Meringues are a light and crunchy naturally gluten-free dessert that melt in your mouth. Better yet? Mine are made with only two ingredients –egg whites and maple syrup.
Meringue cookies are fun, yet elegant, pleasing both young and old; my children and their friends devour them. So does my husband. We’ll be serving my quick and easy Meringues at our Passover Seder, along with my egg-free Macaroons, in order to give everyone with food restrictions loads of options.
If you’re not Jewish, these meringues are also a wonderfully springy, light, and festive Easter dessert.
Meringues
Ingredients
- 2 egg whites
- ½ cup maple syrup
Instructions
- In a medium pot combine egg whites and maple syrup
- Turn flame on stove to lowest setting possible
- Using a hand blender with whisk attachment, whisk meringues in pot on stove
- Whisk 4-5 minutes total, until stiff glossy peaks form
- Fit a pastry bag with a ⅜-inch round tip (ateco #804) and fill bag with meringue
- Pipe meringue kisses 1-inch in diameter onto parchment paper lined baking sheets
- Bake at 200°F for 2 hours
- Allow to cool for 1 hour
- Serve
Equipment
This meringue cookie recipe is based on the meringue frosting recipe in my first book, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook.
If you don’t want to be fussy and mess with a pastry bag you can drop this meringue mixture one large spoonful at a time onto a parchment lined baking sheet. One of the best things about these delicious, melt-in-your mouth meringues is that you don’t need to own a stand mixer to make them, you can make them like I did with a cheap hand mixer using the whisk attachment.
Another note on these gluten-free meringues –I tried making them with honey and they had an overly sweet cloying taste, my entire family preferred the ones I made with maple syrup, in fact, the boys would not eat the meringues made with honey.
If you’re wondering what to do with all those extra egg whites when you make my Chocolate Pots de Creme, use this Meringue recipe. According to Martha Stewart, meringues can be made 5 days ahead and stored in a cool, dry place at room temperature.
Vicki says
Would they hold up better with a bit of cream of tartar?
Elana says
Vicki, I think they’re perfect as is, but feel to experiment!
Michel Martin says
YES – What is a crumpled kitchen roll??
Elana says
Michel –when these are a bit moist you can put them back in a warm oven :-)
Linda Rose says
Hi Elana,
I have your 3 cook books and enjoy the recipes. However, I’ve been skipping heating it up on the stove. I’ve been using organic fresh local eggs. Is there a problem with skipping that step? For several years I’ve been skipping heating it up and find they turn out better. I do the same with making the chocolate pots de creme and they always turn out and taste great.
Elana says
Linda, I love your shortcut!!! Will have to try myself :-)
Lynda says
Good Morning Elena,
I have been cooking your marvelous Maple Meringue, I don’t know, for 3 or 4 years, and the last 3 times… after one day in the metal box, they are sticky and soft instead of crispy or crunchy… do you think it might be the maple sirup or the eggs (I bought my eggs directly from a farm and free range hens for many years !!!
It’s a real mystery… help !!!!!! It’s the most appreciate dessert of my grand-children !
Thanks for your excellent recipes.
Lynda from Canada (Québec)
Elana says
Lynda, I would guess it might be a slight increase in humidity. If this happens again, put the meringues back in the oven with the light on until they crisp up.
Tina says
I love these! They’re delicious!
Elana says
Tina, thanks for letting me know these are delicious!
laura says
Wowzers these were sweet. Going to try again with 1/2 the maple syrup
Elana says
Laura, meringues tend to be a very sweet dessert, very kid-friendly :-)
Claire Moses says
Thank you so much for this recipe, I was so pleased to find it.
I really didn’t see how these could work but they did! So easy and delicious, perfect little sweet bites for those who don’t eat refined sugar but need a treat!
When they were cooling I found they went a little tacky but your tip to put some crumpled kitchen roll in the airtight box soon made them dry and crisp again.
Brilliant!
Elana says
Claire, thanks for letting me know these are easy to make and perfect little sweet bites!
Nettie says
What is crumpled kitchen roll?
Susan says
Elana, my immersion blender doesn’t have a whisk attachment. Is this a deal breaker for the recipe? Chag sameach.
Elana says
Susan, I haven’t tried that so not sure :-)
Shannon says
I’ve been making these meringues for years and love them!
Have you ever tried making a Pavolva with them? I wonder how well they will hold up in sheet form.
Elana says
Shannon, I haven’t tried that so not sure :-)
Katie says
Hi They arein thevoven an hour now and smell like burning and verty brown .oven is at 200
Elana says
Katie, that would mean you’re baking them at celsius, this recipe calls for fahrenheit :-)