These vegan meringue cookies crack at the first bite, then melt on your tongue, and there isn’t an egg white in sight. The secret is aquafaba, the liquid from a can of chickpeas, and a French meringue formula from my pastry training: equal weights of granulated sugar and powdered sugar. No cream of tartar needed.
I eat them with coffee, or crumble them over strawberries and yogurt (dairy-free, if you like) for a little crunch. They keep for a month in an airtight container, and you can freeze the chickpea liquid, so there’s no need to open a can just for this recipe.
Published on October 5, 2026
PREP TIME
30 min
COOK TIME
1½ to
2 hours
DIFFICULTY
Easy
STORAGE
1 month
The simplest way to describe aquafaba is chickpea juice. That’s not strictly accurate (try squeezing juice out of a chickpea!), but you get the idea. More precisely, it’s the liquid left over from cooking beans and other legumes, including the liquid in a can of chickpeas.
Its usefulness in baking is a very recent discovery. In 2014, a Frenchman, Joël Roessel, noticed that this liquid could be whipped like egg whites. A year later, an American software engineer, Goose Wohlt, experimented with eggless meringue and named the liquid “aquafaba,” from the Latin aqua (water) and faba (bean). So, in a way, this recipe is going home.
For this recipe, I use the liquid from a can or jar of plain, unsalted chickpeas, with no added spices or herbs. Those are flavors we definitely don’t want in our meringues! The liquid sometimes smells like chickpeas when you first open the can, but don’t worry: the smell disappears during baking. A few tiny bits of chickpea floating in it are fine, too.
And if you’d like to try another sweet recipe with aquafaba, I recommend my old-fashioned vegan almond macarons (the chewy French kind, not the sandwich cookies). They’re still in French for now, so consider it a chance to practice!
French-Style Vegan Meringue Cookies
Vegan meringue cookies made with chickpea liquid instead of egg whites. Three ingredients, a slow bake at 210°F, and meringues that keep for a month in an airtight container.
6
servings30
minutes2
hoursPour garder la recette visible pendant que je cuisine
Ingrédients
7 tablespoons aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas)
9 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar, also called confectioners’ sugar (a scant 1 cup)
Instructions
- Whip the aquafaba with a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, as you would egg whites. It will start to foam, then behave exactly like egg whites whipped to peaks; it just takes a little longer
- When the aquafaba holds firm peaks, add one-third of the granulated sugar and keep whipping; repeat until all the granulated sugar is used
- Add the powdered sugar the same way
- Whip for at least 15 minutes in total, or up to 20, until the sugars are completely incorporated. The mixture should be glossy and form a peak whose tip curls over slightly, what French pastry chefs call a “bird’s beak” (a little softer than stiffly beaten egg whites):
- Transfer to a piping bag and pipe small meringues onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, or shape small mounds with a spoon
- Bake at 210°F (100°C) for 1½ to 2 hours, then leave the meringues in the turned-off oven, door closed, for several hours so they can dry out
Minute Papillote Tip
- Aquafaba freezes very well (just like egg whites). Whenever I use canned chickpeas, I never throw out the liquid: I freeze it right away. That way, I almost always have some on hand!
How to Make Eggless Meringues
It’s very simple. To make meringues without egg whites, and therefore vegan, you use aquafaba the way you would use egg whites! And just like a meringue made with eggs, a few details make a difference:
- Start with a very clean bowl and whisk. Make sure there’s no grease or other residue! (A few bits of chickpea in the aquafaba are fine, though: you won’t notice them in the finished meringues.)
- No cream of tartar needed. Most American recipes add it to steady the foam; here, the cornstarch in the powdered sugar does that job. A pinch of salt is optional.
- Both sugars must be thoroughly incorporated into the aquafaba. That’s why you add them in several batches. Otherwise, the meringues may leak a sugary, yellowish liquid as they bake… not quite what we’re after!
- Keep the oven low: 210°F (100°C), and no higher than 230°F (110°C). Otherwise, the meringues can turn yellow… definitely not the effect we’re after.
- Let the meringues dry in the turned-off oven with the door closed. Leave them overnight if you can.
- And finally, protect them from humidity. Airtight jars and the tins our grandmothers kept are perfect: stored this way, the meringues keep for a month!
Why Two Sugars (and No Cream of Tartar)?
Most American recipes use granulated sugar alone, plus cream of tartar to steady the foam. This one is a French meringue, translated almost directly to aquafaba: one part egg white (here, aquafaba), then about 1.1 parts granulated sugar and 1.1 parts powdered sugar.
The granulated sugar gives structure and shine. The powdered sugar gives a finer, silkier crumb, and the cornstarch it contains (about 3%) helps stabilize the foam. It works beautifully without cream of tartar. If you’d like extra insurance, add ¼ teaspoon to the aquafaba before whipping.
Vegan tip: some refined cane sugars are filtered with bone char. If that matters to you, choose organic or beet sugar.
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Questions About Vegan Meringues
Do I Need Cream of Tartar for Vegan Meringues?
No. This recipe is based on a French meringue, which uses two sugars: granulated sugar for structure and shine, and powdered sugar (about 3% cornstarch) for a finer crumb and extra stability. If you’d like extra insurance, add ¼ teaspoon of cream of tartar to the aquafaba before whipping.
Why Won’t My Aquafaba Whip?
Usually, it’s grease on the bowl or whisk, or a liquid that’s too thin. Wipe the bowl and beaters with a little vinegar or lemon juice, and use the liquid from unsalted, plain chickpeas. If the aquafaba looks very watery, simmer it for a few minutes to reduce it, then let it cool completely before whipping.
Can I Use a Hand Mixer?
Yes. A stand mixer is easier, since it runs for 15 to 20 minutes, but a hand mixer works too. Add the sugars gradually either way.
Why Are My Meringues Sticky?
They haven’t dried out enough, or they’ve absorbed moisture from the air. Let them dry thoroughly in the turned-off oven, then move them to an airtight container as soon as they’re completely cool.
Can I Use Less Sugar?
These meringues are on the sweeter side, because sugar is what gives them their structure. A reader told me they used considerably less with good results. I haven’t tried it myself, so feel free to experiment, but don’t cut it too much or the meringues won’t hold their shape.
How Should I Store Vegan Meringue Cookies?
Keep them at room temperature in an airtight container, away from humidity, for up to a month. Don’t refrigerate them, as they’ll soften. If you’re serving them with fruit or yogurt, add them just before serving so they stay crisp.
Two Recipes for the Remaining Chickpeas
Chickpeas left over? Here are two ways to use them. (The salad is still in French, so it’s a good excuse to practice!)
Chickpea Fritters with Zucchini and Fresh Herbs
Crisp outside, tender inside. Serve with yogurt and fresh herbs.
Cauliflower and Chickpea Salad (in French)
A satisfying, Ottolenghi-inspired salad that also puts chickpeas to good use.
Two More Vegan Treats
For more baking without eggs, try a French classic or an easy snack cookie. Both are still in French, so it’s a chance to practice!
Old-Fashioned Vegan Almond Macarons (in French)
The same aquafaba trick for another French pastry classic.
Vegan Oat and Seed Cookies (in French)
Egg-free oat and seed cookies for an afternoon treat. Great as a snack, too.
