This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Experience the delight of these flourless chocolate cookies! With a texture that’s fudgy and chewy, and a richness enhanced by pecans, these cookies are sure to be a hit. This simple recipe, tailored for small batches, will give you 5-6 tempting gluten-free chocolate pecan cookies that you’ll be ready to savor after just 10 minutes in the oven!
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Simple Ingredients: This recipe calls for just seven ingredients, many of which you likely already have in your kitchen.
- Easy Process: No need for fancy equipment or technical baking skills. This is all about mixing and baking.
- Versatility: You can easily customize the recipe to fit dietary preferences or personal taste.
- Perfectly Portioned: As a small batch recipe, it’s perfect for serving one or two people, without a mountain of leftovers. Want more cookies? Just double the ingredient amounts to make a second batch.
Table of Contents
RELATED: The Best Cookie Recipes For One
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.
- Powdered sugar: This recipe requires 3/4 cup of powdered sugar, also known as confectioners’ sugar, replacing the flour and granulated sugar typically found in cookie recipes.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Use 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, either regular or Dutch-processed. Acting as the flour in this recipe, it helps bind the cookies together.
- Salt: Only a tiny pinch, 1/8 teaspoon is needed. This minor addition effectively balances the sweetness and boosts the overall flavor of the cookies.
- Egg white: An egg white contributes to the meringue-like texture of these cookies.
- Vanilla extract: This ingredient enhances the flavor profile of the cookies.
- Chocolate: Choose between 1 ounce of chocolate chips or a chopped chocolate bar. If you’re measuring, 1 ounce of chocolate chips equals about 1/8 cup or 2 tablespoons. Dark chocolate chips will give a robust chocolate flavor, but semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips can be used for a softer taste. Be sure to use milk-free chocolate chips if you’re following a dairy-free diet.
- Pecans: Pecans bring a pleasing crunch and flavor but can be replaced with other nuts like walnuts or almonds. If preferred, they can be entirely omitted for a nut-free cookie.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why I used them. For the full recipe please scroll down to the recipe box at the bottom of the post.
How To Make Flourless Chocolate Cookies
- Combine powdered sugar, cocoa, and salt, ensuring to sift these ingredients together for a smoother texture.
Pro Tip: There are three easy ways to sift powdered sugar. The most common way is to use a sifter. Simply place the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a sifter and shake it over a bowl or plate. This will help to remove any lumps and distribute the powdered sugar and other ingredients evenly. If you don’t have a sifter, you can use a fine-mesh strainer. Place the ingredients in the strainer and tap it gently over a bowl or plate. This will also help to remove any lumps and distribute the ingredients evenly. Finally, if you don’t have a sifter or a fine-mesh strainer, you can use a whisk. Whisk the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a bowl or plate until they are smooth and free of lumps. This method is not as effective as using a sifter or a fine-mesh strainer, but it will still help to remove some of the lumps.
- In a separate small bowl, whip together egg white and vanilla until the mixture becomes frothy and foamy.
- Gradually mix the frothy egg white mixture into the sifted dry ingredients, stirring until a smooth batter is formed.
- Carefully fold in the chocolate and pecans into the batter, ensuring even distribution.
- Using a scoop, place portions of the batter onto a baking sheet, leaving at least 2-inch spaces between each cookie, and bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven but allow them to rest on the baking sheet for an additional 10 minutes. This step is crucial because, as the cookies cool, their tops gradually harden, resulting in a firmer and more stable cookie. After this rest period, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Expert Tips
- Ensure your mixing bowl is completely clean and dry before whisking the egg white for optimal volume.
- The dough for these cookies will be more liquid than what you might be used to with typical cookie dough. As these cookies bake, they will spread out, so it’s important to space each cookie at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
- It’s crucial to line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner to prevent the cookies from sticking. If the cookies appear to stick to the parchment paper, it might be because they are underbaked. To remedy this, carefully slide a stiff metal spatula far underneath the cookie and lift it from the pan with a gentle motion.
- Make sure to let these cookies cool slightly before enjoying them. If you eat them straight out of the oven, they will fall apart.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! This recipe doubles perfectly if you want to share with friends or family.
