Cinnamon Maple Meringues Recipe
Delightfully light and airy Cinnamon Maple Meringues made with egg whites whipped to perfection with pure maple syrup and warm spices. These crisp, sweet treats are subtly flavored with Ceylon cinnamon and nutmeg, baked low and slow to achieve the perfect dry texture. Perfect for a gluten-free, naturally sweetened dessert or snack that lasts for weeks when stored properly.
- Author: nova
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 20-25 small meringue cookies of about 1 inch each 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Egg White Mixture
- 2 Egg Whites (reserve yolks for other uses like eggnog or pudding)
- 1/2 cup Pure Maple Syrup
- 1 Pinch Salt
- 1–1/4 tsp Ground Ceylon Cinnamon (plus more for dusting)
For Dusting
- Ground Nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)
- Ground Cinnamon
- Prepare Double Boiler Setup: In a medium pot, bring a couple inches of water to a low simmer, ensuring it does not boil vigorously.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large heatproof bowl such as your stand mixer bowl, combine the egg whites, pure maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. Position the bowl over the simmering water, making sure the bowl bottom does not touch the water.
- Warm the Mixture: Whisk the egg whites over the simmering water gently until the mixture is warm to the touch, about 3-5 minutes depending on simmer intensity. Then remove from the heat.
- Whip Egg Whites: Immediately transfer the bowl to your stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on high speed.
- Achieve Stiff Peaks: Continue beating until the mixture becomes thick, shiny, and forms stiff peaks, resembling marshmallow creme. This typically takes around 3 minutes with a KitchenAid mixer.
- Fold in Cinnamon: Gently fold in 1-1/4 teaspoons of ground Ceylon cinnamon with a silicone spatula until evenly combined.
- Prepare Baking Sheet and Oven: Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 200°F (93°C).
- Pipe Meringues: Fill a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip or tip of your choice with the meringue mixture and pipe out small meringue cookies roughly 1 inch in diameter onto the parchment paper. Feel free to get creative with shapes and sizes.
- Dust Meringues: Lightly sprinkle freshly grated nutmeg and a pinch of ground cinnamon on top of each piped meringue for extra aroma and flavor.
- Bake Low and Slow: Bake the meringues in the preheated oven for 1.5 to 2 hours or until dry to the touch.
- Dry Completely: Turn off the oven and crack the oven door open by propping it with a wooden spoon. Leave the meringues inside for an additional hour to finish drying without heat.
- Store Properly: Once completely cooled, store meringues in an airtight container at room temperature. They keep well for several weeks so long as humidity is low.
- Serving Suggestions: Enjoy the meringues on their own as a delicate sweet treat or use them as an elegant decorative topping for cakes such as Grain-Free Chocolate Mud Cake.
Notes
- Use Ceylon cinnamon for a sweeter, milder cinnamon flavor that pairs beautifully with maple syrup.
- Humidity negatively affects meringue texture; best results occur on low humidity days, especially in winter.
- Be sure the mixing bowl does not touch simmering water to avoid cooking the egg whites prematurely.
- Reserve egg yolks for delicious complementary desserts like eggnog or pudding.
- Store meringues in an airtight container to maintain crispness and prevent them from becoming sticky.
Keywords: Cinnamon meringues, maple syrup meringues, gluten free dessert, low sugar treats, holiday cookies, egg white desserts, homemade meringue cookies