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Gluten Free Hot Chocolate Cookies with Gooey Chocolate Filling and Toasted Swiss Meringue Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 94 reviews

These Gluten Free Hot Chocolate Cookies feature a rich, gooey chocolate center encased in a soft, cocoa-spiked cookie dough, coated with sugar and topped with a light, toasted Swiss meringue. Perfect for those craving a decadent treat that’s both gluten free and bursting with deep chocolate flavor.

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 (e.g. Doves Farm Freee gluten free plain white 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 xanthan gum)
  • ½ tsp salt

Additional:

  • 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar (for coating)

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

  1. Preheat Oven 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 paper.
  2. Make Chocolate Filling: In a saucepan over low heat, melt the dark chocolate, heavy cream, and butter together until fully melted. Pour into a bowl and let cool until warm. Whisk in sugar, egg, vanilla, and salt gently until smooth and glossy. Set aside.
  3. Make Chocolate Cookie Dough: Cream softened butter and light brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Add egg yolks and vanilla; mix to combine. In another bowl, whisk gluten free flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, mixing until smooth, scoopable dough is formed.
  4. Scoop and Coat Cookie Dough: Place granulated sugar in a small bowl. Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, form balls of dough, roll in sugar to coat evenly, place on prepared baking sheet, spacing at least 2 inches apart. Use a 1-tablespoon spoon to make a centered indent in each ball.
  5. Prepare Filling Consistency: If the chocolate filling has become too firm, warm it by placing its bowl into a larger bowl of hot water, stirring until loose but not runny. Avoid microwave to prevent scrambling the egg.
  6. Fill Cookies and Bake: Fill each cookie indent with about 1 tablespoon of chocolate filling. Bake one tray at a time at 350ºF (180ºC) for 8-9 minutes until cookies puff and spread slightly, and the filling remains slightly wobbly.
  7. Cool Cookies Gently: Let cookies cool on baking sheet until warm to avoid breaking or crumbling. Avoid moving while hot.
  8. Make Swiss Meringue: In a heat-proof bowl over simmering water, whisk egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar until mixture reaches 160ºF (70ºC) and sugar dissolves. Transfer to stand mixer and whisk on high 5-7 minutes until stiff peaks form and volume increases. Add vanilla and combine well.
  9. Pipe and Toast Meringue: Transfer meringue to piping bag fitted with preferred tip. Pipe over warm or room temperature cookies. Toast meringue lightly using a kitchen torch.
  10. Serve and Store: Serve cookies warm, room temperature, or chilled. Warm or room temperature cookies have a soft, gooey filling; chilled cookies have a fudgy texture. Store undecorated cookies airtight at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated for 4-5 days; meringue-topped cookies refrigerated up to 2 days. Reheat briefly if desired.

Notes

  • Gluten free flour brands absorb moisture differently, affecting dough consistency and texture. Recommended: King Arthur Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour for similar results to Doves Farm Freee.
  • Avoid King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour as it absorbs too much moisture, resulting in dry, crumbly dough.
  • If using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, use 75% of listed flour weight initially and gradually add more as needed to achieve proper dough texture.
  • Swiss meringue is best added just before serving but can be refrigerated on cookies for 1-2 days.
  • Do not microwave the chocolate filling to reheat; gently warm in a water bath instead to avoid scrambling the egg.

Keywords: gluten free cookies, hot chocolate cookies, chocolate cookies, Swiss meringue cookies, gluten free dessert, cocoa cookies, chocolate filling

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