Chocolate Chip Meringue Teardrops

Finally, day twelve of my 12 Cookies of Christmas series. (12 Days of Cookies). I am finishing with the recipe that keeps for the least time, being a meringue. These are based upon my husband’s family recipe – BUT they are not quite as requested! They are not “teardrop” shaped – as I did not use a piping bag to create my cookies and perhaps I could have played with the cookie shapes a little bit before baking to create the teardrop look – but I LOVE these cookies as they are.

Is that a teardrop cookie or am I wrong? (Meringue) – sorry but I love puns!

Four eggs (whites), super-fine granulated sugar, vanilla, cream of tartar, chocolate chips

Chocolate Chip Meringue Teardrop Cookie Ingredients:

Four egg whites

1 heaping cup super-fine granulated sugar

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Chip Meringue Teardrop Cookie Method:

Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Move oven racks to middle to levels in oven. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. (I used the convection setting in my gas oven). When the meringues are prepared you want to put them quickly in the oven – all at once.

Egg whites (only a little yolk!) and super-fine granulated sugar

In a tall sided mixing bowl, beat egg whites on high for about 3 minutes.

Add in super-fine granulated sugar, vanilla and cream of tartar. Continue to beat at high speed – for another 3 minutes or more until stiff peaks form. This seemed to be hours for me, and I was starting to google “why meringues won’t form stiff peaks” when they finally cooperated! Probably another 5 minutes.

Continue beating eggs at high speed, add in sugar, cream of tartar and vanilla

Continue beating until stiff (6-8 minutes) peaks form

Quickly stir in chocolate chips. Do not over-stir.

Drop teaspoon size meringues onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Decorate tops of meringues with additional chocolate chips (I used one or two).

Place teaspoon sized drops of meringue on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Decorate with additional chocolate chips

Place cookie sheets immediately in oven. Bake at 300 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. I baked for 30 minutes. Leave cookies in the oven to cool – and turn off the oven after baking time is up! In other words, after the timer goes off and the cookies look just lightly browned leave the cookies in the oven to cool. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN. This is to avoid the meringues cracking or falling. Leave the cookies in the oven for about 30 minutes to an hour.