Made in 15 minutes, these easy Meringue Cookies are low calorie, fat free, and gluten-free. A delightful indulgence!
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Classic Meringue Cookies are delightful bite-sized confections made from whipped egg whites and sugar. These light, sweet cookies have a crisp shell, soft chewy interior, and a mouthwatering flavor reminiscent of a melting marshmallow. Making them is easy with the help of a mixer, taking only 15 minutes and 4 ingredients to create glossy peaks. Don’t worry about the process; I’ll provide tips and tricks for perfect results. These cookies are also low calorie, fat free, and gluten-free, making them guilt-free indulgence!
WHY WE LOVE THIS MERINGUE COOKIES RECIPE
- Quick and easy to make.
- Only uses 4 ingredients.
- Not all meringue cookies are created equal– store-bought meringues often have a texture like styrofoam and are flavorless.
- Versatile and customizable with different flavor and color options.
- Beautiful and billowy, light and airy, delicate and dainty, crisp and crunchy.
- Delicious sweet dessert or snack.
- Kosher for Passover and perfect for any party, holiday, or celebration.
MERINGUE COOKIE RECIPE INGREDIENTS
- Egg whites
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Cream of tartar
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS FOR MERINGUE COOKIES
- Add Other Extracts: You can add other extracts with the vanilla or take the vanilla out and use whatever extract you like. Other extract flavors I recommend are lemon, orange, mint, strawberry, banana, coconut, almond, or cherry.
- Customize The Colors: The cookie batter can be dyed any color you like. Simply wait until you just about reach stiff peaks then add the food coloring to create the color you desire. I recommend using gel food coloring.
- Meringue Mix-Ins: Feel free to add in finely chopped nuts or mini chocolate chips to the meringue batter. You won’t be able to pipe them with a star tip, but you can dollop mounds onto the baking sheets. You can also add unsweetened cocoa powder to the batter to make chocolate flavored cookies.
- Decorate Or Dip: You can add festive sprinkles to the formed cookies before baking, or you can drizzle or dip these in any flavor of melted chocolate after baking and cooling them. Just make sure to use a high quality chocolate so it melts smooth.
HOW TO MAKE MERINGUE COOKIES
Meringue Cookies are so easy to make simply by whipping together your ingredients until stiff peaks are formed and piping the mixture into pretty sweet treats. These melt-in-your-mouth confections are deliciously delicate with a crispy crunch.
- Whip: Whisk the egg whites on medium-low speed and slowly pour in the sugar. Once all the sugar is added, add the vanilla extract and cream of tartar. Whip at medium-high speed until you reach stiff peaks.
Pro Tip: The mixture will be glossy and bright white. - Pipe: Place the meringue into a piping bag and pipe shapes onto the foil.
Pro Tip: Cookies should be similar in size, about 1 & ½ inches wide and up to 1 & ½ inches tall. You can pipe them about ½ inch apart as the cookies will not spread while baking - Bake: Bake at 170° Fahrenheit for 2 hours. Turn the oven off and let them cool in the oven for at least 2 hours, but I recommend overnight if you can.
TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST MERINGUE COOKIES EVERY TIME
- I like to let these sit in the oven overnight to allow enough drying time for them to be completely dry.
- It is important that the egg whites are room temperature, I use 70°F egg whites for meringue cookies. This makes them whip up smoothly and faster.
- Make sure that your mixing bowl and beater are meticulously clean and dry. Any trace of moisture will turn your meringues into an epic fail.
- Use superfine granulated sugar. If you don’t have any in the pantry, simply add regular granulated sugar to your food processor and pulse for a few seconds. (if you don’t do this… not the end of the world….it is just better if you do.)
- Add the sugar slowly to give it time to incorporate.
- Separate your eggs cold, straight out of the fridge and be sure to crack the shell on the flat counter and not the edge of the bowl. The cold eggs separate better and cracking the shells on the counter keeps out pieces of shell and yolk. Then leave them to warm to room temperature, before you start in.
- Beat until the peaks are stiff. When they stand up straight at the end of your beater, it’s ready.
- Resist the urge to open the oven door too soon. After baking, these cookies need to cool in the oven for another 1-2 hours (with the heat off.)
STORAGE TIPS FOR THIS MERINGUE COOKIES RECIPE
- To Store: These cookies need to be stored in a cool dry place. If it is humid outside or in your house they may be a little tacky on the outside. You can store them for up to two weeks at room temperature in an airtight container.
- To Freeze: You can freeze these cookies individually on a sheet tray, then layer them between pieces of wax paper in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Other Easy Cookie Recipes
- Rainbow Cake Mix Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Brownie Cookies
- Cookies and Cream Cookies
- Banana Bread Cookies
Meringue Cookies
Serves — 32
Made in 15 minutes, these easy Meringue Cookies are low calorie, fat free, and gluten-free. A delightful indulgence!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Cool time: 2 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 large large egg whites room temp
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp cream of tartar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°F. Line baking sheets with foil, set aside.
- Place the egg whites into the body of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Start whisking the egg whites on medium-low speed and slowly pour in the sugar.
- Once all the sugar is added, add the vanilla extract and cream of tartar.
- Whip at medium-high speed until you reach stiff peaks. The mixture will be glossy and bright white. This will take a few minutes.
- Place the meringue into a piping bag and pipe shapes onto the foil that are similar in size, about 1 & ½ inches wide and up to 1 & ½ inches tall. You can pipe them about ½ inch apart as the cookies will not spread while baking.
- Bake for 2 hours. Turn the oven off and let them cool for at least 2 hours but I recommend overnight if you can.
Notes
Storage:
- To Store: These cookies need to be stored in a cool dry place. If it is humid outside or in your house they may be a little tacky on the outside. You can store them for up to two weeks at room temperature in an airtight container.
- To Freeze: You can freeze these cookies individually on a sheet tray, then layer them between pieces of wax paper in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- I like to let these sit in the oven overnight to allow enough drying time for them to be completely dry.
- It is important that the egg whites are room temperature, I use 70°F egg whites for meringue cookies. This makes them whip up smoothly and faster.
- Make sure that your mixing bowl and beater are meticulously clean and dry. Any trace of moisture will turn your meringues into an epic fail.
- Use superfine granulated sugar. If you don’t have any in the pantry, simply add regular granulated sugar to your food processor and pulse for a few seconds. (if you don’t do this… not the end of the world….it is just better if you do.)
- Add the sugar slowly to give it time to incorporate.
- Separate your eggs cold, straight out of the fridge and be sure to crack the shell on the flat counter and not the edge of the bowl. The cold eggs separate better and cracking the shells on the counter keeps out pieces of shell and yolk. Then leave them to warm to room temperature, before you start in.
- Beat until the peaks are stiff. When they stand up straight at the end of your beater, it’s ready.
- Resist the urge to open the oven door too soon. After baking, these cookies need to cool in the oven for another 1-2 hours (with the heat off.)
Nutrition Info
Calories: 25kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 8mg | Sugar: 5g | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg
