Gluten Free Chocolate Puddle Cookies

Delicious chocolate cookies, that just happen to be gluten free.

3 cups  walnut halves, toasted & cooled
4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Dash fine grain salt
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1 tablespoon good-quality vanilla extract

Prep:  Gather ingredients.  Preheat oven to 320F. Grease three cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.  No worries if you don’t have any, it just makes clean up a lot easier.

Do:  Toast walnuts to a golden brown in the oven.  (10 – 12 minutes roughly)  Cool walnuts.  Chop coarsely in a food processor and set aside.  Don’t over process or you will get walnut meal, which is great for other recipes just not this one.  Separate egg whites.

Mix:  Sift together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and sea salt. Stir in the walnuts.  Add egg whites and vanilla. Stir until well combined.  Scrape down sides of the bowl.  Resist temptation to add water.  The batter is very thick.  Spoon heaping tablespoons of batter onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving room between cookies because they really spread.

Bake:  Bake until cookies puff up. The tops get glossy and then crack.  Bake for 12 -15 minutes. When they are glossy and cracked, remove from oven.  Slide the cookies from the tray onto a cooling rack or foil and allow to cool. These cookies will keep in an airtight container for a couple of days.  (If they last that long.)  Enjoy.