To all my gluten-free readers out there--this one's for you and if you want these amazing cookies to actually be there for you, take my advice and hide them! And most definitely don't gush about them. In fact, you may want to claim that they're "nothing special"! I mean it! These are so full of deep chocolate flavor, so chewy and so addictive that if any gluten-eaters taste them they will start to claim that they have recently discovered that they're "gluten-intolerant" and there will be none left for you! Honestly, these are the BEST--everything you want a brownie-ish cookie to be and you almost can't hold the gluten-eaters responsible for their lack of restraint!! You've got to try them!

If you can't eat gluten, this can be a tough time of year for you, what with all the holiday goodies around, but not if you have these cookies. In no way will you feel deprived and as a bonus, they're easy to make! You can whip them up in just minutes!

Each bite is intensely full of chocolate and perfectly chewy in a way no other cookie I've ever made comes close to. They'd make a wonderful addition to any holiday cookie platter. Just remember, if you're making them expressly for gluten-free purposes, subterfuge and deception are perfectly acceptable, probably even necessary. Don't worry, I won't tell!! Or better yet, just bake a double batch and hide yourself away in the pantry. C'mon, we're talking self-preservation here! 

Gluten-Free Brownie Cookies

Makes 10 cookies

Prep Time:  10-12 minutes; Bake Time:  15-17 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 large egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3-4 tablespoons bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

The Recipe

1.  Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

2.  Use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites with the vanilla until soft peaks form.

3.  In a different bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Make sure you dissolve any lumps.

4.  Fold in about half of the dry ingredient mixture into the egg white mixture until no egg whites are visible. Then fold in the remaining dry ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips.

5.  Spoon 10 equal portions of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least 2 inches apart, as these spread a lot. Bake for 15-17 minutes. The cookies are done when they look dry and start to crack around the edges. Transfer the sheet to a cooling rack and allow to cool for a few minutes on the sheet. Then use a wide metal spatula to transfer them to the cooling rack to finish cooling completely.

6.  Recipe doubles or triples very well and cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.

Enjoy!

Note:  Recipe adapted from Dessert for Two by Christina Lane.