CHOCOLATE ANDES MINT MERINGUE COOKIES

I was browsing my recipe binder the other day and came upon this recipe for Chocolate Meringue Kisses from All You magazine. It only had 5 ingredients and looked pretty easy so I decided to whip up a batch for family night.

I made changes, of course! It needed something. Chocolate chips? Maybe. No, I got it. Crushed Andes Mints. Perfect.

And they were! I say that in past tense because, well, they didn't last long. These are best when served the day of, or even the next day. After that they dry out considerably.

In my opinion, there are two ways to bake meringue cookies. The original directions call for a cookie that is solid and sort of melt-in-your mouth texture. I like them. However, if you cook them this alternate way, the outside is solid, but the inside is soft, chewy and oh so good. {See the very last picture- it gives a better idea of the consistency.} Plus, they take less time this way!

If you don't have the crushed Andes Mints, do yourself a favor and ~~just leave them out~~ add them to the grocery list. Seriously, they take a delicious cookie and make it unforgettable. Buy the bag in the baking aisle with them already crushed. Worth every penny. Ok, if you want to make these today and you don't want to go to the store, use chocolate chips in place. But promise me you'll try them with the Andes Mints!!

Chocolate Andes Mint Meringue Cookies

4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup crushed Andes Mints {or chocolate chips}

Preheat oven to 300°F. Line 1 large rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper. {If you make really small cookies, you might need 2 sheets. I huddled them all onto one.}

Place egg whites in a clean dry bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, increase speed to high and whip until mixture forms soft peaks. Gradually add granulated sugar and continue beating until whites are stiff and shiny.

In a separate bowl, sift confectioners' sugar with cocoa to blend. {I don't have a sifter- it works just fine if you simply whisk them together a bit!}Working in thirds, sprinkle cocoa mixture over egg whites and mix in until thoroughly incorporated.

Add in 1/4 cup Andes Mints and gently fold over to combine. Now, at this point you can choose how you want to shape your cookies onto the sheet. If you're in a hurry, grab a spoon or a cookie scoop and just dollop them onto the sheet.

If you want to make them a little prettier, take the time to put the mixture into a pastry bag and pipe them onto the sheet. A star tip would be ideal. Remind me next time I go to the store that I need to buy one...

Let me teach you a little trick when using a pastry bag. Instead of attempting to spoon the mixture into the bag, then making a giant mess piping the cookies out, here's a little plastic wrap technique that helps.

Scrape mixture out onto a large sized sheet of plastic wrap. Fold each side over, securing the mixture inside, then pick the ends up and twist in circular motions, like a giant tootsie roll.

Take one end of the roll and guide it into the pastry bag. Shift and pull until it's down inside. Clip the bottom end of the plastic wrap, near the tip.

Now, proceed to pipe out the cookies onto the sheet.

When you're done, gently tug the roll out from the pastry bag and toss in the garbage. Not nearly as much mess, huh?!

Once your cookies are on the sheet, bake for 20 minutes at 300 degrees. when the timer goes off, turn the oven off and allow the cookies to stay in the closed oven for another 10-15 minutes.