These lemon meringue cookies are slightly crunchy on the outside, super-soft in the middle, and are bursting with lemon flavor. They are just so light and delicious that you'll want to eat the entire batch. So good thing each meringue cookie only has 20 calories!
THE BEST LEMON MERINGUE COOKIES
If you've never had lemon meringues before, you're in for a treat. These little puffs arelightandairy, with afresh lemon flavor that melts in your mouth and tastes like sunshine.
They are seriously addictive and are one of the most satisfyingsweetandcrispybite-sized desserts. And they are just the best to pop in your mouth - you can eat like ten of them, and it'd equal one regular cookie!
I love putting these meringues out at family get-togethers and summer parties with friends. Everyone justlovesthem, and they're gone in a flash!
And what's great about this recipe is that it isbeyond easy to make, whipping up around40cookies. So you'll have plenty for everyone to enjoy on any occasion. If you serve them with these blueberry cookies, you'll have a cookie for everyone!
INGREDIENTS FOR LEMON MERINGUE COOKIES
- Egg whites- make sure the eggs are at room temperature before separating the yolks from the whites.
- Cream of tartar- to make the cookies extra light and fluffy.
- Powdered sugar- for a sweet melt-in-your-mouth flavor.
- Lemon extract- for a lemon flavor. You can also use lemon zest from a fresh lemon.
- Pinch of salt-to balance out the flavors.
HOW TO MAKE LEMON MERINGUE COOKIES
Step 1: Prep. The first thing you will do is preheat your oven to 225°F (107°C)and linetwobaking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2: Mix. Next, take out a large clear glass bowl and addin youregg whites,cream of tartar, andsalt.Then using an electric mixer with awhiskattachment, beat these ingredients together onmediumspeedfor about1minute.
Step 3: Continue mixing. After a minute, increase your speed to high and gradually add in your powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.Continue beating for about 5 minutes after all of the powdered sugar is added until stiff peaks form. Make sure you stop beating right when stiff peaks form- you do not want to overbeat the mixture. Gently fold in your lemon extract or lemon zest just until combined - do not over-stir.
Step 4: Pipe the cookies. Transfer your meringue mixture from the bowl to a piping bag with a large tip. Pipe the cookies onto the prepared baking sheet. If your baking sheet isn't large enough, you'll have to bake the cookies in two batches.
Step 5: Bake. Bake your meringue cookies for 1 hour. After an hour, turn off your oven and leave your cookies in the oven with the door closed for1-2 hoursuntil they are completely cooled. And make sure youDO NOT open the oven during baking or cooling.Once they are cooled, serve immediately and enjoy!
My Pro Tips To Make The Best Recipe
- If you do not have a piping bag, you can make one out of a Ziploc bag. To do this, fold the square Ziploc bag into atriangle. Thentape the edge downand fill the bag with the meringue.Cut the bottom corner of the Ziploc bag, and you're good to go!
- Make sure to use room temperature eggs! Egg whites whip best at room temperature, so if possible, let them sit out for20-30minutes before making your meringues.
- Don't skip the cream of tartar. Although it may seem unnecessary, the cream of tartar is what gives the cookies their stability, so make sure you use it!
- Gently mix the ingredients together. If you overmix, the cookies will deflate.
How I Recommend Storing Leftovers
If you have anything left, you can store your leftovers in an airtight container at room temperaturefor up to5days. Just make sure you line the meringues with parchment paper if you are stacking layers of them in the same container.
To keep them for longer, you canfreezethem for up to3months. Just store in an airtight container the same way as above, putting parchment paper between each layer.Then, just thawthem at room temperature for2-3 hours before eating them.
More Recipes I Think You'll Love
- Jello pudding pie
- Cinnamon muffins
- No bake lemon cheesecake
- Starbucks lemon loaf
- No bake cheesecake with Cool Whip
Yield: 40 Cookies
Lemon Meringue Cookies
These lemon meringue cookies are slightly crunchy on the outside, super-soft in the middle, and are bursting with lemon flavor. They are just so light and delicious that you'll want to eat the entire batch. So good thing each meringue cookie only has 20 calories!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 ½ cup (200g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract (or lemon zest)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 225°F (107°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in a large clean glass bowl.
- Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed for about 1 minute.
- Then Increase speed to high and gradually add sugar, about 1 Tablespoon at a time.
- Beat until stiff peaks just form. (This could take up to 5 minutes).
- Gently fold in lemon extract or zest until just combined, do not over mix.
- Transfer the meringue mixture to a piping bag with a large tip and pipe onto the prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake for 1 hour. Turn off the oven and leave the meringues in the oven with closed doors for 1-2 hours to cool completely.
Notes
The scale up function does not change the gram measurements.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 Cookie
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 20Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 7mgCarbohydrates: 4.5gFiber: 0gSugar: 4.4gProtein: 0.4g
