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    Home / Cake basics / Frosting & filling

    Easy French Meringue

    Last update: May 5, 2025 Published: May 24, 2023 by Fadela This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·5 from 5 reviews

    How to make a French meringue with this easy and foolproof recipe, for a smooth and firm meringue texture, perfect to fill or cover a cake, to decorate a lemon meringue pie, or make a berry pavlova recipe or small meringue cookies.

    bowl with baked meringue
    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredient Notes
    • How To Make The Best French Meringue Recipe
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Tips for this recipe
    • Storage instructions
    • Variations & substitutions
    • Frequently Asked Question
    • More Meringue Recipes
    • French Meringue

    The French meringue is a basic recipe and a classic type of meringue in French pastry, used as a frosting or as a filling in cakes, or as a baked version for small crunchy cookies perfect to decorate your pastries.

    Among the 3 types of meringues known, this one is the easiest, because unlike the Swiss meringue or the Italian meringue which are more technical, here we simply whip sugar and egg whites until we obtain a shiny meringue with firm peaks.

    This is a very simple and quick recipe, follow my advice and tips to have a perfect and firm meringue and small crunchy meringues without cracks.

    Why you'll love this recipe


    • Easy recipe: The easiest and best meringue recipe out there, complete with step-by-step instructions and top tips for surefire success.
    • Easy-to-Memorize Ratio: Just remember 1:2 – double the weight of egg whites for the sugar amount.
    • Versatile Use: Ideal for baked French meringue cookies, plus a fantastic filling or frosting for cakes and desserts.

    Want to explore more French recipes? Give these a try: French diplomat cream, this French almond cream, or this French puff pastry.

    Ingredient Notes

    You need these ingredients to make this classic French meringue recipe:

    • Egg Whites: Use only room temperature whites, ensuring they're completely free of any egg yolk traces for optimal consistency.
    • Sugar: Opt for superfine sugar. Avoid powdered sugar or flavored sugars, as they can alter the texture and stability of the meringue.
    • Cream of Tartar or White Vinegar (Optional): A dash of either adds acidity, which helps stabilize the egg whites. This results in a more robust and consistently fluffy meringue.

    >> Don't throw away your egg yolks, use them to make a pastry cream or a lemon curd and Egg yolk Chocolate chip cookies.

    meringue cookies on a baking sheet

    How To Make The Best French Meringue Recipe

    Here are some quick visual instructions. Don't forget that full recipe instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the recipe card below!

    Step 1: Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer and whip egg whites at medium-low speed for 5 minutes until they start to bubble.

    Step 2: Increase the speed of the mixer a little and beat again until you get soft peaks.

    large bowl with foamy eggs whites
    large bowl with egg white whipped

    Step 3: Add the caster sugar to the egg whites in small batches while keeping the mixer running at medium speed and continue mixing for another 10 minutes until the sugar is fully incorporated.

    Step 4: Then whip the meringue at high speed until stiff peaks form with a glossy and shiny texture.

    Enjoy! Use the meringue mixture immediately to fill or decorate cakes and pies or follow the baking step below to make baked meringues.

    bowl with meringue mixture
    whisk with meringue mixture

    Baked meringue

    Step 1: Preheat oven to 212°F / 100°C and prepare a baking sheet lined with baking paper.

    Step 2: Pipe your meringue with a large pastry bag and a decorating tip directly onto the prepared baking sheet.

    Step 3: Bake the meringues for about 1 hour, until they come away easily from the parchment paper.

    Enjoy! Let them cool completely in the oven with the door open before placing them in a jar or using them for your desserts.

    baking sheet with meringue cookies

    Serving Suggestions

    • Lemon Meringue Pie: Crown a tangy lemon curd pie with swirls of meringue for a classic dessert.
    • Eton Mess: Crumble the meringue and mix with whipped cream and fresh berries for a quick, delicious treat.
    • Pavlova: Shape the meringue into a nest and fill with whipped cream and fresh fruit for an elegant dessert.
    • French Meringues: Pipe small dollops and bake to create light, crispy meringue cookies.
    • Baked Alaska: Top your favorite ice cream and cake with meringue and briefly torch for a show-stopping dessert.
    • Chocolate-Dipped Meringue: Dip meringue pieces in melted chocolate for a simple yet indulgent snack.
    • Macarons shells : perfect meringue for homemade French macarons.
    bowl with meringue mixture

    Tips for this recipe

    • Use room-temperature egg whites: Essential to have a voluminous meringue. Separate your whites from the yolks when they are cold, then leave your whites out of the fridge to make the recipe.
    • Clean your utensils properly: Any traces of grease in the bowl or whisk can prevent the whites from rising properly, so wipe them with a cloth soaked in white vinegar or wash them in hot soapy water.
    • Use extra fine sugar: the sugar should ideally be completely incorporated into the whites to prevent the meringues from cracking or leaking during baking.
    • Add acidity: Meringue doesn't like fat but it likes acid! That's why you can add lemon juice (1 tsp for 100g of whites). Cream of tartar (1 pinch for 100 g of whites) or white vinegar (hence the advantage of cleaning the bowl with.
    • Whip gradually: If the whites are whipped too quickly they will fall off as soon as they are baked. Whip gradually to get a nice shiny meringue with firm peaks.

