Meringue Cookies
These vanilla meringue cookies are light, fluffy, and perfectly sweet. And you don’t need to be a pro to make them! It is one of the easiest meringue cookie recipes since it only requires 5 ingredients. With the step-by-step instructions, you can make these charming little cookies to impress your guests.
It’s not every day that you see meringue cookies. That’s because they do take some time. But don’t let the 3-hour recipe time intimidate you; they really only cook for 1 hour, and you’ll just need to let them dry out in the oven for a couple of hours afterward. If you have never tried baked meringue cookies before, you are in for a treat. They’re reminiscent of marshmallows but with a crispy shell. Inside, they are a bit softer and chewier and effortlessly melt in your mouth!
Out of all the meringue desserts out there, these mini cookies are one of my favorites. They just seem to steal the show no matter where you take them! They are best eaten within the first few days, so if you don’t think you need as many servings as this meringue recipe calls for, you can always cut it in half. Let’s take a look at how you can make these beautiful and unique treats!
Recipe Overview
- Serving Size: 2 cookies
- Number of Servings: 72 cookies (36 servings at 2 cookies a person)
- Time to Cook: 1 hour (plus 1-2 hours resting in oven)
Ingredients in Meringue Cookies
- 4 Egg whites
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp Granulated sugar
- ½ tsp Cream of tartar
- Pinch Table salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions for making Meringue Cookies
- As preparation, thoroughly clean and dry the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk, and a rubber spatula. Any wet or greasy equipment can inhibit the egg whites from fluffing up.
- Preheat oven to 225°F. With an electric mixer, whip the egg whites on slow, and add the cream of tartar first. Once the whites are frothy, you can turn it up to medium speed.
- Continue mixing the egg whites and gradually add the granulated sugar and salt. If you add it all at once, all of the air will escape from the whites. Add the vanilla extract slowly, too.
- Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and mix until the meringue is glossy and thick. When you lift the whisk out of it, there should be a peak of meringue that holds its shape at the end of the whisk.
5. Prepare your baking sheets with parchment paper. I like to put a little dot of meringue on the corners and then put the parchment down to hold it in place.
6. Fill some of the meringue into a piping bag ready with a star tip. Use a bigger tip if you have one. Pipe rosettes or little stars. Leave some space between the cookies, but you don’t need much space since they won’t really spread.
7. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 1 hour, then shut the oven off and leave them in the oven undisturbed for an additional 2 hours. This will help dry the meringue completely.
Variations and Substitutions
This recipe for meringue cookies can be altered in a few ways. Here are some ideas:
- Meringue Cookies with Nuts: After making the meringue, you can add small chopped pieces of nuts, such as pecans. Add them by hand with a rubber spatula, gently folding them in so the batter does not deflate. Rather than piping the cookies, use spoonfuls to drop them on the tray.
- Meringue Cookies with Chocolate Chips: Similar to the nuts, you can add chocolate chips as a great addition. I suggest using mini chocolate chips since they are not as heavy. Drop the chocolate chip meringue cookies with a spoon, too. The chocolate chips would block the piping tip.
- Cream of Tartar: It is possible to make these without the cream of tartar. However, the cream of tartar helps to stabilize the meringue, which is why I like using it.
- Sugar: You can try this meringue recipe with powdered or superfine sugar. No matter which type you use, make sure to add it slowly and gradually so it doesn’t deflate the meringue while it mixes.
Tips and Tricks for Making Homemade Meringue Cookies
- Make sure there are no egg yolk bits in your whites. This can make the entire batch faulty, and the meringue might not form. Be very careful when separating the whites and yolks.
- Work quickly! Once the meringue is ready to bake, work as quickly as you can to get it in the oven so it has as much volume as possible.
- Make sure all equipment is clean and dry. Egg whites can be finicky. Leftover grease or water on your bowl or utensils can prevent the egg whites from properly whipping.
- Don’t keep opening the oven door while they bake. Although it is tempting, it causes cold air to rush into the oven. The cookies turn out best when they are undisturbed.
- How to store meringue cookies: Keep them in an airtight container with a lid. Layer them between pieces of parchment paper so that they don’t stick together. Store them in a low-humid environment. You can also freeze them, but do not refrigerate them, as they will get soft and sticky!
Related Recipes
Meringue Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 Egg whites
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp Granulated sugar
- ½ tsp Cream of tartar
- Pinch Table salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions
- As preparation, thoroughly clean and dry the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk, and a rubber spatula. Any wet or greasy equipment can inhibit the egg whites from fluffing up.
- Preheat oven to 225°F. With an electric mixer, whip the egg whites on slow, and add the cream of tartar first. Once the whites are frothy, you can turn it up to medium speed.
- Continue mixing the egg whites and gradually add the granulated sugar and salt. If you add it all at once, all of the air will escape from the whites. Add the vanilla extract slowly, too.
- Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and mix until the meringue is glossy and thick. When you lift the whisk out of it, there should be a peak of meringue that holds its shape at the end of the whisk.
- Prepare your baking sheets with parchment paper. I like to put a little dot of meringue on the corners and then put the parchment down to hold it in place.
- Fill some of the meringue into a piping bag ready with a star tip. Use a bigger tip if you have one. Pipe rosettes or little stars. Leave some space between the cookies, but you don’t need much space since they won’t really spread.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 1 hour, then shut the oven off and leave them in the oven undisturbed for an additional 2 hours. This will help dry the meringue completely.
