HOW TO MAKE MERINGUE COOKIES
Meringue cookies are such a delightful addition to the table and so easy to make! I love to flavor mine with a drop of good vanilla but almond and even peppermint are great choices too. Try dipping or drizzling with chocolate for an extra layer of flavor and remember, these make wonderful gifts! These cookies are so versatile. Drizzle with chocolate, add various flavorings or even pipe them as nests and fill with whipped cream and berries!
1. Set oven to 200F. Separate the egg whites one at a time into a small bowl then transfer each white to the bowl of your stand mixer. You really don’t want to get any broken yolks in your bowl so separating them individually contains the damage if anything happens. These meringues can be made in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer instead of a stand mixer, just be prepared for it to take a while.
2. Add the cream or tartar and salt to the bowl then begin mixing on low and gradually increase the speed to high.
3. Once the egg whites have frothed up you can begin SLOWLY sprinkling in the sugar. This step makes a big difference in your final meringues so remember to take your time and add the sugar in gradually. You can do is a teaspoon at a time or just
4. After the sugar has been added it’s time to beat in some vanilla. If you want your meringues to be whiter than white you can add a clear extract instead.
5. Your meringue is done once it has a Thick marshmallowy texture and can hold a nice peak. I would caution agains letting it sit for too long as it will pose consistency and not pipe as nicely if left to it’s own devices for too long.
6. If you are coloring the meringue I suggest adding a SMALL, tiny amount of coloring in with a toothpick or skewer. A little goes a long way here. Mix in a bit with the skewer then use the whisk attachment to distribute the color. I use Americolor gel colorings and this batch was colored with “soft pink”.
7. Add small dollops of meringue to the corners of your baking sheet and press the parchment paper down. The meringue acts like glue and gives you a nice stable base to pipe on.
8. Pipe your meringues allowing at least an inch of space between each for airflow. Squeeze the piping bag while it’s about 1/2 an inch from the paper, lift as you squeeze then stop squeezing but continue to lift the finish the meringue. I’m using an 869 tip here but the white batch was piped with an 846 tip. Any large star tip will give you similar results. Bake at 200F on the center rack for about an hour then turn the oven off and keep the door closed for an additional 1-2 hours.
PRO TIPS FOR EASY MERINGUE COOKIES
- Separate each egg white into a small bowl before adding it to the mixer, this way if a yolk breaks you won’t have to repurpose the whole batch into an omelette.
- Drizzle the sugar in VERY slowly while the mixer runs. You can add in a teaspoon at a time or just go for a slow cascade of sugar. It makes a huge difference in the quality of your meringue.
- Pipe your meringue as soon as it’s done. Meringue will lose consistency if it sits around for a while.
- Center rack is best for baking.
- Just leave your meringue cookies in the oven for at least an hour and don’t keep opening the oven, they need a nice warm dry place to hang out after baking.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
HOW LONG DO THEY LAST?
Your Meringue cookies will last up to two weeks at room temperature as long as they’re kept dry. Storing in a sealed container is best.
WHAT ARE THE THREE TYPES OF MERINGUE?
French: Sugar is SLOWLY added to the egg whites while they’re being whipped. Very easy to make.
Italian: Very hot liquid sugar is poured into a starter meringue while being whipped. Silky and substantial in texture.
Swiss: Egg whites and sugar are slowly heated to 160F then whipped. Silky and very versatile.
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN THEY ARE DONE?
You’ll be able to lift your meringue cookies off the paper easily. They will feel very light and will be completely dry. Remember to bake them at a very low temperature for a LONG time. This drys them out without browning the cookies.
WHY ARE MY MERINGUE COOKIES CHEWY?
Your meringues will be crisp once the oven has dried out all the moisture in the egg whites. If it was humid when you made them they will wick up more moisture and soften. Leave your meringues in the oven after they’re done baking for at least an hour to finish drying them out and if they become chewy after being left out you can bake them for about 10 minutes at 200F.
