Walnut and Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies

Butter for greasing parchment on baking sheets
1 1/2 cups walnut halves or pieces (about 7 oz)
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tbsp flour
3 large egg whites
6 tbsp granulated sugar
1 cup chocolate chips, preferably bittersweet chocolate chips, very coarsely chopped (See market note.)

1.Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper cut to fit and butter parchment paper on each generously. Position one rack at a lower level and another at a center position and preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

2.Process walnuts in a food processor until they are finely ground, and then transfer them to a medium mixing bowl. Sift together confectioners’ sugar and flour over nuts. Mix well with a spoon.

3.Place egg whites and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium high speed until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in half the walnut mixture. Then fold in remaining walnut mixture along with the coarsely chopped chocolate chips.

4.Using a tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop a generous amount of batter onto a prepared baking sheet. Use a table knife to help scoop the meringue batter from the spoon. Lightly flatten top of meringue with flat blade of knife. Continue until all batter has been used, leaving at least an inch around each meringue. You should get 30 to 32 cookies.

5.Bake until meringues are light golden, 20 to 25 minutes. (For meringues with chewy interiors and crisp exteriors bake only 20 minutes, for meringues which are crisp inside and out bake 25 minutes.) Reverse baking sheets top to bottom after 10 minutes.

6.Remove baking sheets from the oven and let cookies rest 10 minutes or longer to cool. Then gently peel meringues from baking sheets. Store in an in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Makes 30 to 32 cookies

Note: If you have two ovens it is easier to bake a batch in each oven.  In this case you will not need to reverse the baking sheets. Bake each sheet on center shelf.

Market note: Ghiaradelli’s 60% bittersweet chocolate chips work well in this recipe. Chopping the chocolate chips very coarsely makes it easier to incorporate them into the meringue batter.

Copyright Betty Rosbottom 2023