How to make meringue cookies

Step 1

First, start by preheating the oven to 225F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside.

Step 2

Now, in a clean mixing bowl free of any grease, combine the egg whites, lemon juice, and salt. Using a hand mixer or a whisk attachment, start whisking until it starts becoming lightly foamy.

Step 3

Increase the speed to high and start adding the granulated sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Wait about 20 seconds between each addition to make sure that the sugar is completely dissolved before adding some more.

Step 4

The meringue will begin to stiffen up and turn shiny. Once the sugar has been completely dissolved and the meringue can hold stiff peaks that stay up when you flip the whisk you will know it's ready.

Step 5

At this point you can add the vanilla extract and gently fold, then transfer the meringue to a piping bag. I used the wilton 1M tip to get the shape pictures.

Step 6

Pipe the meringue onto the prepared baking sheet. You can pipe them fairly close to each other without having to worry about them spreading.

Step 7

Bake the meringue cookies at 225F for 1 hour then turn off when the time is up and leave the meringues in there to cool completely without opening the oven door. This can take about 1-2 hours.