This vintage recipe for Forgotten Cookies is from a very old cookbook in my collection. They’re bite-sized sweet egg white meringues full of chocolate chips and pecans. Make them up in about 15 minutes, put them in the oven, and then “forget” them until the next morning!
The recipe is called Forgotten Cookies, but these little jewels are much more than a cookie. They’re tiny little meringues full of chocolate chips and pecans, each just bursting with flavor.
These little morsels have a delightfully crunchy exterior that instantly melts in your mouth, followed by that classic combination of chocolate and pecans. What a delight to serve for a light dessert or simply enjoy with a glass of wine or cup of coffee!
— This post was originally published on July 22, 2010. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: Oven
Total Time: 10 Hours, 15 Minutes (10 hours is inactive time)
Servings: 48
Primary Ingredient(s): Egg whites, sugar, vanilla, chocolate chips, pecans
Skill Level: Easy
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Absolutely the best I have ever made and my wife loved them, just as you said crunchy with chocolate chip and a nutty first bite and every bite after. I will recommend the recipe to all the cookie makers I know.”
— Richard
What You’ll Like About This Recipe
- It takes only 15 minutes of prep time.
- Uses basic ingredients.
- There are lots of variations (see below).
Ingredient Notes
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- Eggs – Have them at room temperature for best results.
- Sugar – You’ll need plain white granulated sugar. In the south, we like Domino Sugar.
- Vanilla Extract – Use a good quality vanilla extract. If you can get clear vanilla it’s great for keeping the meringues bright and white in this recipe.
- Mini Chocolate Chips – The smaller size (and weight) of the mini chocolate chips prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the cookies.
- Chopped Pecans – Adds a lovely nutty flavor to the cookies.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
You’ll also find this recipe in my cookbook!
You can see this recipe on page 285 of my cookbook, My Southern Table! Get your signed copy today.
How to Make Forgotten Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
- Place the egg whites and a pinch of salt in a medium mixing bowl. Beat at a medium-low speed until the egg whites are frothy.
- Increase the mixer speed to high and slowly add the sugar, beating until the egg whites form stiff peaks.
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- Add the vanilla extract, chocolate chips, and pecans. Gently fold the ingredients to avoid deflating the meringue.
Pro Tip
I use a clear vanilla extract so that the meringue will stay as white as possible, but you can use whatever you have on hand.
- Drop the meringue mixture by teaspoons, spacing about an inch apart, on foil-lined baking sheets.
- Place in the preheated oven and immediately turn the oven off.
- Leave the cookies in the oven for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. Do not open the oven door.
- The next morning, remove the baking sheet from the oven, and you’ll have 3-4 dozen beautiful little chocolate-pecan meringues to enjoy!
Recipe Variations to Try
It’s easy to mix and match the flavors and ingredients in this recipe. Here are some options:
- Chocolate Forgotten Cookies: Beat 2-3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder into the egg whites with the sugar.
- German Chocolate Forgotten Cookies: Make chocolate meringue as instructed above; fold in toasted coconut with the chocolate chips.
- Mint Chocolate Chip Egg White Cookies: Use 1/2 teaspoon of mint extract in place of the vanilla and add a drop or two of green food coloring.
- Turtle Meringue Cookies: Use the chocolate meringue base and fold in pecans, chocolate, and caramel chips.
- Strawberry Ice Cream Meringue Cookies: Use 1/2 teaspoon of strawberry extract, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of finely ground freeze-dried strawberries. You can grind them in the food processor or by hand using a mortar and pestle.
More Cookie Recipes You’ll Like
Questions About Forgotten Cookies
The sugar in a meringue will continually pull moisture from the environment. If your cookies are sticky, you probably simply didn’t bake them long enough. Be sure to leave them in the oven overnight with the oven door closed.
The meringues will sometimes become sticky when stored for a period of time. Try putting them in a 200-degree (F) oven for about 10 minutes. That should help to dry them out again.
Store in an airtight container with a sheet of waxed paper between each layer of cookies. Depending on how humid your environment is, they should keep well for up to two weeks.
You can freeze the finished cookies by layering them in a tightly sealed container with a sheet of waxed paper between each layer of cookies. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let the cookies come to room temperature before serving. Please note, however, that they may pick up moisture while in the freezer. If the cookies seem sticky when thawed, try placing them in a 200 degree (F) oven for about ten minutes to dry them out.
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
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Recipe
Forgotten Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 egg whites
- pinch salt
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 6 ounces mini chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place the egg whites and a pinch of salt in a medium mixing bowl. Beat at a medium low speed until the egg whites are frothy.2 egg whites, pinch salt
- Increase the mixer speed to high and slowly add the sugar, beating until the egg whites form stiff peaks.¾ cup sugar
- Add the vanilla extract, chocolate chips, and pecans. Gently fold the ingredients to avoid deflating the meringue.1 teaspoon vanilla, 6 ounces mini chocolate chips, 1 cup chopped pecans
- Drop the meringue mixture by teaspoons, spacing about an inch apart, on foil covered baking sheets.
- Place in the preheated oven and immediately turn the oven off.
- Leave the cookies in the oven for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. Do not open the oven door.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven.
Notes
- Store the cookies in an airtight container with a sheet of waxed paper between each layer of cookies. Depending on how humid your environment is, they should keep well for up to two weeks.
- You can freeze the finished cookies by layering them in a tightly sealed container with a sheet of waxed paper between each layer of cookies. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let the cookies come to room temperature before serving. Please note, however, that they may pick up moisture while in the freezer. If the cookies seem sticky when thawed, try placing them in a 200 degree (F) oven for about ten minutes to dry them out.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
I had 2 egg whites left from the last of my holiday baking as well as plenty of pecans, cocoa power, and 1/2 bags mini chocolate chips and coconut. My primary goal was to find an appealing way to use those 2 egg whites up without too much effort. I came across this recipe and made the German chocolate variation last night after dinner. Just took them out of the oven this morning and they are perfectly dry as meringue cookies should be and absolutely delicious! I lightly toasted 1 cup of finely chopped pecans and a 1/2 cup coconut, let them cool for 10 minutes, then added 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips and pinch of salt and mixed it all up. I folded that into the egg white/sugar/cocoa powder mixture along with the vanilla extract after the egg mixture was beaten stiff-peaked and glossy – beating at high speed with a handheld mixer, doing around 6 additions of the sugar/cocoa power mix took around 3 1/2 – 4 minutes). Highly recommend trying this variation if you have the ingredients on hand.
I love these cookies but when I tried to make them the batter was too liquidy… Why?
Well, it’s really hard to say what went wrong without actually being in the kitchen with you. But, more than likely, you didn’t beat the egg whites to stiff peaks.
Hi. Can this recipe be baked in a self cooling oven? Instructions state to preheat oven to 350; place cookies in oven; turn oven off and let stay in oven over night. My oven has an automatic cooling feature whenever turned off. Might this effect the outcome of the cookie if the oven cools too quickly? Thank you for your recipe and time; and have a great holiday!
If you can disable the auto-cooling feature, I would do so for this recipe. However, my oven’s fan continues to run after it’s switched off (I assume to cool the oven faster) and it doesn’t affect these cookies. I can’t say if yours might or might not make a difference.
Absolutely the best I have ever made and my wife loved them , just as you said crunchy with chocolate chip and a nutty first bite and every bite after . I will recommend the recipe to all the cookie makers I know Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much, Richard. Very glad to know you and your wife liked the recipe.