Are you searching for the ultimate easy and elegant dessert? A beautiful, classic cookie so light-as-air, so crisp, and so unbelievably simple to make, it will become an instant favorite for any occasion? This incredible, from-scratch Meringue Sandwich Cookie recipe is that perfect treat. We’re talking delicate, snow-white meringue cookies, baked to a perfect, crisp shell, and sandwiched together with a sweet and tangy filling like a classic lemon curd or a jewel-toned raspberry jam.
This isn’t just another cookie recipe; it’s your definitive guide to a show-stopping dessert that looks like it came from a fine French pâtisserie but requires just a few simple pantry staples. We’ll show you the crucial professional secrets to a flawless, crisp, and perfectly white meringue that never fails. This is a satisfying, soulful, and naturally gluten-free treat that is perfect for holiday cookie platters, an elegant afternoon tea, or any special celebration.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Light-as-Air & Elegant Treat
What makes these Meringue Cookies so spectacularly delicious is their incredible, melt-in-your-mouth texture and their wonderfully simple, sweet flavor. This recipe is a masterpiece of classic, minimalist baking. The “cookie” itself is a classic French meringue, a simple but magical combination of whipped egg whites and sugar. This beautiful, glossy mixture is piped into small disks and then baked “low and slow” until perfectly crisp and dry. The final, perfect touch is a simple filling of a tart lemon curd or a sweet, seedless jam, which provides a wonderful, soft and flavorful contrast to the shatteringly crisp meringue shells.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 4 hours (includes baking & cooling) |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | About 3 dozen sandwiches |
The Baker’s Pantry: The Essential Ingredients
The beauty of this classic recipe is in its simplicity, which means the quality of your ingredients and the proper technique are absolutely paramount.
- The Perfect Meringue:
- Room Temperature Egg Whites: This is the single most important, non-negotiable secret to a perfect meringue. Room temperature egg whites will whip up with much more volume than cold egg whites, which is the key to a light and airy result.
- Cream of Tartar: This is a crucial stabilizer! A small amount of this simple, acidic powder is the key that will help your egg whites to whip up into a strong, stable foam that won’t collapse.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: For the smoothest, most delicate, and least grainy meringue, it is best to use confectioners’ (or powdered) sugar, which will dissolve much more easily into the egg whites than granulated sugar.
- The Sweet & Tart Filling: The beauty of these cookies is their versatility!
- The Classic Pairings: A tart, vibrant lemon curd is a fantastic and classic choice that beautifully cuts through the sweetness of the meringue. A sweet and colorful seedless raspberry or strawberry jam is another perfect pairing.
The Meringue Masterclass: The Secret to a Perfect, Crisp Cookie
Making a perfect meringue is a beautiful bit of kitchen science, and it’s surprisingly easy if you follow these simple, crucial rules.
- A Perfectly Clean Bowl: The number one enemy of a good meringue is fat. Even a tiny, invisible speck of oil or a trace of egg yolk in your bowl or on your whisk will prevent your egg whites from whipping up to their full, glorious volume. Be sure that your stand mixer bowl is impeccably clean and dry. It’s a great idea to wipe it down with a little vinegar first.
- Add the Sugar SLOWLY: Once your egg whites are foamy, you must add your sugar very, very slowly, just one tablespoon or so at a time. This is the key that will allow the sugar to dissolve completely into the egg whites, which is the secret to a strong, stable, and glossy meringue that won’t “weep” or become grainy.
- The “Low and Slow” Bake: The secret to a meringue that is perfectly crisp and snow-white (and not browned or weeping) is to bake it in a very low oven ($250^{\circ}F$) for a long time. You are not “baking” the meringue in the traditional sense; you are gently drying it out.
Step-by-Step to the Best Meringue Sandwich Cookies
This elegant dessert is a joy to prepare.
Part 1: The Art of the Perfect, Glossy Meringue
Step 1: First, position your oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and preheat to 250°F ($120^{\circ}C$). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2: In the very clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer, combine your 4 large, room temperature egg whites, the 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar, and the 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Whisk on a medium speed until the mixture is foamy.
Step 3 (The Most Important Step!): Increase the speed to medium-high. Very gradually, add your 2 1/4 cups of confectioners’ sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, allowing the sugar to fully incorporate before adding the next addition.
