Chocolate-Toffee Meringue Cookies
Date Completed: 4/21/2025
Book: My Vermont Table by Gesine Bullock-Prado
Chapter: Winter
Overall Score: 9/12
Recommended? I’ve seen a lot of recipes touted as “brownie” cookies, but none of them quite capture that quintessential crackly brownie crust the way these do. These cookies literally shine! Don’t worry about the fact that they’re from the Winter chapter. Make them in any (every!) season. When your heart can’t decide whether you want a cookie or a brownie, get the best of both worlds by making these.
Process Report:
Process Score: 2 - Quite Involved
These cookies require cooking egg whites and sugar over a double boiler to a certain temperature, so they must earn at least the “Quite Involved” score. It’s all worth it, though!
I melted finely chopped 60% chocolate over the double boiler, then stirred in butter and cocoa powder in sequence. In the stand mixer bowl, I added egg whites, light brown sugar, vanilla, salt, and cream of tartar. That gets whisked over the double boiler until it reaches 150 degrees.
Then you use the whisk attachment on the stand mixer to whip it up to medium peaks. I may have inadvertently taken mine to firm peaks. Oh well!
You fold the meringue mixture into the chocolate mixture in three stages. Then fold in the toffee pieces.
The cookie “dough” is definitely on the looser side, but it doesn’t spread much in the oven! And it doesn’t require any chill time. These can be scooped straight onto the pan and baked.
Taste Report:
Taste Score: 3 - Special
I love these cookies! See my comments above about their brownie-like nature. They are fudgy and chewy, but the crust holds all that textural goodness inside an easy-to-hold package that won’t crumble in your hand. Fabulous!
Plus! The toffee bits. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup, but I might double that next time. They add a little extra crunch and flavor, pushing these to a well-deserved Special status.
Mess Report:
Mess Score: 2 - Moderate
Ha - yikes! To be fair, I made these on a Monday night when the kitchen was already in a crazy, post-dinner state. I felt like I made a really big mess. I didn’t even bother to close all my drawers before snapping this mess photo. Honestly, though, that’s the kind of day it was. The reward of these cookies was well worth the stress of the mess!
Leftover Report:
Leftover Score: 2 - Flexible
My only complaint about this recipe: it only makes two dozen cookies. I’m certain we’ll eat them all well before any risk of staleness sets in, but I feel confident they would stay fresh if we gave them a chance.