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Can you think of anything more Valentine’s Day appropriate than a Strawberry Meringue Kisses recipe? It might have something to do with the name, or perhaps the pretty streaks of red. I also love making them for Christmas, adding a dash of peppermint extract instead of strawberry. Meringues are cookies with a delicate crisp shell and a light airy interior that resembles a fluffy marshmallow. They are naturally gluten and dairy free!

You can customize them however you like when it comes to flavour, colours and shape. For shape, you can use different piping tips, such as french, star or sultan. You can also make meringue sandwiches by adding ganache, whipped cream or other filling in between two cookies. However, classic meringue kisses are piped using a regular large round piping tip and pulled straight up to form the peaked edge.

Why are they called Meringue Kisses?

Which leads me to the question: Why are they called meringue KISSES? I’ve always wondered this since they don’t resemble anything that looks like kisses. Hershey’s kisses have a similar shape, so maybe there’s a connection there? If anyone has the answer to this big life mystery, let me know in the comments!

I love making meringues as they’re so easy, tasty on their own and also perfect for decorating cakes, tarts and other desserts. You only need 2 main ingredients: Egg whites and granulated/caster sugar. Other ingredients are optional (but recommended), such as: cream of tartar to stabilize the meringue, essence/extract for flavour and gel food colouring for the streaks. And the best part? This recipe makes 100 strawberry meringue kisses, using just 3 egg whites! You can freeze any leftovers for at least 6 months and they’ll come in handy for any last-minute cake decor or treat such as, Eton Mess.

Before you make these meringue kisses, make sure to read my meringue guide, as it will be very helpful in ensuring a perfect batch!

As always, let me know if you make these, I’d love to see!

Happy indulging,  

Kim x

Yield: 100 meringue kisses

Strawberry Meringue Kisses Recipe

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Strawberry meringue kisses have a delicate crisp shell and a light airy interior that resembles a fluffy marshmallow. They are also perfect for decorating cakes and tarts.

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups caster sugar
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp strawberry extract, optional
• 2 tsp red gel food colouring

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 95°c / 200°c. Prepare a piping bag with a 9mm round tip. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Separate egg whites and yolks using preferred method. We only need the whites.
2. In a glass or stainless steel bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar. Start adding the sugar gradually while whipping. It will turn white and smooth, then reach soft peaks. Add the extract of choice. Keep whipping until stiff peaks form. Do not over-beat as the egg whites will 'weep'.
3. Use a food-safe brush to make 3-4 streaks of gel colour inside the piping bag. Transfer 1/3 of the meringue into the piping bag, being careful not to deflate.
4. 'Glue' down the corners of the parchment paper using the meringue mixture. Pipe the meringue kisses on the baking sheet, leaving a 2.5cm / 1" gap between each one.
5. Bake for 30 minutes. Switch off oven and leave the meringues inside with the door half open. Take out after 15 minutes and the meringues should have dried. Repeat this process with the remaining meringue.
6. Enjoy!

Notes

Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place. Can be frozen for up to 6 months.

Tip: Use peppermint extract for Christmas Meringues Kisses!

Recipe can be halved or divided into 3 for smaller batches. (For half the recipe, use 2 medium egg whites)

Read my meringue guide to get fail-safe results.