The chai spiced meringue cookies melt in your mouth! They are light and have a nice balance between sugar and spice. They have a lovely warm flavor that is sure to please!
I’m pretty excited to share this meringue cookie recipe with you! This is a must for the holidays but these little airy cookies are delightful ALL YEAR LONG!
I experienced the joys of a chai flavored meringue at a recent visit to Wolf’s Ridge Brewery in Columbus, Ohio. The flavor caught me by surprise as they had a subtle taste of chai spice that left me wanting more. The moment I finished my first bite, I knew I had to make my own meringues at home!
What Are Meringue Cookies?
Meringue cookies are feather-light cookies made with sugar and egg whites. The cookies themselves are French and Italian by origin.
The baking method is simple, but they do take up time (mostly for baking and setting) and they do take a watchful eye as you want to be sure your egg whites set properly.
But with a few tips, I promise anyone can be successful at making meringue cookies!
These cookies have a subtle crunch, are light and melt in your mouth.
How To Make Chai Spice Meringue Cookies
When it comes to meringue cookies, it’s all about the egg whites! This recipe calls for 4 egg whites, which when whipped and piped, will give you a fair amount of cookies.
Make sure your egg whites are room temperature to start. Warm egg whites will produce more volume.
I used a whisk attachment for my mixture and beat my egg whites on high speed in a mixing bowl, that high speed will incorporate air into your egg whites which will make them light and fluffy!
While whisking the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar are added to the bowl one tablespoon at a time. The chai spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom are also added at this time.
The cream of tartar adds an acidity needed to stabilize the egg whites and help them set up. Some recipes use vinegar or lemon juice in place of the cream of tartar.
When stiff peaks occur with your egg whites, place them in a pastry bag. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and pipe little florets onto the prepared baking sheets.
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees. Meringues are baked on low for one hour. The meringues are then left in the oven for another hour until completely cooled. Don’t be tempted to open the door and peak!
The whole reason the meringues are left in the oven after baking is to prevent any humidity touching the surface of the meringues. Humidity will cause your meringues to soften or crack.
The key to making meringue cookies
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- Always add your sugar in just a little bit at a time, and make sugar is dissolved before adding more. You will be able to see the sugar crystals if it is not dissolved.
- Always work with your mixer on high speed, this ensures enough air is incorporated into the meringue.
- Meringues are ready when the batter is glossy and stiff.
- The dryer the day the better, humidity can deflate your meringue.
- Be sure to keep all egg yolks out of the batter. Even a tiny amount of yolk will prevent the batter from beating properly.
- Allow your eggs to come to room temperature before you use them.
- Store baked meringues in an airtight container with parchment paper layered in between. If meringues lose their crispiness, bake in a 200-degree oven for 20 minutes.
Can Meringue Cookies Be Frozen?
Meringue cookies can be frozen. Carefully layer them between sheets of parchment paper and store in an airtight container. Meringues can be frozen for 1 month.
To thaw the meringue cookies, remove them from the container and allow them to sit on a bakers rack. Keeping the meringues n a single layer will keep them from absorbing moisture during the thawing process. Moisture will cause the meringues to become chewy.
Meringue Cookies Wouldn’t Be Meringues Without The Eggs
Meringues only require a few ingredients. Since eggs (egg whites) are the main ingredient, I figure it is appropriate to talk about some egg facts!
Ohio is one of the largest egg producers in the country. Most egg farmers have been part of their farms for generations and in most cases, they live near the farms they operate so they take a personal iand interest in protecting the environment around them and their farms.
All large egg and poultry operations in Ohio are regulated by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, which performs regular inspections.
Ohio’s egg farms follow all state and national guidelines, including FDA’s national Egg Rule, to ensure the eggs we consume are safe and free from bacteria.
Many Ohio Egg Farmers belong to the Ohio Poultry Association which works to educate the public on egg farming, egg safety.
Eggs are an economical form of protein; your local grocery store might carry Cafe Free Eggs, Free Range Eggs, and Cage-Free Organic Eggs that originated from Ohio Poultry Farmers!
Love These Meringue Cookies? Try:
Chocolate Dipper Cherry Meringues
Browned Butter Blondies with Chai Spice Frosting
Chai Spice Meringue Cookies
These chai spiced meringue cookies are all sugar and spice and everything nice! These airy treats simply melt in your mouth! You are going to love these light little cookies
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cardamom
Instructions
- Allow egg whites to come to room temperature in a large mixing bowl (about 30 minutes).
- Preheat oven to 225. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Add cream of tartar and salt to egg whites. Beat on high until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar to egg whites, 1 tablespoon at a time. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.
- Continue to beat at high speed until egg whites are glossy and have become stiff.
- Carefully scoop mixture into a piping bag fitted with a ½ inch star tip opening. Pipe meringue about 1 inch apart onto lined baking sheets.
- Bake cookies for 60 minutes or until meringues are dry and firm to the touch. Turn the oven off and let meringues sit in the oven with the door closed for another hour or until completely cooled.
Illja says
Okay so I completely ruined my entire batch of meringues, because I assumed it was 225 degrees Celsius.. When they were completely brown after just 10 minutes I realized it should probably have been 225 degrees Fahrenheit. Perhaps useful to add this more clearly to your recipe, as most countries use celsius 🙂
Tanya Schroeder says
I am very sorry! You bring up a point I hadn’t considered. Thank you!