Flourless Double Chocolate Cookies

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons cocoa*

3 cups powdered sugar

pinch of salt

1 3/4 cups walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

1 cups chocolate chips*

4 egg whites, room temperature

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixer bowl, combine cocoa, powdered sugar, salt, walnuts, and chocolate chips.  Mix on low, one minute.  Continue mixing on low and add the egg whites and vanilla.  Mix on medium for three minutes, until the batter thickens slightly.

Scoop heaping tablespoons of batter onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving room for the cookies to spread a little.

Bake for 14-16 minutes on the center rack.  If you want to bake two sheets at a time, place racks in the upper and bottom thirds of the oven and then switch pans halfway through baking.  Thin cracks appear on the surface when the cookies are done.  Pull the parchment paper onto a cooling rack and let the cookies cool completely before removing from the paper.

*For best flavor, use Dutch-process cocoa and Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips.

Inspired by One Sweet Cookie and here, here, here, and here.  :)