    Secret Tip

    Heat the sugar in the oven: at 392°F / 200°C for 5 minutes, and spread it on a baking sheet so that it melts more easily into the whites.

    Storage instructions

    Room temperature: Baked meringues can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container box with a tight-fitting lid or a glass jar for several weeks.

    Variations & substitutions

    • Chocolate meringue: add cocoa powder for a chocolate meringue version.
    • Flavor Additions: Mix in vanilla extract, rose water, almond extract, or citrus zest for added flavor.
    • Color and Fun: Add food coloring or edible glitter for a colorful twist.
    • Acid Alternatives: If you don't have cream of tartar or white vinegar, lemon juice works as a stabilizer too.
    • Nutty Touch: Gently fold in finely chopped nuts like almonds or pistachios for a crunchy texture.
    • Chocolate Swirl: After piping the meringue, swirl in some melted chocolate for a marbled effect.
    • Spice It Up: Add spices like cinnamon or nutmeg for a warm flavor profile, especially during the holidays.

    Frequently Asked Question

    How do I know when my French Meringue is ready?

    The meringue is ready when it forms stiff, glossy peaks that hold their shape when you lift the whisk. You should be able to turn the bowl upside down without the meringue sliding out.

    Can I flavor or color French Meringue?

    Yes, you can add extracts like vanilla or almond, and food coloring to French Meringue. Be sure to add them at the very end of the whipping process to avoid deflating the meringue.

    Why is my French Meringue grainy?

    A grainy texture usually means the sugar wasn’t fully dissolved. Try using superfine sugar, or whisk for a longer time to ensure the sugar dissolves completely.

    Why does my meringue ooze during baking?

    Your meringue may ooze during baking due to overwhipping, undissolved sugar, humidity, or incorrect baking temperature.

    Why is my meringue cracking?

    Meringue may crack if baked at too high a temperature or if it cools too quickly. To prevent this, bake at a low temperature and allow the meringue to cool gradually in the oven.

    More Meringue Recipes

    • How to make meringue cookies easy
      Raspberry Meringue Cookies
    • Easy Italian Meringue
    • How to make perfect pavlova
      Fresh Berry Pavlova With Meringue Topping
    • Strawberry Mini Pavlova Nests
    bowl with meringue cookies

    I hope you love this French meringue recipe. If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Happy Baking!

    Print
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    French Meringue


    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 5 reviews

    • Author: Fadela
    • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    • Yield: 30 meringues
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    How to make a French meringue (for about 25-30 meringues or a 8 inches 20 cm pie filling) 


    Ingredients

    • 100 g egg whites - about 3-4 whites at room temperature
    • 200 g (1 cup) Caster sugar - extra fine

    Instructions

      1. Place the room temperature egg whites in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium slow speed for 5 minutes until bubbly. 
      2. Increase the speed of the mixer a little and mix the whites again until you have soft peaks.
      3. While leaving the mixer running on medium speed, fold in the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, leaving about 1 minute between each addition.
      4. Mix on medium-high speed for 10 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved (if you still have visible sugar grains, continue beating for another 10 minutes).
      5. Finish by beating the meringue on high speed for about 5 minutes and until you have a firm, glossy texture with stiff peaks (when you lift the whisk you should have a bird's beak that does not fall off).
      6. Use immediately to decorate desserts or follow baking instructions for baked meringue cookies.

    Baking :

      1. Preheat the oven to 212°F/ 100°C (fan oven) and prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
      2. Fill a piping bag with all the meringue and pipe small piles onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 5 cm apart. 
      3. Bake the meringues in the oven for about 1 hour and until the meringues peel off the baking paper easily.
      4. Let the meringues cool in the oven with the door open.

    Equipment

    Image of Piping bag

    Piping bag

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    Perforated baking sheet

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    Stand mixer

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    Notes

    Storage: Several weeks in a storage box with a tight lid. 

    • Prep Time: 20 minutes
    • Cook Time: 60 minutes
    • Category: Dessert
    • Cuisine: French

    Nutrition

    • Calories: 14
    • Sugar: 3
    • Sodium: 3
    • Carbohydrates: 3

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Miss popote

      June 17, 2015 at 1:30 pm

      What can I say..... these meringues are so sweet and the photos are sublime as usual !!!!

      Reply
    2. Orienttale

      October 22, 2015 at 1:34 pm

      Hello, thank you very much for this beautiful work. I need to know what type of icing tip is used to achieve this shape in the last photo, and congratulations again

      Reply
      • Fadela

        October 23, 2015 at 5:09 am

        Hello and thank you , I used a round plain tip to make these meringues.
        Fadela

        Reply
    3. Sandrine Roussey

      September 05, 2016 at 10:00 am

      Hello, how long can I keep these meringues?

      Reply
      • Fadela

        September 05, 2016 at 10:39 am

        Hello, they can be kept for several weeks.

        Reply
    4. Emma Lou

      December 27, 2023 at 11:35 am

      This is the first time I've read about putting the sugar in the oven before incorporating it into the meringue.
      It's amazing! Does it really make a difference?
      I really like your blog, which I've just discovered =)

      Reply
    5. Lebourg-esteve

      December 27, 2023 at 11:36 am

      Great recipe, adding 1 dash of lemon to the egg whites guarantees success.

      Reply

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