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Description
Airy and light meringue cookies with a crisp exterior and a melt-in-your-mouth interior. Made with simple ingredients like egg whites and sugar, these cookies are perfect for beginners. The vanilla adds a subtle sweetness that enhances the delightful texture of these treats.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar ((200g))
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Adjust two oven racks to the center of the oven and preheat to 200ºF. Prepare two large baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Start mixing on low speed, gradually increasing to medium.
- Once the egg whites become frothy after about 30 seconds, slowly incorporate the granulated sugar one teaspoon at a time. After all the sugar is mixed in, add the vanilla extract. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally as sugar can accumulate there.
- Continue mixing at medium-high speed until the meringue achieves a thick, marshmallow-like texture that holds a peak, which should take about 10 to 15 minutes. If you wish to add food coloring, do so using a toothpick and mix until fully combined.
- Transfer the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe small dollops of meringue onto the corners of the baking sheet and press down the parchment paper to secure it in place while piping.
- To create the cookies, hold the piping bag approximately ½ inch above the parchment and squeeze to form dollops about 2 inches wide. Stop squeezing and lift the bag to create a tip. Continue piping, leaving about an inch of space between each dollop for airflow. You can fit around 24 dollops on each sheet if you pipe 6 rows of 4.
- Bake for about 1 hour or until the meringues feel dry to the touch and sound hollow when tapped. If the weather is humid, they may require a longer baking time. After baking, turn off the oven and let the meringues sit inside with the door closed for an additional 2 hours to dry out completely. They should feel light and lift easily from the baking sheet.
Notes
TECHNIQUE TIP: Ensure sugar is fully dissolved by rubbing a small amount between your fingers; it should feel smooth before piping.
STORAGE: Store meringue cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain their crisp texture for up to two weeks.
SUBSTITUTION: You can add a drop of food coloring or powdered freeze-dried berries for color and flavor variations.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 18 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 4 mg
- Fat: 0.02 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Protein: 0.3 g
