Forgotten Cookies are meringue cookies with chocolate chips and chopped nuts. They are placed in a previously heated oven and ‘forgotten’ overnight to finish!
Updated December 2018
This is a cookie kinda month in my book. I personally have scaled back to focus my baking on preparing for Santa.
These cookies are beautiful, glossy batter when put on the cookie sheets and emerge in the morning with a matte meringue finish.
I have had my eye on a recipe from my Grandmother’s recipe box and this occasion seemed the right time to break it out.
Forgotten Cookies. With a name like that who could pass up making them; especially in this month filled with sentimental mood and generous heart toward anyone or anything needing some love.
I remember these cookies from when I was a child. My Grandmother was not a mad baker but managed to deliver whenever we visited. It’s funny to think about that now.
Do Grandmother’s still bake cookies in anticipation for visits from their grandkids? A very civilized hospitality if you ask me.
Grandmother’s now are probably too busy taking Zumba classes, playing mahjong and growing micro greens for their smoothies I suppose.
What are Forgotten Cookies?
This cookie is basically a lovely meringue cookie but with more substance in its ‘bite’ due to the chocolate chips and nuts.
Ingredients in Forgotten Cookies?
The ingredients in Forgotten Cookies are simple and probably in your kitchen right now:
- Egg whites
- Granulated Sugar
- Salt (I prefer Kosher Salt)
- Vanilla Extract
- Pecans
- Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
How to Make Forgotten Cookies
The ingredients are mixed together, dropped by spoonfuls (tip: If you wanted the recipe to yield more, use a small dining spoon) onto a baking sheet, and put in the preheated oven (which is then turned off).
As the name suggests, they are ‘forgotten’ until the next morning.
The magical transformation from a glossy, wet batter to crisp, matte cookie still enchants me. Forgotten Cookies expand a bit overnight too.
Naturally Gluten-Free
After becoming gluten-free I appreciated them even more since there is no flour.
A Secret Tip about Forgotten Cookies
The cookies will actually set within a few hours and will be crisp to the touch with a matte finish. So if you can’t wait, check them after a few hours.
It’s still fun to pop them into the oven and find them finished in the morning (especially for little chefs)!
Kids Can Make Forgotten Cookies
This is a very easy cookie to make with children too. They can help with the measuring and dropping the batter onto the cookie sheet. A heavy mixer works great to whip up the egg whites in no time. Sticking these in the oven before bed to let your little chefs discover the fully formed cookies in the morning is sure to bring on the holiday excitement!
How to Store
Store Forgotten Cookies in an airtight container, layering waxed paper between layers of cookies.
Keep them in a cool, dark place for up to 2 weeks.
Freezing them
They can also be frozen. Pack them in the same way as described above.
Store them for 3-4 months and thaw at room temperature in the container.
Note: The recipe for Glogg (Scandanavian mulled wine) which was originally featured here has moved to its own page!
Recipe
Forgotten Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 Egg Whites
- 2/3 cups Granulated Sugar
- Pinch of Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup Pecans , chopped
- 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Beat egg whites until foamy, approximately 3 minutes.
- Slowly add sugar while beating egg whites until stiff.
- Stir in salt, vanilla, pecans and chocolate chips. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet by the spoonful (I used a small dining spoon so the cookies were about 1 tablespoon of the batter each)
- Turn off the oven. Place cookies in the oven and leave until morning without opening the oven while they are hardening.
Mary says
Oh, I love this story. My grandmothers always had treats for us. One of them baked and cooked like a pro and the other provided Little Debbie treats to our hearts content. Both of them made for wonderful memories.
I've never seen chocolate chips in forgotten cookies. I bet that would make them even more delicious.
Lana says
My mom always found time to bake cookies for her grandkids, even with Zuma and Mahjongg and her garden (no Zumba, though:)
More than 10 years ago I received my grandmother's hand-written recipe notebook and I imported all the recipes into my computer. And I tossed the notebook. I can kick myself so hard for it! But I can't go back:(
She made similar cookies, but without chocolate – they were my sister's favorite. I love how white yours are – mine always get a little tan:)
And glogg I love! When we lived in Ohio I used to make mulled wine all the time, believing with all my heart when French say that if you drink it (with all the additions), you don't need aspirin:)
I had to chuckle at your gift idea – I did exactly that our last year in Ohio – wine, spices, orange, card with a recipe, and delivered several gifts right at the doorstep of my friends and neighbors on Christmas Eve morning:)
Cheers!
PolaM says
Can I have some? I am not sure if I want more of the cookies or more of the glogg…. They both look amazing!
bananamondaes says
These are beautiful. And you posted the Glögg!!! Yay
chacha says
Beautiful post! It brought back sweet memories. My grandmother used to make forgotten cookies and I, too, have a typed recipe card with her recipe. It's identical except for the fact she used brown paper instead of foil. As lovely as your beverage looks I can only drink coffee with mine – just like Grandma did. =D
Claire says
Hi Toni, I am all for making things as easy as possible and these sound just amazing! They look so festive too – just the thing to pull out on Christmas day! x
Kiri W. says
I love these cookies! They look a lot like something my grandma used to make, and make me somewhat nostalgic…
All That I'm Eating says
Hello! I love the sound of Scandinavian mulled wine. It's very different to the mulled wine we have over hear – the addition of almonds and raisins sounds lovely. I've never heard of forgotten cookies, they look great.
To answer your question, my sloe gin is fab (not to toot my own trumpet) and my farmers' markets are year round. It's all brussles sprouts and parsnips right now!
A Grandmother says
Most of us actually do still bake cookies but it's in between zumba, swimming, pilates, yoga, mahjongg, beginning piano, studying Italian, and golf, to say nothing of crossword puzzles, etc. for the brain! Quite different from the activities of our mothers and grandmothers! Your blog was great, as usual!
Rachel says
Sucrose coma indeed. If we're making cookies they'd better be good ones, like these! I think my grandmother used to make forgotten cookies too. I seem to remember her leaving something that looked like this in the oven all night, although, as a kid, I wasn't into the nuts inside.
Nowadays, though, this would be the first cookie I'd grab off the plate! I love the sorta free-form glob-of-white-stuff look and the crunch of meringue!