Kirbie's Cravings

3 Ingredient Flourless Chocolate Cookies (No Flour, Butter or Oil)

These flourless chocolate cookies are just three ingredients and easy to make. They don’t contain any flour, butter or oil. These unique cookies have a shiny surface and are chewy and fudgy, almost like a brownie. They can be made ahead of time and are perfect for serving at a party or gifting to others.
flourless chocolate cookies.

I’m excited to share these chocolate cookies today. If you like very chewy brownies (think those edge pieces), then I think you will enjoy these cookies. They are very chewy around the edges and slightly fudgy in the center. They have a shiny surface similar to brownies too.

Ingredients

  • Cocoa Powder
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Egg Whites

Cocoa Powder: This recipe uses unsweetened dutch process cocoa powder. I have not tested the recipe with natural cocoa powder. I like using dutch processed cocoa as it has a richer color and flavor.

Powdered Sugar: This recipe is sweetened with powdered sugar also known as confectioners sugar. This recipe will not work with regular granular sugar.

Egg Whites: The eggs whites provide the structure and the chewy texture for these cookies. You should only use the egg whites, not the yolks. Using the yolks will completely change the cookie.
a stack of five cookies.

Flourless Chocolate Cookie Texture

These cookies taste like chewy brownies in cookie form. They are very chewy and a little bit fudgy in the center, but not as fudgy as brownies. If you don’t like extra chewy brownies, these cookies might not be for you. Instead you may want to try my 2 Ingredient Brownie Cookies recipe that makes soft and fudgy brownie cookies.
close-up shot of the cookies.

More Easy Cookie Recipes


3 Ingredient Flourless Chocolate Cookies

Servings: 12 cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
These flourless chocolate cookies have a shiny surface and are chewy and fudgy. They are only 3 ingredients and don't contain any flour, butter or oil.
4.16 from 26 votes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp (35 g) unsweetened dutch process cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ cups (175 g) powdered sugar
  • 2 large egg whites

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C). Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  • Add cocoa and powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl. Stir with a whisk until evenly combined.
  • Add in egg whites. Whisk until batter is smooth and no pockets of powdered sugar remain. It may seem like you don't have enough liquid at first but just keep stirring and as the egg whites break down and get absorbed, you will have enough moisture. The batter should be very thick and sticky and if you scoop some of it out, it should barely move. If your batter appears to be a little runny, add in a little more cocoa powder (about 1/2 to 1 tbsp more).
  • Using a 2 tsp cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough and release onto prepared cookie sheet, spaced 2 inches apart. Repeat with remaining batter.
  • Bake cookies about 15-18 minutes or until done. (Mine took around 16-17 minutes). When cookies are done, they will puff up and have a shiny surface. Let cookies cool on cookie sheet and set fully before removing. Store uneaten cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

Video

Notes

  • Make sure to use dutch process cocoa powder. The recipe does not work with natural cocoa.
  • This recipe will only work with powdered sugar. Please use a good name brand powdered sugar. I used C & H. I recently learned that cheap powdered sugar can leave a soapy taste which will be more apparent in this recipe.
  • This recipe is made with 2 large egg whites using US egg sizes. If you are living in another country, you may need to adjust the amount of egg white to use. It also assumes refrigerated eggs. If you keep your eggs at room temperature or are using fresh farm eggs, the egg whites will be runnier and you may need less egg white. If you are using fresh eggs, eggs stored at room temperature, or non-US eggs, I recommend starting with adding just 1 egg white (everything else stays the same) and then add more egg white if needed.
  • The amount of cocoa powder can vary depending on how much egg white your eggs yield. Sometimes I use 5 tbsp and sometimes I need 6. So you may need to add up to one more tbsp. The batter will be very thick and get hard to stir at the end. You may need a spatula to help you remove the batter that gets stuck to the whisk to be able to fully mix until smooth. Your batter should be thick enough that if you put it on your baking sheet, it will barely spread out.
  • Unlike most cookie recipes, these cookies need to be baked at a lower temperature. Do not bake higher than 320F. Doing so will cause the cookies to not rise properly.
  • These cookies are very chewy. I love extra chewy foods but if you don't like an extra chewy texture you may want to make my fudgy brownie cookie recipe instead (linked in the post).
  • For those on a low sugar diet, unfortunately, this recipe will not work with powdered sugar alternatives link monk fruit or swerve because it will not melt the same way.
  • The cookies are a little harder to remove if you are using parchment paper. They are easier with a silicone baking mat. I recommend waiting until they are fully cooled and then try peeling them off. If they don't peel off, use a thin spatula to slowly loosen the bottom until it comes off in one piece.
  • These cookies do spread and rise during baking which is why you want to limit to 2 tsp of batter. I tested it with the bigger cookie scoop and found the cookies spread out too much and took too long to cook through. If you don't own a 2 tsp cookie scoop you can just measure the batter with a regular teaspoon (x2) but you will need another spoon to release the batter from your teaspoon.
  • I use the Oxo 2 tsp cookie scoop which I purchased from Amazon. It no longer seems to be available (replaced with a 1 tbsp scoop). Here is a similar 2 tsp cookie scoop.*
  • *This product link is an affiliate link. This means I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 71kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 9mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 15g, NET CARBS: 15

