Gluten-Free Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 ¾ Cups Walnut Halves
• 3 Cups Confectioners’ Sugar (Although I Usually Cut this Down to About 2.25)
• ½ Cup Plus 3 Tbs Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• ¼ Teaspoon Salt
• 4 Large Egg Whites
• 1 Tbs Pure Vanilla Extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread walnut halves on a large baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 9 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Let cool slightly, then finely chop them. In a large bowl, whisk the confectioners’ sugar with the cocoa powder and salt. Whisk in the chopped toasted walnuts. Add the egg whites and vanilla extract and beat just until the batter is moistened (be careful not to overbeat or the batter will stiffen). Spoon the cookie batter onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper in 12 evenly spaced mounds. Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes, until the tops are glossy and lightly cracked and feel firm to the touch.

Anne Baxter Ungarean (2012)