Meringue Cookies are one of my favorite quick and easy recipes to make for the holidays. In this post, we will share our favorite simple meringue recipe, how to make meringue cookies, exactly how long to cook meringues, and more. You’ll be baking the perfect meringues in no time at all!
Looking for more holiday treats? You might also enjoy this peppermint bark.
FAVORITE MERINGUE RECIPE
If you’ve been following my site for a while, you should know by now I would have a favorite meringue recipe to share. This recipe is super simple and it only calls for a handful of ingredients.
Not only that, but the meringue comes together really quickly, it’s easily piped, and bakes perfectly for that slightly hardshell casing with the marshmallow-like inside.
It’s also a great meringue to make if this is your first time making it.
WHAT IS MERINGUE
The French term meringue refers to the final product of stiffly beaten room temperature egg whites combined with sugar that is baked until lightly crisp. The three main ingredients of meringue include egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar or another acidic ingredient such as lemon.
Meringue is used for many different applications, the most common being a topping for pies, cakes, and meringue cookies. The latter of what we will be sharing today.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR MERINGUE
To make these meringue cookies, you only need to have a handful of ingredients. Here is what you will need to have on hand:
- egg whites – must be at room temperature. Let them sit out for at least 30 minutes but no longer than 2 hours.
- granulated sugar
- cream of tartar
- vanilla – if coloring the meringue cookies you can use any vanilla. If you want to make white meringues, use clear vanilla if available.
- gel coloring *optional – a little goes a long way, and meringues are always pretty with color.
To make this recipe work, you need to allow the egg whites to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. We will share our other favorite tips on how to make meringue cookies below.
If you need to grab this recipe and run, head to the Jump to Recipe button at the top of this page or scroll down to the bottom of this page for the full recipe card. There you will find the full recipe with notes, tips, and tricks.
MERINGUE COOKIES RECIPE
To learn how to make a classic vanilla meringue cookie recipe, you first have to learn how to make the meringue. We are going to share our step by step process with you for our super-simple meringue recipe. You’ll want to save this recipe for future baking!
How to Make Meringue
- Heat Oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Take two cookie sheets and line them with parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix.
Add the room temperature egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Turn the mixer on medium speed and whisk until the ingredients are foamy. About 1 minute.
- Add.
While the mixer is still on medium speed, slowly add 1 Tbsp at a time of the sugar. Do not add more sugar until the first tablespoon has been completely dissolved. About 30 seconds in between each addition. Once all of the sugar has been added, turn the mixer on high speed and allow it to mix for 3 minutes, or until the meringue is forming stiff peaks. DO NOT OVERMIX. Once you get stiff peaks, STOP.
- Color.
If you’re adding color to the meringue, add it as soon as you get the stiff peaks formed in the meringue. Then beat the meringue for an additional minute or until the color has fully incorporated into the meringue. AGAIN, DON’T OVERMIX.
- Pipe.
Fit a #32 Wilson Star to a pastry bag and fill it with the meringue. Grab the lined cookie sheets and carefully pipe the meringue cookies about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter and space them about 2 inches a part from each other. You should be able to fill 2 large cookie sheets and still have some leftover meringue.
- Bake.
Place the piped cookies into the oven and bake on 250 for 40 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR. Once the cook time has finished, turn the oven off and leave the meringue cookies in the oven for an hour. Seriously. **DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR**
- Serve.
Remove the cookies from the oven and serve! They should have a slightly crunchy outside shell with a marshmallow-like inside when you bite into them.
This is such an easy meringue recipe and one we make over and over. Follow those simple steps above and you’ll be piping the perfect meringues before you know it!
You can store any leftover meringue cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks! That’s if they last that long.
TIPS AND TAKEAWAYS:
- EGG WHITES: Make sure the egg whites have been sitting at room temperature for 30 minutes (but no longer than 2 hours) before starting the recipe. You can read more of the great egg debate about refrigerating eggs or not here.
- DON’T OVERMIX: When mixing together your ingredients, it’s important to make sure everything is completely mixed well, but don’t overmix the ingredients. As soon as you have a glossy meringue that forms stiff peaks, stop mixing.
- DON’T OPEN THE OVEN: You will be tempted, but keep the oven door shut for the entire cooking time and finishing time in the oven. Opening the oven could cause the meringue to flatten.
- BE ADVENTUROUS: Try different piping tips to give your meringues a different shape and look. Use different colors and multiple colors at once. Add different flavors, dip them in chocolate, and sprinkle them with other ingredients. The sky is the limit once you have the meringue recipe mastered.
MORE HOLIDAY TREATS
Meringue Cookies
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup sugar granulated, white
- 3 egg whites
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Take two cookie sheets and line them with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add the room temperature egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Turn the mixer on medium speed and whisk until the ingredients are foamy. About 1 minute.
- While the mixer is still on medium speed, slowly add 1 Tbsp at a time of the sugar. Do not add more sugar until the first tablespoon has been completely dissolved. About 30 seconds in between each addition. Once all of the sugar has been added, turn the mixer on high speed and allow it to mix for 3 minutes, or until the meringue is forming stiff peaks. DO NOT OVERMIX. Once you get stiff peaks, STOP.
- If you're adding color to the meringue, add it as soon as you get the stiff peaks formed in the meringue. Then beat the meringue for an additional minute or until the color has fully incorporated into the meringue. AGAIN, DON'T OVERMIX.
- Fit a #32 Wilson Star to a pastry bag and fill it with the meringue. Grab the lined cookie sheets and carefully pipe the meringue cookies about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter and space them about 2 inches a part from each other. You should be able to fill 2 large cookie sheets and still have some leftover meringue.
- Place the piped cookies into the oven and bake on 250 for 40 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR. Once the cook time has finished, turn the oven off and leave the meringue cookies in the oven for an hour. Seriously. **DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR**
- Remove the cookies from the oven and serve! They should have a slightly crunchy outside shell with a marshmallow-like inside when you bite into them.
Notes
- EGG WHITES: Make sure the egg whites have been sitting at room temperature for 30 minutes (but no longer than 2 hours) before starting the recipe.
- DON’T OVERMIX: When mixing together your ingredients, it’s important to make sure everything is completely mixed well, but don’t overmix the ingredients. As soon as you have a glossy meringue that forms stiff peaks, stop mixing.
- DON’T OPEN THE OVEN: You will be tempted, but keep the oven door shut for the entire cooking time and finishing time in the oven. Opening the oven could cause the meringue to flatten.
- BE ADVENTUROUS: Try different piping tips to give your meringues a different shape and look. Use different colors and multiple colors at once. Add different flavors, dip them in chocolate, and sprinkle them with other ingredients. The sky is the limit once you have the meringue recipe mastered.
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