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Chocolate Volcano Cookies

Chocolate Volcano Cookies are rich, chewy and incredibly rich.  A bakery-style cookie that you can easily bake at home. Gluten-free and perfect for your sweet tooth!

Chocolate volcano cookies on a platter.


These cookies are gluten-free and have no flour or butter. They are made similar to molten lava cakes with a glorious texture that will remind you of brownies. They are crunchy around the edges and perfectly chewy on the inside.
Nothing makes my kids as happy as a batch of fresh baked cookies. I often make classic Chocolate Chip Cookies or Chocolate Chip Biscotti but these chocolate volcano cookies were a nice change to the regular cookie rotation.

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Why You Will Love these Chewy Chocolate Cookies

  • Easy Recipe: Only a few ingredients to bake cookies that are one of the most delicious chocolate desserts. You don’t even need a mixer!
  • Great for Holidays: This cookie recipe is perfect for chocolate lovers and makes a great addition to Christmas Cookie exchanges or for Valentine’s Day. 
  • Decadent Dessert: These chocolate cookies are decadent and delicious on their own and even better served with a scoop of your favorite ice cream.

Ingredients for Chocolate Lava Cookies

Ingredients for flourless chocolate cookies.
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • Salt
  • Egg Whites – room temperature
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

How to Make Flourless Chocolate Cookies

  1. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Collage making flourless chocolate cookies.
  1. In a large bowl add powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt.
  2. Whisk together until well combined.
  3. Separate egg whites into a medium bowl and vanilla whisk in vanilla. I do not actually whip the egg whites, just blend with the vanilla. 
  4. Pour into the dry ingredients and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. You can use an electric mixer on low speed but this dough comes together really easy with a spoon.
  5. Fold in chocolate chips.
Baking chocolate volcano cookies.
  1. Set aside for about 5 minutes to rest.
  2. Scoop dough with a medium-size cookie scoop or tablespoon about 3 inches apart on the baking sheet.
  3. Bake 15 minutes our until cookies are set and look crackly.
  4. Cool slightly on cookie sheet and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Scroll to bottom for Full Printable Recipe.

Should You Whip the Egg Whites?

I do not whip the egg whites. A few people have commented that they had better luck whipping them before mixing into the dry ingredients. After making these a few times, I think that the difference in cookies that spread and cookies that do not spread might be the amount of egg whites.

Bowl of chocolate volcano cookies.

Recipe Notes for Chocolate Lava Cookies

  • Cookies Spread Too Much: These cookies may be different than traditional cookies that you have baked before. The first time I made them, they really spread and I thought it was a disaster. However, after they cooled, I found them to be just perfect.  When I baked them recently, they did not spread as much. Again, I think that they may spread more or less depending on the size of the eggs that you use. Either way they are so delicious.
  • Storage: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container up to 3-4 days.
  • Variations: Add peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips in addition to the chocolate chips for a delicious twist

If you love chocolate as much as I do, you are going to love these flourless chocolate cookies! I found the recipe while thumbing through an issue of Good Housekeeping. I literally tore the recipe out and baked these cookies immediately, they are the perfect treat

More Delicious Cookie Recipes to Try

  • If you love old fashioned cookies, these Molasses Cookies are chewy and delicious for any day of the week and a favorite for the holiday season.
  • Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are a fudgy cookie made with melted chocolate and it is an easy cookie recipe for any occasion. 
  • Crumbl Molten Lava Cookies from Cooking with Karli look crazy-delicious and pretty easy to make at home and much more affordable thank crumbl cookies! 
  • Peanut Butter Cookies from Mama Loves Food are always a great idea.
Chocolate cookies on a round platter.

Pair these delicious chocolate lava cookies with a tall glass of milk, a hot cup of coffee or rich and creamy hot chocolate. You will love every last crumb of chewy chocolate goodness and they also are the perfect addition to your Christmas cookie trays.

If you love this recipe as much as we do, please leave a comment and a five star review. Help us share on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook!

