Chocolate Meringue Cookies

Gluten-free does not have to mean flavor-free, nor does it mean giving up treats at the holiday.  As I experiment with a few gluten-free treats over the next couple days, I'm going to share the successes (I really hope this isn't the only one!) on here so others can enjoy the benefits of my last minute baking frenzy.

I was a little skeptical of this recipe going in since all my prior experience with meringue has been lemon-meringue pie and I wasn't really sure how that would translate to chocolate, or how it would translate to cookie, but it works.  My son commented that they taste a lot like astronaut ice cream, but more moist, and I agree.  I will be very surprised if these actually make to the church service tomorrow evening that I made them for!

Chocolate Meringue Cookies

6 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup white sugar
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Beat together egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla until soft peaks form.  Slowly add sugar and beat until mixture becomes glossy and stiff peaks form.  Beat in cocoa powder and fold in chocolate chips.  Drop by teaspoonfuls on lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake 30 minutes.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.