A classic recipe for meringue cookies! These little meringues only call for 5 ingredients, and at under 25 calories a pop they are easily the lightest recipe on my blog! The technique takes a little bit of practice, and a long time in the oven, but I’ll walk you through the steps in the recipe so that you can make your own perfect meringues!
Sweet & Simple Meringue Cookies
I have another recipe for your holiday cookie tray today — classic meringue cookies!
Meringues only require 5 ingredients to make, but they can be a little bit finicky — even the weather can affect them. Winter is a great time to try them out, as you’re much less likely to have a very humid day this time of year, and humidity is one of the greatest nemesis of meringue cookies.
I’ve been making this recipe over and over again the past few months to make sure that I understood all of the ins and outs of making perfect meringue cookies, and I’m finally ready to share what I’ve learned with you, so that you too can make these addictive little meringue cookies.
If you’ve never had one, meringues are light, airy cookies with crisp interiors. I’m sharing a classic vanilla meringue recipe today (with notes on how to add your own different flavors!). The taste always reminds me of marshmallow 😍.
Making Meringue: Stiff Peaks
This recipe calls for four egg whites and a single cup of sugar. That may not seem like it’s going to yield you very many meringues when you start, but you’ll be surprised by how much these ingredients increase in volume.
As you add the sugar, the mixture will become thick, glossy, and sticky, that’s exactly what you are looking for! You’ll also want the mixture to achieve stiff peaks — that’s how you’ll know that it’s done.
If you’ve made my angel food cake, whipped cream, or Swiss meringue buttercream before, then you’re already familiar with the concept of stiff peaks. It means that when you turn the batter over (like you can see in the image below with the meringue cookie batter), the peak that forms stands tall and does not fold back into itself. I’ve included a video in today’s post so you can see exactly how the meringue should look, in case you haven’t ever made meringue before.
Tips for No-Fail Meringue Cookies
- Make sure that the bowl and beater that you are using to beat your meringue is completely grease and moisture free. Any moisture can ruin your meringues.
- Crack your eggs in a separate bowl when separating the whites. Even a tiny bit of yolk can ruin your meringues, so crack each egg in a small bowl before adding it to the bowl that you will be mixing the meringue batter in.
- Add the sugar gradually, one Tablespoon at a time, and give it a chance to dissolve before adding more.
- You can test that the sugar is completely absorbed by taking a small bit of the batter and rubbing it between your fingers — if it’s not, it’ll feel gritty.
- Don’t stop until you get stiff peaks. The batter will take several minutes, at least, of beating to achieve stiff peaks, but keep going. It will increase in volume and be very thick and glossy — that’s what you’re looking for! See the photo above or the video for a visual.
- Don’t over-beat your batter, either! Once you hit stiff peaks, stop! You can stir in your extract and any food coloring at this point, but don’t push it because over-beating the batter is just as bad as not beating it enough.
- If you’ve found that your meringues have gotten soft after you finished baking them, you can actually pop them back in the oven at 225F for another 10-20 minutes (watch them, if they begin to turn golden brown around the edges turn off the heat immediately) and then let them cool in the oven for another hour, this has always worked for me with meringues that start to get chewy.
Adding Color and Other Flavoring
Once you get the hang of making meringues, feel free to play with lots of different flavors and colors — I made these Peppermint Bark Meringues by adding ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract, striping the piping bag with red food coloring (I used a clean paintbrush that I only use for baking), and dipping the baked, cooled meringue cookies in dark chocolate and crushed peppermint pieces!
Enjoy!
More Christmas Treats You Might Like:
Meringue Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 large egg whites room temperature
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract¹
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225F (105C) and line a large cookie sheet (or two regular-sized cookie sheets -- make sure they will fit in your oven together) with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in a large, completely clean, completely grease-free bowl².4 large egg whites, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer (with either the whisk or paddle attachment), stir on low speed until mixture becomes foamy.
- Increase speed to high.
- With mixer on high, gradually add sugar, about 1 Tablespoon at a time, stirring after each addition until sugar is dissolved (about 15-20 seconds between each addition).1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- Beat until mixture is thick, shiny, and has increased in volume. Mixture should have stiff peaks and sugar should be completely dissolved (you can test this by rubbing a small bit of the mixture between your fingers, if it feels gritty, the sugar isn't dissolved).
- Stir in vanilla extract and any other extract you may like to use. If using food coloring, add the food coloring at this stage, too.1 teaspoon vanilla extract¹
- Fit a large disposable piping bag with a large tip (I used Ateco 846, but any large star tip will work or you can just snip the edge of the piping bag for a “kiss” formation) and transfer meringue to prepared piping bag and pipe onto prepared cookie sheet. The meringue cookies can be pretty close to each other as they won’t spread, and you will want to bake all of the cookies at the same time, so make sure you make enough space.
- Bake on 225F (105C) for 1 hour. Turn off the oven once the baking time has passed, and do not open the oven. Leave the oven door closed and allow cookies to cool completely in the oven (1-2 hours) before removing.
- Meringue cookies should be crisp and can be stored in an airtight container. Keep away from heat and moisture as it can soften your meringues.