Plate of chocolate cookies.
Print Recipe
4.44 from 46 votes

Chocolate Volcano Cookies

A delicious bakery-style chocolate cookie that is perfectly chewy and reminds me of a brownie. Gluten-free and perfect to bake and share. Recipe from Good Housekeeping.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate lava cookies, flourless chocolate cookies, gluten free cookies
Servings: 24 cookies
Author: Milisa

Ingredients

  • 1 lb 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large egg whites
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips semi-sweet or milk chocolate

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl add powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Whisk together until well combined. Add egg whites and vanilla and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.
  • Set aside for about 5 minutes to rest.
  • Scoop dough with a medium-size cookie scoop or tablespoon about 3 inches apart onto lined cookie sheets.
  • Bake 15 minutes our until cookies are set and look crackly.
  • Cool slightly on cookie sheet and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Store in an airtight container.

Notes

  • Cookies Spread Too Much: These cookies may be different than traditional cookies that you have baked before. The first time I made them, they really spread and I thought it was a disaster. However, after they cooled, I found them to be just perfect.  When I baked them recently, they did not spread as much. I think that they may spread more or less depending on the size of the eggs that you use. Either way they are so delicious.
  • Storage: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container up to 3-4 days.
  • Variations: Add peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips in addition to the chocolate chips for a delicious twist.
  • 25 Comments

    1. These really DO look like brownies!! They even have the crackly topping! They look awesome. Glad to know I’m not the only one who tears out recipes and immediately heads to the kitchen 🙂

    2. these look awesome and I think I could eat a handful right about now, even tho it is 4Am; to go with my morning. coffee.
      At Christmas time, I bet these would be wonderful dusted with just a little powdered sugar.
      Thanks for the recipe. Will be making these up soon

    3. 5 stars
      Who wouldn’t want a chocolate cookie to start off a Monday? I’d love it if you shared this recipe at What’d You Do This Weekend. Out party started today.

      Wishes for tasty dishes,
      Linda

    4. Oh my, these look so decadent!! And they look like the perfect texture…my kids would love one with a glass of milk after dinner 🙂 Yum!!

    5. 4 stars
      I just need it now! Yum, the chocolates are persuading me to eat them. Haha. Whew, ughh, I am starting a diet, but what can I do? This is just a diet wrecker, haha, but I’m not saying that this is bad, it is just so GOOD that you can’t resist it. It is like Mott 32’s green tea chocolate mousse, that has surprise chocolate inside. This matter makes me think that sometimes, visiting food sites are not oh so well. hahah, ohh well just kidding in this part. Thanks for sharing this =)

    6. We made these and they were a disaster. Not sure how anyone got edible cookies out of them. Cooking them for the right amount of time made a gloppy mess of unformed cookies. Cooking them longer made a crumbly mess of falling apart cookies.

      1. Hi Jenny,
        The first time I made them I thought they were a disaster also. But after they cooled, they were actually one of the best cookies that I had ever tasted. I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you.
        ~Milisa

      2. I’m wondering if making them in muffin pans would work… And let them sit in it until completely cool. I’m going to go for it. LOL

      1. Hi Manolis,
        Mine came out really flat too and I first thought they didn’t turn out but when they cooled they were delicious. You might put them further apart on the baking pan so they don’t run together.

        ~ Milisa

        1. Please make sure to tell us rookie bakers that we need to whip the egg whites before we stir them into the mix! Thank you.

        1. Why is whipping the egg whites first not mentioned in the recipe?? I searched multiple recipes after mine came out very flat and separated top from bottom some. None of the recipes mentioned that step and I am betting that will solve my problem! I had wondered about it but figured I would follow directions carefully as they were unlike anything I had made before. A second batch will go in tomorrow but in the meantime this first batch looks less than pretty but they do taste fine so I can still get my chocolate fill!! Thanks for the tip!

    7. I had the same problem. No mention of beating egg whites and cookies were a disaster. also slightly different measurements on the powdered sugar and cocoa!! Wish recipes would be more specific!!1

    8. Same here, a disaster. The description mentions not beating the egg whites, yet in the comments now that it’s too late, I see where “it’s worth the extra step”. It’s a required step unless you want to pancake cookies.

      1. Hi Connie,
        I am sorry the cookies didn’t work out for you. Even if they spread, they are still delicious. I don’t ever whip the egg whites.

        ~ Milisa

    4.44 from 46 votes (42 ratings without comment)

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