PEANUT AND COCOA MERINGUE COOKIES

MAKES ABOUT 30 COOKIES

I really love my recipe for Cocoa Meringue Chocolate Chip Cookies because they are healthier than regular chocolate chip cookies and very good. So, I decided to go one step further and eliminate the fat and sugar in the chocolate chips. I used peanuts instead of walnuts, and chopped them very fine so they would distribute throughout the cookie. Boy, are they good. If you are on a low-carb or diabetic diet, use a sugar substitute that works in baking, such as Splenda. I have done that, and it works very well but, I think it is a little sweeter, so I would cut down on the amount by a couple tablespoons.

INGREDIENTS

4 large egg whites, room temperature

1/8 teaspoon cream of tarter

Pinch salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2/3 to 3/4 cup sugar (Iprefer the lesser amount)

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup dry roasted, unsalted peanuts, very finely chopped (see note below)

Preheat oven to 300° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Beat the egg whites on medium-low speed until frothy, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to high and add the cream of tarter and salt. Whip until stiff peaks form. (Don't overbeat or whites will become dry.) Reduce speed to medium. Add the vanilla and sugar, about 3 tablespoons at a time, beating a little between additions. Continue to beat until whites are glossy, about 2 minutes. Using a spatula, gently fold in the cocoa until well incorporated, then the peanuts. Drop batter by tablespoons, about 1-inch apart, onto the cookie sheets. (Cookies will not spread while baking.) Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until firm. Remove from oven and cool slightly, until the cookies can be easily peeled off of the paper. Place on cooling racks and cool completely. Store in an air-tight container for several days to 1 week. (As with many cookies, the flavor is better the day after baking, but they may be served immediately after cooling.)

Note: To enhance the flavor, toast the peanuts on a small baking sheet in a 350° oven until golden, about 5 minutes. To make it easy, chop them in a processor, being careful to stop before they start turning into peanut butter.

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