Ingredients
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4 egg whites, warmed to room temperature in the shell (Just put the eggs in a bowl of lukewarm water while you are prepping other ingredients)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preparation
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Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
In a medium bowl, beat egg whites, salt, cream of tartar, vanilla and cocoa powder until soft peaks form.
Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until meringue is stiff and glossy (about 90 seconds more after all sugar has been added). Please note that it is important to beat the whites long enough. The cookies will spread and be thinner rather than lofty (as shown in the pic) if poured on the sheet prematurely. You don't want the whites to break (start to get crumbly and break a part) .that will result in failed meringues but you are going to beat these a long time -- sometimes it takes me 5 minutes or more! A stand mixer sure is a plus here. What we are doing is incorporating air into the egg whites. That is what makes these cookies lofty, big and light in texture!
Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
On a parchment-lined baking sheet, drop meringue by the 1/4 cup (I like to use an ice cream scoop with a release).
For chewy cookies with a slightly crispy outer crust: Bake until dry and slightly crispy on outside about 1 hour. Let cool on baking sheets and then remove to an airtight container with sheets of parchment paper in between layers.
For crispy more traditional meringues, cook until dry and crispy through about 1 1/2 hours. Let cool on baking sheets. Let cool on baking sheets and then remove to an airtight container with sheets of parchment paper in between layers.
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