Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies (a.k.a Cloud Cookies)

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What do you get when you combine semi-sweet chocolate chips with light and fluffy cloud-like meringue? This scrumptious chocolate chip meringue cookies recipe.

Side view of chocolate chip meringue cookies

No matter how much I love cooking, there is always a special thrill when I make something that I know one of my kids or auntlings are going to get excited about. That’s why I love these gluten-free chocolate chip cloud cookies so much. They got their name from my nephew, Austin, over 15 years ago. I’ve always been a fan of meringue cookies and I whipped up a batch when Austin was over at my house and decided to stir some chocolate chips into them before baking. Austin waited patiently while they cooked, then took one bite and declared them just like clouds… with the added bonus of chocolate chips!

So if you want to be the cool aunt/mama/grandmama/daddy/uncle who knows how to bake chocolate chips into clouds… I got ya covered today! I know some people are scared of meringue but follow my tips below and you’ll be okay. Seriously, I promise it seems scarier than it is! Plus, the reward is so worth it. These chocolate chip meringue cookies are crisp on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside. They’re light, fluffy, sweet as sugar, and destined to just melt in your mouth.

You only need five ingredients for these cloud cookies: chocolate chips, eggs, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt. We just need to make the meringue, fold in the chocolate chips, and bake for about 20 minutes. Add some sprinkles on top and you have yourself a delicious batch of chocolate chip meringue cookies. Are you ready to give them a go?

ingredients for chocolate chip meringue cookies

Recipe Ingredients

  • Chocolate chips
  • Eggs
  • Sugar
  • Cream of tartar
  • Salt
  • Sprinkles if you’d like to add a little sparkle to your clouds... I mean cookies.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies

place cream of tartar, salt, and egg whites in mixing bowl.

Crack your eggs and separate the whites from the yolk.

Add a pinch of cream of tartar and your salt to the egg whites in a medium bowl.

There are all sorts of gadgets that do this but I just use my hands. Usually, I crack the egg and just gently tilt it until the white pours off, saving the yolk in the shell. You can also pour the entire egg into your hand and spread your fingers slightly to allow just the white to slide through while the yolk remains.

Whichever way you go, make sure you don’t get any of the yolk (the dark orange part) in this because our meringue won’t fluff up if we have yolk in it.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.

Okay, so what this means is that you need to beat them on high with an electric mixer for a few minutes. They will start out getting frothy and then begin to get foamy, and eventually turn white like this. As you keep on beating, they will start to hold their shape a bit, meaning you’ll see ripples remain in them where the beater has been.

Stop your mixer and pull your beaters up. Where your beaters came out of the egg whites a point will come up.  If that droops back down again (kinda like the top of a dairy queen ice cream cone), you have soft peaks.

Add sugar and beat well.

Add in your sugar and beat some more, unit the sugar is well incorporated.

Stiff meringue peaks.

It will get thick and glossy like divinity.

Oh my, I need to do a post on how to make divinity, don’t I? Oooh Mama has a great recipe for it…

stir in chocolate chips.

Stir in chocolate chips.

cookie dough on baking sheet

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and then place spoonfuls onto the greased baking sheet.

I do about a well-rounded teaspoon…or whatever size I’m in the mood for!

Add sprinkles if desired then bake at 200 for 20 to 25 minutes until the meringue is dry and crisp.

plate of chocolate chip meringue cookies

Cool the cookies on a baking sheet for two minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.

It’s important to let them cool for at least an hour so they harden.

Store them in an airtight container or just hand them to the kids in your life and watch them disappear!

Side view of chocolate chip meringue cookies.

Enjoy this super easy cookie! 

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature (in a cool, dry place) for up to 1 week. Don’t store them in the fridge as this will add moisture to them, which we definitely don’t want!

Recipe Notes

  • For extra flavor, add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract or peppermint extract before you fold in the chocolate chips.
  • You can use any kind of chocolate chips. I’m personally using semi-sweet chocolate chips (a.k.a dark chocolate chips), but if you prefer, opt for milk chocolate chips or white chocolate chips. Another idea is to use a combination.
  • Make sure the mixing bowl and beaters are sparkling clean, as this helps make perfect meringue.
  • It’s also beneficial to use room-temperature egg whites. Just set them out on the counter 30 minutes or so before you begin baking.
  • For double chocolate chip cookies, add 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder when you add the chocolate chips.
  • For prettier cookies, use a piping bag to pipe them onto the cookie sheet instead.

Recipe FAQs

What else can you mix into this meringue cookie recipe?

You can substitute the chocolate chips for chopped nuts, such as chopped walnuts, almonds, or pistachios, and dried fruit. You can also mix in a drop of food coloring for different colored meringue cookies.

Do I need to use cream of tartar?

I strongly recommend not skipping the cream of tartar, as it’s what stabilizes the egg whites, which is how we make smooth meringue cookies.

Check out these other tasty chocolate chip cookie recipes:

Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Grandma Jenny’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

White Chocolate Chip “Big” Cookie

Chocolate Chip Potato Chip Cookies

Side view of Chocolate Chip Cloud cookies

Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies

What do you get when you combine semi-sweet chocolate chips with light and fluffy cloud-like meringue? Chocolate chip meringue cookies.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate, cookies, meringue
Servings: 4
Calories: 54kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 pinch cream of tartar
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1-2 cups chocolate chips
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • colored sugar sprinkles optional

Instructions

  • In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt until soft peaks form.
    2 egg whites, 1 pinch cream of tartar, 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
    3/4 cup sugar
  • Gently fold in chocolate chips.
    1-2 cups chocolate chips
  • Drop level tablespoonsful onto greased baking sheets. Sprinkle lightly with sugar, if desired.
    colored sugar sprinkles
  • Bake at 300 for 20-25 minutes or until meringues are dry and crisp.
  • Cool on baking sheets for two minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
  • Store in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Calories: 54kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!

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134 Comments

  1. Hum…I have to agree with Mama Owl. 24 oz of chips does seem like a lot of chips for 2 egg whites. I know the egg whites fluff up a LOT, but still…. seems like a lot. It’s not a misprint??

      1. I thought it was a misprint too, but I made them today with the 2 bags, and to my surprise they turned out perfect. Thanks so much for a yummy goody.

  2. I’m thinking of making these with white sanding sugar on top and white chocolate chips…thanks for the recipe. By the way, I forgot to include your corn pudding recipe in my Thanksgiving dinner and my daughter said it would have made the dinner perfect…there’s always next year. Have a safe and happy Christmas.

  3. My mom has made these forever…we call them Nighty Nights because they would be the last batch of cookies she would make in the evening, we would put them in the oven turn it off and go to bed.

  4. 24 oz of choc chips??? 2 bags???? Really? That seems like an awful lot for such a small amount of meringue and number of cookies? Am I missing something?????

    Thanks for the heads up, mary, I would have tried them with Splenda!

    1. Not missing anything, you’re right on target (and a good reader!).
      You are welcome to use less of course, but I use 24 ounces 🙂

      (my daughter is a first grader. As a result I feel compelled to compliment reading on a near constant basis)

  5. Will definitely try these, they sound scrumptuous. It is just since I have been introduced to your site by a girlfriend that I have eventually attenpted to make cookies. Every recipe I tried so far I have succeeded. Thank you so much.

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