Whenever I feel like baking something a little fancy with basically no effort, these chocolate meringue cookies are my go-to. They look impressive, taste even better, and come together with just four simple ingredients. Light and crisp on the outside, and chewy and chocolatey in the center, these chocolate meringues are as magical to eat as they are easy to make.
Chewy Chocolate Meringues
This is one of those recipes that feels like a baking win every single time. No flour, no butter, no fuss. Just whipped egg whites, sugar, and a generous scoop of cocoa powder gives these chocolate meringue cookies a rich, chocolate flavor without making them heavy or overly sweet.
The texture alone is enough to win anyone over: that shatter-crisp shell gives way to a chewy, almost brownie-like center. These gorgeous cocoa meringue cookies feel so luxurious, even if I’m baking them in my PJs between school pickup and dinner.
Looking for something fun and festive for Halloween? Check out my meringue ghosts! They’re just as easy to make and totally adorable!
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Humidity is the Enemy
One thing they don’t always tell you in cookbooks: never bake meringues on a rainy day! Sugar is hygroscopic, meaning it pulls moisture directly out of the air. If it’s humid outside, your cookies may come out tacky or weep beads of sugar. If you must bake on a cloudy day, I recommend leaving them in the closed oven for an extra hour after cooling to ensure they stay bone-dry and crisp.
Chocolate Meringue Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Baking Sheet
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Piping Tip Set (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 large egg whites room temperature
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar optional*
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ tablespoons dark cocoa powder sifted**
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy.2 large egg whites
- Add the cream of tartar, if using.⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- With the mixer still on medium-high speed, slowly add the sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Adding all of the sugar should take about 2 minutes.½ cup granulated sugar
- Beat the egg white mixture until stiff peaks form.
- Once the mixture has reached stiff peaks, gently fold in the cocoa powder. Make sure not to deflate the egg whites!1½ tablespoons dark cocoa powder
- Transfer the mixture to a piping bag. Pipe small dollops (about 1-inch in diameter) at least 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the meringues for exactly 1 hour. Turn off the oven and slightly open the oven door, but leave the meringues inside! Allow them to slowly cool to room temperature, about another hour.
Notes
- Bake these cookies on a dry day; humidity will cause them to weep.
- Thoroughly clean your bowl, wiping with lemon juice or white vinegar to remove any fatty residue that could inhibit the egg whites.
- Add the sugar slowly to avoid deflating the egg whites.
- To test for doneness, rub the meringue between your fingers. If it still feels gritty, keep beating. Once smooth, you can gently fold in the cocoa.
- I like to double-sift the cocoa powder to ensure a smooth finish.
- If you don’t have a piping tip set, use a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off.
- Don’t make your meringues too big, or they will not dry properly.
- Don’t open the oven while they bake, or they could deflate.
- Mocha: Whisk in 1 tsp instant espresso powder with the sugar.
- Chocolate Chip: Gently fold in ¼ cup mini chocolate chips after the cocoa.
- Peppermint: Add ½ tsp peppermint extract with the cream of tartar.
- Mexican Hot Chocolate: Add ½ tsp cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne with the cocoa.
Variations to Try
Once you’ve mastered the base recipe, these meringue cookies are incredibly easy to customize. Here are a few of my favorite ways to level them up:
- Mocha Meringues: Add 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the sugar before whipping. It intensifies the chocolate flavor without adding extra liquid.
- Chocolate Chip: After folding in the cocoa powder, very gently fold in ¼ cup of mini chocolate chips. Use the mini ones so they don’t weigh down the delicate meringue!
- Peppermint Chocolate: For a festive twist, add ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract at the same time as the cream of tartar and top the piped cookies with crushed candy canes before baking.
- Mexican Hot Chocolate: Add ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper with the cocoa powder for a sophisticated heat.
How to Make Chocolate Meringue Cookies Step-by-Step
Prep: Preheat your oven to 225°F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside. Separate the whites from the yolks of 2 large eggs, taking care to avoid getting any yolk in the whites. You can refrigerate the yolks to use another time. Thoroughly clean a metal bowl (I used my stand mixer bowl), wiping it with lemon juice or white vinegar to remove any residue. This removes any invisible traces of fat that could keep your whites from rising.
Whip the Egg Whites: In the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat 2 large egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy. Add ⅛ teaspoon of cream of tartar, if using. The cream of tartar is a great insurance policy if this is your first time whipping meringue. It helps stabilize the egg whites, so they whip up firm and glossy.
Add the Sugar: With the mixer still on medium-high speed, slowly add ½ cup of granulated sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Adding all of the sugar should take about 2 minutes. Do not add all of the sugar at once, as it could destabilize your meringue, causing it to collapse. Continue to beat the egg white mixture until stiff peaks form. To tell when it’s ready, rub a bit of the mixture between your fingers. If it still feels gritty, it needs to whip for longer. When you lift the whisk, the peak should stand straight up without drooping at the tip.
Fold in the Cocoa: Once the mixture has reached stiff peaks, gently fold in 1½ tablespoons of sifted dark cocoa powder. I double-sift mine to ensure it’s super smooth, since cocoa powder tends to clump. It’s easy to deflate the egg whites here, so just sweep gently 2-3 times, and don’t overmix!
Pipe the Meringues: Transfer the mixture to a piping bag. Pipe small dollops (about 1 inch in diameter) at least 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. If you make your cookies too large, they will take much longer to bake and dry out, so the smaller, the better.
Bake and Cool: Bake your chocolate meringues in the preheated oven for exactly 1 hour. Turn off the oven and prop the oven door slightly open (I like to stick the handle of a wooden spoon in mine), leaving the meringues inside! Allow them to slowly cool to room temperature, about another hour. This is crucial to drying them out properly so they have that wonderful crispy exterior. Otherwise, they will turn out tacky to the touch and/or cracked.
How to Store
Store leftover chocolate meringue cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. I do not recommend refrigerating or freezing these cookies, as they turn soft and chewy in both places.
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