Author: Yes, it can be done, and that's not all. Vegan Meringue Cookies can happen in your kitchen with ingredients you probably already have in your cupboard! So what's the secret ingredient? Aquafaba is what it's called. Now let's break that down a little.
Aqua = water. Faba = bean.
So what does that make? Bean water! (or chickpea water) I know, you are totally drooling right now. Bean water cookies. Yum? It's true, you can make a meringue out of the water that's leftover in a can of beans, and it's basically exactly the same result as if you were to use egg whites, except totally vegan! Celebrate, yay, exciting, hands to the sky, woot woot!
I am not the brilliant genius who figured this out but it's a pretty amazing discovery and the vegan community is going wild. I see lemon meringue pies, macaroons, and fluffy batters in the future... vegan desserts all with an ingredient that I was throwing out. Pure brilliance.
After a few experiments I discovered the key is to buy chickpeas that are unsalted or no salt added. When I tried making meringues with a can of chickpeas that had salt added (check the ingredients), they were still pretty darn good, but they did have a slight smell and taste of bean. Not terrible, but not what I was aiming for. When I used the water from a can of unsalted chickpeas, that bean taste disappeared and all you can taste is perfect meringue heaven. Scrumptious. Some serious meringue connoisseurs (aka friends) tried these, and they actually preferred them to egg white meringues. Win for the vegans!
How do we make these delights?
Take a 19oz can of no salt added chickpeas, and pour out all of the chickpea brine. It should make about a cup of liquid. Save the chickpeas to do whatever you like with later on.
Add the chickpea liquid to the bowl of a stand mixer along with the vanilla and cream of tartar. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can also use an electric hand mixer. Whipping by hand is not recommended as it will likely tire you out and just not work!
Start blending on high and slowly add in the sugar as it beats. You may need to stop and scrap down the sides to get any of the sugar that is stuck to the sides of the bowl.
Keep beating, and it should start to get fluffy. The goal is to achieve stiff peaks. If you only have soft peaks, you're not there yet...
...Still too soft, keep beating.
Ah, just right. When you lift the beater the meringue should hold a stiff peak, even if you jiggle the bowl, the peak should stay as is. It took me about 6 to 6 ½ minutes to reach this stage in my mom's Kitchen Aid Mixer.
Now line a large baking tray with parchment paper. You can stick down the corners of the parchment by adding a small dot of the meringue, to help hold the parchment in place.
Use a piping bag or a spoon to dollop the meringues on the baking sheet.
When you are done:
You will have a whole bunch of pretty little meringues, ready to go into the oven. Bake for 1 ½ to 2 ¼ hours, rotating the pans half way through. Now it's a little difficult to tell exactly when they are done, and I really racked my brain on how to share this information, but there is not much of a visual cue, so you are going to have to go with your gut a little on this one. If the meringues are small or you want a chewy center, opt for less time. If they are large or you prefer a meringue that is crunchy all the way through, opt for more time. It's not very easy to tell when they are ready just by look, so the best way is if you are able to take one out of the oven, (carefully tear a piece of parchment off with a meringue on it) let it cool, and see if it's are the correct texture, and if it is, take the rest out of the oven. If not, bake longer.
When you take them out of the oven, let them cool and enjoy! Store in a dry place so they maintain their shape.
Common Questions:
Vegan meringue cookies are easy to make and have the same crispy shell and airy center as the original version. And this vegan meringue cookie recipe uses a one-of-a-kind ingredient: aquafaba. So what are some common questions about this amazing recipe? Does vegan meringue freeze well? Yes! Freezing aquafaba meringues is just as easy as freezing meringues made with animal products. To freeze your vegan meringues, line an airtight container with greaseproof paper and place as many meringues in a single layer as possible. Done! Is vegan meringue gluten-free? Yup! This is a gluten-free recipe! Can you buy just aquafaba? Unfortunately, no. Not yet, anyway. but the bright side is you get a lovely bunch of chickpeas to play around with so win-win!
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Vegan Meringue Cookies
Servings: meringues (roughly)
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Ingredients
- 1 cup aquafaba, (the liquid from a 19oz can of unsalted chickpeas)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¾ cup white sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200F (100C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the aquafaba to a mixer bowl along with the vanilla extract and the cream of tartar. Start beating on high, and very slowly as it whips, add in the the sugar one spoonful at a time. You may need to stop and scrape off any sugar that stuck to the sides of the bowl. Continue to beat, stopping every now and then to check the meringue. When stiff peaks hold in the meringue without it collapsing, they are ready. It took me about 6 to 6 ½ minutes to reach the stiff peaks.
