Honey Meringue Cookies with Walnuts and Chocolate

I love meringue! Unfortunately, traditional meringue contains a lot of sugar, so I usually avoid it. But I still wanted meringue. So, I decided to experiment with a little honey and cornstarch instead. For extra crunch and flavor, I added dark chocolate and roasted walnut pieces. My thinking was simple: if it didn’t work, I…

I love meringue! Unfortunately, traditional meringue contains a lot of sugar, so I usually avoid it. But I still wanted meringue. So, I decided to experiment with a little honey and cornstarch instead.

For extra crunch and flavor, I added dark chocolate and roasted walnut pieces. My thinking was simple: if it didn’t work, I would try again with a different natural sweetener.

To my surprise, they turned out light, airy, and crisp all the way through. The honey added a subtle caramel note, while the roasted walnuts and dark chocolate provided pockets of richness and texture. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Ingredients

5 egg whites
2 tbsp honey
10 g cornstarch
Pinch of salt
100 g walnuts, roasted and chopped
60 g dark chocolate, chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200°F (95°C).
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer), combine the egg whites, cornstarch, and salt. Beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes.
Add 1 tablespoon of honey and beat for another 2 minutes.
Add the remaining tablespoon of honey and continue beating for another 2 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. If the meringue is not yet holding stiff peaks, continue beating until it does.
Gently fold in the chopped walnuts and dark chocolate just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
Working with a sense of urgency, spoon the meringue onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. The shape does not need to be perfect, but the sooner the cookies are portioned and placed into the oven, the better they will hold their airy structure.
This batch made 18 cookies.
Bake for 2 hours.
Turn off the oven and leave the cookies inside until completely cool. For the crispiest texture, leave them in the cooling oven overnight. The extended drying time removes any remaining moisture and creates a delicate crunch all the way through.