Flourless Rocky Road Chocolate Cookies: A Soft and Chewy Treat with a Little Crunch (Gluten-Free)

Question: What do you get when you combine the ingredients of rocky road ice cream with a cookie?

Answer: Your newest obsession!

These soft and chewy creations are a guilty pleasure you’ll love to indulge in (maybe a little more than you should). And while we already have a crazy-awesome recipe for rocky road brownies, we wanted to spread our wings into the cookie territory!

Oooey. Gooey. Chocolaty. Nutty. You get all the rocky road flavor in just a few bites, with plenty of chocolate chips and toasted walnut chunks mixed into the batter.

Fluffy mini marshmallows (learn how to make them homemade!) are the final garnish, caramelizing and melting slightly as they bake to make for a sinfully sweet and sticky treat.

And with no wheat flour, you can easily serve these to satisfy the sweet tooth of anyone who doesn’t eat gluten.

Missing the ice cream? These campfire cookies are over-the-top awesome served warm with scoopfuls of homemade vanilla ice cream – your own homemade rocky road experience!

Cooking by the Numbers…

Step 1 – Gather and Prep

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Measure the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla extract, chocolate chips, walnuts, and marshmallows.

Break the eggs, separating the egg whites from the yolks.

Step 2 – Whisk Dry Ingredients

Whisk together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.

Step 3 – Add Liquid Ingredients

Using a sturdy spoon or spatula, mix in the egg whites and vanilla. Continue stirring until a thin, wet batter develops.

Step 4 – Add Chocolate Chips and Nuts

Mix the chocolate chips and walnuts into the batter, stirring until all of the chips and nuts have been completely incorporated. If you like, you could use chopped almonds instead of the walnuts.

Step 5 – Portion

Using a small ice cream scoop or two spoons, scoop out small mounds and place them on the prepared baking sheets, 3 across and 4 down on each, with about 1 inch in between each cookie.

Step 6 – Top with Marshmallows

Top the middle of each portion with 5-6 pieces, gently pushing down so they stick.

Step 7 – Chill

Place in the freezer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. No freezer space? You can place the trays in your fridge for about 20 minutes.

This step helps to keep the cookies from spreading too much, and will keep the marshmallows from melting too quickly during baking.

Step 8 – Bake

After chilling, bake in the preheated oven for 12-13 minutes, or until the cookies have spread slightly and the marshmallows have puffed and have lightly browned in color on top.

Step 9 – Cool and Serve

Cool completely on the sheet pans before transferring to a serving platter.

Letting them cool on the sheet pan will help when removing them. If you try to transfer them when they are still warm, they will stick to the pan and rip apart.

All Rocky Roads Lead to Something Delicious

Inspired by the fun flavors of rocky road ice cream, these soft and chewy flourless cookies have chocolate chips, walnuts, and gooey marshmallows in every big bite.

It’s perfect when you have a massive chocolate craving, or when you want a taste of toasty marshmallows without a bonfire.

While they’re already gluten-free, you can also make them completely dairy-free just by substituting dairy-free chocolate chips.

And for those who have nut allergies, you can leave out the walnuts (not all roads need to be rocky, right?) and still enjoy this chocolaty indulgence.

Who else is obsessed with the combo of chocolate, marshmallows, and nuts? What do you think is better: ice cream, or cookies?

We’re cheating and saying both – we can’t make up our minds! No matter what you prefer, be sure to give this recipe a great rating, and check some of these tasty gluten-free chocolate cookie recipes:

• Chocolate & Pomegranate Oatmeal
• Chocolate Chip
• White Chocolate Almond
• Chewy Flourless Monster
• Nutty Chocolate Coconut

Don’t forget to Pin It!

Photos by Nikki Cervone, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on July 21, 2015. Last updated: November 23, 2020 at 21:44 pm.

Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.

About Nikki Cervone

Nikki Cervone is an ACS Certified Cheese Professional and cheesemonger living in Pittsburgh. Nikki holds an AAS in baking/pastry from Westmoreland County Community College, a BA in Communications from Duquesne University, and an MLA in Gastronomy from Boston University. When she's not nibbling on her favorite cheeses or testing a batch of cupcakes, Nikki enjoys a healthy dose of yoga, wine, hiking, singing in the shower, and chocolate. Lots of chocolate.

• More Posts(359)