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Perfect White Meringues | prettysimplesweet.com

Meringue Recipe

Beautiful crunchy meringue cookies that melt in your mouth with every bite!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
YIELD 10 large cookies or 50-60 mini cookies (“kisses”)

Ingredients

  • 3 (100g) egg whites, at room temperature
  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ cup (100g.) granulated or caster sugar
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup (90g) powdered sugar
  • Food coloring, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 200F/90C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Double-check that your mixer bowl is extra clean and not greasy, as that will cause the egg whites to not whip up properly. In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites and salt on low-medium speed until foamy and soft peaks start to form, approximately 40-50 seconds. Then, while mixer is running, add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, and continue whisking on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, meringue is glossy and completely smooth but not dry, and the sugar is fully dissolved (this part of adding the sugar and continues beating may take 5-10 minutes.). Beat in vanilla extract. Stop the mixer and add the powdered sugar. Fold gently by hand until combined and smooth. Fold in food coloring, if using.
  3. Immediately spoon mounds of meringue onto the prepared baking sheet, about 2.5-inch in diameter (for piping or “kisses” shape, refer to above post). These cookies don’t spread much, so you can place them quite close to each other. Place in the lower part of the oven and bake for 2-3 hours, or until the meringues are dry, their center isn’t sticky, and they are easily lifted from the parchment paper with their bases intact. Turn off the oven and, without removing, let meringues cool completely for at least one hour or overnight.
  4. Meringue cookies will keep for 2 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

If you have a scale, weigh the egg whites for best results. Make sure there are no egg yolks in there or it will ruin the meringue.
Remember that there’s no harm in baking the meringues for a longer time, so if you don’t feel that they’re quite ready yet, continue letting them bake.