Chocolate Sugarplums

Chocolate sugarplums are the cookie equivalent of a magic trick. Stiffly beaten egg whites get folded with chocolate chips, dropped onto a sheet pan, and slid into a 350F (175C) oven. Then you turn the oven off, walk away, and forget them overnight. By morning, the residual heat has slowly dried the meringue into crisp, airy clouds with bittersweet chocolate chips trapped inside.

This hands-off, no-bake-bake method is exactly why these are sometimes called forgotten cookies. There’s no risk of burning because the oven is off. The slow, gentle heat dehydrates the meringue without browning, leaving cookies that are pure white inside with melted-then-resolidified chocolate chips throughout.

The dash of baking powder is the secret structural insurance. It gives the meringues a little extra lift in the first few minutes before the oven cools, helping them hold their shape rather than spreading flat.

Pro Tips

• Beat the egg whites to firm, glossy peaks. Soft peaks won’t hold the chocolate chips, and the cookies will collapse during the long oven rest.
• Use room-temperature egg whites. They whip to greater volume than cold whites, and that air is the entire structure of the cookie.
• Make sure your bowl and beaters are completely clean and dry. Even a trace of fat or yolk prevents whites from whipping.
• Don’t open the oven door once you turn off the heat. Letting heat escape interrupts the slow drying and leaves the centers gummy.

Variations

• Add a quarter cup of chopped toasted pecans along with the chocolate chips for crunch.
• Use mini chocolate chips for more even distribution and a finer texture.
• Substitute peppermint extract for vanilla and add crushed candy canes for a holiday peppermint version.