The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.

Did you make this recipe?I'd love to see it! Mention @KirbieCravings and tag #kirbiecravings!

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Recipe Rating




147 comments on “3 Ingredient Flourless Chocolate Cookies (No Flour, Butter or Oil)”

  1. The cookies baked ok but taste was not great. Too sweet and not enough gooeyness.

    • We’re sorry you didn’t enjoy them. The cookies are supposed to be fudgy on the inside – not gooey, so this might not be the recipe for you.

  2. Turned out incredible! 

  3. I used off brand cocoa powder and it still came out soft. Of course I never rate these recipes but my goodness it was so soft, delicious, delightful, chocolate covered sweetness. I am in love with this recipe almost like a softer brownie.

  4. So sticky couldn’t get them off the paper. Had to scrape off and throw away. 

    • Yes, if you use parchment paper they can be a little difficult to remove (this is mentioned in the recipe card notes). We have tested this recipe using parchment and find that the cookies need to be completely cooled before you try and remove them. At that point you can peel the paper off the bottom or, if that doesn’t work well, use a small spatula to gently loosen them.

  5. Really? Have you tried making them?

  6. this is the best recipe ever

  7. i dont know what i did wrong but my cookies had the consistency of brownie batter and once they were baked they were very crispy.

    • The batter should be very thick and sticky – was your thinner? If it was thinner the cookies will spread more and end up crispy. Double check that you measured all of the ingredients correctly – it sounds like something wasn’t measured right.

  8. Just made these cookies because I was craving something sweet but didn’t want to put in a lot of effort; I used regular unsweetened cocoa, only needed to add an additional tbsp and it worked like a charm!

  9. This  probably works became the powdered sugar generally has cornstarch in it as well as sugar. But Can’t wait to try it.I wonder what the volume of 2 large egg whites is? Can you tell me the VOLuME of the two large egg. whites that you use. Thank you. These look amazing!

  10. its amazing my teacher loves it
    !

  11. I love baking i am only ten i am turning 11 this year so anyway i baked for 1 year and my family loves the baked goods and my dad gave me my inspiration i love the taste : ) stay safe !

  12. Crunchy outside, chewy, gooey inside. Delicious chocolatey goodness. Simple ingredients! My family LOVES them!!!!!!

  13. I tried 2 times they both flattened out one stuck to the parchment

    • How much dough did you use to make each cookie? We recommend only 2 teaspoons of dough to form each ball – any more than that and the cookies will spread too much. Also, did you use parchment paper to line the sheet pan? They can stick to parchment, but if you allow them to cool completely you should be able to peel them off or use a spatula to loosen them.

  14. Your link appears to be to an OXO 1 TBSP cookie spoon. Is that just as good as a 2-tsp?
    Would like to make these for Christmas gifts!

    • It looks like OXO may have changed their listing. Reading the reviews, it used to be the 2 tsp scoop which is what we own, but it looks like they have changed it to a 1 tbsp scoop.

  15. I’m not sure why- I tried these twice with the same ingredients and methods and they tasted like soap. I thought it was a baking utensil I used but these tasted horrible! I’d suggest trying these but I was very disappointed and I’m not sure why they turned out so poorly. Im in high altitude and used the proper measurements.

    • That’s very strange – not sure why that happened. Many readers have made this recipe with success.

