Meringue Cookies

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Author — Trish Flake

Serves —

Made in 15 minutes, these easy Meringue Cookies are low calorie, fat free, and gluten-free. A delightful indulgence!

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 2

Cool time: 2

Total Time 4 15

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.

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.

Tips:

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.)