Notes
Recipes to use those leftover egg yolks:
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Benzita
Hi Ann, thanks for the amazing recipe. Can I bake them in top n bottom racks simultaneously because my oven is of 45 ltr and I’m left with another set of meringue
Sugar Spun Run
Hello! Every oven cooks slightly different. If you would like to use the top and bottom racks, I recommend rotating them halfway through the baking process. Just keep an eye on the top rack, since it typically bakes faster. Enjoy! 🙂
Jan
I made these yesterday and they tated so goood, I thouight it’d be super sweet but it actualy still had a more eggy taste which I love. The only thing I can’t seem to make them completey white? I’ve got quite a small oven and even if I put cookie sheets above and below the middle rack, they still turned our slightly golden. Any tips?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Jan! Not every oven temperature is accurate. I recommend getting an oven thermometer and testing the accuracy of the temperature. It could be running hotter than expected. You can also remove the meringue cookies sooner and see how that helps. Let me know what works. Either way, I am happy that you enjoyed the meringue cookies. 🙂
Liz
I made these for the first time the other day and they came out super awesome! This was the best meringue recipe I’ve used.
Ashley
Is there any way something can be used in place of parchment paper
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Ashley. Yes, you can use either waxed paper or aluminum foil. The waxed paper has a slightly higher tendency to stick to the meringues during baking, so be careful when you are peeling the paper away from the dried meringues when they are finished baking. I hope that you enjoy your meringue cookies! 🙂
brittney
wished they tasted good after being on a frosted cake, is there any tricks or tips so they don’t get mushy after you decorate a cake? 🙂
Sam
Hi Brittney! Unfortunately they will absorb the moisture from the frosting and that will make them soft. If possible you could wait to add them until just before enjoying/displaying, but other than that I am not sure of any tips or tricks, I’m sorry!
Hannah
What about dipping them in chocate for the part that goes on the cake.
Robin
Great instructions! This was the second time I made meringue cookies and both times I’ve gotten similar results. All looks good except I’m not getting the ridges the star tips isially gibe you. Instead mine are turning out like kisses. Do you think I’m not whipping it long enough? It seems to have stiff peaks until I add the vanilla and color.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoy the meringues! It sounds like they may just need to whipped a little bit longer if they aren’t holding their shape. 🙂
Amy
Hi, I made some tiramisu yesterday and now have tons of egg whites left over and would like to make something with them and this recipe seems to have many good reviews. I was wondering if I can cut some of the sugar (like 1/3 less or half) out to make them less sweet? Will it still work the same?
Sam
Hi Amy! You may be able to reduce the sugar slightly, but I would be hesitant to reduce the sugar by 1/3.
Margo
Wow! My first time making meringues and they came out perfect! So many people told me these were hard so I truly appreciate your step by step recommendations. Many thanks!
Sugar Spun Run
Margo, thank you! I am so happy that you found the recipe easy to follow and that your Meringue Cookies turned well so well. Enjoy! 🙂
Karen
Insanely delicious! The batter, that is. Who knew? First time making them and the whipping part seems to have worked out perfectly. Only one quibble: I did add sugar very slowly, but… if you do it by the 1/4 teaspoon, do you know how many 1/4 teaspoons it takes to make 3/4 cup? Only 144. Who’s going to spoon out a quarter teaspoon 144 times? Not me. They’re in the oven now. Thanks for the recipe and the helpful tips.
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Karen! Your comment made my morning. Yes, 144 teaspoons is a lot! I am happy you choose to pour the sugar in slowly instead. lol. Enjoy the Meringue Cookies. 🙂
lisa A Hughs
my son daniel wants these for his 18th birthday.i never thought of adding color or other extract’s.i will make them today in a color he wants and flavor he like’s too.these cookie’s are fun to make! thank you for the recipe.
Sugar Spun Run
Absolutely, Lisa! I hope that your son enjoys them. Let me know how your meringue cookies turn out. 🙂
anna Anderson
I add a bunch of different extracts. My favorite is cherry extract. If you get chocolate morsels and set one for each cookie on your baking tray before you pipe when you begin to pipe your cookies pipe right over top of the chocolate and bake them normally so that when you bite into them you get a chocolate center. I’ve also added heath peices on top before baking
Caitlin
Made these for my best friends birthday. Id tried in the past with no luck; but all the tips made me successful! She’s eating them by the handful happy as a clam at high tide
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy that your best friend enjoyed the meringue cookies, Caitlin. 🙂
Chloe
Does this work with lemon zest?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Chloe! Yes, you can. You make them Lemon Meringue Cookies if you’d like by replacing the vanilla extract with 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract and toss in lemon zest as well. Let me know how they turn out. 🙂
Ann Albrecht
I’ve been looking for this for awhile. Thanks. When I was introduced to these tho chocolate chips were added. So if you haven’t had them that way you should try it. Yummola. 🤩
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Ann! I am so happy that you found my recipe!!! Yes, you can add mini chocolate chips in. If you like these, you may also want to try my Double Chocolate Meringues. Same texture, rich chocolate flavor. Enjoy! 🙂
Faith
Any way I could use a sucarlose/Splenda substitute? Trying to make a low sugar version for some family members who are diabetic. I can’t seem to find a trustworthy recipe with the substitute online.
Sam
Hi Faith! I’m not sure how it would work. I haven’t tried it myself. If you do try it, I would love to know how it turns out. 🙂
Jenny
How long will these last when stored in an air right container?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Jenny! When stored in an airtight container and placed in a cool, dry place, meringues can usually stay fresh for about 2 weeks. Let me know how they turn out! 🙂