December 9, 2022| By

Meringue Cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
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This is the best meringue cookies recipe! They're chewy little delicate cookies that are perfect for your holiday cookie exchange! You only need 5 ingredients and little technique but don't worry, I'm here to walk you through all of the steps! Let's bake!

For more christmas cookie recipes, try these snowflake cookies and gingerbread macarons!

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meringue cookies in a tea cup in front of a gold christmas tree.
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Meringue cookies are one of my favorite cookies to include in my annual cookie box. They are so cute and have the most peculiar texture (in my opinion).

The outside is a bit crunchy and the inside is nice and chewy - like a marshmallow. The juxtaposition between the two textures always makes this cookie such an unexpected but welcomed treat in the bunch.

These classic meringue cookies are pretty simple to make. You simply make a meringue, add it to a pastry bag, and pipe the meringues onto a cookie sheet.

In addition to your holiday cookie plates, this meringue recipe is great for baby showers, birthdays, and even wedding favors! These little delicate cookies are sure to be a hit no matter the time of year.

Ingredients

ingredients to make meringue cookies - egg whites, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and cream of tartar.
  • Large Egg Whites - be sure to use room temperature egg whites.
  • Sugar - you can use granulated sugar, but superfine sugar or caster sugar works best. If you see this in the grocery store, I recommend using this instead.
  • Vanilla Extract - for flavor.
  • Cream of Tartar - this helps to stabilize the egg whites and get rid of the tiny air bubbles, making the meringue sturdy. It makes for the perfect meringue cookies.
  • Pinch of Salt - to bring everything together. You need a little bit of salt in every recipe, no matter what it is.

Tips

This is a super easy meringue cookie recipe, but these tips below ensure that your cookies turn out perfectly every single time!

  • Use lemon juice to clean the bowl of your stand mixer or large mixing bowl prior to adding the egg whites. This makes sure that the bowl is nice and clean and no residual oils or moisture are on the bowl. If there's anything on the bowl, the meringue won't form properly and you won't get those nice glossy peaks. Add a little lemon juice to a paper towel and wipe the bowl clean.
  • When beating the egg whites, add the sugar very slowly - about one tablespoon at a time. Be sure to beat the meringue until all of the sugar is dissolved. You can tell when the sugar is completely dissolved when the meringue no longer looks gritty.
  • Be Patient! Meringue can be fickle so be sure to beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form! It can take some time but it'll get there! As soon as you've reached stiff peaks, stop beating (it's possible to overbeat meringue).
  • Use room temperature eggs. Room temperature eggs whip up a lot faster and tend to form a more stable meringue.
  • Be swift! Once you're finished making the meringue, try to move quickly. Do not let the meringue sit for too long as the meringue will begin to reduce and won't be a sturdy. Try to pipe the meringues onto the baking sheet and have them in the oven within 15 minutes for best results.
  • Use an oven thermometer to make sure that your oven's temperature is calibrated properly. This may seem a bit much but it makes a world of a difference when baking!
  • While the meringues are baking - DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR. As tempting as it may be, opening up the oven door causes the temperature to drop up to 30-50 degrees. This can cause the meringues to crack and they'll take longer to cook.

Variations

meringue kisses inside of a teacup on top of a tea plate.
  • Try adding different flavors like a little lemon zest or almond extract or even cocoa powder to take this classic cookie up a notch! You can even try dipping the finished cookies in dark chocolate for a nice chocolatey spin.
  • Use leftover egg yolks to make a lemon curd to drizzle on top of these chewy meringues to make lemon meringue cookies.
  • Add food coloring to add different colors to the meringues.
  • I always save at least one baking tray and use my meringues to make eton mess. It's essentially cream, fruit, and crushed vanilla meringue cookies and it is SO good.

How to make Meringue Cookies

meringue cookies stacked up in teacups on a serving plate.
  • Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.
  • Make the meringue batter. Add egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Begin beating on low speed and increase to medium speed as mixture becomes bubbly. Add cream of tartar continue to mix until egg whites begin to turn white and foamy.
  • Begin add sugar very slowly. Increase the mix to medium-high speed and beat eggs whites until stiff peaks form and dissolved. (Image #1 and #2) You will know when the sugar is dissolved when the meringue no longer has a gritty texture. Meringue should be glossy and white. (Image #2)
  • Add in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt mix until combined. If you'd like to fold in sprinkles or add food coloring, you can do so here.
  • Add meringue mixture to a piping bag with a large star tip (I used ateco tip 829).
  • Dab a tiny bit of meringue in the corners of two baking sheet and place parchment paper on top. This is to get the parchment paper to stick to the baking sheet. (Image #3)
parchment paper on a baking sheet with meringue in four corners to keep the parchment paper from lifting up.
  • Pipe the meringues onto the lined baking sheets (be sure to only pipe small amounts). Use the entire batch of meringue as you cannot store the meringue for later - it will reduce and become syrupy.
meringue cookies on a baking sheet.
  • Bake for one hour and check the meringues. then open the oven door and allow the meringues to cool in the oven with the door open for 2 hours.

