Pretzel Meringue Cookies: A Sweet and Salty Delight
Pretzel Meringue Cookies: A Sweet and Salty Delight
Making Pretzel Meringue Cookies: The Perfect Balance of Sweet and Salty
Don’t let those leftover egg whites go to waste! Create a delightful dessert with these pretzel meringue cookies. While plain meringues are lovely, adding a touch of salty pretzel transforms them into an irresistible treat with a captivating sweet and salty contrast. The airy, melt-in-your-mouth texture of the meringue combined with the savory crunch of the pretzel is a flavor combination that will have everyone reaching for more. Perfect for a fun baking activity with children!
Ingredients- 75g Egg Whites
- 75g Granulated Sugar
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- Pretzel Snacks
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Begin by gathering your ingredients: 75g of egg whites, 75g of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, and pretzel snacks for topping. A teaspoon here refers to a standard teaspoon measurement.
Step 2
In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with a hand mixer on low speed until foamy. Gradually add the sugar in three separate additions, increasing the mixer speed as you go. Adding sugar all at once can prevent the egg whites from incorporating it properly, resulting in a less stable meringue. So, ensure you add it in stages.
Step 3
Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. This helps to neutralize any eggy smell and also contributes to a firmer meringue structure. If you don’t have lemon juice, you can omit it, but it does enhance the final result.
Step 4
Your meringue is ready when it forms stiff peaks. To check, lift the mixer’s whisk – the meringue should stand up straight with a pointed tip without drooping. Be careful not to overmix, as this can cause the meringue to become watery.
Step 5
Prepare your piping bag and tip before you start piping. A star tip works wonderfully for creating pretty meringue shapes. For easier filling, place the piping bag inside a measuring cup – this prevents the meringue from escaping and makes filling much cleaner.
Step 6
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Fill your prepared piping bag with the meringue and pipe out your desired shapes onto the parchment paper. For children helping out, encourage them to pipe freely, even if the shapes aren’t perfect. (The shapes in the photo are inspired by a child’s hand.)
Step 7
When children are involved in the decorating process, focus on the fun of creation rather than perfection. Let them express their creativity by piping the meringue in any way they wish.
Step 8
Gently break the pretzel snacks into bite-sized pieces and place them on top of the piped meringues. Again, encourage a relaxed approach, letting the child place the pretzels as they please.
Step 9
Bake in a preheated oven at 100°C (212°F) for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. The goal here is to dry out the meringues rather than bake them intensely. Oven temperatures and times can vary significantly between households, so it’s advisable to adjust between 90-100°C (194-212°F) based on your oven’s performance. If you notice any browning, reduce the temperature slightly.
Step 10
Once baked, carefully remove the meringues from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack. Meringues are very sensitive to humidity; on damp days, they can quickly become sticky and lose their crispness. It’s best to enjoy them soon after baking. For storage, keep any leftovers in an airtight container with a desiccant pack to maintain their crisp texture for longer.