Step 4: Once all the sugar has been added, continue to beat on a high speed for about 5 more minutes, until the meringue is very thick, shiny, and holds stiff, glossy peaks.
Part 2: Pipe, Bake, and Cool to Crisp Perfection
Step 1: Transfer your finished meringue to a pastry bag that has been fitted with a large flat or a star tip.Step 2: Pipe about seventy, 1-inch disks of the meringue onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between each one.Step 3: Bake for about 3 hours. You will know the meringues are perfectly done when they are completely dry, crisp to the touch, a beautiful pearly-white color, and they lift easily from the parchment paper.Step 4: Turn off the oven, prop the oven door open slightly with a wooden spoon, and let the meringues cool completely inside the oven. This slow cooling process is another key secret to preventing cracks.
Part 3: The Final, Delicious Assembly
Just before you are ready to serve, simply spread a small amount of your seedless jam or lemon curd on the flat side of one meringue cookie and sandwich it together with another.
Light & Airy Meringue Cookies (An Easy & Elegant Recipe!)
A classic and simple recipe for light, airy, and crisp Meringue Sandwiches, a perfect sweet treat for a holiday party. The dessert consists of small, delicate meringue cookies that are piped into disks and baked at a very low temperature for a long time until they are completely dry and crisp. Just before serving, two of the meringue cookies are sandwiched together with a filling of your choice, such as seedless jam or tangy lemon curd.
Ingredients
- 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- Seedless jam or lemon curd, for the filling
Instructions
- Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 250°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large, clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy.
- Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for about 1 more minute, until the mixture is thick and opaque.
- Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, and continue to beat for about 5 more minutes, until stiff, shiny peaks form.
- Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a large flat or star tip. Pipe about seventy 1-inch disks onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between each one.
- Bake for about 3 hours, until the meringues are dry and crisp. Let them cool completely on the baking sheets.
- Store the cooled meringue cookies in an airtight container in a dry place for up to 1 week.
- Just before serving, spread a small amount of seedless jam or lemon curd on the flat side of one meringue and sandwich it with another.
Notes
- This is a classic, light-as-air cookie that is naturally gluten-free and fat-free (before the filling).
- It is absolutely crucial that the bowl and beaters used for the egg whites are completely clean and free of any fat or grease, otherwise the meringue will not whip up properly.
- The meringues are baked at a very low temperature for a long time. This is a drying process, not a traditional baking process, which is key to their crisp texture.
- For the best texture, the meringue sandwiches should be assembled just before serving to prevent the crisp cookies from becoming soft.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Meringues are the ultimate make-ahead cookie!
- Make-Ahead: You can bake the meringue cookie shells up to 1 week in advance. Let them cool completely and then store them in an airtight container at room temperature in a very dry place.
- Storage: For the absolute best, crispiest result, these cookies must be assembled just before you plan to serve them. Once they have been sandwiched with the wet filling, the delicate meringue will begin to soften.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Why are my meringues chewy and sticky on the inside instead of crisp?
This is almost always a sign that the meringues are under-baked or that it is a very humid day. Meringue is very sensitive to moisture in the air. The long, 3-hour bake at a very low temperature is crucial for drying the cookies out completely. If it is a very rainy or humid day, you may need to add an extra 30-60 minutes to the baking time.
Q2: My egg whites are not whipping into stiff peaks. What did I do wrong?
The number one enemy of whipped egg whites is fat. Even a tiny, invisible speck of oil from a plastic bowl or a trace of egg yolk in your bowl or on your whisk will prevent your whites from whipping up to their full, glorious volume. Always use a very clean glass or a metal bowl.
Q3: Can I make the meringue cookies ahead of time?
Yes, absolutely! The un-filled meringue shells are the perfect make-ahead component. They will keep beautifully for up to a week, as long as they are stored in an airtight container at room temperature in a very dry place.
Q4: Can I use a different kind of filling?
Of course! These beautiful meringue shells are a fantastic canvas for all sorts of delicious fillings. A rich chocolate ganache, a simple buttercream frosting, or even a scoop of your favorite ice cream for a mini meringue ice cream sandwich would all be fantastic.
Q5: Can I make this recipe without a stand mixer?
You can, but it will be a great arm workout! You can use a good electric hand mixer, but be prepared to beat the meringue for a much longer time (up to 15-20 minutes) to achieve those beautiful, stiff and glossy peaks.