Chocolate Utopia (AKA) - Flourless Chocolate Pecan Cookies

Celiac's and choco-holic's rejoice! They are amazing. No really, they are. Now, these absolutely not help in getting you ready for bikini season, but hell, they taste good and I personally think they might just be totally worth it. These are worlds easier (although, no less awesome) to make then the Flourless Ancho Chili Chocolate Cake I posted on here last year.

So this is supposed to make about 20 or so cookies, but (as per usual) I made my cookies too big, so I only got 16. But this doesn't effect cooking time at all, you can add another minute if you like, but they are supposed to have chewy centres, so again, it doesn't really matter. Just don't forget to take them out of the oven when the timer goes and you turn off the oven, don't forget a leave them in for say... another 10 minutes... not that I've done that...

2 cups pecan halves

3 cups icing sugar 

1/2 cup plus 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

4 large egg white, at room temperature 

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toast pecan halves in a single layer on a cookie sheet for about 8 mins. Let cool slightly, before coarsely chopping them. 

Turn oven down to 325 degrees F. 

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper - it will make cooling these wonderful little bites a heck of a lot easier. 

In a large bowl (or an electric mixer), whisk the sugar, cocoa powder and salt together. When the chopped pecans have cooled a bit, whisk them in too. After incorporated and still whisking, add eggs whites and vanilla, only until batter is moist, careful not to over beat.

Spoon the batter (use a teaspoon, this will proportion them better) onto the baking sheets in evenly spaced mounds, bake for about 16 minutes, until the tops are glossy and lightly cracked. 

Slide the parchment paper (with the cookies) onto wire racks. 

Let cookies cool completely, and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Like I said. Amazing. MMM!