This Mexican Hot Chocolate Meringue cookies recipe makes a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth dessert that is sweetly satisfying with a surprise savory and spicy kick baked inside.
Using whipped egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar combined with a Mexican chocolate cinnamon spice mixture, these meringue cookies are so easy to make because the electric mixer does most of the work!
About Hot Chocolate Meringues
Our easy Mexican Hot Chocolate Meringue mixture can be prepared in 20 minutes by beating a handful of simple ingredients and spices together until stiff peaks form, then piping and baking it into beautiful bite-sized confections.
These light-as-air, sweet treats have a crisp outer shell, soft and somewhat chewy interior, and taste like a cup of Mexican hot cocoa in the form of a cookie.
If the thought of making homemade meringues seems scary – just follow my top tip to make sure the egg whites are beaten until shiny and stiff. Then use my tips, tricks, and pictures and I’ll help you produce the perfect crunchy meringue.
And just like a hot cup of cocoa, you can top your treats with some mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, or a drizzle of melted chocolate.
Why We Love This Hot Chocolate Meringues Recipe
- Quick and easy to make.
- Uses simple sweet and spicy ingredients.
- Meringue cookie recipes are naturally allergy-friendly, low calorie, fat free, and gluten-free, so you can go ahead and indulge without the guilt!
- Light enough to leave room in your tummy for the other tempting treats on your dessert table.
- Perfect for a holiday party, cookie platter, or serving for snacks.
Ingredients
- Egg whites
- Cream of tartar
- Salt
- Sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Ground cinnamon
- Chili powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Nutmeg
- Vanilla extract
- Chocolate chips
- Miniature marshmallows (for garnish)
Substitutions and Additions
- Use Other Extracts: You can replace the vanilla extract with other flavors that compliment the cocoa, such as mint, coconut, and almond.
- Make More Meringues: If you love meringues as much as I do, check out my other cookie recipes, like my Classic Meringue Cookies, Meringue Kisses, and Lemon Meringue Cookies.
- Make Holiday Meringues: My Meringue Wreath Cookies and Meringue Ghosts are deliciously dressed for Christmas and Halloween!
Recommended Tools
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Piping bag with large star tip
- Baking sheets
- Silicon mat
See Full Recipe Card Below
Jump to RecipeHow to Make Mexican Hot Chocolate Meringues
- Make The Cocoa Mixture: Mix together the cocoa powder, cinnamon, chili powder, cayenne and nutmeg.
- Beat: Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt on low speed. When eggs start to look frothy, increase speed to medium high, and beat until it increases in volume and looks glossy. Add sugar and continue beating until mixture holds its shape.
Pro Tip: Total time is about 10 minutes, but may vary based on humidity and mixer speed. If it feels gritty, mix for another 2-3 minutes. You want the mixture to be extra stiff to help hold the weight of the cocoa powder. - Prepare The Piping Bag: Fold in vanilla and cocoa powder mixture and add the mixture to the piping bag.
- Pipe: Pipe meringues onto a baking sheet.
Pro Tip: If the cookie is level on top and not peaked, it is easier to garnish. - Bake: Bake at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn off heat and leave cookies to cool in the oven for an additional hour.
- Melt: Microwave the chocolate chips for 30 seconds, stir, and continue in 20-30 second increments until the chocolate is smooth and able to be drizzled.
Pro Tip: If you have small clumps remaining, try stirring before heating more to avoid overheating chocolate. Add 1 teaspoon of coconut oil to the chocolate to help thin it out. - Decorate: Dip the bottom surface of the mini marshmallows and/or chocolate chips in melted chocolate and add to cookies. Drizzle with remaining chocolate.
- Serve: Allow chocolate to set. Serve and enjoy!
How To Pipe Meringues
Using a piping bag with a large star tip or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off, pipe 1 ½-inch wide cookies, spacing 1 inch apart. Pipe the cookies by holding the piping bag vertically, ½ inch above the parchment paper.
Gently squeeze the bag, while holding it in the same place, until the cookie is 1 ½-inches wide. Then release pressure and pull straight upwards.
Tips to Make the Perfect Meringue Cookies
- Use a glass or metal bowl so you know there is no oil or water clinging to the sides of a plastic bowl.
- Separate the eggs over an empty bowl. In case a yolk breaks, you aren’t contaminating all your egg whites. Make sure the egg whites are free from any bits of the yolk, no matter how small.
- Eggs whites whip best at room temperature. Separate the eggs while they are still cold, then let them sit for 30 minutes or until room temperature.
