Vegan Meringue Cookies

Crisp white vegan meringue cookies stacked in a clear glass jar with a silver lid, showing off their light and airy texture.

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5 from 7 votes

Crisp, airy, and totally egg-free, these vegan meringue cookies come together with just five ingredients and a can of chickpeas. Aquafaba (chickpea brine!) whips into glossy, stiff peaks for cookies that look straight out of a pastry case. They’re melt-in-your-mouth good and surprisingly easy to pull off.

Prep Time25

Cook Time2

Total Time2 25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Diet: Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 12kcal

Author: Michelle Cehn

Equipment

Stand Mixer

Ingredients

1 14-ounce can chickpeas, with no salt added (drain aquafaba liquid - the chickpea brine - that's what you'll be using for this recipe)
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup semi-fine cane sugar (or granulated sugar) If using granulated sugar, grind in a food processor or Vitamix for 10 to 15 seconds until you have a semi-fine powder
1 teaspoon almond extract
seeds scraped from ½ vanilla bean
¼ cup finely ground unsalted roasted almonds optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Strain the chickpea liquid (aquafaba) into the bowl of an electric stand mixer. You should have about ½ cup. (Use the chickpeas for something else).
Add the cream of tartar to the bowl and fit the mixer with the whisk attachment. Whip on high speed until the mixture increases in volume and stiffens a bit, 4 to 6 minutes.
Reduce the speed to medium high and gradually add the sugar, a few tablespoons at a time. Blend about 4 minutes more, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. The meringue is done when it holds its shape as the whip attachment is lifted. You should also be able to hold the bowl upside down without the meringue falling out. Continue whipping until you can do that. Otherwise, the meringue will not hold its shape when cooked.
Once fully whipped, whip the almond extract and vanilla seeds into the meringue.
Spoon the meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a round tip. Or use a zipper-lock bag and cut off a corner. If your parchment is curling up from the baking sheets, dollop a little meringue under each corner to secure it. Pipe cookies into pointy mounds about 1½ inches in diameter. They should look like big Hershey’s kisses. You need only about ½ inch space between cookies because they won’t expand much during baking. Sprinkle the ground almonds, if using, evenly over the cookies.
Bake until the cookies look dry and off-white in color, 2 hours. Rotate the pans halfway through the baking for even heating. Cool completely on the baking sheets. Store in well-sealed containers. Humidity and moisture will make the cookies sticky, so store them in a cool, dry cupboard.

Notes

Make semi-fine sugar at home: Regular granulated sugar works, but for the smoothest, most stable meringue, semi-fine is best. Just pulse granulated sugar in a food processor or high-speed blender (like a Vitamix) for 10 to 15 seconds—fine, but not powdered.
Keep everything grease-free: Even a tiny bit of oil can sabotage your meringue. Wipe your mixing bowl and whisk with a splash of vinegar, then dry thoroughly before starting.
Humidity is the enemy: These cookies are happiest in dry conditions. Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days. If it’s humid, toss in a food-safe silica packet to help keep them crisp.
Don’t open the oven early: They finish setting as they cool, so resist the urge to peek. Leave the oven closed during baking and let the cookies cool completely on the tray.
Whip until you see peaks that hold: If your meringue looks glossy but slides off the whisk or deflates after piping, keep whipping. Stiff peaks should hold their shape without drooping.

Nutrition