The beauty of meringue cookies may make them intimidating to newbie bakers. But the reality is that while meringues do take a while to bake, they’re actually super easy to make!

With this simple recipe for mini cookies, you can enjoy a bite-size snack that’s packed with flavor.

One thing I really love about this simple recipe is that you easily change it up. Looking for a chocolate dessert to make? Just add some chocolate to your batter!

Want a bright lemon cookie? Add in some lemon extract. There are endless possibilities once you get the basic recipe down.

What You’ll Need to Make Meringue Cookies:

• Egg whites
• Sugar
• Salt

How to Make Mini Meringues:

Step One:

• Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with a Silpat baking liner or parchment paper to keep your meringues from sticking. 
• Meringue cookies are baked at a low temperature for an extended amount of time, so you’ll only need to set your oven to 225 degrees.

Step Two:

• Beat the egg whites on medium speed using a hand mixer or stand mixer until they’re foamy.
• Gradually stir in the sugar, adding just one-quarter cup at a time. Finish with a pinch of salt.
• Continue to beat the mixture until stiff peaks begin to form. Your meringue should be smooth and shiny at this point.

Step Three:

• Fill a piping bag with the meringue and pipe in one to two-inch mounds.
• Place the cookies in your preheated oven and bake for one to one and half hours. 
• After the cooking time is up, turn off your oven and allow the cookies to cool inside the oven.

Tips for Making Meringue Cookies

Once you get the hang of making these easy cookies, you’ll love whipping them up. But there is a little bit of trial and error that goes along with making a delicious meringue.

These easy tips will ensure you make amazing mini cookies the first time you bake them.

• To make sure your meringue is ready to go in the oven, pinch a small amount of the batter between your fingers. If the mixture feels gritty, the sugar has not been fully incorporated into the eggs yet. That means it will need to be beaten more before you can start baking.
• Use a Silpat liner with measurements printed on it to get perfectly sized cookies every time. With the help of this liner, you can quickly and easily create uniform cookies because the sizes are marked right on the mat.
• If you don’t have a piping bag, you can also scoop mounds of batter onto your lined baking sheet. Use a tablespoon to scoop out the batter to ensure each of your cookies are the same size.
• To change the flavor of your meringue, simply add in extracts. For vanilla meringues, add one to two tablespoons of vanilla extract. To make lemon meringues, add one to teaspoons of lemon extract or one to two tablespoons of lemon juice. Add the extract to the whisked eggs, before adding in the sugar.
• Use fresh, room-temperature egg whites for best results. To get a smooth, fluffy meringue, it’s always best to use fresh egg whites instead of packaged whites or egg white substitutes. Another simple way to ensure your meringue mixes perfectly is to use room temperature whites. Around an hour before you plan to start mixing up your batter, set the eggs on the counter. By the time you’re ready to cook, your egg white should be room temperature.

Is Cream of Tartar Necessary for Meringue?

Many meringue recipes use cream of tartar to help stabilize the egg whites. But this ingredient is most often seen in meringue that won’t be baked.

Since you’ll be baking your meringue cookies there is no need to use cream of tartar. In fact, you only need three ingredients to make a delicious meringue – egg whites, sugar, and salt.

Why are My Meringues Chewy?

The key to baking meringue cookies is to cook them low and slow. Many bakers have issues with their meringue cookies being too chewy because they didn’t take one simple step to ensure their cookies get crisp – allowing them to cool in the oven.

When your meringues are exposed to outside air, the sugar begins to pull moisture from the cool air around the cookies. This will cause the meringues to become chewy. To prevent that extra moisture, it’s always a good idea to give the cookies time to cool completely in the oven.

How Long do Meringue Cookies Last?

When stored properly, your meringue cookies will last up to two weeks. Make sure to keep your cookies stored in an air-tight container at room temperature to ensure they don’t come in contact with moisture.

Moisture can cause the cookies to melt or become sticky, so it’s important to cover the cookies when they’re not being eaten.

There are so many recipes that I love to incorporate these lovely easy-to-make French meringue cookies, such as:

• Moreish Eton Mess Parfait dessert recipe
• My all-time favorite Icebox Lemon Pie Ice Cream (my take on a classic lemon meringue pie recipe)!

Updated 3/1/2021