Mini Meringues Recipe

How to tell if egg whites are forming stiff peaks when preparing meringue cookies?

Egg whites are one of the most interesting baking ingredients, especially when making meringue. Due to its protein content, the liquid and transparent appearance turns to foamy and then creamy after just several minutes of whipping.

The time it takes for egg whites to turn from foamy to soft peaks and then to stiff peaks varies. There’s no defined duration of how long you must whip egg whites. All you can do is keep checking until you’ve successfully made stiff peaks from egg whites.

Once you see the whipped egg whites appear glossy and smooth in texture, that’s a good indication that it’s very close or is already in the stiff peak stage. 

To be entirely sure, lift the mixer from the bowl. The mixture should form peaks or tips that stay up tall. You can also test it by flipping the bowl over; the mixture should remain in place.

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Meringue is known for being a delicate dessert with a light and airy texture, although it may seem intimidating to make. Don’t worry, this recipe will prove that no matter your skill level in the kitchen, making meringues can be an enjoyable experience.

• Having a recipe that’s easy to follow makes all the difference in preparing meringues.
• You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to whip up delightful meringues.
• Many baking and dessert recipes only call for egg yolks. With this recipe, you can use leftover egg whites and turn them into another delectable treat for the family.
• Decorating meringues is always a fun activity to get the kids involved in making these light and airy cookies.

If you love making cookies but want to try something quicker to make, you’ll love these Lemon Shortbread Cookies!

🥘 Ingredients

You don’t need many ingredients to whip up perfect light and airy meringues.

• Egg whites: The uncontested star of this recipe is the egg whites because that’s what turns into a meringue cookie, so choose fresh and free-range eggs for this recipe. Don’t worry about any leftover egg yolks; you can use them to make a luscious custard or lovely carbonara.
• Sugar: Aside from adding sweetness to the meringues, sugar is also essential to allow the whipped egg whites to stiffen and become airy cookies.
• Cream of tartar: This recipe calls for stiff peaks of whipped egg whites, so I highly recommend not skipping the cream of tartar as it acts as a stabilizer for the meringues.
• Chocolate chips: Add another layer of sweetness to the cookies with a drizzle of melted chocolate chips. I recommend using white chocolate chips to keep the classic look of meringues.
• Sprinkles: Nothing beats a decorative dessert, which you can achieve by adding sprinkles on top of the meringue cookies.

See the recipe card for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.

🔀 Substitutions

• Granulated sugar: Regular granulated sugar is enough to achieve stiff peaks of beaten egg whites. But you can also use caster sugar, which has smaller crystals of sugar that will dissolve quicker.
• Cream of tartar: If it’s unavailable, you can use a small amount of white vinegar or lemon juice to act as a stabilizer when whipping up meringues.

🌈 Variations / Options / Add-Ins

Another great thing about making meringues is the virtually limitless ways to tweak their flavor and visual presentation to fit the holidays or any celebration. Here are some ideas to serve delicious meringue cookies.

• Seasonal colors: If you’re making this mini meringue recipe for a specific holiday, these cookies can easily match the season with just a few drops of food coloring. It could be pastels for a spring party or the classic red-and-green combo for Christmas. 
• Edible glitter: A little shimmer will not hurt. Thanks to edible glitter, you can easily turn these mini meringues into whimsical-looking cookies that the kids will surely love!
• Meringue nests: Impress your family and guests by serving a sophisticated-looking dessert. You can simply pipe the meringue in a circular motion to create meringue nests. Then, serve it as an edible bowl filled with cut-up fruits.

Looking for a fruit dessert to serve with meringue nests? Check out this Kiwi Fruit Salad recipe!

🥄 Equipment Needed / Helpful Tools

Having the right equipment is a bit more crucial for this recipe so you can make mini meringues as easy as possible.

• Electric mixer: While it’s possible to whip egg whites until they form stiff peaks by hand, that process can take much longer and it’s tiring. The good news is you don’t need a fancy stand mixer for this. A good hand electric mixer will do the job.
• Wilton tip #21: Since this recipe is primarily for making mini meringues, the best tool to use for piping out mini meringue cookies is the Wilton decorating tip 21.
• Piping bag: Another essential tool in making meringues is the piping bag for the easiest way to form mini cookies.
• Microwave-safe bowl: You’re going to need this when it’s time to melt the chocolate chips, and the fastest way to do this is with a microwave.
• Baking sheet: A durable baking sheet is a great investment, especially if your family enjoys baked goods often. Look for baking sheets that are durable and with added features like silicone handles for easy handling.
• Parchment paper: You can get pre-cut parchment paper to cut down your prep time for any recipe. Just make sure that the parchment paper will fit with the size of your baking sheet.

🔪 How to Make Mini Meringues Recipe

With all the ingredients and equipment on hand, it’s now time to make tasty mini meringues!

Step 1: Prep the baking sheet and the oven.

Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Then preheat the oven to 200°F.

Step 2: Making mini meringues.

Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in a mixing bowl. Set the electric mixer at low speed and start whipping the egg whites.

While beating the eggs, slowly add the sugar gradually and increase the speed until you reach the highest speed setting.

Keep mixing the egg whites and sugar for about 10 minutes, then check if the mixture starts forming semi-stiff peaks.

Step 3: Piping the meringues.

Once the mixture forms stiff peaks, use a large spoon and transfer it to a piping bag with an attached Wilton tip #21.

Pipe out small mounds of meringues on your lined baking sheet. Each cookie should be about 1½ inches in diameter and 1 inch in height. Leave enough space in between the meringue cookies.

Step 4: Bake the meringues:

Place the meringues in the oven and bake them at 200°F for 2 hours.

Once the oven timer is done, turn off the heat, but don’t take out the meringues yet. Keep the oven closed and let them continue cooking with the residual heat for 40 minutes.

After 40 minutes, take out the meringues and let them cool off for at least 10 minutes.

Step 5: Prepare your toppings.

As the meringues continue to cook, start preparing your toppings. 

Place the sprinkles in a bowl.

Place the white chocolate chips in a separate microwave-safe bowl and let them melt in the microwave for 30 seconds. Check if the chocolate is melted; otherwise, give it another 30 seconds in the microwave, or until it’s completely melted.

Step 6: Finishing touches for the meringues.

Carefully lift the meringues from the parchment paper. Dip the bottom part of the mini meringue cookie in the melted chocolate and then dip it in the sprinkles.

Repeat the process for all the mini meringues. Refrigerate the meringues for at least 20 minutes to let the chocolate and sprinkles set. Serve and enjoy!

👩‍🍳 Pro Tips

• Use clean glass bowls when mixing egg whites to make meringues. Plastic bowls may develop a layer of fat on the surface over time that could prevent stiff peaks from forming.
• Make sure the egg whites are at room temperature to prevent the eggs from separating during the whipping process.
• Stop mixing the egg whites as soon as stiff peaks form. Overbeaten egg whites could curdle and ruin your meringue mixture.

❓ Recipe FAQs

🙏 Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Mini Meringue Cookies: