Espresso Chocolate Drop Cookies

Hello!

After all my cookie craving, I decided to create a cookie that is decadent, chocolaty and has to come under 50 calories a cookie.  So I decided to make an Espresso Chocolate Drop Cookie that most definitely came in just shy of 50 calories.  Woohoo!!This cookie is light but very chocolaty!  Believe me you will only need one, well ok two.

First I beat the egg whites and salt at medium speed until frothy.

Then add the confectioners sugar and beat till marshmallow like consistency.

Add melted chocolate and flour mixture and beat until everything is combined.

Fold in Candy Cane pieces for an extra touch of pizzazz, but it is unnecessary because they completed evaporated in the cookie, so you only have the slightest hint of mint.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 6-8 minutes.  Here’s what they look like out of the oven.

What I like about this cookie is it has a nice bittersweet coffee taste, it’s soft and you slightly taste the candy cane pieces.  This is almost a thin brownie like cookie.

Espresso Chocolate Drop Cookies

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 egg whites

Small pinch salt

3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped bittersweet or dark chocolate (I used Ghiradelli’s  60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate)

4 teaspoons of instant espresso or coffee (I used 4 packets of Nescafe Instant Coffee)

1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Candy Canes (I used 6 mini candy canes)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a microwave safe bowl, add chocolate and espresso. Cook for 20 seconds, stir and repeat until chocolate mixture is completely melted. Set a side to cool.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa and flour.

4. In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt at medium speed until frothy. With the mixer running, gradually add the confectioner’s sugar. When all the sugar has been added, raise the speed to high and beat until the whites have a marshmallow-like consistency. Beat in the vanilla.

5. Reduce the speed to medium and beat in half the melted chocolate coffee mixture, then half the cocoa-flour mixture, scraping the side of the bowl. Repeat with the remaining chocolate and cocoa-flour mixture.

6. Fold in the candy cane pieces; let the mixture sit until thick enough to scoop, about 5 minutes.

6. Scoop the cookie dough onto the cookie sheets by level teaspoonfuls, leaving about an inch between cookies. Bake 6 to 8 minutes, until the cookies are brown and crackled on the outside.

7. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 1 minute, then transfer them to a wire rack. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Makes 40 cookies

Calories per cookie:  49,  Fat:  2.5,  Cholesterol:  0,  Sodium: 8.2,  Carbs:  7,  Fiber: .06,  Sugar:  5,  Protein:  1

These cookies will satisfy any chocolate craving you have and is a tad more healthy then eating plain chocolate!  And alot healthier then eating a brownie!  You simply must try them!

If you don’t like Bittersweet Chocolate you could always use semi-sweet or milk chocolate  both would work great!

Have a wonderful day and Enjoy a cookie or two on me!!!