Christmas is approaching, and nothing greets the season better than a fresh batch of homemade cookies. Even better: these are light, gluten-free meringue cookies with great chocolate flavor.
I may just survive the holidays without having to reach for my fat pants.
Lately I’ve been obsessed with Swiss meringue. Over the past few weeks I made several batches of Swiss meringue buttercream in different flavors for various cakes. Since Swiss meringue is the base for that buttercream, making meringue cookies feels like creating a delicious, simpler cousin—there’s nothing unfinished about these cookies.
Below are some photos showing how I made them:
I made two batches: one spooned and one piped. For the spooned batch (pictured above with the caption “Enjoy!”), I used regular cocoa and added multi-colored chocolate chips. They tasted great but weren’t visually striking. For the second batch I used Cocoa Rouge, the cocoa I often use for red velvet cakes, and omitted the chips. The result surprised me: the shells developed a subtle pink-gray tint while the interior stayed a reddish, fudgy chocolate. I piped these with an Ateco tip #885.
The cookies were wonderfully light, crisp on the outside and soft and marshmallow-like inside. Cocoa Rouge added a deep fudge flavor and a delicate blush to the shells. These are simple, elegant cookies that work well for gift jars or an impromptu treat—gifting to yourself is perfectly acceptable.
They require very few ingredients and minimal effort, ideal for quick holiday baking and presenting as thoughtful, edible gifts. I packaged some in a jar, which makes a pretty presentation.
They were easy to make, though keeping them around proved difficult once people started tasting them.
I Sugar Coat It
Cocoa Rouge Meringue Cookies
A light cookie with a crisp shell and a soft, sponge-like center, packed with rich chocolate flavor.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 24
Course: Dessert
IngredientsMethod
Ingredients
- 200 g superfine sugar
- 100 g egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- a pinch of salt
- 20 g cocoa rouge
- 45 g semi-sweet chocolate chips optional
Method
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Preheat oven to 250ºF (about 120ºC).
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Wipe the mixer bowl, whisk and spatula with a clean towel or paper towel dampened with lemon juice or vinegar to remove any grease that could prevent the meringue from forming.
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Combine egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer (a hand-held mixer works as well). Beat on high until soft peaks form.
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Reduce the mixer to medium and add the remaining sugar gradually. After all the sugar is incorporated, beat on high until stiff peaks form.
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Sift the Cocoa Rouge over the meringue and gently fold until evenly combined. If using, fold in the chocolate chips.
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Spoon or pipe the meringue onto baking sheets lined with parchment. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the shells are dry and lift easily from the paper. Let cool completely before storing.
