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Are you ready for Day Two of Cookie Week? (If you missed it, I’m sharing a low carb cookie recipe every day this week. Did you see yesterday’s chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies?) Today’s recipe is one of my husband’s favorites: low carb sugar-free lemon meringue cookies!
Low Carb Sugar-Free Meringue Cookies
Vanilla meringue cookies have always been a favorite at our house. So sweet, so crunchy, and still light at the same time! We used to purchase them online or from Trader Joe’s.
We don’t buy store bought French meringues anymore, though. Despite being light on calories and low fat (if you care – I don’t!), they are still packed with sugar. Besides, it’s super easy to make your own homemade sugar-free meringue cookies!
For this recipe, I simply used my favorite powdered sugar-free sweetener instead of sugar. It’s important for it to be powdered, otherwise, the end result will be gritty. It may work to just powder a different sweetener in a food processor, as long as you can get it to a very fine consistency.
In comparison to a regular sugar-filled version, the end result is only slightly different with sugar-free meringue cookies. They are almost indistinguishable. In fact, my husband asked me why I made cookies with sugar in them!
The only difference you may notice is that it’s a little more difficult for the beaten egg whites to hold their stiff peaks. Basically, that means you get less definition in your meringue design when piping. I don’t know about you, but I’ll gladly deal with that so that I can have low carb meringue cookies.
Vanilla vs Lemon Meringue Cookies
I went back and forth on what flavor to make these easy meringue cookies. At first, raspberry and a few others were up for consideration. But, those would require using an extract to make the flavor concentrated enough. I wanted something that could be made with more common ingredients that people have at home.
In the end, it was between vanilla and lemon meringue cookies. Both flavors sounded delicious, and wouldn’t require an extra trip to the store, as long as you have sugar-free sweetener.
I decided on lemon since it’s more unique and interesting. It was easy to add the lemon flavor in a natural way by using lemon juice and lemon zest. Most of the flavor actually comes from the zest.
If you prefer vanilla, you can modify the recipe to make vanilla meringue cookies instead. Simply skip the lemon zest and fold in about 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
You’ll want to keep the lemon juice as a stabilizer, or you can use cream of tartar instead. Either way, they will not taste lemony without the zest in there.
Let me know if you make one version or the other. Which kind do you think is the best meringue cookie recipe?
How To Make Meringue Cookies without Cream of Tartar
I usually have cream of tartar on hand, since it makes beating egg whites so much faster. It acts as a stabilizer.
That being said, I like making recipes that require as few special ingredients as possible. I know some people might not have it around. That’s why I wanted to show you how to make meringue cookies without cream of tartar.
Yes, it’s true. When you make lemon meringue cookies, you don’t even need the cream of tartar! The lemon juice is acidic, just like cream of tartar. It works the same way when beating the egg whites for this recipe. You only need a small amount, to avoid a watery result and ensure that you can get stiff peaks.
The process for making sugar-free meringue cookies is the same as regular ones. You just need 4 ingredients. The only difference here is the way we use lemon juice instead of cream of tartar, and the sweetener is sugar-free.
To make the cookies, simply beat the egg whites at medium speed until they start to get frothy. Add the lemon juice, which will act as a stabilizer. Increase the speed and continue to beat to stiff peaks. Gradually beat in the powdered sweetener, fold in the lemon zest, and pipe the cookies onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
The hardest part of the whole process is the waiting! You have to bake the sugar-free meringue cookies for 1-2 hours. It takes a long time because the oven temperature has to be low to avoid burning. Afterward, the cookies need to dry some more with the oven off.
The time can vary a lot depending on the size that you pipe your meringues. Smaller ones will be ready more quickly. I’ve even done tiny ones before that were ready in around 45 minutes.
You’ll know they are done when they are firm on top and release easily from the parchment paper. (They will not be crisp at this point, however.)
Check on them occasionally, because they can go from done to browned relatively quickly.
Once the baking part is done, prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon and leave the meringue cookies in there for at least another hour. (It’s fine to leave them for a day or overnight if you have other things to do.)
Propping the oven door like this will let the meringue cookies dry completely, making them crispy. It’s the same technique I use for zucchini chips and low carb biscotti.
How To Store Meringue Cookies
If you are wondering how to store sugar-free meringue cookies, there isn’t much to it. Simply place them in an airtight container and keep them in the pantry or cupboard. Room temperature works best for them.
The only caveat is that the cookies can soften by absorbing water vapor from the air. You want to keep them away from heat and moisture.
If they get soft on you anyway, you can crisp them up again. Just place them in the oven at 200 degrees for 10 minutes. Viola!
Easy Sugar-Free Lemon Meringue Cookies Recipe - 4 Ingredients:
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Easy Sugar-Free Lemon Meringue Cookies Recipe - 4 Ingredients
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Instructions
RECIPE TIPS + VIDEO in the post above, nutrition info + recipe notes below!
