Meringue Cookies (Forgotten Cookies)
Incredibly easy, this is recipe for melt-in-your-mouth meringue cookies is perfect for busy bakers because you just turn off the oven and let them cool.
By Yankee Magazine|Dec 15 2021|
Meringue Cookies (Forgotten Cookies)
Photo Credit: Aimee TuckerIncredibly easy (and gluten free!), this is recipe for Forgotten Cookies, better known as meringue cookies, is perfect for busy bakers because you just turn off the oven and leave the cookies unattended. Because meringues don’t hold up well in humid weather, they are best made in winter. We know people who consider these treats the very best part of the holiday season.
Yield:
about 3-1/2 dozen
Ingredients
2 egg whites
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with waxed paper.
Beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the sugar and vanilla and continue beating until very stiff. Fold in the chips and nuts. Drop by the teaspoonful onto the baking sheets. Place in the oven and turn off the heat. Leave in the oven for 2 hours or more, until completely dry. Store in an airtight container.
These cookies are wonderful! They are easy and very tasty! Try them for Christmas – your family will love them!
I am Diane from Ohio!!
My mother used to call this type of cookie “Divinity” because they taste so divine! Happy Holidays to All!
Excellent! Not only are they easy to make, they’re delicious. This will be on my list of cookies to bake regularly.
i tried this recipe and found out too late that one important ingredient was missing — 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar. These cookies are very good, but definitely need the cream of tartar.
I have made these for years. So easy and a good way to use leftover egg whites. Grandkids love them. The cream of tartar is optional but makes the whites beat up quickly. I don’t put the nuts in because my family prefers them that way. Also my recipe recommends you leave them overnight. The reason for the name.
We have not forgotten! I’ve made these for about 55 years, since a friend of my Mom’s from Switzerland first made them for us. I use less sugar, about half a cup, as the chocolate chips are plenty sweet enough. And though many kids over the years have tried to tip extra chips into the batter, don’t let it happen. It makes the cookies too chocolatey and spoils the lightness of the meringue.
Just made espresso meringue cookies yesterday…BUT add 1/4 t. Cream of tartar!! So easy and so good! I bake mine st 200 for 2 hours, turn off oven, and leave them in overnight!!
I have been making these for years. Originally found the recipe in a Order of the Easter Star cookbook over 60 yrs ago
My mother made them Christmas Eve so we had them Christmas morning, such good memories. My son who has his own family loves them…I haven’t made them in years but I planned on making these cookies tomorrow. Thanks for the article..we called them forgotten cookies too.
I make them every Christmas .We call them Bake While you sleep cookies.
Aww yes, The Forgotten Cookie. I also made them for years on the holiday when my children were small. BUT, really need to put in the cream of tartar! Makes the meringue stiffer.
Just made these cookies and can make batches by reducing temp to 300 bake for 22 min. Delicious?
Made last night, but please remember to add the cream of tartar ?
I make these often, but never used cream of tartar. I’ll try it next time. We always called them brown and white kisses.
How much cream of tartar?
1/3 (one third) teaspoon C of T
I make these every year around Christmas, as it was always tradition in my family. Passed down from my Nana and my mother.. The cream of Tartar IS needed… and they are SO Addicting… you cannot eat just one.. i like to put slivered almonds & choc chips in mine.
My children looked forward to these Forgotten Cookies (without the nuts) every Christmas morning. I think they were more excited about the cookies than Santa. I also gave the recipe to my niece who needed something for Valentines Day at school. Without the nuts and with some red food dye, they were a big hit @ school.
These are also a tradition in our family (Swedish side) as a must have on Christmas Eve. The recipe is basically the same, but we don’t leave them overnight. So I guess they’re not “Forgotten”. We’ve always called them Swedish Kisses.
3 egg whites, 1/3 tsp cream of tartar, pinch of salt, 1 cup sugar & 1/2 tsp vanilla.
