These crispy choc chip nut meringue cookies contain only 4 basic ingredients, and have to be the easiest cookies you'll ever make. They are light, crispy meringues, loaded with chocolate chips and chopped nuts. The best part is you simply pop them into a hot oven, switch the oven off and forget about them for a few hours. No oven timers, no fuss, and you don't have to worry about them burning!
There's only one word to describe these crispy choc chip nut meringue cookies, and that's 'magic'. It's quite unbelievable that these overnight meringue cookies bake in the residual heat from a switched-off preheated oven - but it works! The cookies dry out in the oven as it cools, leaving them with a crispy eggshell-like outside and a slightly chewy inside.
They have a slight crunch from the chopped nuts, with little pockets of sweetness from the chocolate chips.
I believe this recipe for easy egg white cookies originated in post-World War II America, where the limited ingredients were suited to the frugality of life in those times (no flour or butter required), and the residual heat in the oven could be used to bake the cookies without the need to keep the oven switched on. They were called 'Forgotten Cookies' because you just put them in the oven after supper and forget about them until the next day. Another name for them is 'Overnight Cookies'.
The choc chip meringue cookies are a great way of using up egg whites left over from other recipes that only use egg yolks, such as this homemade vanilla custard or this easy microwave lemon curd.
These easy egg white meringues are quite sweet, so if you're watching your sugar intake, then they may not be for you. On the other hand, if you've got a sweet tooth, I think you are going to love them! One way to make them less sweet would be to leave out the chocolate chips and double the amount of nuts!
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Recipe notes:
Prep time: 15 minutes
Drying time: 4 hours minimum, or preferably overnight. The longer you leave them to dry, the crispier they become.
Yield: this recipe makes 18 chocolate chip nut meringue cookies.
Ingredients
- Egg whites - this is the ideal recipe for using up leftover egg whites. The whites should be beaten to soft peaks before the sugar is whisked in.
- Sugar - caster sugar is best because it dissolves more easily when it is whisked into the egg whites. You can use granulated sugar instead - but you will have to whisk a bit longer.
- Chocolate chips - I used milk chocolate, but dark chocolate chips work just as well. It depends on what taste you are going for.
- Nuts - I used chopped pecan nuts, but you could substitute with chopped walnuts or even hazelnuts. Once again, it's your preference.
- Vanilla essence - this is optional, for a little extra flavour.
**You can find the exact ingredient quantities for these chocolate chip nut meringue cookies on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.**
Instructions
These are the easy instructions for making for making these no-bake meringues:
The first step is to preheat the oven to 180C / 360F. This is to ensure the oven comes up to temperature while the meringue cookies are being mixed. The oven must be at full temperature, as it will be switched off as soon as the cookies go into the oven.
Step 1: Whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
Step 2: Add the sugar gradually, a tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition until the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are thick and glossy.
Step 3: Stir in the chocolate chips, nuts and vanilla essence.
Step 4: Drop tablespoons of the mixture onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Step 5: Switch the oven OFF and place the tray of cookies into the oven. Leave for at least 4 hours (or even as long as overnight). Do not open the oven door for the first 3 hours.
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure your easy meringue cookies turn out perfectly every time - crispy, light and packed with flavour.
- Make sure your equipment is squeaky clean - any trace of grease or egg yolk in the bowl will prevent the egg whites from whipping properly. I tend to use a metal or glass bowl whenever I whip egg whites.
- Allow your eggs to come to room temperature - you'll find they whip up faster and create more volume. If you store your eggs in the refrigerator, let them sit on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes before you use them.
- The meringue should be whipped to a firm peak that holds its shape. Underwhipped meringue will cause your cookies to spread or collapse.
- Fold the chocolate chips and nuts in gently using a spatula or a metal spoon. Mix gently until just combined so that you don't deflate the meringue.
- Keep the cookies quite small (one to 1.5 tablespoons at most), and try to get them all the same size so that they dry at the same time. You can make larger cookies, but they will be more chewy in the middle.
- You can arrange the cookies quite close together on the baking sheet - a 1-inch gap between each cookie is fine. They do not spread very much.
- Make sure your oven is fully preheated before placing the cookies in the oven. Do not open the oven door for at least 3 hours, as this could introduce moisture into the oven, which would interfere with the drying process.
- Moisture is the enemy of meringues. If your kitchen is very humid, they may not dry completely. If this happens, you can turn the oven to low the next day (75C / 170F) and leave them in the oven (with the door closed) for 20 to 30 minutes.
- To maintain crispness, store the meringue nut cookies in an air-tight container.
Why should the sugar be completely dissolved?
If the sugar isn't completely dissolved into the egg white it could cause these issues:
- Grainy texture - you may notice a gritty or sandy feel when you bite into the cookie. This is because the low-temperature drying process doesn't fully melt any undissolved sugar crystals.
- Sticky cookies - undissolved sugar crystals can cause moisture to seep out of the meringue as it dries, especially if your kitchen is quite humid. This results in cookies that feel sticky on the surface rather than dry and crisp.
