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Get It NowWith an incredible crispy crunch and light, sweet flavor, these sugar-free keto meringue cookies are one of the most impressive desserts you can make with just 4 ingredients! They have a similar prep method to cloud bread and the topping on my keto lemon meringue pie, but with a few key differences that give them extra crunch.
Can You Make Meringue Without Sugar?
Yes, you can definitely make meringue sugar free! However, you need to choose the right sugar substitute carefully to create a texture and flavor profile that comes close to the traditional recipe. Some sugar free meringue recipes use ingredients that create results with an aftertaste or off-putting texture, but it’s totally avoidable.
When preparing any sugar free meringue recipe, the choice in sweetener can make or break the final result. That’s why I decided to use Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend! With a superfine consistency exactly like real powdered sugar, it creates a perfectly crisp cookie that rivals store-bought versions… all with 0 grams net carbs, no gritty texture, and no aftertaste!
Why You Need My Sugar Free Meringue Cookies Recipe
- Light, bright, sweet taste
- Airy, crisp texture
- Just 4 ingredients
- 15 minutes hands-on prep
- 0 carbs per cookie
- The perfect sweet treat to customize with your favorite flavors!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my low carb meringue cookies recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Egg Whites – Fresh egg whites work best for keto meringues, since carton egg whites may make less-defined cookies. Save the yolks for recipes like sugar-free lemon curd, keto flan, or hollandaise sauce!
- Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – The very best sweetener to use for this keto meringue cookies recipe! It dissolves effortlessly into the egg whites for a non-gritty cookie that will still hold its characteristic meringue shape. You can use a different powdered sugar substitute to avoid a gritty result (and see my sweeteners conversion chart for how much to substitute), but for best taste and cookie shape I only recommend this one.
- Cream Of Tartar – Acts as a stabilizer for the egg whites and helps them whip into meringue faster.
- Vanilla Extract – For classic flavor. See other keto meringue flavors you can make below! You can easily swap it with other extracts you have on hand as well, such as coconut extract.
- Sea Salt – With so few ingredients, a pinch of salt helps make the sweet flavor in these cookies pop. It’s optional, but highly recommended!
How To Make Sugar Free Meringue Cookies
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Whip. In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer (or stand mixer), whip egg whites with cream of tartar until opaque and frothy. Add salt and vanilla, and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Gradually add Besti and beat just until incorporated.
- Pipe. Transfer meringue into a piping bag with a star tip and pipe cookies onto a lined baking sheet.
- Bake. Cookies are done when firm (but not browned) and easily released from parchment paper — but don’t remove them just yet.
- Dry. Turn off the oven and prop the door open with a wooden spoon. Leave keto egg white cookies to dry for at least 1 additional hour, or until fully dry and crisp.
My Recipe Tips
- Choose your mixing bowl carefully. For best results, meringues need a clean, dry bowl made out of glass, stainless steel, or copper. Avoid plastic bowls, which can harbor traces of grease on the surface and prevent your egg whites from forming peaks.
- Make sure egg whites are at room temperature. This will help them whip more easily.
- Skip the arm workout. Don’t whip egg whites by hand—an electric mixer makes it way easier!
- Get that perfect swirl. I used an open star piping tip, and it makes all the difference!
- Watch baking time closely. Cookies can go from done to browned quickly.
- Extend drying time if needed. Time to dry can vary depending on the humidity in your home. It’s fine to leave them in the turned-off oven for a day, or even overnight. More time helps develop their crisp texture.
- Larger cookies need more time to bake. Smaller ones can take as little as 45 minutes in the oven, but larger ones will need more time.
Recipe Variations
- Sugar Free Lemon Meringue Cookies – Replace cream of tartar and vanilla with 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice and 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest. Follow recipe steps as written; add lemon juice after egg whites become frothy, and fold in lemon zest just before piping.
- Keto Chocolate Meringue Cookies – Replace vanilla with 1 tablespoon sifted cocoa powder and increase powdered Besti amount to 1/3 cup. Before piping, sprinkle sifted cocoa powder over the meringue mixture and gently fold in until thoroughly incorporated.
- Sugar Free Keto Almond Meringue Cookies – Substitute vanilla with 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and use 1/3 cup powdered Besti. Beat egg whites until opaque and frothy, then add cream of tartar and almond extract and beat at high speed until stiff peaks form. Pipe and bake per the recipe card.
- Keto Peanut Butter Meringue Cookies – Increase powdered Besti amount to 1/3 cup and replace vanilla with 1/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter. Before piping, mix in peanut butter at a low speed until just incorporated.