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Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (93 degrees C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the egg whites into a large bowl. Beat using a hand mixer at medium speed, until the whites get opaque and frothy.
- Add the lemon juice. Increase speed to high. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
- Gradually add the powdered sweetener, a tablespoon at a time, beating more as you go.
- Gently fold in the lemon zest.
- Carefully transfer the mixture into a piping bag. Pipe cookies onto the lined baking sheet, about a teaspoon each, spaced about an inch apart.
Bake for 1-2 hours. (Time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your meringues.) The meringues are done when they are firm and release easily from the parchment paper, but before they turn brown. When they are done, turn off the oven and prop the door open with a wooden spoon. Leave the meringues in the oven this way for at least an hour, until dry and crisp.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 cookies
Nutrition Information Per Serving
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. You can find individual ingredient carb counts we use in the Low Carb & Keto Food List. Net carb count excludes fiber, erythritol, and allulose, because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
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72 Comments
Robin
Hi Maya…have you tested a similar recipe with cocoa powder? How much cocoa powder would you add to the above proportions to give it a good chocolate flavor without the meringue being too dry? (Or would you consider cocoa powder too carby to even use in a keto recipe? I use your recipes for reasons other than keto/low-carb, so may not be as carb-conscious as some of your other readers.) Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Robin, Unsweetened cocoa powder is fine for a keto or low carb lifestyle, but I have not tried it with this recipe. For that reason I’m not sure how much, sorry. Let me know how it goes if you give it a try!
Amy
I would love to know if you test the cocoa powder recipe!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Amy, I have not tested this recipe with cocoa powder. Please let me know how it turns out if you decide to try it!
Amy
I made the lemon-delish and perfect & the chocolate. I used your recipe and tweaked it based on another recipe for the chocolate. Thank you for introducing me to powdered Erythritol. The lemon flavor in your recipe is absolutely perfect!!
Lauren
Wanted to do strawberry flavored meringues, so I swapped the lemon juice for 1/4 tsp cream of tartar, and did the vanilla extract in lieu of the lemon zest, and added 1/8 tsp of Strawberry confectioners flavoring. The flavor of mine was okay, need to cut it way back on the strawberry cause it’s leaning towards tasting a little medicine-y (might just do a drop or two next time), but other than that, they turned out perfect: the texture is divine, perfectly light and crunchy, and melts in your mouth. I’ve never made meringues myself before, so I was ecstatic! I made mine quite small (bout silver dollar sized footprint) and baked for 45 minutes, and they were perfect! Next time, I’m going to try to capitalize on the cooling effect of the erythritol and do mint ones with tiny sugar free dark chocolate chips! Thanks for all the tips!
Amy
I wonder if sugar-free jello mix would work?
Sarah
Hi! Thanks for the recipe. I made these today, they were good, but could have been better. They dissolved very easily in the mouth, almost a light crumbly type texture. Any ideas how I can get them really firm and crunchy? I followed the recipe and left them in the oven off for hours to max out drying time.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Sarah, It sounds like you’ve got the correct texture from your cookies. I think to make them harder you will need to use cream of tartar to get the desired texture.
Virginia
Hi Maya. Sheltering in place here like everyone. Don’t have a piping bag available. Can I form the cookies using a cookie scoop instead?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Virginia, The next best option is to use a storage plastic sandwich bag if you have one. Fill the bag and cut one of the corners to use it as a makeshift piping bag. If you are not a plastic bag user, then yes, you can use a scoop or spoon to create these, but you won’t get the traditional meringue shape.
Mary
This is just a thank you note. Always enjoy reading whatever you publish. Especially at this time that we are all stressed and pressed for what best to do with ourselves. You have found your helping niche with your healthy recipes/comments/ideas. Maybe not as medical personnel, but helpful to so many of us working to stay afloat on the Keto/LowCarb boat. Blessings for your and your family’s continued health. -Mary
Betsy
I made these yesterday, but vanilla I flavor as I love vanilla! Mine came out nice and crunchy but I actually prefer them marshmallowy inside. How can I achieve this? I know they are usually not like that, but I love the gooey inside!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Besty, Meringues turn marshmallowy when they are exposed to humidity. I think the best way to force this to happen would be to put your meringues in the refrigerator after baking.
Betsy
Omg, I’m off to make a batch now, I had wondered about the frig or adding a bowl of warm water to the oven during cool down. Thanks a ton! Betsy
sally Sherrington
made exact to recipe, slightly brown on the tips, left to cool but when I opened one it’s very marshmallowy texture, tastes lovely but not as I would of liked..
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Sally, Leave your meringue cookies out in room temp to harden. They can stay out overnight if need be to achieve the right texture. The length of time will depend on the temperature and humidity in your house.
