5 Ingredients or Fewer

Everyone's Favorite White Cookies

by:
December 14, 2009
3.5
2 Ratings
Everyone's Favorite White Cookies
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 3 hours
  • Makes about 30
Author Notes

This is an old recipe of my mother's--I have no idea where she got it, but I imagine it was published in some magazine like Women's Day in the 1950's or '60's. I haven't changed them much. The original name of these cookies is Forgotten Cookies because you put them in the oven and forget about them. But all my friends call them White Cookies, as in, are you bringing the White Cookies? What do you mean it was too humid to make the White Cookies? We only invite you for your White Cookies.

The big change I made was to use salt instead of cream of tartar. The salt really stiffens the egg whites and helps them hold their shape. I love salt in sweet baked goods and I hate the taste of cream of tartar. And I toast the pecans first. I'm pretty sure the original recipe didn't have either vanilla extract, but I like the extra depth of flavor. These are perfect for the holidays--easy and quick, but not foolproof, as I recently discovered. I've been making them for at least 25 years, and I just moved to a new place with a stove that didn't hold the temperature well. When I took them out of the oven, they were sticky! I rescued them by leaving them in the oven at 170 (the lowest temperature I can set my oven) for about 2 more hours. They should be dry and even a little crunchy.

They are seriously addicting. —drbabs

Test Kitchen Notes

Drbabs delicious recipe makes for some billowy, melt-in-your-mouth cookies that are oh-so simple to make. As you take your first bite, the sweet crunchiness quickly dissolves on your tongue and reveals the yummy bits of chocolate and pecans. I left mine in the oven overnight after baking to insure they had the ideal dry texture. They did! —TiggyBee

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 egg whites (do not get a speck of yolk in them)
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (I like Ghirardelli)
  • 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Directions
  1. Heat oven to 350. Line 2 cookie sheets with foil.
  2. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt till the egg whites start to foam. Add sugar and vanilla (or almond) extract and continue beating till the meringue is shiny white and stiff peaks form. Gently fold in chocolate chips and pecans.
  3. Drop by spoonfuls onto the cookie sheets about an inch apart. (They don't spread much.) Put both cookie sheets into the oven, and TURN THE OVEN OFF. Cookies will be ready in about 3 hours. (It's OK to leave them overnight.)
Tags:
Contest Entries

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • dymnyno
    dymnyno
  • Blissful Baker
    Blissful Baker
  • wssmom
    wssmom
  • Bevi
    Bevi
  • Sagegreen
    Sagegreen

Popular on Food52

16 Reviews

dymnyno
dymnyno November 25, 2014
My mother made the same cookie...she called them "Forget Them" cookies.
 
drbabs
drbabs November 25, 2014
Yes, my mother calls them " forgotten cookies."
 
Blissful B.
Blissful B. December 15, 2011
I grew up with these cookies as well, but my Mom cooked them the fast way: 30 minutes at 300 degrees. The result is a cookie with a crackly top, hollow center & chewy bottom. I love that multi-textured result. I just made mint chocolate chip ones for the holidays, subbing a little bit of peppermint extract for the vanilla & have been giving them to all my gluten-free friends. Yum!
 
drbabs
drbabs November 25, 2014
Sounds great.
 
wssmom
wssmom November 12, 2011
Wow these are totally from the Way Back Machine!! Must must make them soon! COngrats on the CP!
 
Bevi
Bevi November 8, 2011
These will be made for the Holidays. It's the perfect recipe to sneak in an empty overnight oven.
 
drbabs
drbabs November 8, 2011
I'm honored!
 
ellenl
ellenl March 26, 2011
I'm going to make these this year!
 
healthierkitchen
healthierkitchen March 26, 2011
Me too! It's weird, I'm not kosher but my parents were - but my Dad is gone and my Mom has Alzheimer's and wouldn't know the difference anymore, but for Passover, I don't eat bread symbolically and I pull out the stops and make a few days of the traditional food as a nod to the past.
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 25, 2010
I had forgotten about these. Thanks for this great recipe!
 
drbabs
drbabs March 30, 2010
3/30/10--made these for Passover and it was raining (pouring, actually). Added 1/2 tsp vanilla extract to the meringue (just because I felt like it) and preheated the oven to 375 instead of 350. They came out fine. Photos are today.
 
drbabs
drbabs December 21, 2009
When I was baking yesterday, I realized that this is too much salt. 1/8-1/4 tsp. is right. (Sorry.) Also, Nestle's just came out with packaged semi sweet chocolate and mint chips for the holidays. I always loved the combination of chocolate, mint and pecans, so I plan to try them soon.
 
drbabs
drbabs December 16, 2009
My mother calls them forgotten cookies because you make them and forget about them. My friends all call them white cookies.
 
dymnyno
dymnyno December 14, 2009
I think that these are sometimes called "forget me not" cookies.
they are amazing and fool proof! I am not much of a baker...thanks for reminding me of these!
 
QueenOfGreen
QueenOfGreen December 14, 2009
These sound awesome! Will try them this year.
 
QueenOfGreen
QueenOfGreen February 21, 2010
Forgot to tell you - everyone loved these! Thanks!