This Heart Meringue Cookie Recipe is for basic egg white cookies shaped and decorated for Valentine’s Day. Learn how to make meringue cookies with very few ingredients and not much work!

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Heart Meringue Cookie Recipe

If food is your love language then making these Heart Meringue Cookies for your Valentine just makes sense. Americans were expected to have spent about $2.4 billion on candy on Valentine’s Day in 2020 (what?!). These festive meringue cookies will say, “I love you” better than any mass-produced candy, promise.

If you plan on making a day of baking meringue cookies so you can gift them to your friends and family this Valentine’s Day, I recommend packaging them in small Valentine’s Day boxes or cellophane bags for an extra festive touch.

What are Meringue Cookies?

Meringue cookies are sometimes referred to as egg white cookies. They’re made of a mixture of whipped egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and your flavor of choice. With such few ingredients, meringue cookies are cheap to make. So, if you perfect the recipe then you can have a consistent crowd-pleaser for all of your friends that are gluten-free.

Meringue has been around for a hot second. They were invented around 1720 by a Swiss chef. There are 3 types of meringue cookies: French, Italian, and Swiss.

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How Long Do Meringue Cookies Last?

One of the best things about meringue cookies is that they last a while if stored properly. If you store your meringue cookies in an air-tight container on a countertop, they can last up to 3 days (if you don’t eat them before then!).

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Key Ingredients for Meringue Cookies

Egg Whites – from whole eggs that have been separated. Be extra careful not to get any yolk in the whites.
Granulated Sugar – or Superfine Caster Sugar if you prefer an extra fine sugar in meringue.
Vanilla Bean Powder – I used Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Bean Powder in this recipe. Using vanilla bean powder instead of extract creates a more stable meringue.
Food Coloring (optional) – I like AmeriColor Gel Paste and have the AmeriColor Nifty Fifty Kit. There are SO many fun colors to choose from! Pictured is AmeriColor Soft Pink. Just be aware, a little goes a long way!
Sprinkles, to decorate (optional) – for gluten free sprinkles, I like Sweetapolita.

Equipment Needed to Make Heart Meringue Cookies

2 baking sheets
Parchment paper
Stand or hand mixer
Piping bag

How to Make Meringue Cookies

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 225F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.

Step 2. Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed (speed 8 on a Kitchen aid), adding the sugar gradually over the course of 3-5 minutes. Beat until soft peaks form.

Step 3. Once soft peaks have formed, add the vanilla powder and gel food coloring, if using. Continue to beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.

Step 4. Once the egg whites have become stiff peaks, transfer the mixture to a piping bag. Pipe 1-inch heart shapes about 2 inches apart on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.

Step 5. Bake for one hour, then turn off the oven and leave the oven door open to allow the meringues to cool slowly to room temperature– about 2 hours.

Step 6. Once the meringues have cooled fully, transfer them to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to three days.

How do you know when Meringue Cookies are done?

Your Heart Meringue Cookies will be ready when they’re completely dry and cool throughout. You’ll be able to easily lift them off of the baking sheet and they will be light and airy.

Tips for Making Meringue

Don’t bake on a humid or rainy day. Moisture in the air will make meringue sticky and chewy.
Don’t skip drying the meringues in the oven. You can even leave them there overnight.
Add half a teaspoon of vinegar to your whites while beating them. This really helps them stiffen up and hold their peaks.
Just keep mixing. Keep mixing even after the mixture turns white. Remember, the goal is to have a stiff mixture that will hold.

Other Valentine’s Day Recipes To Try

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Heart Meringue Cookie Recipe

4.96 from 25 ratings

This Heart Meringue Cookie Recipe is for basic egg white cookies shaped and decorated for Valentine’s Day. Learn how to make meringue cookies with very few ingredients and not much work!

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 1

Additional Time: 2

Total Time: 3 10

Servings: 30

By: Sharon Lachendro

Print Rate Pin

Ingredients

2 large egg whites
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
Sprinkles to decorate (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 225F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed (speed 8 on a Kitchen aid), adding the sugar gradually over the course of 3-5 minutes. Beat until soft peaks form.
Once soft peaks have formed, add the vanilla powder, gel food coloring (if using), and the vinegar. Continue to beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
Once the egg whites have become stiff peaks, transfer the mixture to a piping bag. Pipe 1-inch heart shapes about 2 inches apart on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.
Bake for one hour, then turn off the oven and leave the oven door open to allow the meringues to cool slowly to room temperature-- about 2 hours.
Once the meringues have cooled fully, transfer them to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to three days.

Notes

If desired, dip the meringues in chocolate and allow the chocolate to set fully before storing.
Your egg whites can, but do not have to be, at room temperature.
I use vanilla bean powder (instead of vanilla extract) to prevent the egg whites from destabilizing. If you don’t have vanilla bean powder, vanilla extract will work, but your meringues may be slightly denser.
Make sure to use gel, not liquid, food coloring! I use AmeriColor Gel Paste Food Coloring.