The Best Meringue Recipe

Name: The Best Meringue Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: For a 2-Egg Meringue:; 2 large egg whites (room temperature); Pinch of salt; 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar; 4 tablespoons sugar (preferably superfine); 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; For a 3-Egg Meringue:; 3 large egg whites (room temperature); Pinch of salt; 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar; 6 tablespoons sugar (preferably superfine); 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Total: 25 mins

Servings: 8 servings

Yield: 1 pie

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There's nothing quite like a fluffy, dreamy meringue to top your pie. It's not hard to pull off, but it's the kind of recipe where you want your bowl and beaters to be clean and the egg whites, which get whipped with a little bit of cream of tartar, to be at room temperature. This will help to produce the most consistent and stable volume in your meringue.

Classic meringue pie topping with billowy peaks — The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Raw Egg Warning

Consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs poses a risk for food-borne illness.

There are three basic types of meringue: French, Italian, and Swiss. This meringue pie topping, known as a French or common meringue, is a simple combination of egg whites whipped with sugar. It's the easiest type of meringue to make. Italian meringue is made by slowly adding hot melted sugar as you beat the egg whites, while Swiss meringue is made by whipping sugar and egg whites together over heat.

French meringue makes a delicious topping for a chocolate, banana, or lemon meringue pie or tart. A two-egg meringue is enough for a tart or a pie with moderate height, while a three-egg is best for a larger pie or a tall meringue. Cream of tartar is used in this recipe because it offers a little more stability to the delicate whipped egg whites. If you don't have cream of tartar, you can leave it out and the recipe should still work. If you can find superfine sugar, it is the best sugar to use in a meringue, since it dissolves easily for a creamy result.

For safety, a meringue must be cooked to the safe minimum temperature of 160 F. Do not eat meringue raw, since it contains raw egg whites.

Can You Overbeat Meringue?

If your meringue isn't fluffy, or if falls flat, looks dry or grainy, or deflates, it's been overbeaten. The quickest remedy for that is to beat one egg white separately, and then gently fold it into the overbeaten whites just until they're shiny again.

Tips for Making Meringue Recipe

Start with cold and then warm eggs - Separate the eggs while they are cold (it's easiest), but room-temperature egg whites whip more readily than cold egg whites.
Spread to the edges - Make sure to spread the meringue all the way to the crust; otherwise, the meringue might shrink on the filling when you bake it.
Make it stable - A cornstarch and water mixture is a great way to provide extra stability to a meringue, especially on a humid day. Make a paste with 1/4 teaspoon of cornstarch and 2 teaspoons of water. Heat it in the microwave oven for 10 or 15 seconds, or until the paste is clear. Once peaks have formed on your meringue mixture, beat in the cornstarch mixture, adding one teaspoon at a time.
Temperature affects outcome - When making meringue, there's an issue called "weeping" or "beading" that can come from sugar or moisture. To avoid this, make sure not to refrigerate the meringue while it is still warm, or cook it for too long or at too high a temperature.
Careful when making meringue - In some cases, weather, baking temperature, or technique can cause issues when making meringue. So if something goes awry, backtrack your steps and try again.

What You'll Need To Make This Meringue Recipe

A Metal Mixing Bowl

A Hand Mixer

A Pie Pan

"This recipe utilizes a French-style meringue, which is the most straightforward way to get a beautiful, airy, and fluffy meringue. Whipping the egg whites with the sugar allows you to have a sweet topping for a pie, or you could even bake the meringue separately until crisp for cookies or the beginning of a pavlova." —Tracy Wilk

Classic meringue pie topping on a wire whisk over a mixing bowl

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For a 3-Egg Meringue:

3 large egg whites, room temperature
Pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons sugar, preferably superfine
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Gather the ingredients.

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
In a mixing bowl–preferably stainless steel or glass–beat the 3 large egg whites and a pinch of salt using the low speed of an electric mixer until they are frothy.

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Add 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar and increase the mixer speed to medium. Continue beating until the whites are fluffy, with large bubbles forming around the edges.

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
With the mixer running, add 6 tablespoons sugar, a few teaspoons at a time, mixing the sugar in completely before adding more. Continue until all of the sugar is incorporated.

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Continue beating until the peaks are firm but still glossy. Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Spoon the meringue onto the hot pie filling. If you are topping an unbaked pie filling, have it at room temperature (not cold) before you top it with the meringue. Spread the meringue to the crust edge to seal the filling in. Fluff it with the back of a spoon to make decorative peaks across the pie.

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Bake at 350 F/180 C/Gas Mark 4 for about 15 minutes (or 12 minutes for 2 egg whites). Serve and enjoy.

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

7 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Meringue

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
44	Calories
0g	Fat
10g	Carbs
1g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories	44
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g	0%
Saturated Fat 0g	0%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 37mg	2%
Total Carbohydrate 10g	3%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 1mg	0%
Iron 0mg	0%
Potassium 36mg	1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.