Hot Cocoa Meringues

Prep 25 min
Total 5 hr 25 min
Servings 36

Like the frothy topping on a cup of cocoa, these swirled chocolate meringue cookies are light, airy and—of course—dotted with marshmallows. For those who didn’t grow up with meringues as a holiday cookie tray staple, it’s a great time to get familiar with this delicate cookie. As alternative diets and gluten sensitivities become more prevalent, it’s important to bake at least some cookies that’ll make all your guests feel jolly, no matter how they eat! Like all meringues, this cookie does not use any flour, so it’s gluten free. But we firmly believe that this cookie is much more about what is included than what isn’t. Mixing Hershey’s™ Special Dark™ cocoa in to part of the batter not only delivers rich chocolate taste (quite an accomplishment for a cookie that’s so airy) but it also makes a beautiful swirl that makes them eye-catching. These cookies are perfect for bakers who want to expand their baking skills. Be sure to read the recipe all the way through before you start—a good idea for any cookie—so that you’re set up to succeed! MORE+ LESS-

By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Updated October 22, 2019

Ingredients

egg whites, room temperature

1/4

teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2

teaspoon pure vanilla

cup sugar

tablespoons Hershey’s™ Special Dark™ cocoa

1/2

cup dark chocolate chips

tablespoons gluten-free vanilla marshmallows bits

Steps

Hide Images

1

Heat oven to 275°F. Place oven racks in upper and lower third of oven. Line 2 large cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper.
2

In large bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar and vanilla with electric mixer on high speed until foamy. Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form and sugar is almost dissolved, 5 to 6 minutes, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Do not underbeat.
3

In small bowl, place 2 cups of the meringue. Sprinkle cocoa through fine mesh strainer over top; fold cocoa into mixture. Place large piping bag fitted with large star piping tip on its side. Using large icing spatula, spoon half of white meringue so it covers one half of the length of inside of piping bag. Carefully spoon half of the cocoa meringue on top of the white in bag. On cookie sheet, pipe into 2-inch circles. Repeat filling piping bag and piping with remaining meringues.
4

Place both cookie sheets in oven. Bake 30 minutes. Turn off oven; leave meringues in oven with door closed 1 hour. Remove from oven, and place pans on cooling racks; continue to cool at room temperature, about 2 hours. Remove from parchment paper; place on cooling racks.
5

Place waxed paper or cooking parchment paper under cooling racks. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring halfway through, until chips can be stirred smooth. Spoon into resealable food-storage plastic bag; partially seal bag. Cut small tip from corner of bag; drizzle chocolate over tops of cookies. Sprinkle mallow bits on tops of cookies. Let stand 1 hour 30 minutes or until chocolate is set. Store covered in airtight container in single layer.

Expert Tips

Cooking Gluten Free? Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is gluten free. Products and ingredient sources can change.
We tested with Hershey’s™ Special Dark™ cocoa, but unsweetened natural baking cocoa will also work.
Egg whites whip best at room temperature; for food safety reasons, limit to 30 minutes at room temperature.
Make sure egg whites are yolk-free, or your meringue may deflate. To prevent mixing yolk into the whites, crack eggs, one at a time, and place each white into a custard cup to ensure it is free of yolk before transferring it to the mixing bowl. A clean glass, metal or copper bowl is best for whipping meringue.
Mallow bits can be found either in the baking aisle or the ice cream toppings section of grocery stores.