Vegan Aquafaba Meringues are a fabulous posh dessert. They are excellent on their own or as a part of another dessert to elevate it. This version is egg, dairy, and gluten free as well as top 8 free.
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Why We Like This Recipe
Vegan aquafaba meringues are one of my favourite ways to decorate pies and make desserts that look fancy but are pretty easy. There are so many things that you can do with meringues, eat them like cookies, make stacked meringues, a pavlova, Eton Mess. Any sweet that is as versatile as meringues is amazing. Making these also gets us used to learning how to make oat based macarons and using aquafaba for many other uses.
Ingredients
- Aquafaba, Chilled
- Organic Berry Sugar, or caster sugar
- Cream of Tartar
- Pure Vanilla Extract
See recipe card for quantities.
The Ingredient Low Down
Aquafaba
Aquafaba is the water from a can of chickpea or white beans. For best results, super chill this ingredient in the fridge. Save the chickpeas for other recipes like our Vegan Shepherd’s Pie with Lentils. This recipe uses the aquafaba from 1 can of chickpeas.
If you prefer to use aquafaba from dried chickpeas the liquid needed is not the water the chickpeas soak in to rehydrate but the water used to boil the chickpeas instead. Reduce the water from boiling the chickpeas to half of what it was to get it to work properly as an egg white replacement.
Organic Berry Sugar, or caster sugar
Berry sugar is the North American version of caster sugar. It is a smaller granule than granulated sugar and a larger one than powdered or icing sugar. If you cannot find berry sugar, icing sugar will work but it does have cornstarch in it. You can also put granulated sugar in a food processor to make the granules a bit smaller. We use this as it melts into the non dairy creamer well.
Cream of Tartar
This is not a dairy product but instead a by-product of wine mankind.
Pure Vanilla Extract
We make our own vanilla extract in potato vodka. If safe use safe commercial extracts, if they are suitable. Check with the manufacturer to make sure they are safe for you.
Instructions/ Directions and Tips
Step 1
Pre-heat oven to 300F. Mix the berry sugar and the cream of tartar together. Set aside.
Step 2
In the chilled bowl of a stand mixer, beat the chilled aquafaba with the whisk attachment that has also been cooled.
Step 3
Once the aquafaba has formed soft peaks, slowly add the berry sugar/ cream of tartar mix tablespoon by tablespoon until it is all added. Do this step slowly and let each tablespoon of sugar mix in before adding the next one.
Step 4
Keep mixing until the aquafaba has formed stiff glossy peaks.
Step 5
Using a spatula, fold in the vanilla.
Step 6
Prepare a parchment lined cookie sheet for piping out the meringues.
Step 7
Either pipe or spoon the meringue out in 3 inch in diameter circles that are about 1-1.5 inches high.
Step 8
Bake the meringues for 1 hour. Once the baking time has passed, open the oven door and let the meringues cool for another 1-2 hours in the cooling oven with the door open before removing them from the oven.
Hint: To make a pavlova, scoop all the meringue into one giant mound with the sides spooned up. It will need to be cooked for 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes. Tiny meringue kisses make fabulous pie garnishes and cook quicker than larger meringues. The kisses will take 40-50 minutes in the oven and should be piped on the cookie sheet.
Hint 2: Always put the meringues of the same size on a cookie sheet together as larger meringues will need more time to cook to the perfect marshmallowy centre.
Hint 3: To pipe the meringues use a piping bag and #1M star tip for a nice pattern.
Substitutions
- Cream of Tartar - If cream of tartar is not safe for you you can stiffen the peaks by using 1 teaspoon of vinegar that is folded into the meringue at the same time as the vanilla instead.
- Aquafaba - Potato Starch/ Potato Whip can be used in place. It is used a lot in making of macrons but this requires a lot of trial and error and skill.
- Sugar substitutes- monk fruit or other sugar substitutes can be used but reduce the amount added as the substitutes tasted ⅔ sweeter than regular sugar.
Variations /Adaptations
- Chocolate - Add ¼ C melted dairy free Chocolate, like Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels, to the meringue base to add a bit of a chocolatey taste to the meringue.
