Dark Chocolate Cookies (No Butter or Flour)

My family claims this is the best thing I’ve ever baked for them and it’s probably the healthiest (or least bad for you) sweet that I’ve ever made.  There’s no butter or flour in these and yet they’re super yummy!  Crispy on the outside and gooey and soft in the middle.  If you’re a dark chocolate fan, then look no further.  This cookie is for you!  

Just to warn you, if you make this for others be prepared for lots of requests for these cookies.  My sister demanded that I make two batches for her before she flew back home after the holidays!

Servings: Makes about 24 cookies

Ingredients:
1½ cups dark chocolate chips (approx. 9 oz)
3 large egg whites (room temperature)
2½ cups powdered sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Either spray two large baking sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.
• Melt 1 cup of the dark chocolate chips in a microwave for about 1.5-2 minutes.
• Beat 3 large egg whites in large bowl until you get soft peaks. You can use an electric mixer but if you don’t have one you can whisk by hand, it just takes a lot longer and is more tiring.
• Gradually beat in 1 cup of sugar and continue beating until the mixture resembles soft marshmallow cream.
• In a separate bowl, mix together 1 cup of the sugar, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tbsp cornstarch, and ¼ tsp salt.
• Gradually beat in the dry ingredients into the egg whites/sugar mixture.  (If using mixer - low speed).
• Mix into the batter the melted 1 cup of dark chocolate (lukewarm by now) and ½ cup of dark chocolate chips.
• Place ½ cup of the sugar in a bowl or rounded plate.  Roll about 1 tablespoon of dough into a ball and then dip it into the sugar, coating it thickly.  The dough will be very sticky - if you have problems with it, refrigerating the dough for about 5-10 minutes helps).  Place on covered/sprayed baking pan.  Repeat with the remainder of the dough, spacing about 2 inches apart.  I often will use whatever leftover sugar in the bowl and sprinkle it over the cookies.
• Bake until the cookies puff up and the tops crack, which is about 10-12 minutes.  Let the cookies cool for about 10 minutes and then you have to have at least one while it’s still warm!  Eat as many as you want and then you can store the rest in an airtight container.  These also freeze very well too as my sister has informed me.

Optional: Sometimes I like to add in some toasted coconut (about ½ cup that I toast on the stove or in the oven) and that’s delicious as well!

12/29/13 Update
I was having problems with recent batches where the sugar topping would melt into the cookies as they baked. Found that they melt less if I let the dough stiffen up a bit before baking. I also read online that you can try rolling them in granulated sugar first and then powdered sugar. The granulated sugar will melt into the cookies but the powdered sugar will stay on top. Haven't tried that out yet but may some point in the future! Since this was one of my first posts I didn't really have a lot of photos to post at the time, but I have a couple more from the holidays (my sisters special request these!).

Recipe adapted from Picklee.