Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies

You need time to bake these, so don’t make them if you’re a diabetic and need a hit of sugar to sustain your life.
If, however, you have a couple of hours, you really should make these.

Here’s what you need to know about this dessert:
1. Meringue cookies are light and airy. So while they don’t make you feel healthy, you won’t feel like you do after you’ve had a hunk of Decadent Deep-Dish Pecan Pie (which there really is a time and place for- I don’t mean to disparage my Favorite Dessert).
2. The cookies taste a lot better than they look in the photo. I don’t know why they look particularly unappetizing, or why they have weird little circles on them. No matter- they taste great.
3. These will go fast. You’ll eat like 8 and then others will finish them off before you’ve had a chance to freeze a few for a snack on a rainy day. Just a fair warning.
Adapted from my Hazelnut Meringue Puffs recipe…

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

3 egg whites (room temperature)

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon real vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 275°, and arange racks in top and bottom third of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, stir 3 tablespoons sugar and cornstarch together and set aside.
3. Using a mixer, beat egg whites on high until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup of sugar until thick glossy peaks form when beater is lifted (4 – 5 minutes). Gradually beat in sugar/cornstarch mixture, cocoa powder, vinegar, vanilla and salt. Gently fold in chocolate chips with a spatula.
4. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of meringue onto parchment paper; if meringue is very thick, flatten slightly to allow the cookies to bake evenly.
5. Place meringues in oven and reduce temperature to 225°. Bake puffs for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until crisp and dry, but not brown, rotating baking sheets halfway through. Turn oven off and leave meringues inside to further dry out for 30 minutes. Cool on baking sheets after removing from oven.
Tips:
- My meringue deflated because I added the rest of the ingredients in step 3 too quickly. (Really- the meringue literally became runny in front of my eyes; one minute cloudy puffs, the next minute the consistency of a melting milkshake). Make sure you gradually add the rest of the sugar and cocoa powder- that’s the lesson there. Like 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Nuts? Add ’em in! Lightly toast any kind of nut (almond, pistachio, pecan, hazelnut etc.) and throw in about 1/2 cup or so once they’ve cooled. Go ahead and use a flavored extract (a natural one, not artificial) or a flavored liqueur that matches your nut (so… use a tablespoon of Amaretto if using almond… Frangelico if using hazelnut… you get the idea).
- These freeze well but not for too long. So eat within 2 weeks. Not hard to do.
- Enjoy!
Click Here to PRINT This Recipe Now!
Related Recipes & Posts:
May 24th, 2015 | More Sweets Please | No Comments | Tags: Chocolate, Cookies, Gluten-Free