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These vegan meringue cookies are an egg free and dairy free twist on classic meringue! No egg whites needed, this is one foolproof dessert sure to impress!
Vegan Meringue Cookies
When it comes to recipes using aquafaba, my favorites include lemon meringue pie, chocolate babka, and these vegan meringue cookies.
It’s no secret that I LOVE making vegan desserts. Throw any dessert recipe my way and I’ll do my very best to give it a vegan twist. Some may say that vegan desserts aren’t as good as their traditional counterparts, but I find that completely inaccurate. In fact, whenever I make these desserts, I never tell my friends that they are vegan. To this day, no one has ever been able to tell the difference, and to me, that is the sign of a successful vegan recipe!
With my vegan baking, I often use flax eggs or chia eggs for an egg substitute. Recently, I’ve been experimenting more with aquafaba, the liquid remnants of canned chickpeas. I must say, I’ve been VERY impressed with the results. However, the true test of this egg substitute is seeing if it could mimic a traditional predominantly egg white dessert- the classic Meringue.
Now, these vegan meringue cookies may look incredibly fancy, but I promise you, they are one of the most foolproof desserts you’ll ever make!
The texture is EXACTLY what you want a meringue to be- Crisp and tender on the outside, soft and slightly moist on the inside, that melts in the mouth. They are sweet, with a subtle vanilla flavor!
I brought a big batch of these to a friend’s birthday gathering and NO ONE believed me when I said that not a single egg white was used… they thought it tastes BETTER than traditional meringue!
How do you make vegan meringue?
The ingredients
- Aquafaba– Also known as chickpea water, aquafaba is the liquid remnants in canned chickpeas. Be sure to use canned chickpeas with no added salt.
- Sugar– Any white sugar works, including unrefined and uncut sugar.
- Cream of tartar– Reacts with the aquafaba to help create stiff peaks.
- Vanilla extract– A must for any good meringue cookie!
The instructions
Start by straining the chickpea liquid, so around 3/4 cup of aquafaba remains. In a large mixing bowl, use a stick mixer to beat the aqaufaba until soft peaks form. Slowly add the cream of tartar, sugar, and vanilla extract, and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
Now, carefully transfer the mixture into a piping bag, fitted with a star tip. Pipe the meringue onto a lined baking sheet.
Bake the meringue for around 60-70 minutes, or until dry and crisp on the outside. Allow the meringues to cool at room temperature completely.
Tips to make the best vegan meringue cookies
- You must strain the chickpeas. If any remnants of chickpeas are in the aquafaba, it will be harder to form soft peaks.
- Oven makes and models differ, so if your meringue takes a little longer to bake, that is no issue.
- If you make larger vegan meringue cookies, they can take up to 90 minutes.
- Change up the flavors of the meringue by adding different extracts to them, like lemon extract or peppermint extract.
Storing and freezing vegan meringue
- To store: Meringue can be stored at room temperature, in a sealed container, for up to 4 weeks.
- To freeze: Place meringue in a ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Be sure that the bag is completely sealed, as any moisture that touches it will turn all the meringue soft.
More vegan cookie recipes to try
- Shortbread cookies
- Peanut butter cookies
- Double chocolate cookies
- Levain bakery cookies
- Peanut butter chip cookies
Best Ever Vegan Meringue (GF)
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup aquafaba * See notes
- 1/2 cup sugar white or uncut white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 100C/200F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add your aquafaba and using a stick mixer, beat together until soft peaks form.
- Slowly add the sugar, vanilla extract, and cream of tartar, while continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
- Transfer the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe bite sized portions of meringue onto the lined baking sheet.
- Bake the meringues for 60 minutes, or until crisp and tender on the outside. Once cooked, remove from the oven and let cool completely.
