Vanilla Meringue Cookies
![A pile of classic vanilla bean meringues.](https://assets.epicurious.com/photos/652d9fdf80d03ee2ff01c729/1:1/w_2560%2Cc_limit/Meringue-Guide-Vanilla_RECIPE.jpg)
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Active Time
30 minutes
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Total Time
2 hours 30 minutes (plus cooling)
Welcome to the magical world ofmeringue, where whippedegg whitesand sugar transform into light-as-a-cloud meringue cookies that practically dissolve on your tongue. Meringue can be used in endless ways—swooped and torched atoplemon meringue pie, folded into cake batter for airy lift, or used as an ultra-stable base for buttercream ormarshmallows—but classic meringue cookies hold a special place in my heart. Meringues are not youreveryday cookie: They’re delicate, sensitive, and time-intensive. But they have major visual appeal (look at that swirl!) and last for far longer than your standard chocolate chipper. As they stay good for up to 10 days, they’re a fantastic choice forshipping or holiday gifting. These elegant confections also make a great garnish forholiday desserts. Crumble them atop ice cream scoops for a DIYEton messor serve them on a pretty platter at teatime.
A few technical tips to help you along:Cream of tartarprevents the meringue from overmixing, so you don’t have to worry about it deflating or turning foamy. Once you’ve added all the sugar, whisk on medium-high until the meringue is billowy, shiny, and marshmallow-like in texture. To tell if the meringue has reached stiff peaks, remove the whisk attachment—the meringue on the whisk should stand up straight, only drooping ever so slightly. If the meringue deflates while you prep the piping bag and sheet trays, return it to the mixer and beat for 1–2 minutes more, or until it reaches stiff peaks.
A pastry bag will help you achieve the tallest, twirliest meringues, but you don’t need one. For a more rustic look, use a cookie scoop or two spoons to dollop the meringue into small mounds on the baking sheet. Or for a makeshift pastry bag, fill a gallon-size resealable plastic bag with meringue, and snip off a corner.
As the meringues cook, their shells go from sticky to tacky to crisp. You’ll know they’re done when you can lift one off thebaking sheetand it feels light; tap the underside and it should sound hollow. But don’t take them out of the oven quite yet—just turn the heat off. Leaving the cookies in the turned-off oven allows them to cool down slowly and gradually, minimizing the odds of your meringues cracking. If you’re making meringues on a rainy or humid day, their exteriors might turn sticky. No worries, though: Pop them back into an oven on low heat for 10–15 minutes to re-crisp. Use the same strategy to revive days-old meringues.
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What you’ll need
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Stand Mixer
$389 At Amazon
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Piping Bags
$12 At Amazon
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Star Piping Tip (Ateco Number 848)
$7 At Amazon
Ingredients
Makes about 30
Special equipment
Step 1
Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 225°. Place5 large egg whites, room temperature, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Sprinkle¼ tsp. cream of tartarand¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher saltover and let sit 5 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, sift¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugarand¾ cup (83 g) powdered sugarinto a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
Step 3
Beat egg white mixture on medium speed until foamy, 30–60 seconds. With motor running, add sugar mixture 1 Tbsp. at a time, incorporating completely before adding more and scraping down sides of bowl as needed between additions, 6–8 minutes total. Increase speed to high and beat meringue until glossy stiff peaks form (it should look billowy), about 2 minutes. (Stiff peaks are important here as the meringue will deflate slightly when piped; the cream of tartar will prevent overbeating). Reduce speed to medium, add1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, and beat until just incorporated.
Step 4
Place pastry bag fitted with tip into a tall glass or vase and fold top of bag over rim of glass to hold it in place. Fill bag with meringue, then bring sides together and twist to close. Dab a little meringue in each corner of a baking sheet and line with parchment paper; lightly press meringue dabs to adhere parchment to baking sheet. Holding pastry bag vertically about 1" above baking sheet, working in an upward motion and twisting at the base to create a swirled shape, pipe meringue to make a 2"-wide star. Repeat to fill baking sheet, spacing meringues about 1" apart. Repeat process with another baking sheet, refilling bag as needed.
Step 5
Bake meringues until crisp on the outside and shiny (but not sticky or tacky), 2 hours to 2 hours and 45 minutes. To check if they are ready, lift a meringue off the baking sheet: it should be light, lift off the baking sheet cleanly, and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. If meringues are not done after 2 hours, keep baking, checking every 20 minutes.
Step 6
Turn off oven and leave door slightly ajar (prop open with a wooden spoon if needed). Let meringues cool in oven at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
Do ahead:蛋白糖饼可提前10天烤制。商店airtight at room temperature. If meringues soften, re-crisp in a 225° oven 10–15 minutes.