- Use a pastry bag, or a spoon to dollop on the meringue into even mounds onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 1 ½ to 2 ¼ hours, rotating the pans half way through. Now it's a little difficult to tell exactly when they are done, and I really racked my brain on how to share this information, but there is not much of a visual cue, so you are going to have to go with your gut a little on this one. If the meringues are small or you want a chewy center, opt for less time. If they are large or you prefer a meringue that is crunchy all the way through, opt for more time. It's not very easy to tell when they are ready just by look, so the best way is if you are able to take one out of the oven, (carefully tear a piece of parchment off with a meringue on it) let it cool, and see if it's the correct texture. If it is, take the rest out of the oven. If not, bake longer. When they are ready let them cook and enjoy!
- Store in a cool dry place. They are best eaten that day, but if your environment is very dry (not humid), they can last a few days.
Nutrition
⭐ Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love if you left a rating and comment, it helps others find the recipe and makes my day! 💕Bon Appetegan!
Sam.
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VT says
Hi Sam!
I think your recipe is killer–the fact that it’s got a reduced amount of sugar compared to the standard 1:2 ratio of conventional meringues/other aquafaba meringue recipes is very welcome. I was a little worried about the stability but my meringues turned out a dream~
Happy happy happy! I enjoyed the airy and crisp (and definitely sweet enough!) treats so much. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Becky says
Sam, I really appreciate your openness in creating your recipes. It's only in the last two years that I found your creations. You're doing a great job! Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thanks, Becky!
Geneva says
These turned out so well! I made one batch with a little added mint extract (and one drop of green food coloring to make it a soft green) and one batch with finely diced lavender (and one drop of red and blue food coloring for a nice light purple). They turned out perfectly crispy!! However, I knew my oven runs hot, so even at 200 degrees, I would recommend watching them closely because mine were done at 45 minutes and the pointy peaks had a nice tan to them. I piped them using a ziplock bag that I cut a star shape into the tip of, and it gave them a beautiful flowery shape once piped out. I can't wait to incorporate more flavors in the future! All I had on hand were salted cans of chickpeas, and I didn't notice any kind of salty flavor at all in the finished product.
Sam Turnbull says
Amazing! SO happy you enjoyed 🙂
Cassandra says
We just made these tonight and omg! They are amazing! I happened to cook some dried chickpeas in my instant pot today, and wanted to experiment with the leftover bean water. We didn't have cream of tartar so I subbed lemon juice instead, using 1/2 tsp lemon juice to replace the 1/4 tsp cream of tartar. We ended up cooking ours closer to 2 hours, but they turned out perfect! With Mothers Day right around the corner, I'll definitely be making these again for my gift baskets. Thank you for the awesome recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So happy you Enjoyed, Cassandra 🙂
Lorinda Lynn Esparza says
My husband was craving lemon meringue pie. We are both vegan so we were sad not to find a recipe for a pie, but I got the crazy idea of making the Sam’s Lemon Curd, spreading it on a crust and plopping these meringue cookies on top. It turned out fabulous! Thank you Sam for blazing a delicious vegan trail for all of us. I appreciate your enthusiasm and dedication to all things delicious and vegan. You inspire me.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Awesome! I also have a lemon meringue pie in my cookbook if you want to try my version. 🙂
Fanny says
Hi Sam!
How could you get rid of the chickpea taste though? I think there's only one kind of cans in my country
Thanks. Keep up the great work!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Fanny, there is no chickpea taste! Just make sure to buy unsalted chickpeas.
fanny says
Hi again,
that's what i meant. I didn't think the variety I can find in my country was salted but apparently it is because it has a taste once the eggs are beaten. Is there any way to 'cancel' it?
Sam Turnbull says
The sugar and baking it should help disguise it!
Anna Pow says
I have added vanilla and almond extract, as well as fresh lemon zest, which really helped.
Nancy says
I used your recipe as a starting point and thought you might be interested in my results. I do try to avoid using white sugar so I read up on subbing maple sugar for meringues.
First of all, I used aquafaba from a batch of chickpeas that I had cooked, as opposed to canned. I did boil down the aquafaba until is was quite thick (think egg white consistency). I only had about 1/4 cup of aquafaba by the time it was thick enough. So I basically used about a 1/4 of the ingredients from your recipe, and subbed maple sugar for regular sugar. It still made a couple dozen small cookies.
