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My sugar-free meringue cookies are light and crisp, with a gorgeous vanilla flavor and the perfect sweetness. 1 gram of net carbs per cookie!
Need more recipes that use meringue? Try my keto lemon meringue pie or keto eton mess next!
I’m the self-proclaimed King of Desserts in my friend group, so naturally, I need to stay ahead of the game with new cookie recipes.
This time around, I’m taking inspiration from my aquafaba meringue and reinventing the wheel. Using a handful of sugar-free staples, the results are crispy yet soft meringue cookies with the perfect sweet vanilla flavor.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Only 4 simple ingredients. All you need are egg whites, powdered sweetener, cream of tartar, and vanilla.
- Diet-friendly. They’re high-protein, low-carb, AND low-calorie!
- Perfect for sharing. They’re gluten-free and dairy-free, so you don’t have to worry about allergens.
- Gorgeous texture. They’re firm on the inside, with the perfect bite and soft, chewy center.
Ingredients needed
- Egg whites. I tested fresh egg whites and ones from the carton, and the cookies made with carton egg whites didn’t turn out right. They lost their stability and turned out deflated. Use fresh, room temperature egg whites, and save the yolks for keto mayo!
- Powdered sugar substitute. This gives the cookies a light texture instead of a grainy one. A store-bought brand works well, though I find making my own with allulose to be quite easy.
- Cream of tartar. Helps the egg whites form stiff peaks and maintain their shape.
- Vanilla extract. Optional, but it gives a fabulous vanilla flavor.
How to make sugar free meringue cookies
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2- Mix. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy, then add the cream of tartar and beat until stiff peaks form. Whisk in the powdered sugar, beat until smooth, then transfer the mixture to a piping bag.
Step 3- Shape and bake. Pipe the batter onto the baking sheet and bake until firm.
Step 4- Cool. Turn the oven off and leave the door ajar. Let the cookies cool briefly, then let them come to room temperature.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Use a stand mixer. If you have one, I find it makes beating the egg whites a much quicker task.
- Make sure the bowl is dry. Even a drop of liquid can affect the overall texture of the meringue.
- Use a star tip. For that classic swirly pattern, use a star tip to pipe the batter.
- Adjust the bake time. Your oven likely differs from mine, so if your cookies aren’t done baking after 45 minutes, continue baking them in 5-minute increments until they’re firm on the outside and begin to lift from the parchment paper.
Variations
- Lemon. Add 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract and 2 tablespoons lemon rind to the meringue.
- Lavender. Add 1/4 teaspoon dried lavender.
- Peppermint. Fold in 1-2 drops of peppermint extract.
- Strawberry. Add 1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract.
- Chocolate. Add 1/2 teaspoon chocolate extract or 2 tablespoons cocoa powder.
Storage instructions
To store: Meringue can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.
To freeze: Place the meringue cookies in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months. Be sure that the bag is sealed completely, as even a drop of condensation on the cookies will cause them to soften.
Frequently asked questions
Adding an acidic ingredient (like cream of tartar, lemon juice, or vinegar) is essential to stabilize the egg whites.
Typically, no, because most meringue cookie recipes contain loads of added sugar. That’s why I much prefer making my own keto meringue cookies.
Yes, these homemade meringue cookies are gluten-free and grain-free.
More low carb cookie recipes
Keto Meringue Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 large egg whites room temperature eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup sugar free powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 110C/220F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the egg whites and beat together until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar in, one tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form. Transfer the mixture into a piping bag with a star point tip attached.
- Pipe out tablespoon portions of meringue onto on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes.
- Turn the oven off and slightly open the oven door. Let the meringue cookies cool in there for an hour. After an hour, remove from the oven and let sit at room temperature until cooled.
I’ve just made this and it’s turned out really well !!!
Any recommendations for cream tartar substitutes?
Not that I’ve tried!
Meringue cookies turned out beautiful. Light, crisp, airy, and way too sweet. I think the 1/2 c of sugar replacement was too much for me. I will be making these again, but with at the most, 1/4 c sugar replacement. Great recipe though!!
Perfect for keto dieters.
Absolutely perfect. I shared them with everyone at my workplace and got universal positive comments. I also did a batch with raspberry flavoring and yum. Thank you so much!
Very very sweet. Just like eating pure sugar . Turned out good .
These are the holy grail for a keto lifestle. Just one is absolutely satisfying and my teenage daughter who loves meringue cookies, told me they actually taste better than ones made with real sugar!
I added a pinch of Redmonds Real Salt to cut the sweetness a smidgen.
Thank you for this recipe. Our household is thrilled!!!
These are amazing! And with a hand mixer, so easy!
I didn’t have powdered sweetener so I used monk fruit, they tuned out great; I’ve made them four times!
These are my favourite cookies, highly recommend.
Thanks, Diana!
Fun, easy, gratifying!
Great!