This is François Payard’s, flourless dark chocolate-walnut cookie recipe. Many thanks to Gourmet magazine for introducing me to François Payard and this deliciously chewy cookie recipe. A handful of ingredients, minus fat, minus flour and oh là là a guilt free treat.

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups walnut halves
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Spread the walnut halves on a parchment lined baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 9 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer the walnuts to a chopping board and chop coarsely. (Toasting the walnuts is optional.)

Position two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and lower temperature to 320° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar with the cocoa powder, salt and chopped walnuts. Add the egg whites and vanilla extract and beat just until the batter is moist (do not overbeat or it will stiffen).

Spoon the batter on the baking sheets in 12 evenly spaced mounds. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until the tops are glossy and lightly cracked; shift the pans from front to back and top to bottom halfway through to help bake evenly.

Slide the parchment paper (with the cookies) to 2 wire racks. Let cookies cool completely, and store in an airtight container.