GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE EXPLOSION COOKIES RECIPE

I have a sweet tooth.  I love chocolate (obsessed) and I can eat an entire pan of chocolate chip cookies in about 2 minutes.  Cookies are absolutely my kryptonite (besides frozen kitkats).  In fact, that was how I started getting into cooking...via baking!  

I have tried an abundance of GF recipes for cookies primarily in an effort to decrease the carbs and eliminate the use of all-purpose flour.  I have tried baking with quinoa, brown rice, whole white wheat, oat, and bean flours.  Yep.  All of them.  Believe me when I say in cookies the flour really matters.  Or at least I thought so until about a week ago, when I tried some meringue cookies.  To my absolute surprise they were crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.  If I had not been told these were GF without any flours at all, I would have just assumed they were normal cookies but thinner!

The entire experience inspired me to whip up some of my own, so I did some research and fused some recipes, added a touch of my own flair and incredulously on my first attempt they turned out excellent!  If you have baked before you know how precise of a science the entire process is and how unlikely successful first attempts are - cue macaroon failures.  

GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE EXPLOSION COOKIES RECIPE

ADAPTED FROM PINT SIZED BAKER

INGREDIENTS (MAKES 12 COOKIES)

  1. 2 egg whites
  2. 1/8 cream of tartar powder
  3. 6 oz + 2 oz of chocolate chips
  4. 1 tsp vanilla extract
  5. 1/4 c sugar
  6. option 1: pinch of powdered coffee + chopped hazelnuts
  7. option 2: 1 tbs peanut butter
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INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. Melt 6 oz of the chocolate chips in the microwave (or double boiler).  If melting in microwave - melt in increments of 30 seconds to prevent the chocolate from burning!  Allow the chocolate to cool for 30 minutes.
  3. While the chocolate is cooling, whisk your egg whites until frothy.  Add the cream of tartar while continuously whisking.  Then add the sugar.  
  4. Whisk until stiff peaks form (aka removing the whisk creates peaks that stay firm and don't disappear at all).  In my experience it is best to whisk eggs at medium high until this happens on an electric mixer.  
  5. Gently fold (not whisk) in your chocolate, adding a little bit at a time to the eggs.  
  6. At this point I divided my batter into two batches:
    1. Option 1: add a dash of finely ground coffee powder, chopped hazelnuts, and  chocolate chips.  Fold in thoroughly.
    2. Option 2: add peanut butter and chocolate chips. Fold in thoroughly.
  7. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown/crisp on the outside.
  8. Eat fresh or store in air-tight container (eat within a week).
MEATLESS MONDAYCharisma ShahDessert, cookies, sweetsComment