Lydia
I made these today and they came out perfectly. Thanks for all of the tips since this was my first time ever making meringue! I used Cream of Tarter instead of lemon juice and the lemon zest gives the cookies a lot of zing. And you are right, they do absolutely melt in your mouth! I can have a lot of fun playing around with this recipe
Tamra Gibson
I love Lemon anything and these sound so good. I’m also kinda blessed because I’m the only one in the house that likes Lemon. You know what that means right?? I will actually get some unlike most treats I make or purchase. The directions are very easy to understand and I truly appreciate that bc some recipes I wont even try because I’m easily intimidated by those.
Mrs Joanne Davies
These seem to look as though they are going to bake ok but they never crisp up. Any suggestions? Thanks
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Joanne, These need exposure to air to crisp up. Either prop the door of the oven open for several hours, or let them sit out at room temp. As they cool they will harden.
Mary Rose Hunt
Made my first batch of these meringues and they were melt in the mouth delicious. My husband’s only complaint was they were not big enough. So guess I will be making these regularly and in double batches
I think I overcooked the peanut butter cookies as the were a little hard but they still were delicious.
Thanks ever so much
Carol
A question: can you cook these at 175 degrees F for a longer time – say 2.5 to 3 hours? If so I could bake them in my dehydrator that does beef Jerky at 175*.
Wholesome Yum A
Hi Carol, I haven’t tried it that way. Let me know if you give it a shot!
Ashley Boitson
Turned out great! Just wondering how to store them?? Air tight container? Counter or fridge?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Ashley, Store them in an airtight container, they will hold up nicely at room temperature.
Tamara W.
HI Maya. This recipe will be perfect for my upcoming THM Fuel Cycle. Do you think carton egg whites would work? TIA
Wholesome Yum A
Hi Tamara, this is a tougher recipe to make substitutions for, so I wouldn’t recommend that.
Shannon
I always have cream of tartar, I rarely have lemons. How much cream of tartar should I use?
Wholesome Yum
Hi Shannon, you can use 1/4 tsp cream of tartar instead of the 1/2 tsp lemon juice if you want to.
Lala
How did it taste with the cream of tartar?
Liz
I’m a home baker for 49 years and a diabetic since I’m 10 years old. I’ve been baking sugar free for 34 years by just taking a regular cookie recipe and substituting sugar free sugar and never had a problem. I figured I’d try your recipe but it failed completely. I’ve baked sugar free lemon meringue pie and didn’t have a problem. Read your whole article and was really waiting patiently for these cookies but they failed.
Wholesome Yum
Hi Liz, I’m sorry to hear this one didn’t work for you. Meringues can be a little fussier than other cookie recipes, so it’s possible the sweetener you used caused the problem.
Maggie
Hi, I made mine with cream of tartar, 1/3 cup splenda and at the very end used a packet of lemon sugar free jello instead of the zest. They turned out wonderful and very flavorful, thanks for the recipe
Robin Skidmore
What a great, easy recipe! I made it with the vanilla – a little tricky to fold in but I was patient. I’m a disaster with a piping bag, so I just gently scooped drops and they turned out fine.
sjgrun
How many cookies does the recipe make? Can you double the recipe and get the same quality outcome?
Wholesome Yum
This recipe makes 40 cookies. I haven’t tried doubling it, but I suspect you wouldn’t get the best results that way.
Linda
I doubled the recipe and made 20 larger meringues. I have a fan oven so had to reduce the temperature and they cooked in about 1hr 20 min
Beverly
I 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
Hi 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
I 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
Hi 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
Just made these for Passover. Excellent!
Katherine Taylor
Hi!
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
Hi Katherine, Yes, you can! Sounds delicious!
Kordell
I added in the lemon zest and any stiff peaks I had completely collapsed…any idea as to why?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Kordell, How did you add it in? It needs to be a gentle folding motion, otherwise they will collapse.
Cyndy
How much cream of tartar if you are using that in place of the lemon juice?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Cyndy, You can use 1/4 tsp cream of tartar instead of the 1/2 tsp lemon juice if you want to.
Annemarie Bjerke
That 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
Oh 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
What is the difference between erythritol and erythritol powder?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Cathy, Granulated erythritol is like granulated sugar, powdered erythritol is like powdered sugar. Difference is consistency.
Kara
I 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
Followed the recipe, baked for one hour, checked, poof!!! Collapsed at the slightest bit of pressure. Did I beat too long?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi 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
I 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
Hi 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
I couldn’t get the egg whites to form stiff peaks.
I tried twice.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi 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
I 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.
Hi 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
Hi Hannah, I recommend using extracts. You can find both maple and honey extract to do that.
Jen
Tasted 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
Hi 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
Hi! 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
Hi 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
I 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
Hi 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
Where are my free downloads?: free sweetener guide & free eBook
I’ve gotten lots of emails from my signing up, but not the promised downloads.
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
Hi Christine,
So sorry about that! There was a glitch with the emails that’s fixed now, so you should have received your downloads 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
Try putting a bit—experiment—of mascarpone cheese in to make the whipped peaks stand up and salute.