Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread almonds on a baking sheet, and bake until lightly toasted, about10 minutes. Let cool.
Reduce the oven temperature to 200° F. Line 2 large baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper.
Place the toasted almonds and 1/3 cup of sugar in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until finely chopped. Add cocoa and cornstarch and pulse just until mixed. Transfer cocoa almond mixture to a medium bowl, and stir in chopped dried cherries and Chocolate Chips until just combined.
In a large bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer on low speed just until frothy. Add cream of tartar, and increase the mixer speed to medium, and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 2/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until the whites form firm but still moist peaks. Add vanilla extract, and beat just until blended.
Gently fold the cocoa mixture into the beaten whites in 2 additions, just until blended.
Using two spoons, drop the batter by heaping teaspoon fulls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies 1-inch apart.
Bake, using both oven racks, for 1 ½ hours at 200° F, alternate the position of the pans and rotate back to front halfway through baking time. Turn off the oven and let the meringues cool in the oven for 1 hour, then peel them off the Silpat or parchment paper.
Notes
Store in a tightly covered container for up to 5 days