These strawberry meringue roses are an elegant yet simple treat that's sure to impress. It takes just 30 minutes of hands on time to make these blush pink meringue cookies from scratch using natural flavor and color.
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If you're looking for a show-stopper dessert that's surprisingly simple to make, look no further! This simple recipe is just as delicious as it is beautiful, made with light and airy strawberry meringue that's piped into a simple rose pattern. The meringue cookies take just 30 minutes of hands-on time to make, and they're naturally flavored and colored. Strawberry meringue roses are the perfect treat for Valentine's Day or Mother's Day!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredient list and measurements.
Freeze-Dried Strawberries - This recipe uses freeze-dried strawberries to add natural flavor and color to these meringue cookies. The freeze-dried berries are ground into a powder and mixed with sugar before they're added to the meringue. Freeze-dried strawberries can be found in some grocery stores, including Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, at Target, and online.
Granulated Sugar - Sugar provides both sweetness and stability to these meringue cookies. It is whipped into the egg whites to help create a glossy foam which will dry as it bakes and become meringue.
Egg White - Egg whites give meringue its structure, and the air that's whipped into the egg whites leavens the meringue, giving it it's light and airy texture.
Cream of Tartar - Cream of tartar is a must for perfect meringue since its acidity helps to further stabilize the egg whites. A little bit goes a long way, so don't think it's okay to skip this key ingredient just because the recipe calls for a small measurement.
Pearl Sprinkles - These meringue cookies are beautiful on their own, but adding some edible pearl sprinkles will give them a little extra something!
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for detailed recipe instructions.
Step 1: Blend freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor until they become a fine powder. Combine the powdered strawberry with the sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
Step 2: Add egg white, salt, and cream of tartar to a large bowl. Beat the mixture on low speed until it becomes frothy. Then turn up the speed to high and beat until it is no longer translucent and has doubled in volume.
Step 3: Gradually add the sugar mixture to the egg mixture and continue to beat until the mixture is thick and stiff peaks form. Add vanilla extract and beat just until combined.
Step 4: Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
Step 5: Holding the bag upright, pipe a tight swirl, beginning in the center and circling outward to create a rose shape.
Step 6: Bake at 225°F for 45 minutes. When the meringues are finished baking, turn off the oven but do not open the door. Allow the meringues to sit in the oven for 1 hour before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once completely cooled, decorate the meringue roses with pearl sprinkles (if using).
How to Pipe Meringue Roses
The rose shape is deceptively easy to pipe. Using a piping bag and star piping tip (I used a Wilton 1M piping tip), hold the piping bag vertically and simply pipe the meringue in a tight swirl shape, starting at the center and circling outward. When you're finished piping each rose, pull the bag away horizontally instead of lifting the bag straight up so that you don't end up with any small peaks that would be more likely to burn in the oven. If you're a visual learner like me, watch me pipe a rose design in this Instagram reel.
Allison's Top Tips
It's easier to separate eggs when they're cold, so separate your egg white from the yolk when the egg is still cold from the fridge. Then allow the egg white to come to room temperature before you begin baking.
Be sure that there is no egg yolk mixed in with the egg white. Egg yolk contains fat, and fat will keep the white from whipping properly. If you accidentally get a bit of egg yolk in the white when separating the egg, start over with another egg.
Be sure that the bowl you're using to make the meringue is clean and dry before you begin baking. If there's any grease in the bowl, it will mix with the egg white and keep it from whipping properly. Similarly, any water or other liquid in the bowl will ruin your meringue.
How do you know when the egg white has reached stiff peaks? If you lift your beaters straight up from the bowl (turn the mixer off first!) and see formed peaks with tips that remain upright, you have stiff peaks.
Remember to add the sugar to the meringue slowly as the recipe states. This will allow the sugar to dissolve as it's mixed so that you don't end up with gritty meringue.
When you finish piping each rose, pull the bag away to the side rather than straight up to avoid creating any small peaks that could burn in the oven.
Recipe FAQs
If your meringue cookies are soft and chewy, the most likely reason is that they were under-baked and didn't have enough time to dry out in the oven. If this is the case, you can simply return them to the warm oven to continue baking a bit longer.
Also, meringue will become soft and chewy over time as it absorbs moisture from the air. For this reason, meringues are best enjoyed the day that they are made.
Cream of tartar is commonly used in meringue recipes to stabilize the egg white, which helps the meringue to hold its shapes.
It will take several minutes to beat egg whites to stiff peaks using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (and likely another minute or two if using a handheld electric mixer). Be patient and keep a close eye when beating the eggs to be sure you fully reach stiff peaks but don't over whip the meringue.
Yes, it is possible to over whip meringue. Doing so will dry out the egg white and affect the texture of the meringue. Be sure to beat the meringue just until stiff peaks form. The mixture should be thick and glossy.
Sudden temperature changes can cause meringue to crack, so avoid opening the oven while baking meringue and allow the meringue to cool gradually inside the oven before opening the oven door. Use the oven light to check on your meringues instead.
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Recipe
Strawberry Meringue Roses
Special Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon (15 grams) powdered freeze-dried strawberries (see step 1 in recipe below)
- 3 Tablespoons (37 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg white room temperature
- 1 pinch salt
- ⅛ teaspoon (0.5 grams) cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon (1 grams) vanilla extract
- sugar pearl sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Place freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor and blend until they become a fine powder.1 Tablespoon (15 grams) powdered freeze-dried strawberries
- Measure 1 Tablespoon of the freeze-dried strawberry powder and combine with the sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.3 Tablespoons (37 grams) granulated sugar
- Preheat oven to 225°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Wash and dry a large glass or metal mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) to ensure that it's completely free of grease. Add the room temperature egg white, salt, and cream of tartar to the bowl.1 large egg white, 1 pinch salt, ⅛ teaspoon (0.5 grams) cream of tartar
- Using an electric hand mixer (or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment), stir the egg mixture on low speed until it becomes frothy. Then beat the mixture on high speed until it is no longer translucent and has doubled in volume.
- Continue to beat the egg mixture on high speed while gradually adding the sugar mixture 1 Tablespoon at a time. Wait 10 seconds between adding each spoonful of sugar. (Adding the sugar too quickly could deflate the meringue.) Continue to beat the mixture until it becomes thick and stiff peaks form (see recipe note for guidance).
- Add vanilla extract and beat just until combined.¼ teaspoon (1 grams) vanilla extract
- Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a star tip (I used a Wilton 1M piping tip).
- Holding the bag upright, pipe a tight swirl, beginning in the center and circling outward to create a rose shape. When you finish piping each rose, pull the bag away to the side rather than straight up to avoid creating any small peaks that could burn in the oven.
- Bake for 45 minutes. Do not open the oven door during baking. When the meringues are finished baking, turn off the oven but still do not open the oven door. Allow the meringues to sit in the oven for 1 hour before removing the baking sheets from the oven and allowing them to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once completely cooled, decorate the meringue roses with pearl sprinkles (if using).
TBaker says
How many does this recipe make?
Allison Ferraro says
This recipe makes 12 cookies, so 6 servings with two meringue cookies per serving.
- Allison
Donna says
Why can't you add the sugar pearls before you bake the meringues?
Allison Ferraro says
Hi Donna! The sugar pearls may melt in the oven, so I chose to use them as a decoration after baking the meringue.
- Allison