Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies - Recipe Diaries (2024)

FAQs

Why are my meringue cookies not crunchy? ›

One of the most common mistakes is not beating the eggs long enough, or on too slow a speed, which means the egg whites won't reach stiff peak stage and instead only reach a soggy droopy stage.

But not anymore: Now, I'm using my freezer to make meringues no matter the weather. No one is more thrilled than my uncle. The trick is to store the baked, cooled meringues in the freezer, where the dry, cold air prevents them from attracting moisture and losing their crispness.

The bottom line: For smooth, stiff beaten egg whites that keep their shape, don't skip the cream of tartar. If you don't have cream of tartar, substituting 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar per egg white works almost as well. To avoid meringues that weep, don't skip the cream of tartar...

When making meringues, always cook egg whites to avoid salmonella poisoning. Don't use packaged egg whites to make meringue. The pasteurization process can prevent egg whites from forming a stable meringue. We recommend fresh eggs over "liquid egg whites previously packaged" for better volume.

Excess moisture in the air can seep into meringues and make them soft, even after they are baked, which is why it's best to avoid making meringue on damp days.

Chewy meringues are the result of two possible situations, under-baking and humidity. If they are under-baked they might always be a little chewy. For humidity, you can try popping the meringues back into the oven on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet at 200°F for 10 minutes to try crisping them up a bit.

This is a good cookie to make in the evening; meringues can be left in the oven (with the heat turned off) overnight. Baking vegan? A good substitute for the egg whites in this recipe is aquafaba, the liquid drained from a can of chickpeas.

Over whip the egg whites and you risk making them too firm and they will risk losing the moisture that they hold. This will affect your meringue's crispness, as well as making it more likely to collapse or weep beads of sugar. As my meringue guru Gary Mehigan advises: “If you over whip the egg whites you cannot fix it.

Keep in mind that more cream of tartar doesn't necessarily mean a better, more stable result. “Too much cream of tartar will impart a metallic, tin-like taste,” Molly warns.

Acid. Whether it be vinegar, lemon juice, cream of tartar, or a combination, an acid will greatly improve the structure of meringue. Acid not only helps meringue whip up and aerate more quickly, it also keeps it stable. Without acid, meringue is more likely to collapse either during or after mixing.

What is a substitute for cream of tartar in meringue cookies? ›

If you need a cream of tartar substitute for meringue, lemon juice is your best choice. Recommendations vary on the exact ratio to use, but in general, you'll need 1 teaspoon of lemon juice for each ½ teaspoon of the cream of tartar. This cream of tartar alternative is also perfect in syrups or frosting recipes.

Egg whites entrap more air while contributing more water, encouraging steam and gluten formation: perfect conditions for lean cookies that are thick and puffy. Cakey. Yolks cut the water and throw in fat, hindering both gluten development and aeration, producing cookies that are dense, tender, and rich.

Fixing runny meringue is usually as simple as whisking more air into the mixture and waiting for it to develop stiff peaks. You can also add another egg white or a teaspoon of cornstarch to get the mix to the consistency you need.

Chewy meringues are the result of two possible situations, under-baking and humidity. If they are under-baked they might always be a little chewy. For humidity, you can try popping the meringues back into the oven on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet at 200°F for 10 minutes to try crisping them up a bit.

Meringues can have a softer centre, depending on time/temperature of baking/drying (moisture retention = softer centre), but they won't be chewy. Chewy meringues, or pavlovas, have cornflour and vinegar added, which helps create that chewy centre.

Officially, they're supposed to be sort of crispy but quickly melt in your mouth. But when they're underdone, they're a little chewier but absolutely no less delicious! Those sound like they're slightly underdone but that's okay!