Chocolate-Orange Walnut Meringue Cookies

Recipe by Sarah Phillips © 2010 Sarah Phillips CraftyBaking.com

INGREDIENTS
3 large egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract; do not use orange oil

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, preferably mini
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium, clean, grease-free bowl with an electric mixer on high speed, whip egg whites until foamy.
Add cream of tartar and whip until soft peaks form. Add sugar gradually, whipping until stiff but not dry peaks form.
Beat in vanilla and orange extracts.

3. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.

4. Drop by generously rounded teaspoon 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

5. Bake until completely firm and dry, but still white, about 25 minutes; you should be able to lift cookies from pan. Slide parchment onto racks to cool cookies completely.

STORAGE
Store 2 weeks at room temperature in airtight container.