      • No success here. These came out nothing like the photo . Not even close :\ I measured everything on a scale to make sure that I got the measurements correct. It was a crummy mess. Sometimes I wonder if the photo is actually what the cookie looks like. Or is the cookie from someone’s bakery book. 

      • We’re sorry you had trouble with the recipe! When you say “crummy mess” do you mean they were dry and crumbling? They might have been overbaked, which dried them out. As far as the photos, Kirbie does all of her own photography and tests the recipes multiple times to ensure they work. That said, there are many variables that can cause issues with baking (oven heating, altitude, measuring, etc).

  16. These cookies are AMAZING!  I had to add a little more cocoa powder but they came out so good!  Not sure why some of the reviews said they tasted like chips or soap lol. That’s ridiculous…sounds like maybe the bowl you used still had soap residue in it. Anyway follow the recipe, make sure your bowl is clean and you will get the best easy to make chocolate cookies!!

  17. I tried it with the powdered stevia sugar substitute, the answer for that other comment left by another. It’s definitely not chewy which I expected since it’s not real sugar. It looked more like cooled hardened lava when it was done, initially like a play dough consistency and then improves when it cools. The taste was definitely cocoa and biting into disintegrates like tasting a stevia clump. All that said, my bf and I still liked it. I’m trying to eat better and kirbie thank you for helping me curb my cravings. I’m so glad I stumbled across this page, definitely taking a look at the other recipes. Some people think that these substituted recipes are supposed to taste exactly like the whole calorie 15 ingredient recipes… idk why when these recipes are supposed to be close to it with less calories to curb the craving. Either eat the real thing or don’t complain about these recipes you graciously gave (sorry I read a previous comment where someone was rude and said ewww). Thanks for taking the time to run this site which probably takes forever to do.

    • Thanks so much for your nice comment and for sharing your experience with the subs you made. We’re glad you’re loving the recipes!

    • If the batter is too runny even after adding the extra cocoa powder can I chill the dough in the freezer?

      • You can try that, but when we tested this recipe multiple times we found that up to a tablespoon of extra cocoa powder worked if the batter was too thin. You could try adding a little more to get the right consistency.

  18. Ewwwwww it tasted like Chips 

    • Not sure what you mean by that? Sounds like you might have made a mistake with the ingredients.

  19. I made theses cookies with a teaspoon of vanilla..and 1 large egg(white)
    They came out picture perfect!
    Batter made 9 cookies… just the right size
    I removed cookies while still warm, gently pulling parchment paper away from each cookie placing them on a cool plate…
    Simple things you can share are such a joy
    Thank you!

  20. They tast like soap. I do not know if there was a mistake made but that’s how they turned out.

    • That is very strange – did you make any changes to the recipe?

    • Snowball, mine tasted like soap too

      • Hi there. When I first heard the recipe turned out like soap I had never heard of such a thing, but after seeing another comment I did further research. It is likely your powdered sugar that is the problem, not the recipe. Apparently cheap brands of powdered sugar can taste soapy due to the high amount of cornstarch added. If you google “powdered sugar soapy” you’ll see several discussions about it. You may not have encountered this problem with other recipes that require smaller amounts of powdered sugar but since this recipe uses a high amount and has very few ingredients, it would be very noticeable. I recommend tasting your powdered sugar to see if that is the soapy flavor you are getting. I use C&H powdered sugar for this recipe.

  21. When I baked the cookies they puffed up to look more similar to the picture, but then when I took them out of the over and left them on the cookie sheet to cool, they deflated and became very thin. They still had the proper consistency, they just completely deflated. Does anyone have any advice on how to prevent this?

  22. Having trouble finding a 2 tsp cookie scoop. Most seem to be large

    I made the cookies using a spoon but it was hard since the batter is so thick. They came out great. A little too sticky fir as much dental work as I have but if I put them in a container for a couple of days the stickiness goes away. They are so good and so light.

  23. These sound wonderful but I am interested in how to make the sugar free. Can you use stevia?

  24. So far I have added 2 extra tsp of cocoa, still runny, not fully baked yet so. . . Will go ahead and add MORE cocoa,?

