Sweet Dream Meringue Cookies

Here’s the magic trick: you don’t actually bake these cookies. You just let the oven do all the work while you sleep.

Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form, fold in vanilla, a whole cup of chopped pecans, and a full package of semi-sweet chocolate morsels.

Drop them onto foil-lined sheets, slide them into a hot oven, and immediately turn off the heat. Walk away. Go to bed. Do not open that oven door for at least eight hours.

What you wake up to: light-as-air meringues with a shatteringly crisp shell and pockets of melted chocolate and toasted pecan tucked inside.

Pro Tips

• Make sure your bowl and beaters are spotlessly clean and completely grease-free, or the egg whites won’t whip properly
• Add the sugar one tablespoon at a time. Rushing this step leads to grainy, weepy meringues
• A humid day is the enemy of meringue. Save this recipe for a dry day if you can
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay crisp for up to a week