Chocolate Meringue Cookies

Can a chocolate cookie be fudgy, airy, and crispy at the same time? We were delighted to find that the answer is yes!

Makes
24 Cookies
Cook Time
70 minutes
Active time plus cooling
40 minutes active
Rating
5

These rich, yet airy flourless chocolate cookies have crisp edges and chewy interiors. They rely on whipped egg whites for their structure. To ensure your whites attain the proper volume with beating, make sure the mixer bowl, whisk and the whisk attachment are perfectly clean and without any trace of grease or fat. Either Dutch-processed or natural cocoa works well in this recipe. Leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days; the edges will lose their crispness but the cookies will still taste good.

Tip

Don’t omit the step of heating the egg whites and sugar over the saucepan of simmering water. This ensures the sugar fully dissolves so the cookies bake up with shiny, crisp exteriors. But also make sure you don't overheat the mixture (100°F is the ideal temperature), which can cause the whites to cook. Also, the melted chocolate mixture should still be warm when you fold in the whipped egg whites. If it has cooled and thickened, it will be impossible to fold in the whites without deflating them. If needed, before folding in the whites, return the bowl of chocolate to the saucepan and re-melt the mixture.

Ingredients

227
grams (8 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, divided
57
grams (4 tablespoons) salted butter, cut into 4 pieces
21
grams (¼ cup) cocoa powder
½
teaspoon instant espresso powder
3
large egg whites
145
grams (⅔ cup) packed light brown sugar
1
teaspoon vanilla extract
¼
teaspoon table salt

Step 1

Heat the oven to 350°F with racks in the upper- and lower-middle positions. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with kitchen parchment. Measure out 71 grams (2½ ounces) of the chopped chocolate and set aside.

Step 2

In a medium saucepan over high, bring 1 inch of water to a boil, then reduce heat to a bare simmer. In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the remaining 156 grams (5½ ounces) chopped chocolate, the butter, cocoa and espresso powder.

Set the bowl on top of the saucepan; make sure the bottom does not touch the water. Stir occasionally with a silicone spatula until the mixture is completely smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan and cool slightly; keep the saucepan and water over the heat.

Step 3

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the egg whites, sugar, vanilla and salt. Set the bowl on top of the saucepan over the simmering water and, while whisking constantly, heat the mixture to 100°F. Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip on medium-high until the mixture holds soft peaks when the whisk is lifted, 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 4

Using a silicone spatula, fold about one-third of the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture until almost completely combined. Add the remaining egg whites and fold until a few streaks of white remain. Add the reserved chopped chocolate and fold gently until no white streaks remain.

Step 5

Drop the batter in 2-tablespoon mounds spaced 1½ inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the tops have cracked but the interiors still look moist, 12 to 14 minutes, switching and rotating the sheets halfway through.