickly and forcefully underneath each cookie.
- Serve and store. Serve at room temperature. Store the flourless chocolate cookies in a zip top bag for up to 3 days at room temperature.


These look amazing, love that they are a small batch! I make similar, but I stud mine with mini chocolate Easter eggs: https://www.rachelphipps.com/2020/03/flourless-chocolate-cookies.html
Stay safe x
Wow wow wow!!! Your version looks amazing! Going to try it at home soon xo
Thank you – just a nice seasonal twist!
Oh my goodness, this recipe brings back so many memories! I’ve never actually baked flourless chocolate cookies, but when I was little a couple supermarket bakeries near my house baked them fresh daily. My dad would often pick up a box when he did the shopping, and sometimes my mom would take us to the store to buy some after school. Ahhh I miss these! Can’t wait to try this recipe someday!
Amazing! 2 questions :
1) I’m diabetic so powdered sugar is sadly out. Would I be able to replace it with Splenda or monk fruit-erythritol sweetener? (Both of them have granule size as regular granulated sugar)
2) Can I use egg whites from a carton instead of from fresh eggs?
Thanks! ๐
Gah. I do have some good newsโyou can definitely use egg whites from a carton. But unfortunately the powdered sugar is pretty hard to replace in this recipe… because it’s flourless, the powdered sugar and cocoa powder are kind of making up for the lack of flour and are part of what gives the cookie structure! I’m not sure you’d get the same cookie if you used granulated sugar (or alternatives like Splenda and monkfruit sweeteners).
These were amazing! Exactly what we needed in our house today and I was so happy the ingredients are so simple. Will definitely be making them again soon!!!
Help! My cookies turned into blobs and arenโt even cookies.
Oh no!!! I’m sorry to hear that. I can help troubleshoot but you gotta give me more info. See below:
– Did you make any modifications/alterations to the recipe like reducing sugar, cocoa powder, eggs, etc?
– Did you use cup or weight measures?
– Did you use egg whites from a carton or eggs?
– What size cookie scoop did you use?
Let’s start there! But in general it’s so hard for me to help without being there next to you. The more info the better!
Hi, I had the same problem too! Followed the recipe exactly, no modifications. Split the batter into 8, across 2 cookie pans. Cookies tasted great, but were so spread out and thin. Also had the issue of the cookies sticking to the parchment paper on one of the cookie pans and those four ended up being mounds of fragments. Still ate them though because itโs a delicious cookie!
Oh no!!! I’m so sorry to hear this. I’m wondering if it has anything to do with the type of cocoa powder and confectioners’ sugar you used. Do you happen to remember the brand? Also, did you use cup or weight measures?
I used Trader Joeโs for both the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. I used cup measurements. Any particular brands you recommend? Would love to troubleshoot the problem because my husband absolutely loved the flavor of the cookie.
Can you describe how you fill your measuring cups? Do you use them to scoop out the ingredients from the packages?
I spoon the ingredients into the measuring cups and rattle/jiggle the cups to try and minimize air pockets. Then level off with a knife.
Okay! So I wouldn’t tap the measuring cups after adding the ingredientsโyou actually end up with more ingredient than you need with this method. Simply level off the ingredients once they’ve formed a small mound. I also would make sure to whisk the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder with a small fork before scooping them out into the measuring cups to get rid of those pesky lumps.
Next question: did you use a Silpat mat to line the pan? Or use nonstick spray?
Awesome… I will try that next time in regards to the dry ingredients.
I used parchment paper to line the baking sheets. One sheet of cookies came out fine and kept their shape when I removed it with the spatula. Iโm thinking that maybe the other sheet wasnโt as completely cooked in the middle or on the bottom since it was on a different rack than the other pan and thatโs why it didnโt keep its shape. Iโm going to try baking just one sheet at a time next time and see if that helps.
Thank you for your tips! I really appreciate your help! We made the snickerdoodle cookies as well and they are now a family favorite!
Oh yeah, cooking one sheet pan at a time DEFINITELY helps!!! I’ve tried to take a shortcut with this recipe before and cook two pans at a time and one always ends up worse than the other. While it’s not a big deal for other cookie recipes, these pesky French technique baking recipes are always so unforgiving!
OMG Have mercy on me!!! These look amazing, and I love that they are small-batch! Genius!
Can we substitute powdered sugar for a healthier option?
