Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies - Recipe Diaries (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep meringue cookies crisp? ›

Meringue is sensitive to humidity, so if you want to keep it crisp on the outside, you need to store it in an airtight container. You can keep it in the fridge or freezer, as long as it is well sealed. If you bake it on a humid day, you should move it to the container as soon as it has cooled.

Meringues are not supposed to harden completely in the oven. While low heat will dry them out, meringues do not become hard and crisp until they have had a chance to cool for five or ten minutes.

Do not put your meringue cookies in the refrigerator as this will add moisture to them. Make-Ahead: Since they keep well in a dry, cool, air-tight container you can make these up to 2 weeks in advance. However, I would keep in mind they will take on moisture if the weather is more humid than dry.

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...

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.

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.

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.

Use eggs at room temperature. Cold egg whites tend to reduce meringue volume. Never let any yolk get into the whites.

Can you leave meringue cookies out overnight? ›

If you have leftover meringues, you can store them at room temperature or in the freezer for up to 1 month. If it's a warm or humid day, place your meringues in the fridge for 30 minutes first to make sure they're cool.

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.

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.

Once your meringues are cool, place them in an airtight container, with parchment paper in between the layers to prevent them from crushing each other in the container. Store them at room temperature for up to 3 weeks, or keep them in the freezer for up to 1 month.

THE UPSHOT: As long as you pack meringues in an airtight container immediately after cooling them, any humidity in the air doesn't matter. WEATHERPROOF IT: To maintain crispness, pack meringues in an airtight container as soon as they're cool.

Leave to cool on the trays or a cooling rack. (The meringues will now keep in an airtight tin for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for a month.)

Keep cookies cool

Your stored cookies will stay freshest in a cool, dry place, such as the back shelf of your pantry. Depending on the variety, they'll last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. You can also freeze cookies for up to six months.