My meringue cookie recipe makes a delicious, crisp cookie that tastes like a toasted marshmallow.
The first time I made a meringue cookie recipe was in pastry school. I had no idea they were so easy to make. Simply combine egg whites and sugar and whip it up! This meringue cookie recipe is perfect for making meringue pops or pretty much any shape you can think of.
What is an easy meringue cookie recipe
My meringue cookie recipe is super easy. The key to a perfect meringue cookie recipe isn't in the ingredients, it's in the baking (if you can call it that), it's more like a dehydration process.
- Just bring a couple of inches of water to a simmer in a pot.
- Place a stainless steel mixing bowl over the simmering water.
- Add in your egg whites and your sugar and whisk occasionally until the sugar dissolves.
- Once the sugar is dissolved, you can begin whipping. Add in your vanilla and cream of tartar. I use my kitchenaid for this otherwise, it would take a long time to do with your hands. Let your meringue whip until it's at the stiff peak stage.
- Once your meringue is ready you can add color if you like. To make the rainbow meringue kisses, I place a little dab of food coloring on the inside of my piping bag with a toothpick so it colored the meringue as I piped. I used light blue, pink and yellow.
How to bake meringue cookies
Most people do not bake their meringues for long enough which results in wrinkly or sticky meringues.
- Preheat your oven to 225ºF
- Pipe your meringues onto parchment. If you're making multiple sizes, put larger meringues on a separate pan.
- Bake meringues 2" or smaller for 60 minutes. After the time is up, turn off the oven and leave them in the oven until it's completely cool (I let mine sit in there overnight).
- For larger meringues like meringue pops, bake for 90 minutes then let cool.
How do I know if my meringue cookies are done?
Once your meringues are totally cool, they should lift right off the parchment paper. When you bite into them they should not be soft in the middle and feel very light and crisp. If you go to lift the meringue cookie off the paper and it sticks, they are not done yet.
Why are my meringue cookies sticky?
The day I made my meringue cookies, it was raining like crazy. I thought for sure they would be sticky, but they weren't. As long as your meringue cookies are baked for long enough and left in the oven to completely cool, they won't be sticky. The stickiness comes from leftover moisture in the meringue coming to the surface and making it sticky.
How long do meringue cookies last?
The great thing about meringue cookies is that you can make a whole bunch ahead of time and then save them for later. You can store meringue cookies in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Meringue cookies make great gifts because they stay fresh for so long. They do not need to be refrigerated.
How do you change the flavor of the meringue cookie?
You can change the flavor of your meringue cookie very easily! Simply replace the extract with any other type of flavoring you desire like strawberry or peppermint. I thought about flavoring this meringue cookie recipe with bubblegum flavoring since it's a unicorn theme and all but I couldn't find any locally. Next time!
How do you make a meringue pop?
You can use this same recipe to make fun meringue pops! All the rage right now in the cake world. You can color your meringue the same way. This time pipe the meringue onto one half of a cake pop stick. Apply some fun sprinkles and bake as usual. These make great treats for parties, for using on cakes or for packaging individually for sales.
For extra fun, try using a little edible glitter from never forgotten designs! I love how much it sparkles!
Recipe
Ingredients
Meringue Cookie Ingredients
- 3 egg whites fresh
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 5 oz sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla or other flavoring
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
Meringue cookie instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 225ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Bring 2 inches of water to a simmer in a pot. Place a clean stainless steel mixing bowl over the water. It shouldn't touch the water.
- Combine your egg whites and sugar and whisk to combine. Occasionally whisk as it's heating to distribute the heat and dissolve the sugar.
- Once your egg whites are at 110ºF (or when you don't feel any grains of sugar between your fingers) you're read to whip
- Place the bowl on your stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whisk on med for one minute, add in cream of tartar, salt and flavoring.
- Bump up to high and let whip until you reach STIFF peaks.
- Now you are ready to pipe your meringue onto the baking sheet in kisses, swirls or pops. The possibilities are endless!
- Bake for 60 minutes, then turn off the oven but do not take out the cookies. Let them sit in the oven until they are completely cold. I leave mine in overnight.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Arlette Pace says
Love your recipes - can I use carton egg whites or do they have to be fresh?
Nilda says
Are the egg whites at room temperature?
The Sugar Geek Show says
In this case, it doesn't matter because we aren't baking cake and creating an emulsion 🙂
Tam says
Can I grind freeze dried raspberries and add to batter any idea how much. I thought it would color and flavor. Thank you
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can! I would start with a couple of tablespoons ground finely and see how it tastes
Ann says
Hi in the recipe it says 5 oz sugar but in the writing it says 2 ozs please could you clarify
The Sugar Geek Show says
5oz
Mikee says
Love this! ? I tried doing it but it changes its color from white to slightly brownish white? Hahaha are there any solutions? Thank you ?
The Sugar Geek Show says
They are either baking for too long or your oven is too hot.
Wasima says
Thanks Liz for this wonderful blog. I tried the meringue flowers and they looked good but both times they were a bit sticky even though I baked as instructed, left in in the oven overnight. I baked for 90 min as the flowers were 2-2.5 inches. Should I bake longer or at a higher temperature? Thanks!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Not a higher temperature but longer, yes. I just baked some flowers and left them in the oven for 2 hours, then turned off the oven and left them in overnight. They should be totally dry in the middle and not soft.
Wasima says
Thanks so much!
adeleke olubukola says
wow.....wonderful video,can cream of tartar be replaced,if yes, with what other stabilizer.well done.
The Sugar Geek Show says
I don't know of an alternative replacement but you can leave it out. The meringue cookies will not be as stable and can crack just fyi
Deepa says
Hi I had a big problem. I followed every step to the point. When it was time to pre heat the oven I realized that there was no 107 degree Celsius. It's a gas oven. The temperature around the knob said, min , , ,150, ,160, ,180, ,200, ,220 , , max. Well I put it in minimum and kept it in . In 25-30 mins it got burned. Any solution ??
The Sugar Geek Show says
It's supposed to be 170F not celcius. 170 in Celcius is about 76. Basically the lowest possible temperature on your oven is what you want.
Rhea Ginyard says
Hi Liz. In your written instructions you say to add salt along with the cream of tartar and flavoring but salt is not called for in the recipe. Should we be using salt for this recipe and if so how much?
The Sugar Geek Show says
one pinch of salt, or you can leave it out
Khadija says
Thanks for sharing. I can't wait to try this. One question can a glass bowl be used in place of a stainless steel bowl?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes, either one is ok. Just make sure you've wiped it down with the vinegar to remove any oil from the surface 🙂
Crystal says
How much is 5oz in cups? I been researching online and I am getting different measurements for sugars. Thanks!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Please weigh your ingredients for accuracy.
Gigi says
Hi,
How long in the dehydrator and at what temperature? Your meringues are beautiful!
Thank you ~ G
The Sugar Geek Show says
I'm not sure about that, never used a dehydrator 😀
Angela D says
Are meringue cookies the same as macaroons?
The Sugar Geek Show says
No not the same 🙂
Catherine Heras says
Wow, these are beautiful ♡ are they soft or crispy inside? Thank you for posting 🙂
The Sugar Geek Show says
They are very crisp all the way through <3
Geneva Breaux says
Love seeing this! The idea of them on a stick is great! Ideal for kids to do as well as adults!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Totally! I love fun new ways of making treats for events that aren't really complicated!