Easy Meringue Cookies Recipe - Princess Pinky Girl (2024)

Easy Meringue Cookies Recipe - Princess Pinky Girl (1)

Meringue Cookies are so quick and easy to make because the mixer does most of the work. Perfectly pretty, light as air, bite-sized treats that taste delicious!

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Classic Meringue Cookies are beautiful bite-sized confections that are easy to make from whipped egg whites and sugar. These light as air, sweet cookies have a crisp outer shell, soft and somewhat chewy interior, and taste like a crunchy marshmallow that melts in your mouth.

Easy Meringue Cookies Recipe - Princess Pinky Girl (2)

Meringue Cookies

These Meringue Cookies are super easy to make because the mixer does most of the work! The meringue mixture can be prepared in 15 minutes using 4 ingredients that are whipped until white and glossy stiff peaks are formed, then it’s ready to be piped and baked into the prettiest sweet treats you’ve ever tasted.

If the thought of making homemade Meringue Cookies seems scary because the egg whites must be beaten into a fluffy foam, just follow my tips, tricks, and pictures and I’ll help you produce the perfect crispy cookie. Plus, these cookies are naturally low calorie, fat free, and gluten-free, so you can go ahead and indulge without the guilt!

For more easy meringue recipes, check out my Chocolate Dipped Meringue Cookies {Meringue Kisses} and Lemon Meringue Cookies.

Why we love this Meringue Cookies Recipe

  • Quick and easy to make.
  • Only uses 4 ingredients.
  • Not all meringue cookies are created equal– store-bought meringues often have a texture like styrofoam and are flavorless.
  • Versatile and customizable with different flavor and color options.
  • Beautiful and billowy, light and airy, delicate and dainty, crisp and crunchy.
  • Delicious sweet dessert or snack.
  • Kosher for Passover and perfect for any party, holiday, or celebration.
Easy Meringue Cookies Recipe - Princess Pinky Girl (3)

Meringue Cookie Recipe Ingredients

  • Egg whites
  • Granulated sugar
  • Vanilla extract
  • Cream of tartar

SEE FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BELOW

Substitutions and Additions for Meringue Cookies

  • Add Other Extracts: You can add other extracts with the vanilla or take the vanilla out and use whatever extract you like. Other extract flavors I recommend are lemon, orange, mint, strawberry, banana, coconut, almond, or cherry.
  • Customize The Colors: The cookie batter can be dyed any color you like. Simply wait until you just about reach stiff peaks then add the food coloring to create the color you desire. I recommend using gel food coloring.
  • Meringue Mix-Ins: Feel free to add in finely chopped nuts or mini chocolate chips to the meringue batter. You won’t be able to pipe them with a star tip, but you can dollop mounds onto the baking sheets. You can also add unsweetened cocoa powder to the batter to make chocolate flavored cookies.
  • Decorate Or Dip: You can add festive sprinkles to the formed cookies before baking, or you can drizzle or dip these in any flavor of melted chocolate after baking and cooling them. Just make sure to use a high quality chocolate so it melts smooth.
Easy Meringue Cookies Recipe - Princess Pinky Girl (4)

How to make Meringue Cookies

Meringue Cookies are so easy to make simply by whipping together your ingredients until stiff peaks are formed and piping the mixture into pretty sweet treats. These melt-in-your-mouth confections are deliciously delicate with a crispy crunch.

  1. Whip: Whisk 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.
    Pro Tip: The mixture will be glossy and bright white.
  2. Pipe: Place the meringue into a piping bag and pipe shapes onto the foil.
    Pro Tip: Cookies should be 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
  3. Bake: Bake at 170° Fahrenheit for 2 hours. Turn the oven off and let them cool in the oven for at least 2 hours, but I recommend overnight if you can.
Easy Meringue Cookies Recipe - Princess Pinky Girl (5)

Tips for making the best Meringue Cookies every time

  • 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.
  • I used a Wilton 1M tip and a Wilton 4B tip for this recipe.
  • 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.)
Easy Meringue Cookies Recipe - Princess Pinky Girl (6)

Storage Tips For This Meringue Cookies Recipe

  • 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.

How to make Meringue Cookies FAQs

How many cookies does this recipe make?

The number of cookies you can get out of this recipe really depends on the size they are piped. I got 32 cookies from the batch when I piped most shapes at 1 & ½ inches wide and 1 & ½ inches tall.

How to know when meringue cookies are done?

Meringue cookies are meant to be very light and have a bit of a crunch. You don’t want to let them get to the “browning” stage in baking.

You will know that they are done cooking if they easily come off of your baking sheet. You may need to slide a spatula under them, but it shouldn’t take much effort.
Mine can generally be lifted off the foil-lined baking sheet with no problem at all!

What if my cookies are too soft after baking them?

If you’ve found that your meringues have gotten soft after you finished baking them, you can place 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 too chewy.

What does meringue taste like?

Meringue and meringue cookies are airy and sweet tasting. They are made up mostly of egg whites and sugar so they have a really light texture. They are crispy on the outside, but softer and chewier on the inside. They taste similar to a marshmallow.

Should meringue cookies be chewy?

I personally like a little bit of chewiness in my meringue cookies, but if they are too chewy, it could be that they were underbaked. If this is the case, just put them back in the oven for about 10 minutes at 225 degrees and let them cool in the oven for another hour. If they start to get brown, turn off the oven immediately.

What is meringue made of?

Meringue is a deliciously light and fluffy dessert made from egg whites, sugar, and sometimes cream of tartar or lemon juice.

