23. Lemon Meringue Drops

Lemon Meringue Drops from Bake Chocolate Cake - Countdown to Christmas
When I was making Lemon Curd recently I had extra egg whites so I decided to experiment with a lemon cookie. I wanted something that had an intense fresh lemon flavor.

The result is this cookie recipe!  The outside is a delicate meringue that melts into a chewy, intense lemon taffy.


Lemon Meringue Drops

3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
pinch of salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice*

In a small bowl combine sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice.  Mix well and then set aside.

In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks.  Add the cream of tartar and salt and continue to beat until it forms stiff peaks.

This is the tricky part!  Carefully fold in the sugar mixture.   If it is over-mixed the batter will become runny.

Carefully spoon the meringue into a large pastry bag or a small plastic bag.  Squeeze small dots (about 1-inch) onto a parchment lined baking sheet leaving at least 2 inches between the cookies.  This recipe will make about 60 bite-size cookies.

Bake in a 200 degree oven for 1 hour and thirty minutes.  Turn off the oven and leave the cookies in the oven to cool for another hour.

The cookies will flatten and spread and become like thin wafers.

*If you want a thicker cookie with just a hint of lemon, then leave out the lemon juice.

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for several days.