Hi! I don’t think I understand the question โ this recipe already uses powdered sugar?
She’s asking if the powdered sugar can be replaced with a healthier option, NOT can she substitute powdered sugar into the recipe.
Thanks for the clarification! I’ve answered a similar question in the comments belowโyou’d need to find a substitution with a similar hydration level to powdered sugar and/or flour and/or cocoa powder.
These were delicious! My husband and 9 year old son loved them. I’ve shared the recipe on Facebook so everyone can know about this recipe.
These are amazing! Taste like a brownie but light like a cookie super simple recipe to follow, they turned out great!
Perfect for Passover!!! Thank you!!!
These were so good! My scoops weren’t big enough, so they burned a little, but I love how much they spread out and the fudgy centers!
Excellent recipe! So simple and so delicious ! Thankfully it only makes a small batch. I might have made mine a little too big, but delicious nevertheless! Thank you.
I just made these after seeing them on the hummingbirdhigh Instagram account and they are really yummy! Super easy to make too. I think maybe I made them a bit too big (oops), but they still turned out delicious.
Thank you! These were the perfect treat to whip up today to congratulation the kids on their first school-from-home day of term 2! Delicious
I am excited to try this recipe. Thank you for you many options. I have a question. As my wife needs to avoid sugar as well as gluten, is there a way to substitute a sugar alternative to replace the confectioners sugar?
Thank you so much
No, sorry. The confectioners’ sugar is standing in for flourโwithout it (say, if you used granulated sugar or another granulated sugar substitute like stevia or xylitol), the cookies would lose a significant part of their structure. You’d need to find a powdered sugar like alternative that has a similar hydration level to that of flour and confectioners’ sugar to help absorb the moisture from the egg whites.
Chris, I substituted the regular confectioners sugar with Swerve Confectioners sugar replacement. It has zero sugar. Came out perfectly. Awesome recipe
Super delicious and easy! They made my quarantine seder sweeter!
Just baked these today and let me tell you, they are DIVINE. So easy to make, yet look so impressive and beautiful! They have such a wonderful flavor and the texture of the cracked tops mixed with the slightly gooey inside is to die for. Highly recommend and will no doubt be making these again very soon!
Can you bake this dough as bars instead?
I wouldn’t recommend it! The texture is similar to meringue, so they’d be hard to slice into bars without everything being too sticky but also being too crumbly at the same time. Does that make sense…? lol.
My daughter made these cookies the other night and they turned out beautiful! Nice shiny gloss on the top and just the right amount of chew ๐ Felt like I was biting into a skinny brownie.
Help! I followed the recipe exactly with one exception. I used wax paper instead of parchment, everything else, including timing of 15 minutes was the same. Taste great but they stuck terribly to the paper, like bad. Was able to salvage but with casualties and a lot of work scraping off paper. Was this because I used wax paper? Cooked too long? Is paper even needed if Iโm using on a nonstick cookie sheet? Help! My brownie-corner-obsessed- husband is in heaven with the flavor and consistency and wants to add to our family recipe book but Iโm hesitant to do it unless I can troubleshoot this issue! TY in advance!
Yes! Wax paper isn’t heat resistant in the same way as parchment paper. As a result, it loses some of its nonstick quality in the oven. You can read more about it in this article: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/is-parchment-paper-the-same-as-wax-paper
I’ll admit, I’ve never tried this recipe on a nonstick pan without paper. But I’ll bet that it’ll be more successful than baking it on wax paper! Just be careful when lifting the cookies off the panโyou’ll need to use a stiff metal spatula that might scratch the nonstick surface. That’s why I recommend parchment paper. Good luck!
Hi Michelle, thanks for the inspiration! I spent ages tweaking the recipe, and managed to make a vegan version with aquafaba. ๐
Wait, tell me more! What did you do? One of my followers used unwhipped aquafaba and said the cookies spread everywhere, whereas another one tried whipping it to soft peaks and said that the cookies still spread way too much…
Iโd love to know the adjustments for Aquafaba.. I tried and it just went everywhere ๐ฉ
I’m not sure it works, sadly. More info in the postโdo a search for “Can I use aquafaba instead of egg whites in this flourless chocolate cookie recipe?” in the post. Several other folks tried it and were unable to succeed. Alison is a miracle worker!