- Fruit Streaked - this works best when piping the meringues. On the inside of the piping bag put a few fine lines of fruit puree at regular intervals. Fill the bag with the meringue mixture and then pipe them out. This will leave fruity flavoured streaks on the edges of the meringues and looks really pretty.
Equipment
- Stand mixer with a whisk attachment, or a hand mixer with a whisk attachment - Wipe the whisk down with a safe vinegar to help the aquafaba get its biggest rise.
- Spatula - to scoop out all the meringue from the mixing bowl.
- Mixing bowl - chilled and wiped down with vinegar like the mixing whisk.
- Measuring cups and spoons -liquid and dry measuring will be needed.
- Parchment paper - to both bake the meringues on and to use for storing in between stacked meringues in the container. The parchment used for baking can have circles on the underside as a guide for how large you would like the meringues.
- Cookie sheets - for baking the meringues in the oven.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Storage
The meringues will need to be stored in an airtight container as humidity will make them less crisp and mushy. These are not well suited for storing in the fridge. The fridge will make the meringues soggy.
-Room Temperature
The vegan aquafaba meringues should not be stored in the fridge but instead in an airtight container with parchment in between the layers and at room temperature.
-Freezer
The meringues by themselves can be frozen for up to 4 weeks in a well sealing container with parchment separating the layers.
Top Tip
Cool the meringues in the oven with the door open when they are finished cooking and the oven is off. They can be left like this for 2 hours or more. As soon as they are fully cooled, store the vegan aquafaba meringues in an airtight container to protect them from humidity.
What To Serve With
These vegan aquafaba meringues are great on their own as a biscuit or cookie replacement. The meringues make an excellent garnish for a pie, like on our Mint Chocolate Pudding Pie. Use this recipe to make stacked meringues, a pavlova, or an Eton mess.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
Red, White, and Blue Eton Mess
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- Stand mixer with a whisk attachment, or a hand mixer with a whisk attachment
- Spatula
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Parchment paper
- Cookie sheets
Ingredients
- ¾ C Aquafaba Chilled
- ½ C Organic Berry Sugar or caster sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon Cream of Tartar
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 300F. Mix the berry sugar and the cream of tartar together. Set aside.
- In the chilled bowl of a stand mixer, beat the chilled aquafaba with the whisk attachment that has also been cooled.
- Once the aquafaba has formed soft peaks, slowly add the berry sugar/ cream of tartar mix tablespoon by tablespoon until it is all added. Do this step slowly and let each tablespoon of sugar mix in before adding the next one.
- Keep mixing until the aquafaba has formed stiff glossy peaks.
- Using a spatula, fold in the vanilla.
- Prepare a parchment lined cookie sheet for piping out the meringues.
- Either pipe or spoon the meringue out in 3 inch in diameter circles that are about 1-1.5 inches high.
- Bake the meringues for 1 hour. Once the baking time has passed, open the oven door and let the meringues cool for another 1 hour in the cooling oven before removing them from the oven.
Notes
This mix should make 9 rounds of meringues. Smaller ones can be made instead but cook for 40-50 mins instead if they are around 1 inch in diameter. Always put the meringues of the same size on a cookie sheet together as larger meringues will need more time to cook to the perfect marshmallowy centre. To pipe the meringues use a piping bag and #1M star tip for a nice pattern.
For best results chill the bowl and whisk attachment. Wipe the bowl and whisk with safe white or spirit vinegar before starting the recipe. This recipe uses the aquafaba out of 1 can of Chickpeas. Aquafaba is the water the chickpeas are canned in. If you wish to use dried chickpea water do not use the water the chickpeas soaked in, instead use the water they are boiled in. Once the chickpeas are drained from the boiling water, reduce the boiling water by half.
Nutrition
Food Safety
- Contact the manufacturer of products, regarding cross contact and ingredients, to ensure they are safe for you
- Always check ingredients for allergens
- Do not use the same utensils on allergen free food, that previously touched allergens
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Have you made this recipe? Please leave a comment and us know how much you liked it.