Forgotten Cookies

This morning, I continued my Christmas treat-making with saltine toffee, cranberry bark, and forgotten cookies.  A variety of what is known as meringues in fancier circles, forgotten cookies are easy and ambrosial.  Below is a quote regarding meringues from joyofbaking.com:

Meringue Cookies are airy, sweet and crisp that seem to almost melt in your mouth. I love how the outsides of the meringues are nice and crisp, yet the insides remain wonderfully soft and puffy, almost like mini-Pavlovas. While I often eat these just as they are, they also make a very nice plated dessert that you can top with whipped cream, ice cream, sorbet, and/or fresh fruit.

Or you can eat them as I do: cramming them into my mouth in large quantities while striving to maintain my natural ladylike manners. Ahem.

So called because they are left for several hours in a preheated -- and then turned OFF -- oven, forgotten cookies differ from meringues in that they include chocolate chips and sometimes chopped nuts. There are different versions of the same basic recipe: some recipes (like mine) include other flavorings, like vanilla, while others do not. Some add a touch of salt, and some use less sugar. I've even seen one recipe for forgotten cookies that adds shredded coconut. And I've wondered about using other flavorings besides vanilla, such as peppermint or almond.

I'd post a photo of mine, but they're in the oven right now, and if I open the door, they'll be ruined. So click here to see a lot of photos.

Forgotten Cookies
2 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips (I sometimes use mini chips)
1 cup chopped pecans, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry.  Add sugar gradually, beating after each addition.  Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix.  Drop by teaspoon onto parchment paper-covered cookie sheets.  Place in oven.  Turn oven OFF and let sit in oven overnight or for several hours.  Do not open oven door.  Makes about 3 dozen or so.  Store in airtight containers.

I use semi-sweet chocolate chips and omit the nuts, as my family does not love nuts in baked goods.  For a Christmas theme, you could tint the mixture red or green before baking, if you'd like.  And they make a great addition to a cookie platter since they are a perfect counterpoint to dough cookies.

Enjoy!