SK week 12 | Chocolate Walnut Cookies

I came across this post of Deb's a while ago because it's a bunch of flourless dessert recipes. The cookies sounded delicious, so I decided to give them a try. We're only gluten-free, but the cookies are also dairy-free, so they're great if you need an easy dessert for those dietary restrictions. Happy baking!

(Here's the Smitten Kitchen post)

You'll need:
2 3/4 cups walnut halves
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla

Preheat your oven to 350. Toast the walnuts for 9 minutes.

While they're cooling a bit, sift your powdered sugar and cocoa.

Add the salt and whisk.

Chop the walnuts.

Add to the dry ingredients.

And whisk until they're incorporated.

Add the egg whites and vanilla.

Whisk again until the batter is moistened (I actually took my hand mixer to it at this point--she does mention that you don't want to over beat or else your egg whites will get too stiff).

Scoop batter onto parchment-lined baking sheets, and let them hang out for a while. If you've ever made macarons, this is a similar vital step. If you stick them in the oven right away, they'll spread out too much. Deb says to let them sit for at least 30 minutes, but up to 60. I put the first pan in the oven after about 45 minutes, and that worked well.

Bake at 325 for 14-16 minutes. I'd recommend not letting them cool for too long on the parchment--they kind of start to stick.

Final verdict: Delicious! They're crispy and chewy and light and nutty. I'll definitely make them again! Love finding good gluten-free recipes that don't call for expensive gluten-free flour. :)

Happy first weekend of spring!