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 are light and airy, with a fresh lemon flavor that melts in your mouth and tastes like sunshine.
They are seriously addictive and are one of the most satisfying sweet and crispy bite-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 just loves them, and they're gone in a flash!
And what's great about this recipe is that it is beyond easy to make, whipping up around 40 cookies. 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 line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2: Mix. Next, take out a large clear glass bowl and add in your egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt. Then using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, beat these ingredients together on medium speed for about 1 minute.
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 for 1-2 hours until they are completely cooled. And make sure you DO 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 a triangle. Then tape the edge down and 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 for 20-30 minutes 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 temperature for up to 5 days. 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 can freeze them for up to 3 months. Just store in an airtight container the same way as above, putting parchment paper between each layer. Then, just thaw them at room temperature for 2-3 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
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!
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 CookieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 20Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 7mgCarbohydrates: 4.5gFiber: 0gSugar: 4.4gProtein: 0.4g
Kayla
These are incredible!! So light and refreshing and simple to make.
Izzy
In love with this recipe the meringues are just delightful.
Brianna
Crazy good meringue cookies. I'll be making these for Christmas!!
Taylor
Came out perfect!!
Jill
I loved these they are delicious!
Vanessa
The lightness of these is dreamy
Jenny
I loved these and cannot wait to make them again for Christmas!
Megan
I used vanilla extract instead of lemon and they were delectable.
Patty
Tasty flavor and I enjoyed the texture of these meringues.
Damen
These were absolutely d Lish.
Serena
These are fun cookies! Visually appealing and tasted good!
Rose
The subtle lemon flavor is so much better than I thought it would be.
Cinthia
Delicate and crunchy, I loved these meringues!
Britt
Love the lightness of these and that they're low cal!
Amanda
We just made them toady and wow they are delicious little bites of lemon!
Katherine
The flavor of these is wonderful!
Gabbriella
So delicious these cookies are great.
Paula B.
I make meringues every year at this time and gave this recipe a try for the first time. It's my favorite one that I've ever made and will be making it in years to come.
Alice
The cookies were super!
Sandra
The little crunch that these cookies have is really great!
Judy
These meringues were very easy to make.
Amy D.
I wanted to have a refreshing cookie to go with my other Christmas cookies so I made these and they are delicious.
Christy B
How do you get the yellow streaks on the sides? Thanks!
Brendan Cunningham
Hi Christy! Add a drop of yellow food coloring to the piping bag in a few places and let it run down the sides of the bag. Then add the meringue mixture to the piping bag.
Jennifer K
These turned out exactly as the recipe promises! So light and delicious. A great option for our guests who are gluten and dairy intolerant. Thank you!
Brendan Cunningham
We're so happy you liked the meringues!
Gina Denton
Amazing, good & perfect instructions. I added the food coloring carefully with a spatula at the end. I didn’t use a bag, I scooped them out with a cookie spoon into sheets and they came awesome too & delicious. Thank you.
Brendan Cunningham
We're so happy that you liked them!!
Nia
Can't wait to make these ..do you think lemon juice will be okay for this recipe instead of lemon extract? I ask because that's what I have on hand but don't want to mess it up. Thanks!
Brendan Cunningham
Hi Nia! Yes lemon juice will work it just won't have as strong of a lemon flavor. You could use vanilla extract instead as well.
Jess
Can you use a metal stand mixer bowl? Or does it have to be glass? Thank you
Brendan Cunningham
Yes that will work great!
Margaret
These are perfect! Just follow the recipe and hey presto perfect little meringue kisses. Easy and straightforward. Thank you!