Happy World Nutella Day! I guess if there was one food day, Nutella, is very deserving. But luckily, there’s not just one, but many, so many, that I have trouble keeping up. But today, we are indeed celebrating the oh-so-chocolatey hazelnut spread. In multiple forms in fact, cuz when it comes to Nutella that’s how we roll. We are a Nutella loving house, that’s for sure. From the hubs who grew up with it instead of peanut butter to the monkeys who are well-versed on all of the fabulous ways to enjoy this treat.
But, I have one Nutella confession. I absolutely am not a fan of it schmeared on bread the way many do, as if it were peanut butter or something. No indeed. No thank you. I am however, very fond of it in cakes, cookies, brownies, frosting and my all-time-fav way, in ice cream or gelato (hello 20lbs gained while living in Rome.) And today’s addition to the mix is no exception. These Nutella Meringue Cookies are so delicious. They’re light and crispy on the outside, slightly gooey in the center, and have so much Nutella goodness going on.
And guess what, since they’re made with only egg whites (and a little sugar, vanilla and sea salt) and the Nutella of course, they’re not that sinful. I like to think of these on the lighter side, somewhere in that less indulgent file, where angel food also lives. But as innocently light as they may be, they pack a delicious flavor punch and are rustically beautiful too. Don’t you think?
These are relatively easy to put together. We start with room temperature egg whites in a clean bowl of a stand mixer. (A handheld mixer with a large bowl can work too, it will just take a little longer.) Then you whip those egg white until foamy. Add the sugar in spoonfuls, followed by a little sea salt and vanilla. And once the meringue is beautifully glossy and stiff, and no longer grainy, it’s time to drizzle about half of the softened Nutella over the top, without mixing, and then get it on the cookie sheet.
I like to assemble these, without a piping back to get their rustic look. First, you’ll dollop ( a cookie scoop works great,) little mounds of the meringue about 2 inches apart on the parchment-lined trays. Then spoon a tiny amount of Nutella in the center of each mound. Then drizzle the remaining Nutella over the rest of the meringue in the bowl and scoop that meringue over the Nutella topped mounts. We’re creating a Nutella-stuffed meringue if you will. Then I use a small offset or pallet knife to gently get the meringues into somewhat unform-esque rounds. (If they’re too high, they’re not as easy to bite into, so use that as a reference when finishing the final shape.)
Then a generous sprinkling of sea salt goes on top and into the oven they go for about an hour. Once they are nice and dry on the bottoms, you’ll leave them in the closed, turned off, oven for about 30 minutes. Then once cool, they can be enjoyed for as long as it takes you and your family to polish them off.
These are so fun and delicious and a great way to celebrate Nutella Day. And if you have little ones, I guarantee they’ll enjoy getting in the kitchen and helping with the assembly, and then maybe getting to lick the Nutella spoons when they’re done. Of course this is always the highlight for my little ones when they’re allowed in the kitchen when we’re baking for fun.
Happy Nutella Friday. I hope you have a sweet sweet weekend.
Nutella Meringue Cookies
Ingredients
- 150 grams egg whites (about 4 egg whites)
- 1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar (superfine is preferable but any will work)
- 1/4 tsp sea or kosher salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (210g) nutella, softened to a drizzleable consistency)
Instructions
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Set oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 212F/ 100C degrees. Line one large baking sheet with parchment or a silpat. (Or two smaller cookie sheets.)
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Dampen a paper towel with a little apple cider or white vinegar and wipe the inside of the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl. Do the same to the whisk attachment(s.) (This ensures there's no grease or fat on the utensils.)
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Add the egg whites to the mixing bowl and begin to whip with the whisk attachment on medium-low speed until the egg whites are foamy.
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Gradually add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, waiting about 15 seconds between each addition.
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Once all of the sugar has been added, add the salt and vanilla and continue to beat about 5-10 minutes more until very stiff glossy peaks form. Be sure to check for graininess using your index finger and thumb to smoosh together a tiny bit of meringue. If you can still feel many sugar granules, keep mixing a bit longer. Then, when done, drizzle about half of the Nutella directly over the top of the meringue. Don't mix this in. (If needed pop the Nutella into the microwave for a few seconds so it's a consistency you can drizzle.)
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Then using a cookie scoop (my preferred way,) or a spoon, dollop about a ping-pong-sized drop of meringue onto the prepared sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Use up about 2/3rds of the meringue in this step.
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Then using a small spoon, place a small drop of Nutella onto the center of each cookie, then drizzle the rest of the Nutella over the other 1/3 of the meringue in the bowl. Using the same spoon you scooped the cookies with, add another (smaller) dollop of meringue over the little mounds of Nutella. (So, meringue, Nutella, meringue)
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Use a small offset spatula or butter knife to gently shape the meringues into rounds if desired and if they are too tall. You can use the pictures for reference. They are still very rustic, but not too tall they are difficult to bite into.) Top each meringue with a sprinkling of sea salt.
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Place the cookie tray(s) into the pre-heated oven and bake for about 55-60 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. The cookies are done when they are dry and can easily be pulled off paper. ( Make sure the bottoms are very very dry and not sticking) At this point, turn the oven off and leave the cookies in the closed oven for 30 minutes to dry completely.
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Store the baked meringues in an airtight container at room temperature, free from moisture.
