Pumpkin Meringues
Melt-in-your-mouth Pumpkin Meringue Cookies are the perfect fall dessert when you want something delicious yet light. This recipe makes enough for you to make your own mini pumpkin patch to serve at any fall get-together or Halloween party.
Pumpkin Meringue Recipe
Meringues seem to be a theme for us every fall.
Part of the reason is that meringues don’t deal well with summer humidity, so the arrival of cooler fall weather is perfect for these light and airy cookies to make a welcome reappearance.
But for me, the main attraction to making meringues is that they are so easy to decorate and adjust to a plethora of fall themes. In previous years I’ve made ghost meringues, monster meringues and a decadent carrot cake decorated with ghost meringues.
These cookies are light, crisp and airy with a chewy interior, perfect for a light dessert or adding as decoration for cakes or cupcakes. They would be perfect for a Halloween party and they also make a gorgeous gift.
While I just used vanilla extract, feel free to use flavored powders or extracts to customize your cookies.
You can use this recipe to make the meringue cookies needed for macarons and fill them with a variety of fillings. Jams, fruit butters or curds, buttercream frosting, chocolate ganache, etc.
Meringues are a notoriously intimidating recipe, so I’ve gathered a list of tips to help ensure that you have the best possible experience in making this recipe.
Tips for Making Perfect Pumpkin Pie Meringues:
- ensure that your kitchen is not humid while making meringues – the moisture in the air negatively effects the meringues’ baking
- use room temperature eggs – I leave them out the night before but ensure you leave them out for at least an hour before starting the recipe
- ensure your bowl has absolutely no oil on it before starting to make this recipe, as the oil inhibits the eggs from whipping up – if you’re worried that it might have some trace amounts of oil, wipe the bowl with some white vinegar before starting
- use glass, metal or ceramic bowls to make meringues – not plastic
- pipe the meringues immediately after mixing to get clean, beautiful edges
- get the meringues in the oven quickly after piping (within 30 minutes). If you leave it too long the edges can harden or start to pucker.
- keep the oven door closed while baking to prevent the meringues from sinking (sudden changes in heat or humidity can ruin the meringues)
- do not use those cartons of egg whites as a hack for this recipe because they contain stabilizers that will prevent the egg whites from whipping up into the glossy, stiff peaks necessary for the meringue
- ensure the sugar is fully dissolved in the meringue or else the meringues will sweat
How to store meringue cookies: Meringues can be stored for 7-10 days at room temperature in an airtight container, however you want to control for moisture as moisture can ruin the meringues’ texture. My preferred method is to put a small bowl or container holding a few Tablespoons of uncooked rice into the meringue container to absorb any moisture.
Some people like storing meringues in a paper bag, but I have not personally tried this method yet.
Can meringues be frozen? No, the texture will be ruined upon thawing if frozen. If you end up with more meringue cookies than you can eat over the next week, my recommendation is to gift them to a pumpkin spice-loving friend to make their day!
Ingredients for Pumpkin Meringues
- Egg Whites
- Cream of Tarter
- White Sugar
- Powdered Icing Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Green and Orange food coloring <– this set of food coloring has lasted me forever and I love that it creates highly saturated colors with just a drop
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Tip: swap out the vanilla extract for a pumpkin extract or other preferred fall flavor (or use half vanilla extract and half pumpkin extract).
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Electric mixer <– this is a great hand mixer if you don’t want to make the investment into a stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowl
- Parchment paper <– can use silicone baking mats
- Cookie sheet
- Piping bag
How to Make Pumpkin Meringues
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees.
In a standing mixer, add in the egg whites and cream of tarter.
Mix on medium speed until soft peaks form and then increase to faster speed.
Alternating between the sugar and powder sugar, add in 1 Tablespoon at a time until stiff peaks form.
Add in the vanilla and mix until combined.
Split batter into two bowls, Add the green dye into one and the orange dye into the other.
Using a pastry bag with a round tip, fill with the orange meringue.
Using a party bag with the green meringue, do the vines.
Pipe on the meringues onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 1 hour minutes.
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Pumpkin Meringues
Ingredients
- 4 Egg Whites
- 1/4 teaspoon Cream of Tarter
- 1/2 cup White Sugar
- 2/3 cup Powdered Icing Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/3 Drops Green and Orange food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 225 degrees.
- In a standing mixer, add in the egg whites and cream of tarter.
- Mix on medium speed until soft peaks form and then increase to faster speed.
- Alternating between the sugar and powder sugar, add in 1 Tablespoon at a time until stiff peaks form.
- Add in the vanilla and mix until combined.
- Split batter into two bowls, Add the green dye into one and the orange dye into the other.
- Using a pastry bag with a round tip, fill with the orange meringue.
- Using a party bag with the green meringue, do the vines.
- Pipe on the meringues onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 1 hour.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
-
Watkins Imitation Pumpkin Spice Extract, 2 oz. Bottles, Pack of 6 (Packaging May Vary) -
Cream of Tartar, 2 Cups by Unpretentious Baker, Highest Quality USP & Food Grade, Better than Restaurant Quality, Non-GMO, Kosher, Gluten Free, Vegan, Slotted Cap Spice Shaker
-
Amazon Basics Silicone, Non-Stick, Food Safe Baking Mat, Macaron - Pack of 2
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
45Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 19Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 5mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 4gProtein: 0g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
I hope your family and friends love this easy pumpkin meringue cookie recipe as much as mine do!
For more scrumptious cookies, check out our full cookie recipe collection here:
For more decadent desserts, check out our full dessert recipe collection here:
I am extremely passionate about pumpkins. Any pumpkin recipe I never miss.
LOL you and my daughter would get along!
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