Chocolate Meringue Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to making meringue? ›

Italian meringue has a soft and creamy texture that is considered the most stable of the three types. Because it holds its shape so well, you can typically find Italian meringue piped on desserts like baked Alaska or pastries.

If you put meringues in an oven that is just blasting with heat (which is what I used to do), it will just caramelize (or burn). And then you'll find that the meringue doesn't even go hard on the outside, but rather it will just stay soft and go all shriveled. Not to mention it will probably taste dreadful too.

Chewy meringues are the result of two possible situations, under-baking and humidity. If they are under-baked they might always be a little chewy. For humidity, you can try popping the meringues back into the oven on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet at 200°F for 10 minutes to try crisping them up a bit.

Affix the whisk attachment and begin whipping on low, gradually increasing speed to medium high (about a 6 on a kitchenaid). Whip for about 10 minutes, checking once the meringue looks thick and glossy. Add the vanilla and salt after about 7 minutes, while the mixer is on.

A warning — if you add your sugar too slowly the mix will get too fluffy and the texture of the meringues will be too open. Over whip the egg whites and you risk making them too firm and they will risk losing the moisture that they hold.

If you need your meringue to have stiff peaks, you whisk it until the little peaks stand straight up from the whisk when you lift it out of the bowl, and the meringue doesn't fall out of the bowl when you turn it upside down.

This is a good cookie to make in the evening; meringues can be left in the oven (with the heat turned off) overnight. Baking vegan? A good substitute for the egg whites in this recipe is aquafaba, the liquid drained from a can of chickpeas.

If you have leftover meringues, you can store them at room temperature or in the freezer for up to 1 month. If it's a warm or humid day, place your meringues in the fridge for 30 minutes first to make sure they're cool.

Can you over bake meringue? ›

Don't overbake your meringue! Overbaking causes the egg whites to shrink and squeeze out small droplets of moisture. Always make sure to check on your pie at the minimum baking time. Undissolved sugar in the egg whites can also cause weeping.

Authentic meringue cookies follow a 1:2 ratio of egg whites to sugar. The meringues should be on the sweet side and have a crisp texture that instantly melts in your mouth.

A small amount of cream of tartar or vinegar can be added to the mixture at the beginning of whipping to help stabilize the foam and make it less likely to collapse. Don't use plastic bowls—they can retain a film of fat from previously mixed or stored items that can deflate the meringue.

It doesn't have to be perfect, but if there are too many undissolved pieces of sugar, it means it's not fully dissolved into the protein layer of the egg whites. When this happens, your meringues won't come out crisp and they might seep liquid during baking as the sugar melts out of the meringue.

It can take a while for a meringue to reach stiff peaks and for the sugar to dissolve—about five minutes with a hand mixer. If the sugar has not dissolved (for example, if it tastes gritty), keep beating.

In a large clean, grease-free bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, use the whisk attachement to whip the egg whites on low speed until foamy bubbles appear at the top. Add the vanilla bean paste and vinegar (or cream of tartar) and continue whipping until really foamy.