- Mint Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies – Replace vanilla with 1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract and increase amount of powdered Besti to 1/3 cup. Prepare per the recipe card, adding 1-2 teaspoons of green food coloring (if desired) at the same time as cream of tartar. Fold in 1/2 cup sugar free chocolate chips before transferring to piping bag.
More Keto Egg White Dessert Recipes
No yolks needed! Once you know how to make meringue cookies sugar free, use egg whites to make these rich and sweet desserts next.
Sugar Free Meringue Cookies
These easy sugar-free keto meringue cookies are sweet, light, and crispy. Just 4 ingredients, 2 calories, and 0 net carbs!
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (93 degrees C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, using a hand mixer at medium speed, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar, until the egg whites get opaque and frothy.
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Add the salt (if using) and vanilla extract. Increase the speed to high and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
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Gradually beat in Besti powdered sweetener.
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Carefully to avoid breaking down the egg whites, transfer the mixture into a piping bag (I used the this piping tip), which gives the look of classic meringues). Pipe cookies onto the lined baking sheet, spaced about an inch apart.
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Bake for 1-2 hours, until the keto meringue cookies are firm and release easily from the parchment paper (but don't move them yet!), and before they turn brown. Time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your meringues.
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When they are done, turn off the oven and prop the door with a wooden spoon. Leave the meringues in the oven this way for at least one hour, until dry and crisp.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 sugar-free meringue cookie
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you whip perfect egg whites, get beautiful swirls, and bake light, crispy meringues without over-browning!
- Store: Keep meringues in an airtight container at room temp—heat and moisture can make them soft! If that happens, bake at 200 degrees F for 10 minutes to crisp them up.
- Freeze: Freeze in an airtight container with parchment between layers for 2-3 months. Thaw at room temp and re-crisp in the oven if needed.
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Note on nutrition info: The nutrition info does not include salt.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Ebook Bundle!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Sugar-Free Meringue Cookies
135 Comments
Beverly
0I can’t do erythritol, it makes me have severe gastric issues, would I be able to use powdered monk fruit? And if so would it be the same amount or what else would I do to make it come out correct? Also not fond of stevia because of the aftertaste.
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Beverly, I haven’t tried that so I don’t know for sure if it will work. If you do, use my sweetener conversion calculator to get the right quantity! Let me know if you give it a go.
Paula
0I made these for Easter dinner with my two diabetic family members in mind. They turned out perfectly and were a big hit with everyone! I’d love to add some yellow food coloring to emphasize that they are lemon flavored. Do you think this would do anything to mess up the recipe?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Paula, I think it should be ok if it’s just a little bit, so that it’s not introducing too much liquid. I’m glad you liked them!
Kim
0Just made these for Passover. Excellent!
Katherine Taylor
0Hi!
Do you think I could make these flatter with a little divet to make them like a nest?
Thinking of doing them for Easter with a few berries in each.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Katherine, Yes, you can! Sounds delicious!
Diane P
0SO GOOD!! Can’t believe they are keto friendly!!
Kordell
0I added in the lemon zest and any stiff peaks I had completely collapsed…any idea as to why?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kordell, How did you add it in? It needs to be a gentle folding motion, otherwise they will collapse.
Cyndy
0How much cream of tartar if you are using that in place of the lemon juice?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cyndy, You can use 1/4 tsp cream of tartar instead of the 1/2 tsp lemon juice if you want to.
Annemarie Bjerke
0That was awful, the erythritol left a very chemically taste even though it is supposed to be a natural product…the texture was great though. I will have to try it with another sweetener.
Annabelle
0Oh my Oh my….sorry….these little pillows of deliciousness are marvelous and soooo simple!!! I can’t thank you enough for sharing. I love your recipes. You are helping me stay keto even when i get a sweet tooth craving. Thank you
Cathy
0What is the difference between erythritol and erythritol powder?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cathy, Granulated erythritol is like granulated sugar, powdered erythritol is like powdered sugar. Difference is consistency.
Kara
0I loved these (despite a disastrous powdered Swerve explosion when I accidentally hit the measuring cup against the beaters, ha)! I added some more and finished the recipe. They browned more than I’d have liked on top at about 40 minutes, but this didn’t affect the taste. This may have been because I’d had the oven on a higher temperature to bake a spaghetti squash and only gave it about 5 minutes to come down to the lower temperature. Didn’t matter as the texture was perfect and they tasted so refreshing! Loved the lemon flavour!
