Simple S’mores Meringue Cookies

Photos and recipe by @mariesaba & in partnership with Nielsen Massey

There’s a rhythm to baking. A mindfulness. When I give into the routines of measuring, blending and rolling, I let go of all else. Smells come in with their own memories, the feel of flour on my hands, the whirring beaters, and the beautiful golden colors. In the end I have something made with my own hands to share. But the unexpected gift is in the baking.

But, as it turns out, meringue is actually very simple to make, as long as you follow the steps exactly. Let’s start with the basics. What is meringue? Meringue is a glossy mixture of whipped egg whites and sugar. We’ll focus on two types here: French meringue and Swiss meringue.

French Meringue: For French meringue, the egg whites and sugar are whipped into stiff peaks at room temperature. Because French meringue is uncooked, it will separate if not used fairly quickly. French meringue is often used in baked goods, such as meringue cookies or angel food cake.

Swiss Meringue: Swiss meringue is denser, fluffier, and more stable than French meringue. For Swiss meringue, the eggs whites and sugar are cooked gently over warm water until the sugar is dissolved. Then the mixture is whipped into stiff peaks. Swiss meringue has a marshmallow-like texture, and is often used for pavlovas, cake frosting, or as a pie topping.

For either type of meringue, you’ll need to follow three key steps:

1.     Use a clean metal, glass, or copper bowl. Any grease (even just a speck) can deflate your meringue. Plastic bowls tend to retain oils even after cleaning, so a glass, metal, or copper bowl is preferable. 
2.     Take care in separating the egg whites from the yolks. Cold eggs are easier to separate, but room temperature eggs will give you a fluffier meringue.  So, I suggest that you separate the yolks and whites while the eggs are cold. Then let the whites come to room temperature before whipping your meringue. Make sure that no yolk gets mixed in with the whites, as the fat will deflate the meringue. 
3.     Follow the recipe exactly as to when and how to add the sugar. 

You can also watch Nielsen-Massey’s meringue video, which details the techniques for making French and Swiss meringue.

With those steps in mind, let’s try French meringue! My favorite part is right after you add Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract to the fluffy egg whites, when the sweet scent of vanilla billows into the air. It’s as intoxicating as it is delicious. Enjoy!