Chocolate Dipped Meringues

These delicate meringue cookies are crisp, airy, and melt-in-your-mouth, with their bottoms dipped in bittersweet chocolate for a beautiful contrast of flavor and texture.

Why I’ll Love This Recipe

I adore making meringues because they’re deceptively elegant yet quite simple to pull off when you follow the steps carefully. The crisp whiteness, the snap of the shell, and then that rich chocolate-dipped base make them feel fancy without being fussy. Also, I love that I can serve them on their own, use them to garnish cakes or hot chocolate, or package them as little gifts.

Ingredients

(Here’s a tip: Check out the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)

• Lemon juice

• 2 cups granulated sugar

• 1 cup egg whites (from about 6 or 7 large eggs)

• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

• 8 oz (about 225 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, melted

Directions

1. Adjust the oven racks so one is in the upper-middle and one in the lower-middle position. Preheat the oven to 200 °F (95 °C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Wipe down your mixer bowl, whisk attachment, and spatula with a few drops of lemon juice to remove any trace of fat (which can interfere with whipping).

3. Bring about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan.

4. In the mixer bowl, gently stir together sugar, egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar. Place the bowl over the saucepan (as a makeshift double boiler), making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture reaches 160 °F (70 °C) (about 4–5 minutes). Be sure to scrape the sides so no sugar crystals remain.

5. Remove the bowl from heat and attach it to your stand mixer with the whisk. Start whisking at low speed briefly, then increase to medium-high and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form (8–10 minutes). Add vanilla and mix on medium-low until combined.

6. Working swiftly, transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a ½ in (12 mm) tip. Pipe 1½‑inch (4 cm) mounds on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart (5 × 5 on each sheet).

7. Bake for 1 hour. After 1 hour, turn off the oven and let the meringues sit inside for another hour to slowly dry out. Then transfer the sheets to a wire rack to cool completely.

8. Once cooled, dip the bottom of each meringue into the melted chocolate. Return them to parchment-lined sheets and allow the chocolate to set.

9. Store the meringues in an airtight container at room temperature.

Servings and timing

• Servings: about 50 cookies The Vanilla Bean Blog

• Prep time (including heating sugar): ~10 minutes

• Whipping and piping time: ~10 minutes

• Bake + drying time: 2 hours (1 hour bake + 1 hour drying in turned-off oven)

• Cooling & chocolate-dip time: ~15–20 minutes (plus setting time)

Variations

• Use white chocolate or milk chocolate instead of semisweet.

• Add flavor extracts (e.g. almond, orange, peppermint) to the meringue before whipping.

• Pipe different shapes (stars, swirls) instead of mounds.

• Sprinkle crushed nuts, sea salt, or colored sugar on the chocolate before it sets for garnish.

• Try combining a touch of cocoa powder into the meringue (though this may affect color) for a chocolate‑tinged shell.

Storage / Reheating

• Storage: Once the meringues are completely dry and the chocolate is set, I store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay crisp for up to one week. The Vanilla Bean Blog

• Reheating / refresh: Meringues are best eaten as is — reheating can risk softening. If they lose some crispness, a brief stint in a cool (turned-off) oven with the door slightly ajar can help dry them again.

FAQs

How do I know when the sugar is fully dissolved?

I test by rubbing a bit of the egg-white-sugar mixture between my fingers — if it feels gritty, I continue heating and stirring until it’s smooth.

Can I use an electric hand mixer instead of a stand mixer?

Yes, though it may take longer to reach stiff peaks. Just be patient, and ensure your bowl and beaters are completely clean and free of fat.

Why did my meringues crack or collapse?

Rapid temperature changes can cause cracks. That’s why I keep them in the turned-off oven to cool gradually. Also, any trace of grease or fat in the bowl or on utensils can prevent proper whipping.

Can I make the chocolate-dipped part ahead of time?

I prefer to dip them right before serving to keep the chocolate crisp and beautiful. If dipped early, store them carefully so moisture doesn’t cause the chocolate to bloom or soften.

What can I do with leftover egg yolks?

I love turning leftover yolks into custards, lemon curd, or pastry cream. They’re too good to waste!

Conclusion

I hope this article helps you make show-stopping, crisp, chocolate-dipped meringues with confidence. They look elegant, taste delightful, and are surprisingly straightforward when broken down step by step. When I make them, the combination of delicate vanilla-sweet shell and rich chocolate base always feels worth the effort. Let me know how your batch turns out!