Finnish Meringue Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are my meringue cookies not crunchy? ›

One of the most common mistakes is not beating the eggs long enough, or on too slow a speed, which means the egg whites won't reach stiff peak stage and instead only reach a soggy droopy stage.

Chewy meringues are the result of two possible situations, under-baking and humidity.

If your meringue cookies turn brown or crack, it could be that the heat was a little too high or you baked them for a little too long. Every oven is a little different, so you can adjust the temperature or bake time suggested in the recipe card if needed.

Meringue rules: The final verdict

Abide — Avoid yolks; use a non-plastic bowl; add sugar slowly, and bake low and slow. Let slide — Don't pull your hair out if your eggs are cold, you don't have superfine sugar, or it's a humid day.

The cornflour and vinegar that is added strengthens the egg white and make it more stable and you get the marshmallowy centres from the shorter cooking time.

There are a few different variations. You will often find homemade ones have a crispy exterior and a chewy or softer interior. What is this? Store bought meringues are often crisp all the way through.

Baking cookies quickly in a hot oven – at 375 degrees F as opposed to a lower temperature – will make for soft results. They'll bake fast instead of sitting and drying out in the oven's hot air. Ever so slightly underbaking your cookies will give you softer results than cooking them the full amount the recipe says.

Meringue is sensitive to humidity, so if you want to keep it crisp on the outside, you need to store it in an airtight container. You can keep it in the fridge or freezer, as long as it is well sealed. If you bake it on a humid day, you should move it to the container as soon as it has cooled.

As it draws in moisture, the meringues become sticky and soft instead of dry and crisp. If they're not eaten immediately, before the humidity can get to them, it's basically a disaster.

You can't overbeat meringue - It's true! You can't ruin it by mixing too much, so once all of the sugar is added, be sure that your meringue is glossy and that you have super firm, stiff peaks when you remove the beater from the mixer. Don't be afraid to mix a little longer if it appears too soft.

How to tell if meringue cookies are done? ›

Place on the center rack to bake at 200 for about an hour then turn the oven off and keep closed for an additional 1-2 hours. The meringue cookies are done when they're are dried throughout. You'll be able to lift them off the baking sheet and they will feel very light and dry.

If the meringue has turned slightly silver or pale grey then it is possible this is due to aluminium, though it is very rare for this to happen. If you have an aluminium whisk then it should be oxidised so that it has a hard surface.

You may have opened the oven door while they were cooking or, if you flavoured the mixture, you could have added too much liquid. Meringues can crack because of the sudden change in temperature. To prevent this happening, turn the oven off when the meringues are cooked but leave them inside until completely cool.”

It is quite unusual for a meringue to have an "eggy" flavour and unfortunately this is usually an indication that the eggs are slightly stale. Check that the eggs are within their "best before" date and that they have been stored correctly.

Cornstarch: Cornstarch is an excellent way to foolproof your meringue. Use it to create added fluff and keep your hard-won volume from shrinking. Cream of Tartar: Often added in when making meringues, acidic cream of tartar provides lift and stabilization.

To keep meringues a bright white colour, you need to bake them at a low oven temperature. Usually this is around 95°C (200°F) but can range from 90° to 120°C depending on your oven (if it's fan assisted or not).

Beat to soft peaks on medium-high speed. Gradually add the sugar, a couple of tablespoons at a time, until it has all been incorporated. Continue beating until glossy, stiff peaks form. At this point, you can't overbeat the meringue, so keep beating until you've got those glossy, firm peaks!

There are three main ingredients in a meringue recipe that interact to form the foam structure: egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar or acid. The backbone of the foam structure is made up of proteins, amino acid chains. Egg whites provide the meringue with necessary proteins that form the meringue foam.