I do think I became impatient and didn't whip them quite long enough. With the maple sugar, they were a little brown and not as glossy. Our childhood favorite was always "Meringue Surprises" (meringues with chocolate chips) so naturally I had to add some. I did bake the cookies for about 2 1/4 hours, and then left them in the oven for another 1 1/2 hours.
The result- delicious! They were hollow but I was okay with that.They were also a little flat, but again I think that was my fault for not whipping long enough. I was delighted to have such tasty results using maple sugar! I will definitely be making again. Thank you for the inspiration!
Sam Turnbull says
Glad your recipe testing worked out 🙂
Lynn Denise says
I just made these and folded in chocolate chips! They are so good, even though I had to use a can of low sodium chickpeas. The sugar and vanilla cancelled out the bean taste! Before baking it tasted like marshmallow fluff! It only took about five minutes to form peaks. Thank you for another wonderful recipe!
Angela says
Thank you for the awesome directions and recipe. While we are not a vegan family, my husband is allergic to eggs. I'm excited to experiment with aquafaba to make him new goodies that he has never been able to eat before. Vegan recipes aren't just for vegans!
Sam Turnbull says
They sure aren't! They're for everyone! The more vegan recipes that people enjoy, the better. 🙂 I hope your husband loves your new egg free recipes!
Karen Allard says
I can't wait to try these for Easter!! I have made lemon "meringue" pie twice and it turned out really well so I know this will too. My question is...I would like to colour these for Easter and I am wondering if anyone has tried this. Say cherry juice for pink. I don't know how a turmeric yellow would taste though? Would this extra liquid hurt the process? And, can these cookies freeze until they are to be used. I'm leery to try this right before the day.
Thank you so much for this posting and chance to dialogue!
Karen
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Karen, you can use just a few drops of vegan food colouring and mix it in along with the vanilla extract. These food colorings are made using natural juices if that's what you are looking for. I wouldn't recommend freezing them, but if they are stored in an air-tight container, as long as no moister gets in, they should keep fairly well. Enjoy!
David says
"Aqua = water. Faba = bean.
So what does that make? Bean water!! I know, you are totally drooling right now. Bean water cookies. Yum? It’s true, you can make a meringue out of the water that’s leftover in a can of beans, and it’s basically exactly the same result as if you were to use egg whites, except totally vegan! Celebrate, yay, exciting, hands to the sky, woot woot!"
Why must so many internet vegans be childish idiots? "Totally. Woot woot." Yes, I'm vegan. But you, you're just someone running with a fad. You're vegan because you don't think and someone told you what to think. Please. Shhhhhhh. Go away quietly. You give us a bad reputation. Some of us aren't so moronic.
But wait! Of course! Maybe you're only pretending to be that dumb. That way you sell your ads to the really dumb 'vegans'. Enjoy your sleep tonight.
Sam Turnbull says
Pretty sure I'm not the one who looks like a childish idiot right now. Have fun trolling, David!
Lauren says
What a horrible, pointless comment David. YOU give us a bad name.
When happiness and enthusiasm offends you, that is a much deeper issue that you have within yourself that needs to be addressed, I hope you find happiness and true contentment in the future.
Another great recipe Sam, keep doing you! We love you and are so grateful for the effort and dedication you put into providing fabulous recipes and spreading the vegan message in a kind, approachable way. You rock girl!!!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thanks so much for your support, Lauren! 😀
Lisa says
I know this is over a year later, but what a sad, unhappy person you must be, David! I own countless vegan cookbooks, and Sam’s is my favorite because of her delightful, positive attitude. And her mouthwatering recipes are amazing! What on Earth has made you so bitter? Why would you feel the need to be David Downer to anyone else? You’re the one who needs to shhhhhhhhh and go away quietly.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, thank you so much for your support, Lisa! Weird how people feel the need to be so negative, eh? 🙂
Josee says
I would much rather read texts from someone who is happy and optimistic than belittling someone with a negative attitude. This blog has helped many people become plant-based when they thought it was impossible. If you had done some research on this lovely lady, you would have seen how bonafide she is and how many people she has inspired. I truly hope that you are able to find happiness somewhere else.
