Vanilla Meringue Cookies

Did you know that egg whites can grow eight times their original size when they’re beaten? It’s true! Which might be why whipped egg whites are a key ingredient to many light and fluffy baked goods—like these delicious vanilla meringue cookies. Get out your mixer and “whip” up a batch today!

Makes about 18 cookies.

You Will Need:

• 4 egg whites

• ½ cup sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• Optional add-ins: zest of 1 orange, 2 tablespoons grated chocolate

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 275°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Beat the egg whites in a glass or ceramic bowl using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment. The egg whites will first form soft peaks that look like little hills.

3. Keep beating the egg whites. They will start to get stiff and more stable. When you can pull the mixer (turned off) out of the egg whites, and they stand in stiff peaks that don’t fall over, they are done. Do not over beat them!

4. Add the sugar and vanilla. Beat the mixture until it becomes very thick, firm, and shiny.

5. If you would like to use any add-ins, gently fold them into the mixture with a rubber spatula.

6. Spoon 2-inch dollops of the mixture onto the baking sheet, leaving about an inch between each cookie. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes.

7. Ask an adult to remove the cookies from the oven, and let them cool on a wire rack.

Nutrition facts per cookie: 26 Calories, 0 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 12 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 1 g protein.