These 4-Ingredient Cookies Will Melt in Your Mouth
In my family, meringue cookies are a staple. Every now and then I need to use up leftover egg whites, and my first thought is always meringue. Their simplicity makes this cookie incredibly versatile. Very similar to its cousin the pavlova, meringue cookies can be served alongside whipped cream and fresh fruit or even dipped in chocolate (my personal favorite). While adding vanilla is a go-to in my book, you can also add other delicious flavorings like lemon, peppermint, or even a swirl of jam to make for a fun, flavorful gluten-free cookie.
These cookies are so delicious on their own, but they also make for fun cake decorations and party favors. The best thing of all is that one batch (which makes 50 cookies!) calls for just four ingredients. It’s the ideal customizable cookie and it’s fun to make not just for adults, but also for kids. My son Jack is a meringue cookie’s biggest fan — especially when it’s swirled with raspberry jam and dipped in a little milk chocolate.
Why You’ll Love It
This recipe makes a lot of cookies. All you need are four egg whites, plus sugar, white vinegar (or lemon juice), and salt to whip up a meringue that makes enough for 50 cookies.
Perfectly crispy. Keeping the oven temperature low allows the cookies to fully bake through and dry out, creating a delicate, airy, crispy bite to each.
Key Ingredients in Meringue Cookies
Egg whites: Form the base of the meringue. Whipping the whites incorporates air and contributes to light-as-a-feather cookies.
Granulated sugar: The sugar stabilizes the egg whites while trapping air inside. This helps prevent the cookie from falling and retain its shape once piped.
Vanilla extract: While the cookie is delicious on its own, vanilla extract adds subtle flavor and color.
How to Make Meringue Cookies
Start making the meringue. Heat your oven to 225ºF. Whisk room-temperature egg whites, kosher salt, and distilled white vinegar in a stand mixer on medium speed until foamy and just before soft peaks form.
Add sugar and food coloring. Gradually add granulated sugar and vanilla extract if using. Beat until glossy and stiff peaks form, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. (You may still see some sugar granules.) Add food coloring if desired, a few drops at a time, and continue to beat until just incorporated and the desired shade is reached.
Prepare baking sheets. Spoon a dime-sized portion of the meringue onto each corner of 2 large baking sheets. Line each with parchment paper and push down lightly on the corners (the meringue helps the parchment adhere).
Pipe or spoon cookies. To pipe cookies, transfer half of the meringue into a piping bag. Fill one of the baking sheets with cookies, then repeat with remaining meringue and second baking sheet. To spoon cookies, scoop 2-tablespoon portions of the meringue in round or oval shapes onto the baking sheets.
Bake cookies. Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until they’re lightly browned on the bottom, easy to remove from the parchment, and they feel hollow. If you break a cookie open, it should still be slightly sticky inside.
Turn off the oven and let cool completely. Turn off the oven and prop the oven door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Keep the baking sheets in the oven for 1 hour so the cookies dry out completely.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Meringue cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Depending on the humidity, they may begin to get a slight chew even in an airtight container.
Meringue Cookies Recipe
A crispy, airy, and light-as-a-cloud cookie.
Prep time 20 minutes to 25 minutes
Cook time 45 minutes
Makes 50
Ingredients
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon distilled white vinegar or lemon juice
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Gel food coloring (optional)
Instructions
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Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 225ºF.
Beat 4 room-temperature large egg whites, 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon distilled white vinegar with the whisk attachment in a stand mixer on medium speed until foamy and just before soft peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes.
Reduce the speed to medium-low. Gradually add 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, if using. Increase the speed to medium and beat until glossy and stiff peaks form, 5 to 6 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. (You may still see some sugar granules.)
Add food coloring if desired a few drops at a time and continue to beat on medium speed until just incorporated and the desired shade is reached, about 1 minute.
Spoon a dime-sized portion of the meringue onto each corner of 2 large baking sheets. Line each baking sheet with parchment paper and push down lightly on the corners (the meringue will help the parchment adhere).
Option 1: Piping. Fit a piping bag with a piping tip with a 1/2-inch-wide tip (like a medium open star) if desired, or use a large resealable bag with a bottom corner snipped off to create a 1/2-inch opening. Transfer half of the meringue mixture (about 2 cups) into the bag. Pipe about 25 (1- to 1 1/2-inch-wide) cookies onto one of the baking sheets, spacing them evenly apart. Transfer the remaining meringue into the bag and repeat piping onto the second baking sheet.
Option 2: Spooning. Spoon 2-tablespoon portions of the meringue in round or oval shapes onto the baking sheets, spacing them evenly apart, about 25 per sheet.
Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until lightly browned on the bottom, easy to remove from the parchment, and they feel hollow, 40 to 45 minutes total. If you break a cookie open, it should still be slightly sticky inside.
Turn off the oven and prop the oven door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Keep the baking sheets in the oven for 1 hour so the cookies dry out completely.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Cooled meringue cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Do not refrigerate.
