On to Cookie #2 in my Healthy Holiday Cookie Series… Did you catch my first recipe? Cranberry Coconut Quinoa Breakfast Cookies for the win.
I posted a picture on Instagram the other day of these Flourless Triple Chocolate Cookies, but they were as big as my head. I almost didn’t post the recipe here (because I don’t think they are quite perfect yet), but I got some positive feedback and figured I would let you all decide for yourselves.
We have an extremely generous family friend who gives us a huge gift basket of treats from New York City’s Payard each year around Christmas. Undoubtedly, this basket always includes some of Payard’s famous Flourless Chocolate Cookies.
I have been known to go to town on said cookies. They are fudgey on the inside, and slightly crispy on the outside like a meringue. I have now attempted to recreate them for the second time in my life, and although they don’t quite measure up texture wise, they are still tasty little things.
This version is crunchy throughout. I’m going to be honest, I have no idea how Payard gets his cookies to be so hefty, and not flat and crumbly. These cookies are DELICATE! They easily crumble into a million pieces, but I still enjoy eating them in all their broken chocolate glory.
I slightly adapted this recipe to include three kinds of chocolate (because you can never have too much chocolate): cocoa powder, mini white m&m’s and chocolate chips are all packed into the cookie batter. And let me tell you, these are seriously chocolately. Is that a word? Anyways, don’t say I didn’t warn you. I was originally thinking that the white mini m&m’s would show through the batter making the cookies look all pretty, but the chocolate pretty much engulfed them immediately. If you don’t have mini m&m’s you can replace with more chocolate chips or omit altogether.
Because they are made of egg whites I have successfully convinced myself that I am eating health food, on par with an egg white omelette. Not exactly. But a girl can dream.
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup mini white m&m’s (exclude if making strictly dairy free)
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (vegan optional to make dairy free)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Position your rack in the middle of the oven. Line large baking sheets with greased parchment paper, tin foil or a silpat mat. Don’t skip this step or you’ll be scraping chocolate off your cookie sheet.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Add egg whites and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Fold in mini m&m’s and chocolate chips.
- Using a tablespoon, scoop out cookies leaving lots of space between each cookie. These cookies will spread out a ton so err on the safe side.
- Bake for 7 minutes, and rotate cookie sheets. Bake for another 7-13 minutes, or until tops are glossy and lightly cracked.
- Remove cookies from the oven and slide the parchment paper (with the cookies) to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Store gently in an airtight container for up to a week.
*If you are making the recipe strictly dairy free, exclude the m&m's and make sure your chocolate chips are vegan.
Slightly adapted from Francois Payard’s Fudgy Chocolate-Walnut Cookies
(http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/fudgy-chocolate-walnut-cookies)
I would like the entire batch of these in front of me right now! I LOVE Payard bakery! A close second behind Vesuvio which makes my favourite cookie in NYC. I’m really wishing I didn’t have to go to work right now so I could just make these! Serious yum.
Thanks, Davida! Ooh what’s your favorite cookie from Vesuvio? I’ll have to try next time I’m there!
Oh my goodness – yum! Making these today!
Yay! Let me know how they turn out, Laura!
Are M&Ms really dairy free?
Hi Erin! You’re completely right that they are not. I made a goof. I am no strictly dairy free so I overlooked the m&m’s. I will make a note in the recipe. Thank you!
I made these with Isabella today. She can’t believe you have a blog 🙂
So, not my best effort. I wanted to do these with all organic ingredients, and I could only find powdered vanilla. Didn’t know how much to put in, and have now discovered too much vanilla is really too much. But the texture is great. Maybe I cook them less than I should, but they are chewy. Am going to try to freeze them, do you think that will work?
haha Hi Isabella!! I love the effort. I think vanilla extract is probably stronger than the powder but you could start with a 1:1 ratio and see how that goes. I think freezing them could work but they might get dried out and even more crumbly than they already are. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out, Jane!
do these have enough chocolate flavour without any chocolate chips?
Yes I think they would be fine without the chocolate chips! Enjoy!