Yes, they are naturally gluten-free as they do not contain any flour.
No. An egg white is essential to this chocolate cookie recipe. The egg white gives the cookies their meringue-like texture.
No. Because these cookies are flourless, they lack gluten. The cookies are held together with protein that comes from the egg white. There is fat in the egg yolk and using it would change the texture of these cookies completely. See below for ways to use the leftover egg yolk.
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Serving Suggestions
These flourless chocolate cookies are delicious on their own, but pairing them with certain foods and drinks can truly elevate your treat experience:
- Enjoy your cookie with a glass of cold milk. This classic combination allows the rich chocolate taste to stand out.
- Pair it with a hot cup of coffee. The bitterness of the coffee perfectly complements the sweet, chocolatey flavor of the cookie.
- Try it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cool and creamy texture of the ice cream provides a delightful contrast to the chewy cookie.
- Serve alongside fresh berries for a balance of tartness and sweetness. It’s not just delicious but also adds a pop of color to your serving plate.
Recipe Variations
Experimenting with the recipe can lead to new flavor profiles and dietary adaptations. Here are a few variations to try:
- Replace the pecans with other nuts such as walnuts or almonds to change up the crunch and flavor.
- For a double chocolate variant, add in white chocolate chips along with the regular chocolate.
- For a hint of sophistication, sprinkle sea salt on top of the cookies just before baking to create a sweet-salty flavor profile.
- Add in dried fruit like cranberries or cherries for a chewy, tangy contrast to the rich chocolate.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this chocolate cookie recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Powdered sugar: Peanut Butter Pie, Vanilla Cupcakes, Cinnamon Rolls, Mini Texas Sheet Cake
- Unsweetened cocoa: Chocolate Cupcakes, Triple Chocolate Scones, Hot Chocolate, Mini Devil’s Food Cake
- Chocolate: Mini S’mores Dip, Mini Chocolate Pie, Deep Dish Brownie, Peanut Butter Bars, Blondies
- Egg Yolk: Coconut Cream Pie, Lemon Scones, Chocolate Chip Muffin, Mini Irish Soda Bread
- Pecans: Butter Pecan Ice Cream, Apple Cinnamon Scones, Pecan Pie, Breakfast Bread Pudding, Mini Hummingbird Cake
More Small Batch Cookie Recipes
- Shortbread Cookies
- Oatmeal Cookies
- Sugar Cookies
- Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie For One
- Lace Cookies
- Meringue Cookies
- Cowboy Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Doubletree Cookies
- Soft Ginger Cookies
- Ricotta Cookies
- Butter Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
RELATED: 15 Easy Single Serving Dessert Recipes
For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
RELATED: Cooking For One Tips To Eat Healthy And Save Money
If you’ve tried these flourless chocolate pecan cookies or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Small Batch Flourless Chocolate Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg white
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips (1-ounce)
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Sift together powdered sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix egg white and vanilla with a hand mixer until foamy and frothy. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until batter is smooth.
- Fold in the chocolate and the pecans.
- Using a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop cookies 2-inches apart onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Bake 8-10 minutes, until tops are shiny and cracked. Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Ensure your mixing bowl is completely clean and dry before whisking the egg white for optimal volume.
- The dough for these cookies will be more liquid than what you might be used to with typical cookie dough. As these cookies bake, they will spread out, so it’s important to space each cookie at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
- It’s crucial to line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner to prevent the cookies from sticking. If the cookies appear to stick to the parchment paper, it might be because they are underbaked. To remedy this, carefully slide a stiff metal spatula far underneath the cookie and lift it from the pan with a gentle motion.
- Make sure to let these cookies cool slightly before enjoying them. If you eat them straight out of the oven, they will fall apart.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This is by far the strangest recipe I’ve ever made. The cookies are beyond delicious but the way the ingredients come together is so interesting. I followed the instructions exactly and used the hand mixer on low. I couldn’t see how that tiny bit of wet ingredients could make a “wet” dough but it did. I will make these cookies on a regular basis.