Easy Meringue Cookies Recipe - Princess Pinky Girl (7)

Other Easy Cookie Recipes

  • Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
  • Jello Divinity Cookies
  • Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
  • Creamsicle Cookies
  • No-Bake Avalanche Cookies
  • Mexican Hot Chocolate Meringues

5 from 8 votes

Easy Meringue Cookies Recipe - Princess Pinky Girl (8)

Meringue Cookie Recipe

Serves — 32

Meringue Cookies are so quick and easy to make because the mixer does most of the work. Perfectly pretty, light as air, bite-sized treats that taste delicious!

PrintRate

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs

Cool Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 4 large egg whites room temp
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • teaspoon cream of tartar

Instructions

  • 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.

Jenn’s Notes

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.)

Nutrition Info

Calories: 20kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 8mg | Sugar: 5g | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg

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Easy Meringue Cookies Recipe - Princess Pinky Girl (2024)

FAQs

What is the most stable meringue for cookies? ›

Italian meringue has a soft and creamy texture that is considered the most stable of the three types. Because it holds its shape so well, you can typically find Italian meringue piped on desserts like baked Alaska or pastries.

Do you need cream of tartar for meringue? ›

The bottom line: For smooth, stiff beaten egg whites that keep their shape, don't skip the cream of tartar. If you don't have cream of tartar, substituting 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar per egg white works almost as well. To avoid meringues that weep, don't skip the cream of tartar...

Why did my meringue cookies turn out chewy? ›

Chewy meringues are the result of two possible situations, under-baking and humidity. If they are under-baked they might always be a little chewy. For humidity, you can try popping the meringues back into the oven on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet at 200°F for 10 minutes to try crisping them up a bit.

Why are my meringue cookies not crispy? ›

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 ...

What is the trick to making meringue? ›

so what's the secret to making meringue?
  1. room temperature whites are KEY! While eggs are easiest to separate cold, the whites will beat up to their maximum potential at room temperature. ...
  2. beat the whites low and slow to start! ...
  3. cream of tartar is your meringue “MVP”! ...
  4. add your granulated sugar slowly too!
Jan 19, 2023

Which meringue is the easiest to make but is the least stable? ›

French meringue has a delicate and airy texture, making it perfect for meringue cookies and pavlovas. Although it's the least stable of the three types of meringue, it's also the easiest to make, so it's a great option for beginners.

Why do people add vinegar to meringue? ›

Acid. Whether it be vinegar, lemon juice, cream of tartar, or a combination, an acid will greatly improve the structure of meringue. Acid not only helps meringue whip up and aerate more quickly, it also keeps it stable. Without acid, meringue is more likely to collapse either during or after mixing.

Do you use granulated or powdered sugar for meringue? ›

It can be made with any sugar. One cup of superfine sugar or packed brown sugar is equal to 1 cup of granulated sugar; 1-3/4 cups powdered sugar equals 1 cup granulated. Superfine sugar may dissolve more readily and produce a smoother glossier meringue, but volume will not be as great.

What happens if you put too much cream of tartar in meringue? ›

Keep in mind that more cream of tartar doesn't necessarily mean a better, more stable result. “Too much cream of tartar will impart a metallic, tin-like taste,” Molly warns.

Can you leave meringue cookies out overnight? ›

If you have leftover meringues, you can store them at room temperature or in the freezer for up to 1 month. If it's a warm or humid day, place your meringues in the fridge for 30 minutes first to make sure they're cool.

Can you over mix meringue cookies? ›

Over whip the egg whites and you risk making them too firm and they will risk losing the moisture that they hold. This will affect your meringue's crispness, as well as making it more likely to collapse or weep beads of sugar. As my meringue guru Gary Mehigan advises: “If you over whip the egg whites you cannot fix it.

What does cream of tartar do? ›

Cream of tartar is the secret ingredient to making whipped cream fluffy and light. It's also used to make meringue more sturdy, and to add a bit of tangy zip to baked goods, such as snickerdoodle cookies.

What happens if you add sugar too early to meringue? ›

Adding the Sugar Too Quickly

In general, a given weight of egg whites can absorb up to an equivalent weight of sugar, but you can't just dump it in all at once or it will simply knock all the air out of the foam.

Why is my meringue like marshmallow? ›

It doesn't have to be perfect, but if there are too many undissolved pieces of sugar, it means it's not fully dissolved into the protein layer of the egg whites. When this happens, your meringues won't come out crisp and they might seep liquid during baking as the sugar melts out of the meringue.

Can you Rebake meringue cookies? ›

After turning the oven off, you can leave meringue cookies inside to finish drying out. Crack the oven door if you're worried the heat will be too high. You can also use the oven to re-crisp soggy or stale meringues. Put them in at a low temperature for ten minutes.

Which meringue is the least stable? ›

French meringue is the least stable of the three meringue types but the lightest and the most airy.

Which meringue lasts the longest? ›

Italian meringue is the most stable meringue with a dense, marshmallow-like texture. It is made by whisking together egg whites and a sugar syrup heated to 235-245°F (113-118°C). The sugar syrup is slowly poured into the egg whites while whisking, resulting in a shiny, voluminous meringue.

Which of the three meringues is the most stable? ›

How it's Made: The most stable of the meringues, this Italian meringue is partially cooked, either by pouring a cooked sugar syrup onto egg whites and gradually beating them or by whipping egg whites and sugar over a double boiler.

Which is more stable Swiss meringue or Italian meringue? ›

Italian meringue is very similar to Swiss, but instead of being cooked with sugar, a sugar syrup is made separately and added to whipped egg whites. Italian meringue is slightly more stable than Swiss, which I'll explain under the Italian meringue buttercream heading.

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