I’m obsessed with meringue! Soft on a cake, crisp and cakey as a pavlova. I love it in every form for its magical whimsy. These “cloud cookies” are easy to make and can end up a little rustic-looking, which I love. They are crunchy, light, and a bit chewy in the middle. When mixing them, I add just a touch of balsamic vinegar to temper the sweetness.

I also like to swirl in flavorful toppings, but there’s a trick to it. Any fat or oil can deflate meringue, so I add in the toppings right before baking, swirling it in quickly so it just streaks through. Play with the flavors to create unique cookies. I’ve used bright fruit powders, preserves, chocolate ganache, Nutella, or, if I want something a little less sweet, I swirl in peanut butter, tahini (black tahini creates a more dramatic effect), or even wasabi powder to create a fascinating treat. For a bit of texture, sprinkle the meringue clouds with toasted sesame seeds or edible dried rose petals just before baking.

Or you can pipe them to make mini meringue cookies, which are crunchy, like the ones I show above. Dip them in chocolate and sprinkles, then pile on a decorative platter or tower and you have a great centerpiece for a party.

Meringue Cookies

5 from 1 vote

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Servings: large meringues

Author: Zoë François

Ingredients

1/2 cup / 120g egg whites about 4 large
1 cup / 200g superfine sugar
1 tsp white or balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Optional Toppings

use 1 1/2 tsp per large meringue
Sesame seeds wasabi-coated sesame seeds make for a spicy and colorful alternative
Black tahini or use traditional white but not as dramatic
Nutella
Peanut butter
Preserves
Half batch of Bittersweet
Chocolate Ganache

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 250°F / 120°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. Turn down the speed to medium- low and slowly drizzle in the superfine sugar. Once all the sugar is added, turn the speed to high and whip until it is light, fluffy, glossy, and there is no graininess left in the meringue, about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and vanilla and continue beating at high speed for 30 seconds.
Spoon the meringue onto the prepared baking sheet in six equal-size blobs (you can make them smaller or larger, but it will affect the baking time), spaced about 3 inches apart so they have room to expand. If you are flavoring the meringues, sprinkle or drizzle your preferred topping over the meringue and swirl it in using the tip of a knife or a chopstick. Don’t overwork it or the meringues may spread too much.
Bake for 1 hour, then reduce the heat to 200°F / 95°C and continue baking for 30 more minutes. Turn off the heat and leave to sit in the oven for about an hour to make sure the outside stays crisp, but the inside has a bit of chew. It may require longer depending on the oven and if you want a crispy interior.
The meringues can be stored in an airtight container for 24 hours.

Notes

If you want a more uniform and controlled look to your meringue, you can put the whipped meringue into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe them out into little kiss shapes or whatever shape inspires you. Bake smaller meringues for about 45 minutes before reducing the temperature and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

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