  25. I had planned to make these and so I went to purchase the cookie scoop and cookie mat.
    HOW DO YOU TELL WHEN THEY ARE DONE?
    I put 15 min on the timer and then added 2 more minutes. They looked done. However after cooking
    and cooled trying to get them off the silicone mat was a mess. They all stuck in the middle of the cookie.
    So, all the cookies were all crinkled up in a blob. They actually tasted fine, but how do you get them to
    look like your picture and get off the mat?

    • It is a little hard to know when they are done – if they are sticking they likely are not done baking so we recommend adding more baking time. In our multiple tests, allowing the cookies to fully cool and then peeling them off worked fine. Or, you can use a small cookie spatula and move it around the edges of the cookie and slowly work your way to the middle to release them.

  26. I followed the recipe exactly and it was too runny. I then added 1 more tablespoons of cocoa powder as suggested and it was still too runny. What am I doing wrong?

    • In our testing, up to a tablespoon more of cocoa powder worked when the batter was runny. If you have tried this, we recommend adding a little more until you achieve the right consistency.

  27. I am curious if you have tried adding a little vanilla? Also, if using egg whites in a carton, any idea how much to measure?

    • A little vanilla extract would be a good addition. As far as egg whites in a carton – we haven’t tried that and can’t say how much you would need. We are also not sure if they would work.

  28. Tried and loved, my granddaughter can now have ice cream sandwiches with these cookies. With her being a celiac she hasn’t been able to enjoy them.. now she can! Brilliant ?

  29. Do you beat the egg whites

  30. 71kcal ……does that mean there is 71,000 calories in each cookie????!!!!

  31. Can’t wait to try recipes thank you for sharing .

  32. PS I researched on the Internet how to get stuck cookies off parchment paper. Here’s how you do it…works like a charm. Place the parchment paper with the cookies on a warm, damp towel, paper side down. Wait a minute or two. Then gently peel the cookies off the parchment paper. So much easier than using a spatula.

  33. I made these today and used parchment paper. They stuck like glue to the paper. Even after fully cooling, I had a hard time removing them. Overall, they are good…not great. I didn’t expect greatness with 3 ingredients. Would I make them again. Yes, I would if I were in need of a quick chocolate fix.

    • It may be the brand of parchment paper you are using. They do get a little stuck, but you should be able to either peel them off or use a cookie spatula to loosen the bottom. But using a quality parchment paper makes a big difference. We only use Reynolds or Paper Chef.

  34. Please forward more recipes on chocolate powder or is it possible with cacao tablea?cookies and ang bake products mixed with chocolate powder 9r cacao tablea.
    Thank you for todays recipe

  35. Hope to try the chocolate flourless cookies this week . May try pecans in a small portion of the dough.

  36. As an 83 yeat old man, with occasional time on my hands(!), I decided to try your odd KirbieCravings three ingredient recipe for chocolate cookies. I followed your recipe flawlessly. How good were they? I am embarrassed to confess that my wife and I consumed nine cookies in one day. They are indescribably delicious!

    • I’m so glad you and your wife enjoyed them so much! Don’t be embarrassed. I ate almost an entire batch by myself when I remade these recently and only saved one for my husband.

  37. I have made two batches of 3 ingredient choc cookies. Second bath I added1 more spoon but no luck. Both batches were thin and crispy nothing like the photo. Please advise and changes to receipt. 

    • It sounds like your batter wasn’t thick enough. You want the batter to be very thick–add enough cocoa powder until your batter is so thick you simply can’t stir anymore in. For me, 5-6 tbsp has always been enough but it can definitely vary depending on how much egg whites your eggs yielded.

  38. You don’t beat the egg whites first???

  39. Mine came out really thin and got hard and crispy, not like what the picture showed.  And the batter was soupy.  Any suggestions?  Also could stand to be more chocolatey.

    • It sounds like you need to add more cocoa powder. The batter should not be soupy. It should be very thick, to the point where it won’t spread out once you put it on the cookie sheet.

  40. Very fudgey which we love 

    But veery flat
    Yours appears to have more rise… did I whip enough?

    • Was the batter runny? If so you need to add more cocoa powder and the cookies should not bake up flat. Also, make sure your oven isn’t too hot.

  41. Hi there,love your recipes.. Can you do gluten free and dairy free easy bread recipes.
    Please?

  42. What is that in Gas mark

  43. Do you know if this will work at high altitudes?

    • Sorry, we haven’t tested this recipe at high altitude but typically you need to add a little more flour, we just don’t know how much.

