Description

These Gluten Free Hot Chocolate Cookies feature a rich, gooey chocolate filling encased in soft cocoa cookies with a delicate Swiss meringue topping. Perfectly balanced between fudgy and tender, these cookies are a decadent treat for gluten-sensitive chocolate lovers. The recipe uses quality gluten free flour blends and includes detailed tips for texture and baking for the perfect soft-centered cookies.

Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Filling

75 g (2⅔ oz) dark chocolate (60-80% cocoa solids), chopped
80 g (⅓ cup) heavy/double cream
30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
75 g (¼ cup + 2 tbsp) caster/superfine or granulated sugar
1 US large/UK medium egg, room temperature
½ tsp vanilla bean paste (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
⅛ tsp salt

Chocolate Cookie Dough

170 g (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
150 g (¾ cup) light brown soft sugar
3 US large/UK medium egg yolks, room temperature
½ tsp vanilla bean paste (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
280 g (2⅓ cups) plain gluten free flour blend (recommend King Arthur Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour or Doves Farm FREEE flour)
45 g (⅓ cup + 2 tbsp) Dutch processed cocoa powder
¾ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp xanthan gum (omit if your gluten free flour blend already contains it)
½ tsp salt

Additional

100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar (for rolling dough balls)

Swiss Meringue

2 US large/UK medium egg whites
100 g (½ cup) caster/superfine or granulated sugar
¼ tsp cream of tartar (or ½ tsp lemon juice)
½ tsp vanilla bean paste (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Adjust the oven rack to the middle position, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC), and line two large baking sheets with parchment or baking paper to prevent sticking.
Make the Chocolate Filling: In a saucepan over low heat, melt the dark chocolate, heavy cream, and butter together until fully melted. It may look slightly split at first, but will become smooth and glossy after mixing. Pour into a bowl, let cool until warm, then add sugar, egg, vanilla, and salt. Whisk gently (avoiding aeration) until smooth and glossy. Set aside.
Prepare the Chocolate Cookie Dough: In a large bowl, cream softened butter and light brown sugar until pale and fluffy using a whisk, hand mixer, or stand mixer. Add egg yolks and vanilla, mixing well. In a separate bowl, whisk gluten free flour blend, cocoa powder, baking powder, xanthan gum (if needed), and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until smooth, scoopable dough forms with no flour clumps. Dough should be firm but not crumbly or sticky.
Shape and Sugar-Coat the Dough Balls: Place granulated sugar in a small bowl. Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, portion dough and roll into balls between palms. Roll each ball in granulated sugar until evenly coated. Place on lined baking sheets spaced about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Use a 1-tablespoon spoon to make a centered indent in each ball.
Fill the Cookies: If chocolate filling has hardened too much, gently reheat it in a bowl placed over hot water (avoid water contact with filling and don’t use microwave). Stir until it loosens but is not runny. Fill each cookie indent with about 1 tablespoon of chocolate filling, filling to the brim without overflow.
Bake the Cookies: Bake one sheet at a time at 350ºF (180ºC) for 8-9 minutes until cookies puff up slightly and filling is still slightly wobbly. Keep the unbaked sheet at room temperature. The slight wobble ensures a soft, gooey center. Let cookies cool on the sheet until warm and firm enough to handle to avoid breaking.
Make the Swiss Meringue: Combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture reaches 160ºF (70ºC). Remove from heat and whisk on high speed for 5-7 minutes until volume greatly increases and stiff peaks form. Add vanilla, whisk to combine. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with desired tip.
Pipe and Toast Meringue: Pipe Swiss meringue onto warm or room temperature cookies using desired patterns (e.g., dollops or zig-zags). Use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue lightly for added flavor and presentation.
Serve: Enjoy cookies warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Warm cookies have a soft, gooey filling; chilling firms the filling slightly for a fudgy texture. Reheat briefly in microwave (5-10 seconds) if desired.
Store: Store undecorated cookies in airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated for 4-5 days. Cookies with Swiss meringue topping are best stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat before serving if preferred warm.

Notes

Gluten free flour choice significantly impacts dough texture; King Arthur Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour or Doves Farm FREEE flour are recommended.
Avoid King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure flour for this recipe due to excessive moisture absorption leading to dry, crumbly dough.
If using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, reduce flour to 75% of the recipe amount initially and adjust to dough consistency.
Do not microwave the chocolate filling; reheating it gently over hot water prevents scrambling the egg.
Swiss meringue is best prepared right before serving for optimal texture.
Cookies are delicate when warm; allow cooling on baking sheet before moving to prevent breakage.
Try cookies both warm and chilled to discover your preferred texture.
Use a digital scale for precise gluten free flour measurement to ensure best results.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: gluten free cookies, hot chocolate cookies, chocolate filled cookies, Swiss meringue topping, gluten free dessert, cocoa cookies, soft center cookies