Beat egg whites
Add cream of Tatar, beat, and add salt
Gradually beat in sugar
After it peaks, add vanilla
Drop into “kisses” on a wax papered cookie sheet
Bake 30-35 minutes at 250
Cool before removing
We’ve made them with small chocolate chips, but most of the times plain, sprinkled with red or green sugar for Christmas. Sprinkle right before cooling so it sticks.
Keep your eye on them so they won’t burn and try to stop hands from snatching them before completely cooled. God Jul!
thank you for sharing your recipe. When I first read this I thought “they forgot” the cream of tartar.
Thank you- I’ve been wanting to make these – but my oven is very small- had to buy new cookie sheets to fit in it- only bought one- all cookies won’t fit on one sheet to leave in oven overnight- so now by baking per your info in batches – problem solved!
We made these year round in our house when I was a kid. My mother had us cut paper bags to fit the cookie sheets, not waxed paper. Today I use parchment paper. Nothing but yummy!
My family made these Meringue Cookies for our Christmas Eve open house. The kids loved them. Ours used 4 egg whites, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp cream of tartar and 1/8 tsp salt, 1 tsp. vanilla extract plus 1 cup of semi-sweet chips. Crushed candy cane is also good. You can use whatever flavors your family enjoys. Sadly, my grandchildren are both allergic to eggs, so I no longer make them for family gatherings. But I do make them to give to old friends and older nieces and nephews who feel like it is just not Christmas without them.
I grew up with these in our house every Xmas as a kid.. My Nana passed the tradition of making them down to my mother, who passed it down to me. I have NOT made them in several years.. but I DO plan on making them this year. 🙂 and YES you Definitely need the Cream of Tartar.
have made these for years w same recipe from my mom. Except no nuts. As Beth mentioned, used brown paper grocery bags on the baking sheets. Never used cream of tartar. I do use superfine sugar (if I can find it) and mini-chocolate chips. Best cookie in my arsenal!
Oddly enough, you can substitute the liquid from tinned garbanzo beans for the egg whites. Keep everything else the same, comes out tasting the same with almost the same texture.
Do you have the recipe for ‘Cowboy cookies’? I think they have oatmeal and choco chips. Thank You, C Cox
I’ve been making Forgotten Cookies for 48 years. Everyone loves them and they a easy and delicious!
We’ve had these cookies every Christmas Eve for as long as I can remember. We’ve always called them Swedish kisses. Most of the time without the chocolate chips and nuts. Love them! God Jul!????????
We always made these when I was a kid but we used mini mint chocolate chips. I don’t even know if they still make those chips but they were delicious in forgotten cookies. Tinted half red and the other green Ah memories. ????
Ooooooh I love the idea of them being colored! Do you just add food coloring???
Cookies will stick to wax paper. Use parchment instead.
My mom always used paper bags cut to fit cookie sheet in the days before parchment paper was available. One of my best memories of the holidays!
If the eggs are very fresh, like from your own backyard, no cream of tartar needed. Store bought eggs are often over a week old, so cream of tarter helps.
I have made these at Christmas for years. My aunt’s recipe. She always used cream of tartar so I do too. We used brown paper bags for years, but the parchment is easier. The meringue really dries out if you leave them in overnight.
Looks good, but do you think I could make these with a sugar substitute, and white chocolate chips??
I tried making these twice but I could never get them to ‘peak’. Am I just not mixing them long enough? Thanks!!!
Yes! Mix until they are stiff and then SLOWLY add the sugar. It keeps them firm but still standing!
I made these when young, I was not good at separating. A little yolk in the whites would cause them to never peak.
I made these with crushed candy canes! Very festive and sooo good!
I grew up in western Massachusetts. Even my mother (a definite non-cook) made these meringues which we called “kisses.” I now live in South Texas and like to cook. Love these, but definitely no nuts. They melt in your mouth usually don’t last long enough to have to worry how to store them!
I grew up in Western Massachusetts too. My mother was always making these for parties.
Can you use a toaster oven to make these?