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you for your support, Josee!! 🙂
emiia says
we get it david u dont have friends
HCask says
My mom is allergic to eggs so I looked up a vegan cookie recipe so she doesn’t have a reaction. But you’re right David, silly of me not to just set her into anaphylaxis.
Brandon says
Wretched buffoon.
Kansas says
Wow, I'm impressed. I wasn't a fan of mirengues before I was vegan but I had two cans worth of aquafaba so I thought I'd give it a try. I ate two and had to put them away to not eat more. They are so good.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, awesome! Thrilled you love them so much, Kansas 🙂
josh bornstein says
(On my browser there is no "new comment" button, so I have to piggyback on your comment.) 🙂
I'm excited to try this recipe.
One question: Can I use the water from other canned beans (kidney, fava, etc). Or is there something special about the chickpea that imparts something special into its water?
Sam Turnbull says
Oh weird! What browser are you using? I will see if I can fix the problem.
You can use water from other cans of beans but beans like kidney and black beans will have more flavour and colour, so just beware of that. Enjoy! 🙂
Liz P says
I was so intrigued by this, I just had to try it. So since I had chick peas for lunch, I did the meringues in the afternoon. It did take a good 15 minutes of whipping but it worked! Kept their shape in the oven too! Who knew! The foam before it was cooked also tasted yummy! Brilliant!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, isn't it so cool? So happy you enjoyed it!
teany weany says
I was amazed at how this (started to) turn out, but once in oven for 20min they started to go brown, I panicked and opened to turn them around - and bam, deflated, so they were flat, slightly torn, and brown.
The top tray went back up, bottom bit didn't, but they still went browner and browner - in the end I took them out after 40minutes even though I knew there was no way they were done as they were burnt to a crisp on the outside, uncooked inside.
I'm obviously doing something wrong because everyone else on here got great results, any ideas? Oven was on exactly what you suggested 🙁
That said I was AMAZED by the bean juice!! And after it was whipped I ate quite a bit of it before it went in oven , de-lic-ious.
Sam Turnbull says
Oh no! Sorry they didn't work out for you. It sounds like your oven is too hot. It's not uncommon for ovens to run a little hotter or a little cooler than what the readout is. You could try picking up an oven thermometer, they are often farily cheap. Hope that helps!
Danielle says
how should these be stored? air tight container at room temp, or in the fridge?
Sam Turnbull says
Airtight container at room temperature. Just note that if these get underbaked or the air is humid they may soften. But as long as it's nice and dry they should keep for several days. Enjoy!
Sheila says
Thanks for the recipe. This recipe worked perfectly and tasted delicious. Having read various blogs I followed instructions to make homemade aquafaba from soaking chickpeas, and ensured I reduced the liquid and cooled it to the consistency of raw egg white. I couldn't detect any chickpea taste whatsoever. Very happy. I will now attempt using aquafaba to make a pavlova and other desserts. Amazing discovery!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy it worked out perfectly for you, Sheila! Isn't it so cool!?!?!
Helen Munoz says
Hi, I tried your recipe and it worked wonders. I shared it on my blog
leave a comment and show love
Happy Cooking !
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed them so much, Helen 🙂
Ronda Lewis says
Can I soak the chickpeas myself and then Use the water?
Sam Turnbull says
I've never tried it myself, but here are some instructions on how to do it from another site. Enjoy!
CARMEN BERGERON says
Just made these today. They are delicious, Sam!!!
Thank you for the recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! So happy you enjoyed them, Carmen!
Sierra says
OMG these turned out amazing and took less than 6 minutes to whip up in my Kitchenaid stand mixer on speed 10! I remembered the importance of having a cold bowl and cream when making dairy whipped cream, so I refrigerated my aquafaba before using it in this recipe so maybe that helped keep the whipping time shorter. I'm so happy to discover a cookie recipe that can be made with only 4 ingredients (ones I always have on hand to boot). I had some of the batter left over after filling up all my cookie sheets, so I tried freezing it to see what would happen. The next morning I had a container of delicious vegan vanilla ice cream on my hands. WOW
Sam Turnbull says
Amazing! So happy you loved them so much, Sierra. Very cool trick about freezing, I will have to try that myself! 🙂
Claire says
Mine keep melting!!! I think I may have gotten a small amount of water in the batter. Would that be why? After a minute in the oven they become sugar Aquafina water....
Em says
Just used red kidney bean water with a tablespoon of cocoa powder to add flavour and hide the murky colour!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha awesome!