12 Days of Goodies - Day 2: Chewy Chocolate Meringues

I've been wanting to try meringue cookies for quite a while now, and I stumbled on this recipe over here, and decided to give it a go. I'm so happy I did - you only need 4 ingredients, and they're light and delicious! They have a light, chocolatey flavor, and they almost taste a little like toasted marshmallows. SO GOOD. Don't let the "meringue" part scare you - it's not hard. If you want to dress them up a little more, you could drizzle some melted chocolate over them once they've cooled, but I think they're cute as-is.

Chewy Chocolate Meringues
1/2 c. egg whites (3-4)
1 c. white sugar
2 1/2 Tbls. cocoa powder
2 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Set a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water (don't let the water touch the bowl), and whisk sugar and egg whites until the sugar is dissolved. You should be able to rub it between your fingers and not feel any graininess.
3. Transfer mixture to the bowl of your mixer and mix on high with whisk attachment until stiff and glossy - about 5 minutes.
4. Sprinkle cocoa and chocolate over, and gently fold in with a spatula.
5. Drop by tablespoon onto prepared sheet and bake for 16-18 minutes, turning once. Allow to cool and eat up. They're addictive, and it's easy to eat a lot of them because they're so light!

I love Christmas-time because it gives me an excuse to try new recipes, and bake up some that are tried and true. What are some of your favorite Christmas treats?