I am Keto Dieting, but was looking for a sweet treat. So a flourless cookie sounded great to me! But, instead of regular Confectioners Sugar, I used Swerve Confectioners sugar. Way fewer Carb grams. Also, I did use Sugar-Free Choc. Chips, to end up with a flourless, sugar-free cookie.
Swerve Confectioners Sugar is denser than regular Confectioners Sugar, so I doubled the egg whites. Baked the cookies exactly the same as the directions indicated, on a Silpat. No trouble getting the cookies off that.
They are divine!!! VERY rich chocolate flavor, that reminds me of Molten Lava cake. Only change I would make next time is I think Iโd make each cookie smaller. Mine turned out to be about 3 1/2โ in diameter. Thatโs a really big cookie!
Thank you, @hummingbirdhigh go sharing this recipe!
So they look amazing and similar to your picture, and I let them cool completely, but when I went to โquicklyโ and โaggressivelyโ lift them off with a metal spatula they were completely stuck!???? Was I supposed to grease the parchment paper first? Thanks!
No, don’t grease the paper! Greasing makes the cookies spread too quickly. If it’s humid and/or the cookies are underbaked, they’re more likely to stick to the pan!
To me, these are my overwhelmingly sweet and I feel like thereโs too much vanilla extract. Itโs all I can taste in the first bite. I would make these again for some of my friends who have gluten allergies (with a 1/2 tsp less vanilla extract), but probably wouldnโt make them just for me and my hubs. On a good note, they do come together quickly and turn out really pretty.
This recipe is a life saver! Iโm all out of flour and the stores still donโt have any either, but my sweet tooth wonโt take no for an answer. I used walnuts instead of chocolate chips, since I actually donโt like overly chocolatey cookies, and they turned out perfectly! I did cook them slightly less than 15 minutes (more like 13) and had no issues removing them from the sheet.
Thanks for saving my weekend!
Made these this morning just as the recipe directed and they turned out perfectly! They are soooo good! Chewy and chocolately!
I found this tip from a similar recipe–when they stick to the parchment, pop them in the freezer for 10-15 minutes and you’ll be able to peel them off without risking the parchment ripping or them shattering when you try to spatula them off.
Do you think they will stay fresh for around 7-8 days? I want to ship them for a friend’s birthday. Please do let me know how I can extend their shelf life, if at all.
I’m afraid not. They’ll be too chewy by the time they arrive.
Yum! Loved these. I put one over a hot cup of coffee like a stroopwafel and it was divine–like a warm brownie!
Biiiiig no from me. The cookies looked delicious but didnโt taste all that great. They were As thin as paper and when I chewed down on it, it molded to my teeth the way caramel would. Would not recommend.
Hi Michelle,
Can I substitute the cocoa powder with equal amount of matcha powder to make flourless matcha cookies?
Thanks!
I’m not sureโI’ve never tried that myself! I worry it would be too much matcha though since a little matcha tends to go a lonnnnng way!
I absolutely love love love this recipe (and your blog!) and wanted to thank you for it Michelle!
I’ve made it several times during quarantine and have a few comments! First, definitely pay attention to Michelle’s notes about scooping/cookie size — too small of scoops and your cookies won’t bake to the right shape and consistency. Second, I made this yesterday with some failed meringue (egg whites + granulated sugar that I had pulsed in the food processor a few times), and it actually came out quite well!
Iโve made these three times and the batter is never runny. It is thick like leftover Elmers glue within three stirs. And it takes at least 15 stirs to incorporate the dry ingredients. Not sure why this keeps happening. However they bake ok. But they are huge cookies. If I reduce the size by 1/2 how will that alter the bake time?
I’m not sure since I’ve only ever made the recipe as it’s written… I would check for doneness a few minutes earlier!
Well thatโs why I mean. How do you know itโs done? Theyโre very fudgy so Iโm not sure what Iโm looking for. Just a cracked tip? Iโve just been doing what you said by sticking exactly to the time rather than what they look like
I’m excited to try these with different dark chocolate bars (I spent time in Central Am so I got exposed to a lot of chocolate). I wonder how to make the recipe smaller? If so, you could probably take over the world.
Hi Caitlin,
After the recipe, if you scroll down past the last instruction, there’s a section titled “Variation: Small Batch Flourless Chocolate Cookies.” It has instructions on how to make 4 cookies instead of the 8 cookies the recipe above makes.
Thanks,
Huh thatโs odd. I mustโve commented on the wrong thing. Because I was looking at the improved nestle chocolate chip. Mustโve clicked something.
