In my family, baking Christmas cookies together is somewhat of a religion. Almost every day in December, we gather in the kitchen and crack open our old-fashioned recipe box brimming with worn, yellowed pages.
Over the years, our Christmas repertoire has expanded to include all manner of confections, including bite-sized shoo-fly pies, ribbon cookies, classic sugar cookies, and the ever-popular Italian pizelles.
Oftentimes, we will make more than twenty types of cookies in a month, distributing trays to our family and closest friends.
"Mini Meringues with Chocolate Chips," a recipe passed down from my great-grandmother, is one of our family favorites, as well as one of the easiest to make.
"Mini Meringues with Chocolate Chips:"
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place wax paper over a metal cookie sheet.
2. Beat two egg whites with a mixer, gradually increasing the speed, until they form stiff peaks.
3. Slowly add 3/4 cup of white cane sugar and mix again. This process should yield the same stiff peaks.
4. Add in six ounces of chocolate bits, distributing them evenly throughout the mix.
5. Spoon the batter into balls on the tray. Each ball should be roughly the same size. Insert the tray into the oven, then immediately turn it off; The residual heat will cook the meringues! Leave the cookies in the oven for six hours.
6. There you have it: light, fluffy, meringues. These cookies are best enjoyed with a mug of ice cream, a generous serving of hot fudge sauce, and a few loved ones!