double - chocolate meringue kisses*

These little "kisses" are so stinkin cute! They look just like little hershey kisses, only they are a meringue cookie. I didn't think they would be so crispy, but they are pretty tasty and best of all - only 25 calories per cookie!! WHAT??? That's right, you can eat AT LEAST four guilt free :).

Double - Chocolate Meringue Kisses
adapted from Relish Magazine

Yield:  approx. 40 - 1" cookies

3 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
3 Tbsp. semisweet chocolate minichips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form.

Sift cocoa over egg white mixture.

Fold in.

Fold in minichips.

Fill a pastry bag (I did mine without a tip so that it could make the "kiss" effect. You could also use a ziploc bag and just cut off one of the corners about 1/2 inch wide) with the meringue batter. Gently squeeze the meringue until it forms a little ball on the parchment paper and let gently lift up.

Bake 40 minutes (yeah, I thought it was a long time too) or until crisp.

Cool on pan or a wire rack. Repeat procedure with remaining batter, reusing parchment paper. I dusted mine with cocoa powder, but they would be fine just plain, or maybe some powdered sugar! Mmmmmm. Store in an airtight container.

And eat up. Again, 25 calories per kiss people!!

-alyssa*