Hi Michelle,
I gathered from your notes that you used confectioner’s sugar made with cornstarch – in any of your trials, did you also try any made with tapioca instead of cornstarch? That’s all I have in the house because of Stella Parks being so gung ho about it ๐
I’m really excited to try this recipe for Passover – it looks perfect!
I have not! I’ve only tried this recipe with the confectioners’ sugar I buy in bulk, which is C&H Confectioners’ Sugar. TBH… I’m not sure I 100% buy Stella’s spiel about tapioca versus cornstarch confectioners’ sugar. That being said I haven’t gone out the way to buy tapioca based confect sugar, so maybe I’m missing out!
Hahaha – Iโve wondered the same (Iโve used both and didnโt notice much difference), but have seen other bakers (whom I respect) repeating it often, so I thought maybe I just didnโt execute the buttercream right. Anyway Iโll get the C&H kind for these cookies, and will surely have left over to make frosting with – Iโll get back to you if I notice anything noteworthy this time around ๐ [one thing I can say is the tapioca kind clumps a lot more, so sifting is not optional, which is annoying.]
I followed this recipe exactly and the cookies came out perfect. I make a lot of custards and cremes which leave me with tons of leftover egg whites. This recipe is so simple and quick that it will now be my go-to to use up leftover whites. I also baked some of the batter in a tiny cake ring and made a fabulously crispy top with fudgy interior brownie. Thank you for this recipe.
Could I double this recipe? Or even triple it?
Yes! It shouldn’t be an issue ๐
These cookies are so simple but delicious. I followed the recipe almost exactlyโI couldnโt resist adding 1/3 cup chopped walnuts and 1/2 tsp espresso powder. They were really good as soon as they cooled off but itโs the next morning and Iโm enjoying one with my morning coffee. They are amazing on day #2! Itโs like Iโm eating a brownie marshmallow with slightly crispy edges. I will make these again!
These cookies are delicious but bake like a disaster. ย I made one batch on a greased baking sheet and they flattened to very thin wafers and stuck to pan, but they were removable in pieces and able to be eaten. ย The second batch was baked using Reynoldsโs wax paper. ย These baked better into shape but had to be thrown away because the wax paper could not be removed in spite of baking for the full 15 minutes into an overly crisp cookie. ย The batter makes a full 16 cookies, 8 per sheet. ย The 4 per sheet made no sense. ย I recommend perfecting this recipe before it remains on the website any longer as well as possibly whipping the egg whites to get body and that might rectify the need for wax paper to hold the cookies together.
The problem is using wax paper instead of parchment paper or a silicone mat. By definition, wax melts! Wax paper should never be used to line a cookie sheet! Then, on top of that you greased the wax paper, which makes a thin batter spread far more! Some people refrigerate the batter for 1/2 an hour before scooping onto the cookie sheet — with parchment paper!
Oh my golly! ย After making these and leaving a negative review because the cookies stuck to the wax paper, hours later I realized I used WAX paper, instead of parchment!!! ย No wonder the cookies stuck! ย I will definitely try these again soon because I know how good the flavor was and how good the cookies could have been if the wax had not melted and fused to the cookies! ย ๐
These cookies are delicious, they’re rich, chewy on the inside, crispy at the edges. The notes say halving the recipe doesn’t work great, but multiplying up went well. I did a 3x recipe and it turned out without any issues. I used mini chocolate chips so they would be more evenly distributed and also added dried tart cherries which were a great addition cutting through the dark chocolate.
These are amazing! So easy
Wonderful!
Made these several times. I skipped the vanilla extract, tho. Very chocolaty and good. They donโt keep well, they dry out.ย
Too sweet, weird texture. Followed exactly, weighing out ingredients. Kids felt the same.
Making gelato left me with a bunch of egg whites. This recipe was a perfect way to use them up. I quadrupled the recipe, and everything turned out great. The cookies have deep, rich chocolate flavour and great texture. Everyone enjoyed them. I’ll definitely be making them again.
Could I sub out some of the cocoa powder with a protein powder?
Not sureโit might change the texture of the cookies since the cookies are made with egg white (which is mostly protein) too. Might make them tougher and chewier?
Holy crap. Easy. Quick. Small batch. Delicious perfection. Donโt change a thing about this recipe. Itโs perfect! I cannot believe how this works out so well!