Best Meringue Cookie Recipe

Meringue cookies are great because they require just a few ingredients without skipping out on taste and flavor. If you've been wanting to try your hand at making these wonderful cookies, then we have the perfect opportunity for you to do so. According to Brittanica, meringues date all the way back to the 1700s, and we can thank a Swiss pastry chef named Gasparini for making these in the first place. Meringues are great on their own, but you can also add them to different foods like ice cream or even serve them with fruit. The possibilities are endless! 

Recipe developer Susan Olayinka of The Flexible Fridge came up with this fantastic meringue cookie recipe, and it's just as good as it sounds. So, what does Olayinka herself love the most about this recipe? "That it requires so little ingredients to create," she explains. "And tastes great." Olayinka describes the flavor as "just sweet and sugary. Texture crispy on the outside and pretty chewy on the inside." If this sounds like something you want to try, keep reading for instructions.

This recipe is super simple, and believe it or not, it calls for just four ingredients. You will need to head to the store and pick up all of the necessary items but be sure to check at home in case you already have a few things. You'll need a cup of egg whites, and it should take about four eggs to reach that quantity. Then, head to the baking aisle. There, you will need to grab some granulated sugar and vanilla extract. Last but not least, pick up a few teaspoons of cream of tartar. Once you have all those items, head to check out and get ready to get down to business.

Ready to start? First, preheat your oven to 225 F.  Then, grab a large mixing bowl. Pour in the egg whites and whisk them for about five minutes. Olayinka recommends having a mixer with a whisk attachment to do the work for you. If you tried to do this by hand, it would take a lot more time and your arm would be pretty sore after whisking for five minutes. Olayinka also notes that you should use the "highest speed" on the mixer. Continue whisking the eggs until they begin to form stiff peaks.

Once the peaks start to form, keep the mixer on and keep going with the flow. Then, grab the granulated sugar and start adding it in with the egg mixture. Simply put in ¼ cup at a time, adding more every 10 seconds until you've used up all the sugar. Slow and steady wins the race in this case. Now, toss in the vanilla extract, followed by the cream of tartar. Continue mixing all the ingredients until the meringues form stiff peaks again.

You're officially finished mixing. Next, take out your piping nozzle and pipe swirls. Be sure to select one that's has a 2-inch width. Pipe the meringues onto a baking sheet, making sure to leave about 1 inch between each one. "Just go slow, so it doesn't gush out," Olayinka says when asked about piping tips. 

Then, pop the meringues into the oven at 225 F for about an hour. Once the timer goes off, leave the oven door open for two hours for them to dry out further. The purpose of this is "to let the cookies dry out without burning," Olayinka says.

The last part of every recipe is always the best part because that means you can finally enjoy the fruits of your labor. These cookies are great on their own, but if you'd like to add a little something, we'd suggest enjoying them with a nice cup of coffee or milk. You can also serve with ice cream or fruit! 

These are so incredibly tasty that we don't think you will have any leftovers, but if you do — we've got you covered! Olayinka recommends storing them "in an airtight container." We hope these satisfy all of your sweet cravings.