Chewy Chocolate Meringue Cookies

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup plus 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups chocolate chips

4 egg whites

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Optional ingredients: dried cranberries, dried cherries, toffee bits

Position 2 racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Heat oven to 350° F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper lightly buttered.

Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in a bowl. Stir in chocolate chips. Add egg whites and vanilla; mix with a fork or electric mixer on medium until batter is just moistened. (Do not overbeat or batter will stiffen.)

Drop batter by teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets in evenly spaced mounds. Bake cookies until tops are lightly cracked and glossy, about 15 minutes. Cool briefly, then carefully remove from parchment paper. Cookies may be soft and fragile so proceed carefully to lift cookies and place them on racks to cool. Do not wait too long to remove them from the baking sheets, for they will stick, even to parchment paper. Repeat with remaining batter. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.