Traci
0Followed the recipe, baked for one hour, checked, poof!!! Collapsed at the slightest bit of pressure. Did I beat too long?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Traci, One possible cause could be older egg whites. But the most common reason is beating them too quickly at too high speed, because this can form large, unstable air bubbles. Start at low or medium speed, and then increase only when they become foamy.
Marysue Peters
0I loved reading about this cookie, sugar free lemon meringue, but it never actually showed the 4 ingredients ! I’d love to make these. Need to know ingredients.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Marysue, Are you in Safari reading mode? The ingredients are on the recipe card above, but might not show up in reading mode. If you turn that off you should see them.
Dana M
0I couldn’t get the egg whites to form stiff peaks.
I tried twice.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Dana, Sorry to hear that! It’s hard to say what happened without more detail. Did you use a hand mixer? Did you try cream of tartar? Is there any chance that a tiny bit of yolk made it into the bowl?
Linda Wootton
0I must’ve done a few things wrong. The cookies were way too sweet and they didn’t set up right. Overall, it was a big flop. I may try again or just move on to some other recipe. I did enjoy making them but I was just really disappointed. I’ve been on the keto diet for a while and lost 15 pounds. Some sweet things just taste too sweet now that I’m not eating sugar. Thank you for all the work you do to find the us good recipes.
Hannah M.
0Hi Maya! I want to try & make 2 new flavors of your meringue cookies – Honey-Lavender & Maple-Butter – I’m just not quite sure how since both honey & real maple syrup are both “liquid”. I’ve already mixed 1 batch of lemon (using juice concentrate & about 4 drops of lemon essential oil); 1 batch of vanilla rum (using cream of tartar, rum extract, my own homemade vanilla & scraped seeds of 2 small vanilla beans from my vanilla). But, I’d still really like to try making the Honey-Lavender & Maple-Butter as well! Any help would be greatly appreciated! & thanks in advance!!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Hannah, I recommend using extracts. You can find both maple and honey extract to do that.
Jen
0Tasted like egg. I so wanted to have a great lemony cookie for my sister in law who has lost almost 70 pounds on a very strict low carb diet. I made them exactly as above and they smelled and tasted like egg white.
I just tried a second batch and added a small amount of lemonade extract and a touch most zest. My daughter and I both tried the batter when piping them and still almost no lemony flavor. So disappointed.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Jen, Congratulations to your sister in law’s success! I’m sorry you were unhappy with the outcome of this recipe. The zest is really where the light lemony flavor comes from. I see you added extract and additional zest. Depending on how flavorful you want them, you may need to add quite a bit more to the mixture.
Susan Peters
0Hi! This is the first recipe from your site that I have tried. It looked real easy, good, doable & yummy. But- yes, here’s the but. The meringues remain soft. As in sticky. I have baked them at 95 degrees for 2 hours then left them in the slightly opened oven overnight. This morning they were still soft so I just baked them again. 2 hours at 100°. Now they remain in the oven, again slightly opened. They are a bit brown but still soft.. please advise…
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Susan, The success of a meringue often lies in the humidity of the room. You can do everything right, but if your home or kitchen is particularly humid, then the meringues won’t harden. I hope you give this recipe a try again, just be aware of the weather!
Beth
0I am a very sensitive diabetic. Powdered erythritol raises my sugars, don’t ask me why. If I replaced the 1/4 cup of Powdered erythritol, how much Splenda can I use in its place?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Beth, I haven’t tested it with Splenda but the amount would be approximately the same, maybe slightly more. One thing to consider – have you tested the impact of Splenda on your blood sugar? It contains maltodextrin, which is sugar, so is much more likely to raise blood sugar than erythritol.
Christine Schindler
0Where are my free printables?: free sweetener guide & free eBook
I’ve gotten lots of emails from my signing up, but not the promised links.
I will use without the “zest”. Too many oxalates in the skin of citrus fruits for those of us who form kidney stones. Look forward to discovering more treats that are compatible for my Type II diabetes.
If I don’t have the lemon juice, how much cream of tartar? 1/2 t.?
If I don’t use the zest, how much vanilla? 1 1/2 tablespoon?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Christine,
So sorry about that! There was a glitch with the emails that’s fixed now, so you should have received your link now.
You can use about 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar instead of 1/2 tsp lemon juice. If you’re adding vanilla, the amount is 1/2 tsp as well.
Malcolm
0Try putting a bit—experiment—of mascarpone cheese in to make the whipped peaks stand up and salute.