- Less stable meringue - sugar helps to stabilise the whipped egg whites - if it is not well incorporated, the cookies may spread or deflate as they dry.
How to ensure the sugar is dissolved
- Add the sugar slowly, one tablespoon at a time, and beat very well after each addition.
- Continue to beat for a minute or two after the last of the sugar has been added.
- Rub a little of the mixture between your fingers - it should feel smooth and not gritty.
- If it still feels a little grainy, beat for a few minutes more.
Variations
Once you've mastered the basic recipe, the sky's the limit as far as variations are concerned. You are limited only by your imagination.
Here are a few ideas to start you off. Swap out the chocolate chips and nuts with these suggestions:
- Coconut snowflake - 1 teaspoon coconut essence, ½ cup shredded coconut, ¾ cup white chocolate chips.
- Rocky road meringue - ½ cup mini marshmallows, ½ cup coarsely crushed shortbread biscuits, ½ cup chocolate chips, ¼ cup chopped nuts.
- Chocolate mint - ½ teaspoon peppermint essence, 1 cup coarsely chopped peppermint Aero, optionally sprinkle with crushed candy cane before drying.
- Honeycomb meringue - 1 cup chopped Crunchie and optionally ½ cup of chopped nuts.
Equipment
These are the main items of equipment you will need to make crispy choc chip nut meringue cookies:
- Mixing bowl - you will need a bowl large enough to hold the beaten egg and the filling ingredients.
- Electric hand mixer - this takes all the work out of beating the egg whites. You could use a balloon whisk and a lot of elbow grease, especially when beating in the sugar!
- Baking tray - which should ideally be lined with baking parchment or a silicone mat to prevent the cookies from sticking. Oiling the tray is not ideal as the fat can interfere with the meringue structure. Another alternative would be to line the tray with aluminium foil and dust it lightly with cornflour (cornstarch) or flour to create a barrier between the cookies and the foil.
Top tip
If you find your cookies have stuck to the baking sheet, place the tray into the freezer for 15 minutes, which may make them release more easily.
Storage
Store the meringue nut cookies in an air-tight container in the kitchen. They should stay fresh and crispy for 3 to 4 days.
This recipe is not suitable for freezing.
FAQ
Yes, in fact that's what I used for this recipe. Just make sure they are 100% egg white with no additives. 2 tablespoons of egg white from a carton is the approximate equivalent of the white of one large egg.
Save for later
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📋The recipe
Crispy choc chip nut meringue cookies
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric hand mixer OR
- Balloon whisk
- Baking tray
- Baking parchment
Ingredients
- 2 large egg whites
- ⅔ cup / 130 grams caster sugar
- 1 cup / 150 grams chocolate chips
- ½ cup / 75 grams chopped pecan or walnuts
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 360°F
- Whip the egg whites in a mixing bowl until they form soft peaks.2 large egg whites
- Add the sugar gradually, a tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition until the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are thick and glossy.⅔ cup / 130 grams caster sugar
- Stir in the chocolate chips, nuts and vanilla essence.1 cup / 150 grams chocolate chips, ½ cup / 75 grams chopped pecan or walnuts, 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- Drop tablespoons of the mixture onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper, spacing them about 1-inch apart.
- Switch the oven OFF and place the tray of cookies into the oven. Leave for at least 4 hours (or even as long as overnight). Do not open the oven door for the first 3 hours.
Notes
- Make sure your equipment is squeaky clean - any trace of grease or egg yolk in the bowl will prevent the egg whites from whipping properly. I tend to use a metal or glass bowl whenever I whip egg whites.
- Allow your eggs to come to room temperature - you'll find they whip up faster and create more volume. If you store your eggs in the refrigerator, let them sit on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes before you use them.
- The meringue should be whipped to a firm peak that holds its shape. Underwhipped meringue will cause your cookies to spread or collapse.
- Fold the chocolate chips and nuts in gently using a spatula or a metal spoon. Mix gently until just combined so that you don't deflate the meringue.
- Keep the cookies quite small (one to 1.5 tablespoons at most), and try to get them all the same size so that they dry at the same time. You can make larger cookies, but they will be more chewy in the middle.
- You can arrange the cookies quite close together on the baking sheet - a 1-inch gap between each cookie is fine. They do not spread very much.
- Make sure your oven is fully preheated before placing the cookies in the oven. Do not open the oven door for at least 3 hours, as this could introduce moisture into the oven, which would interfere with the drying process.
- Moisture is the enemy of meringues. If your kitchen is very humid, they may not dry completely. If this happens, you can turn the oven to low the next day (75C / 170F) and leave them in the oven (with the door closed) for 20 to 30 minutes.
- To maintain crispness, store the meringue nut cookies in an air-tight container.
- Add the sugar slowly, one tablespoon at a time, and beat very well after each addition.
- Continue to beat for a minute or two after the last of the sugar has been added.
- Rub a little of the mixture between your fingers - it should feel smooth and not gritty.
- If it still feels a little grainy, beat for a few minutes more.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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