These vegan meringue kisses make a delightful Valentine's Day gift. Believe it or not, they are made with no eggs! And, they're very easy to make.
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Are these the most adorable little meringues, or what? They're so sweet in that Hershey's kisses kind of way.
So, we all know that typically meringues are made with egg whites, but not these beauties. These are vegan meringue kisses!
What's the secret? The secret is aquafaba. That's the juice you see when you drain a can of chickpeas. And, before you ask, no...they do not taste like chickpeas. They taste like meringues.
And, while I've made mine pink and white, you can customize these to your hearts content. However, I don't recommend adding a gel food coloring to these. While I've seen recipes where this recommended, I tested it, and the food coloring introduced too much liquid to the meringues. Basically, they melted as soon as I put them in the oven (which was kind of heartbreaking!) So, we'll be using powdered beetroot here to introduce a lovely, pink color that's all natural.
If you're looking for more Valentine's Day sweet treats, you might also like my vegan strawberry cake or my red velvet cupcakes.
Related Post: Vegan Chocolate Meringue Pie
👨🍳How To Make Vegan Meringue Kisses
- Arrange your oven racks so that the oven is divided into thirds. Line two baking sheets with clean parchment paper. Don't add any grease....vegan meringues won't stick and any added oils will interfere with the baking process.
- Preheat your oven to 210F (100C). The temperature needs to be really low for this recipe.
- Get out a clean glass bowl; be sure that there is no greasy residue in your bowl. Pour the liquid from one can of chickpeas into the bowl and add the white vinegar. Using an electric whisk or a stand mixer, whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. This should take 10-15 minutes, which is quite a long time. But, don't be tempted to stop whipping too early. Set a timer if you're impatient!
- You'll know you're finished whipping the aquafaba when you can turn the bowl upside down and the meringue doesn't run out.
- Measure out your powdered sugar and add it to the meringue one tablespoon at a time. Beat for 30 seconds between each addition.
- Next, sprinkle in the cornflour and and whip on high speed for another 30 seconds. Don't skip the cornflour. I've tested this recipe with and without cornflour, and it turned out much better with it!
- Finally, add the vanilla and whip until it's incorporated.
Piping The Vegan Meringue Kisses
- We now have white vegan meringue kisses. If you want a combination of pink and white meringues, remove half of the mixture from the bowl and transfer it to a new, clean bowl. Add one teaspoon of beetroot powder and mix until you get an even pink color.
- Now, get out a piping bag. You can use a plain tube nozzle (that's what I used) for that Hershey's kiss look, or you can use a star nozzle.
- Pipe the kisses onto the parchment paper lined sheets, leaving one centimeter of space between each one.
- Pop them in the oven, and bake for 75 minutes.
- Turn the heat off, but don't remove the meringues. Open the door to your oven a crack and allow the meringues to harden for 1 hour.
- Store your vegan meringue kisses in an airtight container.
💡How To Create A Marbled Meringue Effect
Swirling in a bit of beetroot powder directly into the meringue without fully incorporating it will create a marbled or swirled effect. You can add small amounts of beetroot powder to the meringue mixture and gently fold or swirl it with a spatula a few times. This will result in streaks or swirls of pink within the white meringue.
Just be careful not to overmix, as you still want distinct color variations. It's a bit like creating a natural, artistic pattern in your meringue kisses.
❄️Storage Instructions
For optimal freshness and texture of your vegan meringue kisses, store them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Avoid refrigeration, as it can introduce moisture and affect the crispiness of the meringues.
If storing different colored meringues together, use parchment paper between layers to prevent color transfer. Enjoy them within a few days for the best experience, as meringues are at their prime when fresh.
🙋Frequently Asked Questions
The aquafaba peaks need to be stiff enough to hold their shape. When you lift the beaters or whisk attachment, the meringue should form stiff, glossy peaks that do not collapse. This stiffness is essential for the meringue to hold up during baking and create those light, airy meringue kisses. It usually takes about 10-15 minutes of whipping on high speed to reach this stage. Testing the stiffness by turning off the mixer and lifting the beaters to see if the peaks hold is a good way to ensure you've reached the right consistency.
Yes, you can! Line an airtight container with parchment paper and space the meringues out so that they aren't touching. You can add another layer of parchment paper on top of the first layer of meringues and add another layer of meringue kisses. You can freeze them for up to 6 months.
No, I don't recommend it. You should store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Craving More Easy Vegan Recipes?
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Meringue Kisses
Ingredients
- 1 14 ounce can of chickpeas *liquid from chickpea can only (aquafaba).
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar
- ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon beetroot powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 210° F (100° C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Do not grease the parchment paper. Arrange the oven racks so that the oven is divided into thirds.
- Pour the liquid from one can of chickpeas into a clean glass bowl that is free from any greasy residue. Add the white vinegar. Using an electric whisk or a stand mixer, whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. This should take 10-15 minutes. *See note 1
- Measure out your powdered sugar and add it to the meringue one tablespoon at a time. Beat for 30 seconds between each addition.
- Sprinkle in the cornflour and and whip on high speed for another 30 seconds.
- Add the vanilla and whip until it's incorporated.
- If you want a combination of pink and white meringues, remove half of the mixture from the bowl and transfer it to a new, clean bowl. Add one teaspoon of beetroot powder to one of the bowls and mix until you get an even pink color.
- Fill a piping bag with one of the meringue colors. You can use a plain tube nozzle for that Hershey's kiss look, or you can use a star nozzle. Pipe the kisses onto the parchment lined baking sheet, leaving one centimeter between each kiss.
- Bake for 75 minutes in the center of the oven. *see note 2
- Turn the heat off, but don't remove the meringues. Open the door to the oven a crack and allow the meringues to harden for 1 hour.
Notes
- Don't stop whipping the aquafaba too early! You'll know they're done, when you can turn the bowl upside down and the meringue does not run out.
- Put one baking tray on each oven rack. Rotate the trays at the halfway point.
- Store vegan meringue kisses in an airtight container at room temperature.
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