Chocolate Chip and Pecan Meringues

I have yet to meet anyone who does not love these Chocolate Chip and Pecan Meringues. These toothsome treats have a crispy, light golden outer shell that gives way to a soft, slightly chewy centre, full of crunchy pecans and chocolate chips.

The recipe comes via my late mother in law, whose name, coincidentally, was Avril. She used to make these Chocolate Chip and Pecan Meringues as guests arrived at her home late Christmas morning. She served Christmas dinner at lunchtime, so these cookies were a great way to fill the hungry gap until then. However, while I do serve these treats on Christmas morning in memory of her, I must confess that in our house they are family favourites all year round.

Can I Double The Recipe?

While I often caution against doubling any baked recipe, I often double the recipe for Chocolate Chip and Pecan Meringues. It generally works very well. That said, while these treats will keep in an airtight container for at least a couple of days, they are best served on the day they are made. My advice would be that if you definitely feel they are all going to be eaten up, go ahead and double the recipe. I can promise you that most people will want more than one!

Is This Recipe Gluten Free?

Most chocolate chips are gluten free, although please do check your brand before use. Vanilla is generally considered to be gluten free, as grain alcohol distillation takes the gluten content below 20ppm. However, if you are extremely sensitive to gluten you should definitely use a gluten free vanilla extract made with corn, potato or sugar cane, and which is labelled as gluten free. If you use gluten free chocolate chips and gluten free vanilla, the recipe is gluten free.

Tips for Making Chocolate Chip and Pecan Meringues

Be sure that the egg whites are at the stiff peak stage, as in the photograph below, before you fold in the nuts and chocolate chips.

Be sure to gently fold in the nuts and chocolate chips. You don’t want to knock all the air out of the meringue.

You can, of course, swap out the type of nuts and chocolate chips you use. Speaking from experience, walnuts and dark chocolate chips work well as do macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips.

Don’t worry too much about the shape of the meringues. The irregular shape is part of their charm.

There are lots of different theories out there on the best way to cook meringues. In many years of experience, I would say that the best way to cook Chocolate Chip and Pecan Meringues is at a very low heat. Then turn the oven off and let them continue to dry out as the oven cools.

Remove the meringues from the oven and let them cool a bit more on the baking sheets. Once they are nearly at room temperature, you can carefully remove them from the baking sheets and cool completely on a wire rack. However, in our house they very often disappear before they have cooled completely!

How the meringue cooks wills definitely be affected by your oven, as well as the weather, particularly on damp days. Keep an eye on the meringues while they are baking and while they are resting in the oven so they don’t get too brown.

Chocolate Chip and Pecan Meringues will keep for two days in a sealed container if required, however they may go a little soft if the weather is damp. They are best served on the day they are made.

Created by: April J Harris

Chocolate Chip and Pecan Meringues

Course Dessert

Cuisine British

Servings 12

Chocolate Chip and Pecan Meringues are an irresistible treat with crisp exterior that gives way to a luscious, slightly chewy centre.

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 4 egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 cup white sugar
• a generous pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 2 cups pecan halves, do not chop

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 200°F (95°C).
• Line two baking sheets with greaseproof paper or other baking paper.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks are beginning to form.
• Gradually add the sugar, a bit at a time, and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Beat in the vanilla.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer, and using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the chocolate chips and the pecan halves.
• Using two tablespoons, gently drop tablespoons of batter on to the greaseproof paper.
• Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the outsides are no longer sticky and are beginning to turn golden brown.
• Turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside for 20 to 25 minutes. Be sure to watch them and be careful they do not get too brown.
• Remove the baking sheets from the oven and allow the meringues to cool a bit before gently peeling them off the greaseproof paper and cooling on a wire rack.
• When cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.

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Looking for more Christmas inspiration? Check out these Christmas Recipes and Ideas!