My Passion for Food: Total Bliss: In Chocolate Form

Take a moment to inhale this picture. Please. Just do it.

Photo Courtesy of chocolateandcarrots.com

Have I told you lately that I'm absolutely, truly, madly in love with Pinterest?

And the internet.

And anything involving amazing food.

And chocolate.

And 5-1/2 year old giggles and baby kisses. But that's another story.

I'm on a gluten-free/Paleo kick in my recipe research here lately and Pinterest is not failing to impress me. Seriously.

The best part? You get to benefit from all of my findings! Lucky, lucky. ;)

Last night, I found this really awesome looking cookie recipe. I honestly didn't know how awesome it would be. I also found another recipe that I really, really wanted to try, but it got nipped in the bud by my family members. Sheesh.

Not three hours ago, I began the task of creating these beauties. I use the word "task" lightly because it was too easy. I love recipes like that!

When I had mixed the batter completely, I couldn't help but snag a quick taste test. Come on, I had to make sure that it was consumable!

OH. MY. GOODNESS. GRACIOUS.

Yeaaahhh buddy.

This was going to be good. I could taste it! Pun intended. :)

I scooped them out and placed them in the oven, then impatiently waited right in front of the oven while the timer counted down, 11 minutes...10...9....8..... I'm telling you, it took forever!

FINALLY, they came out, and oh, guys.....

Close your eyes and imagine a room made completely of chocolate. The walls, counters, table and chairs. Then, imagine these cookies smack dab in the middle of the table.

That's what I saw when these babies came out.

I need help.

This has become an obsession.

I took a bite and started dancing...with my hands flailing in the air! Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh! It was INCREDIBLE!

I can't say anymore other than that you have got to make these! Did you hear me? YOU HAVE GOT TO MAKE THESE!!!!

Here's the recipe:

Flourless Fudge Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 cups powdered sugar*
2/3 cup unsweetened Hershey’s dark chocolate cocoa powder
1/8 tsp. salt
2 to 4 large egg whites, at room temperature**
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups 60% cacao chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F.Set aside two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar with cocoa powder and salt.

Whisk in the vanilla and egg whites starting with just two.

Beat just until the batter is moistened. You’re looking for a brownie-like, thick and fudgy batter consistency. If it seems too thick, add another egg white– then a 4th one if it still seems too thick.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Scoop the batter by the tablespoon full onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave enough space between each cookie for them to spread.

Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the tops are glossy and lightly cracked.

Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If they make it that long.

On a more healthy note (can it really get better???): if you would rather use Stevia in these, I did some experimentation after I made them the regular way. (I'm going to be SO sick.) I used a Stevia baking blend, so it's not pure, but it'll give you something to go by!

*For the sugar, I replaced the 3 cups of Powdered Sugar with 1-1/2 cups of Stevia Blend.
**I ended up only needing 3 of the 4 Egg Whites in the Stevia recipe.
*** For added "density" I added 1-1/2 T. Coconut Flour to the batter. (I found that the batter was a bit too runny and didn't act like the original batter.) If you don't want to use Coconut Flour, Oat Flour would work as well.

Now since it's National Smore's Day, for all of you gluten-free'ers (don't judge my word inventions :P), sandwich a softened marshmallow in between two of these chocolate disks, push down and eat. It's all the glory of a delicious Smore without the graham cracker!

Looks tempting enough, huh?