How to store Meringue Cookies

Store meringues in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, out of the sun. They'll keep for up to two weeks.

Recipe FAQs

Can you freeze meringue cookies?

You can freeze them, however, when they thaw, they're typically a bit mushy. I recommend eating them frozen if you'd like to freeze them.

What do meringue cookies taste like?

They have a vanilla flavor and taste like marshmallows with a hard exterior and a chewy middle.

Are meringue cookies gluten free?

Yes, these cookies are naturally gluten free.

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meringue cookies in a tea cup in front of a gold christmas tree.

Meringue Cookies

This is the best meringue cookies recipe! They're chewy little delicate cookies that are perfect for your holiday cookie exchange! You only need 5 ingredients and little technique but don't worry, I'm here to walk you through all of the steps! Let's bake!
Serving: 60 Cookies
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Calories: 14kcal

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer or Electric Mixer
  • 2 Cookie Sheets
  • Piping Bag
  • Large Star Piping Tip

Ingredients

  • 4 Large Egg Whites
  • ½ tsp Cream of Tartar
  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar (or caster sugar)
  • 1 ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
  • Pinch Kosher Salt

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.
  • Make the meringue batter. Wipe down the bowl of your stand mixer with lemon juice to remove any oils and excess moisture.
  • Add egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Begin beating on low speed and increase to medium speed as mixture becomes bubbly. Add cream of tartar continue to mix until egg whites begin to turn white and foamy.
  • Begin add sugar very slowly, one tablespoon at a time. Increase the mix to medium-high speed and beat eggs whites until stiff peaks form and dissolved. You will know when the sugar is dissolved when the meringue no longer has a gritty texture. Meringue should be glossy and white.
  • Add in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt mix until combined. If you'd like to fold in sprinkles or add food coloring, you can do so here.
  • Add meringue mixture to a piping bag with a large star tip (I used ateco tip 829). Dab a tiny bit of meringue in the corners of two baking sheet and place parchment paper on top. This is to get the parchment paper to stick to the baking sheet.
  • Pipe the meringues onto the lined baking sheets (be sure to only pipe small amounts) into about 1 inch kisses. Use the entire batch of meringue as you cannot store the meringue for later - it will reduce and become syrupy.
  • Bake for one hour and check the meringues for doneness - the meringue should have a crisp exterior and should look "dry" (not glossy). If the meringues easily lift off of the parchment paper and do not feel mushy, they're done. If they still feel mushy, continue to bake for another 5-10 minutes, but keep a close eye. Once they turn golden brown, they're overbaked.
  • Once done, allow the meringues to cool in the oven with the door open for 2 hours.

Notes

  • Use lemon juice to clean the bowl of your stand mixer or large mixing bowl prior to adding the egg whites. This makes sure that the bowl is nice and clean and no residual oils or moisture are on the bowl. If there's anything on the bowl, the meringue won't form properly and you won't get those nice glossy peaks. Add a little lemon juice to a paper towel and wipe the bowl clean.
  • When beating the egg whites, add the sugar very slowly - about one tablespoon at a time. Be sure to beat the meringue until all of the sugar is dissolved. You can tell when the sugar is completely dissolved when the meringue no longer looks gritty.
  • Be Patient! Meringue can be fickle so be sure to beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form! It can take some time but it'll get there! As soon as you've reached stiff peaks, stop beating (it's possible to overbeat meringue).
  • Use room temperature eggs. Room temperature eggs whip up a lot faster and tend to form a more stable meringue.
  • Be swift! Once you're finished making the meringue, try to move quickly. Do not let the meringue sit for too long as the meringue will begin to reduce and won't be a sturdy. Try to pipe the meringues onto the baking sheet and have them in the oven within 15 minutes for best results.
  • Use an oven thermometer to make sure that your oven's temperature is calibrated properly. This may seem a bit much but it makes a world of a difference when baking!
  • While the meringues are baking - DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR. As tempting as it may be, opening up the oven door causes the temperature to drop up to 30-50 degrees. This can cause the meringues to crack and they'll take longer to cook.

Nutrition

Calories: 14kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 8mg | Sugar: 3g | Calcium: 0.2mg | Iron: 0.005mg
Course: Anytime, Dessert, Holidays
Cuisine: French

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