- It is best to bake these when the humidity is low. If you live in a region where you get a lot of humidity, mix 2 teaspoons of cornstarch into the sugar before adding it to the mixture. You may need to bake longer to get the same crispy meringue.
- If you find that the meringue isn’t holding its shape well after you mix in the cocoa powder, try adding about a cup of the meringue into the cocoa powder first, and then folding the cocoa mixture back into the rest of the egg whites.
- A gallon zip-top bag can work for a piping bag in a pinch. Fill the bag and seal, then cut the tip of one of the lower corners of the bag to create your own piping bag. You can also spoon the mixture onto the cooking sheet for a more rustic look.
- Don’t discard your yolks! You can find a recipe that uses your egg yolks, such as custard, hollandaise sauce or our homemade Lemon Curd. Make a double batch of lemon curd and use some as a spread and some to make Lemon Lava Cakes.
How to Store Meringues
- To Store: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
- To Freeze: Store in a freezer-safe container or bag in the freezer for up to two months.
Other Easy Hot Chocolate Desserts
- Grinch Hot Chocolate Bombs
- Peanut Butter Cup Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups
- Unicorn Hot Chocolate
- Hot Chocolate Muddy Buddies
- Hot Chocolate on a Stick
Mexican Hot Chocolate Meringue Cookies
Serves — 48
Mexican Hot Chocolate Meringues are bite-sized treats that taste like a sweet cup of cocoa with a spicy kick!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites room temperature
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or less if you need less spice
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips plus a few extra for garnish
- 1½ cup miniature marshmallows for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
- Mix cocoa powder, cinnamon, chili powder, cayenne and nutmeg in a bowl. Set aside.
- Prepare a piping bag with tip and set in a tall glass.
- In a clean metal or glass bowl, add egg whites, cream of tartar and salt start mixer on low speed. When eggs start to look frothy, increase speed to medium high.
- Beat 4-5 minutes until it increases in volume and starts to look glossy.
- With mixer running, gradually add sugar and continue beating until mixture holds its shape. Total time is about 10 minutes, but may vary based on humidity and mixer speed.
- Rub a small bit of the mixture between your fingers to feel for any grittiness or unincorporated sugar. If it feels gritty, mix for another 2-3 minutes. You want the mixture to be extra stiff to help hold the weight of the cocoa powder.
- Fold in vanilla and cocoa powder mixture, scraping sides of bowl to incorporate all ingredients
- Add mixture to the prepared piping bag.
- Pipe mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, (If the cookie is level on top and not peaked, it is easier to garnish)
- Move cookie sheets to a preheated oven and reduce temperature to 200 degrees.
- Bake 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn off heat and leave cookies to cool in the oven an additional hour.
- Melt ½ cup chocolate chips in a glass, microwaveable dish. Start with 30 seconds and stir, microwaving at 20-30 second increments until chocolate is smooth and able to be drizzled. If you have small clumps remaining, try stirring before returning to the microwave to avoid overheating chocolate. Pro tip: add 1 teaspoon of coconut oil to chocolate to help thin out the chocolate.
- Dip just the bottom surface of the miniature marshmallows or chocolate chips in melted chocolate and add to cookies. Drizzle with remaining chocolate.
- Allow chocolate to set.
Jenn’s Notes
Storage:
- To Store: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
- To Freeze: Store in a freezer-safe container or bag in the freezer for up to two months.
- Use a glass or metal bowl so you know there is no oil or water clinging to the sides of a plastic bowl.
- Separate the eggs over an empty bowl. In case a yolk breaks, you aren’t contaminating all your egg whites. Make sure the egg whites are free from any bits of the yolk, no matter how small.
- Eggs whites whip best at room temperature. Separate the eggs while they are still cold, then let them sit for 30 minutes or until room temperature.
- It is best to bake these when the humidity is low. If you live in a region where you get a lot of humidity, mix 2 teaspoons of cornstarch into the sugar before adding it to the mixture. You may need to bake longer to get the same crispy meringue.
- If you find that the meringue isn’t holding its shape well after you mix in the cocoa powder, try adding about a cup of meringue into the cocoa powder first, and then folding the cocoa mixture back into the rest of the egg whites.
- A gallon zip top bag can work for a piping bag in a pinch. Fill the bag and seal, then cut the tip of one of the lower corners of the bag to create your own piping bag. You can also spoon the mixture onto the cooking sheet for a more rustic look.
- Don’t discard your yolks! You can find a recipe that uses your egg yolks, such as custard, hollandaise sauce or our homemade Lemon Curd. Make a double batch of lemon curd and use some as a spread and some to make Lemon Lava Cakes.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 33kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.004g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Cholesterol: 0.3mg | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 15mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.1mg