  44. Mine came out completely flat and very very thin. What happened? Any ideas? Thanks!

    • Was the batter thick? If not, the cookies may come out thin.

    • Came out very thin and flat – added in more cocoa as suggested but still too runny for cookies

      • We’re sorry you had trouble – adding more cocoa powder should work, so not sure what else might have happened without knowing more about how you made the cookies.

  45. They taste good but stuck to the parchment paper. Any suggestions on how to fix that? Very chewy but good.

    • You should good quality parchment paper. We use a cookie spatula to loosen the bottom of the cookies and can get them off the parchment. Another reader commented with this tip, which might be helpful, too: “Place the parchment paper with the cookies on a warm, damp towel, paper side down. Wait a minute or two. Then gently peel the cookies off the parchment paper.”

  46. Can you provide us with where you found a 2 tsp cookie scoop? Smallest I can find is 1 TBS which is equivalent to 3 tsp. Would love to purchase one before trying this recipe. Thanks so much!

  47. Made these today following instructions exactly but they did not turn out well. I baked for 15 mins and they looked as described, but fell after taking them out to cool and tasted eggy.

    • If they fell then they needed to be baked longer. 15 minutes was the minimum time I gave. I would leave them in for another 2-3 minutes.

  48. Love these recipes

  49. I was really looking forward to trying this after how the other recipes fared. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve been using natural sweeteners or cutting back in general, so take my review with a grain of salt.

    It was disappointing sugary. All I tasted was the sugar, probably because it only had the cocoa to cut the taste. I might try again in the future and cut it back dramatically. 1 1/2 cups is entirely too much, however, and I would advise others to consider cutting it back when they try it too.

  50. Love that they only have three ingredients and so easy to make.

  51. Excellent excited me.

  52. This is a perfect recipe for Passover.
    Thank you.

  53. I thank you for your post ! I’m disabled and to have your delishly dish’s and recipes help me a lot It’s hard to trust these things due to scammers but I will make these items and post a comment on how good they are and thank you that it is free too !!! God bless you all for helping others such as me yummy recipes easy fast and good moma looking for easy recipes to please thank you again !

  54. I’m also very interested in Gluten and Dairy Free recipes, since I’ve been Dx with Celiac’s.
    . Thanks,

    MREA

  55. Could you make these with monkfruit powdered sweetener to make it keto?

  56. What a joke!!! Followed ur recipe to the exact n dough was runny n what a waste of ingredients!!! 

    • Sorry you had trouble – did you add more cocoa powder as explained in the recipe?

  57. Going to make these tonight.  Looks delicious 

  58. Looks goo

  59. What would happen if you used egg yolks?

  60. For those of us doing keto, does this work using swerve confectioners sugar?

  61. I like the idea of these short recipes?

  62. They’re okay “cookies” but not sure I would call them that. They taste like chocolate powdered sugar which isn’t necessarily bad but they don’t taste like cookies that use normal sugar; so not too sweet. The texture is the best part, a little like a brownie. Easy and quick to make. I’m not sure I’ll make again, but definitely would recommend trying if you like powdered sugar and chocolate.

  63. What should I comment on without not being able to read the recipe? ?

    • The recipe with all of the ingredient amounts and instructions is at the end of the post before the comments. Hope that helps!

  64. Perfect

  65. Fabulous

  66. Hi, thanks for the recipe. please help me, should i first form the egg whites? I just made the batter and its liquid. wish you a good day

  67. Oustanding results . Heavenly treat. Many thanks ?

  68. Oh my gosh! This bread is so delicious The 1st loaf only lasted an hour between my hubby & myself. Unique texture and explode in your mouth flavor, My new go to recipe.

  69. Do you have an alternative recipe without sugar using a low glycemic natural sweetener? I can’t have sugar and don’t use artificial sweeteners because of other health risks.

    Thanks!

  70. Hi there,
    Can egg white substitutes work for my vegan family and friends?

  71. Love the idea of far free
    Thank you.

  72. Lovely my husband is enjoying a slice as I write. Thank you loving your recipes. Annette

  73. I love anything quick and love your recipes.

  74. Recipes look so easy and delicious 

  75. Can I use dry egg whites to make the 3-ingrident flourless chocolate cookies?