Gluten Free Nutella Meringue Cookies are the perfect way to use up any leftover egg whites you may have. Those cookies are light, airy and naturally gluten free. The edges will be crisp but due to the Nutella their center will be chocolatey and gooey. And the addition of candied cocoa nibs provides a little extra crunch.
If you have some leftover caramel sauce, make sure to check out my Gluten Free Salted Caramel Meringues.
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Recipe Ingredient Notes
Egg Whites: I like to use leftover egg whites for this recipe. I am not fond of storebought egg whites since they do not whip the same way. Some people say the egg whites need to be fresh but to be honest, I have used egg whites that have been in my fridge for 6-7 days and still achieved those beautiful light and airy meringues. Make sure the egg whites are at room temperature before whipping them.
Sugar: If you can or have access to, use superfine sugar to make meringues. I like to pulse regular granulated sugar in my blender for a few seconds to make it finer. DO NOT use powdered sugar.
Cream of Tartar: Cream of tartar is used to stabilize egg whites and helps provide characteristic high peaks. If you do not have cream of tartar, try substituting it with ½ teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar.
Cocoa Nibs: I use Valrhona Cocoa Nibs in my recipes but they can be expensive and sometimes hard to find. Another brand I like to use is Anthony's Cocoa Nibs. They are USDA Organic and certified gluten free.
Hazelnut Spread: There are many chocolate-hazelnut spreads available these days. Personally, I use Nutella, it's what I grew up eating.
How to make Gluten Free Nutella Meringues Cookies
The most important part to make meringue is to make sure the bowl of your stand mixer and your whisk are clean. Fat and moisture in your bowl can ruin your meringues. I like to wipe out my mixing bowls with vinegar to ensure they are 100% fat free. Be careful when separating the eggs - don't get any egg yolks in your egg whites.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 225°F. Line two sheet trays with parchment paper and set them aside. Arrange your baking racks in your oven in the middle. For this recipe for Gluten Free Nutella Meringue Cookies, we are baking both trays at the same time.
Step 2: In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt on high speed until light and foamy. Gradually add sugar, about 1-2 tablespoon at a time. Allow the mixture to mix for 20-30 seconds before adding more sugar. If you rush this part, your meringue most likely will end up being gritty.
Step 3: Beat your egg whites until they are shiny and have increased in volume. This will take anywhere between 5-7 minutes. It should have stiff peaks and the sugar should be completely disolved. You can test this by rubbing some of the mixtures between your fingers. If it still feels gritty, allow for the mixture to mix longer. When your meringue is ready, turn off the mixer, and with a flexible spatula fold in the candied cocoa nibs.
Step 4: Use a large cookie scoop or two large spoons and divide the meringue mixture between the trays. You should have 8 – 10 meringues depending on how large you scoop them.
Step 5: In a small bowl, warm your Nutella in the microwave for 30-45 seconds until slightly melted.
Step 6: If your meringue looks like clouds, use the back of a wet spoon to flatten them out a bit. Top each meringue with a tablespoon of Nutella and swirl the mixture using a toothpick or a butter knife. Sprinkle with additional cocoa nibs.
Step 7: Bake your meringues (both trays at the same time) at 225F for 70 minutes. If possible, try not to open the oven while they are baking. After 70 minutes, turn off the heat and without opening the oven, allow for them to cool off completely in the oven. This will help finish baking them but also dry out the meringue more. When you are ready to serve them, sprinkle your Nutella Meringue Cookies with flaky sea salt and additional nibs.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions about Nutella Meringue Cookies
My egg whites are not whipping
My guess is that your bowl or whisk was not clean or that you added by accident some egg yolks to your egg whites. Make sure you only use egg whites.
My Gluten Free Nutella Meringue Cookies are very chewy!
One thing to remember when making meringues – the results can vary depending on the weather. I avoid making meringues or light and airy baked goods on rainy days or very humid days.
Can I reduce the sugar?
Meringue Cookies tend to be sweet. That's no secret. If you would like to reduce the sugar, you can use anywhere between 145grams - 200 grams.
Can I make this recipe without eggs?
I have not tried this with an egg substitute.
Can I leave out the Cocoa Nibs?
Of course. You can also replace the cocoa nibs with chopped hazelnuts or mini chocolate chips.
Note about Salt in my Recipes
I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.
Baking in grams
I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.
Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures
All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.
If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Be also prepared that the convection oven can cause your baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Be aware that it takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.
Substitutions and Modifications
Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Nutella Meringue Cookies
Gluten Free Nutella Meringue Cookies are the perfect way to use up any leftover egg whites you may have. Those cookies are light, air, naturally gluten-free and dairy free. The edges will be crisp but due to the Nutella their center will be chocolatey and gooey.
Ingredients
For the Gluten Free Nutella Meringue Cookies
- 120 grams egg whites, at room temperature
- 200 grams granulated white sugar (super fine if possible) *SEE NOTE
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons Cocoa Nibs (if using)
- 150 grams Hazelnut chocolate spread
For Finishing
- Additional Cocoa Nibs
- Flaky Sea Salt
Instructions
How to make Gluten Free Nutella Meringues
- Preheat oven to 225°F. Line two sheet trays with parchment paper and set them aside. Arrange your baking racks in your oven in the middle.
- Place the room temperature egg whites, salt, and cream of tarter in your clean bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Gradually add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking for 30 seconds before adding more. If you rush this your meringue will be grainy.
- Beat until the mixture is thick, shiny, and increased in volume. The mixture should have stiff peaks and the sugar should be completely dissolved. This will take around 5-7 minutes.
- Turn off your mixer and with a spatula, fold in your candied cocoa nibs
- Use a large cookie scoop or two large spoons and divide the meringue mixture between the trays.
- In a small bowl, warm your Nutella in the microwave for 30-45 seconds until slightly melted
- If your meringue looks like clouds, use the back of a spoon a wet spoon to flatten them out a bit. Top each meringue with 1 teaspoon of Nutella and swirl the mixture using a toothpick or a butter knife.
- Sprinkle with additional cocoa nibs,
- Bake your meringues (both trays at the same time) at 225F for 70 minutes. If possible, try not to open the oven while they are baking.
- After 70 minutes, turn off your oven and without opening the oven door, allow the cookies to cool completely in the oven,
- Sprinkle with Sea Salt and additional nibs if you like when ready to serve
- The meringues should have crispy edges but still, be soft and gooey in the middle because of the Chocolate Hazelnut spread
Notes
Reduced Sugar: Meringue Cookies tend to be sweet. That's no secret. If you would like to reduce the sugar, you can use anywhere between 145 grams - 200 grams.
Cookies are the best when eaten within 3-4 days. Store them in an airtight container.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 200
Calories are a guestimate.
Steve
Made these to enjoy yesterday! FUN, easy, and dramatic. Loved the nutella and meringue combo. Great texture, taste.
Question: They were a bit too sweet for my family (I realize this is a matter of preference, and that the sugar does help with texture and structure of the meringue). In your professional experience, is there a limit for how little sugar would still work for this, so that I might experiment a bit on my own?
Thanks for all your recipes and contributions! Wishing you a great year ahead.
Daniela
Steve, I know those cookies are on the sweeter side. You should be able to reduce the sugar to 135-150 grams but the texture may change. I haven't made them in forever with less sugar but I am planning on making some soon and will mess with it.
Steve
Understood. Thank you!
Meg
Hi 🙂
Really looking forward to trying these but do not have cream of tartar, would it be ok to use cornflour? I have made meringues and pavlova in the past that does this.. thanks heaps!
Daniela
Meg, that should work for sure. You could also use lemon juice 🙂