Mocha-Chip Meringues

For those of you out there who made Creme Brulee for Tuesdays with Dorie, here's a great way to use up some of those egg whites (and for those who didn't you should try it - it was so surprisingly easy!). I made these yesterday and already almost half of them are gone (kids got home from school and somehow they just miraculously started to disappear...hmmmmm). I'm trying to tell myself that these are actually "healthy" cookies because they're made from egg whites (protein!) and cocoa (no-fat!) ... I just skim over the whole sugar thing.

They are very easy to make and, like most cookies I've come across, the only difficult thing about these is to have to wait 'til they're done baking. These were a little harder in that respect as they bake for 40 minutes (an eternity in the cookie-baking realm, I know!). But they're so worth the wait. I love the crisp outer shell and the chewy insides - just yummy!

Mocha-Chip Meringues

from Everyday Food Jan/Feb 2008 issue

• 3/4 cup sugar


• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch


• 3 large egg whites, room temperature


• 1/4 tsp salt


• 1 tsp instant espresso powder (I didn't have any, so I substituted instant coffee and I can still taste a hint of coffee in the cookies)


• 3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder


• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (okay, so there is a little smidgen of fat in each cookie from these)

Preheat oven to 300°. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and cornstarch; set aside.

In a large bowl, using and electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt on medium speed until frothy. Beating constantly, add sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time; beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, 6 to 8 minutes total (scrape down the bowl halfway through). Add espresso powder and cocoa; beat until well blended. With a rubber spatula, fold in chocolate chips.

Drop batter by level tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Bake until crisp, about 40 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Cool completely on sheets, about 20 minutes. Makes 48 (must have made mine on the large side, because I only got 40).

My cookies don't look quite as perfect as those pictured in the magazine (what else should I expect?!). I think they must have used a pastry bag and piped them using a large, open tip because they're pretty uniformly round. I think I'm going to make these again at Christmas time, only substituting Andes mint chips for the semi-sweet and I think I'll try piping them too. I always make a traditional Italian orange-anise cookie that my Great-Grandmother brought over from the old country and it calls for a dozen egg yolks (yes, you read that right, 12). I'm always looking for recipes to use up all those whites and now I can make another cookie to boot!