Name: Orange Meringue Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: PT-26055742.666667M
Yield: 2 dozen
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 large egg whites; 1/2 teaspoon orange extract (see notes); 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar; 2 pinches salt; 2/3 cup sugar; 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon orange dye

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Orange Meringue Cookies are delicious and gorgeous making them the perfect special occasion cookies. They are easy to pipe and easy to color. You can adjust the colors for different holiday or cover with festive sprinkles.

These beautiful Orange Meringue Cookies are as easy to make as they are pretty. You can whip up the batter in less than fifteen minutes. They are pretty as a picture. For 4th of July meringues simply drizzle red and blue food coloring down opposite sides of the piping bag. To make a beautiful Christmas version simply drizzle red and green food coloring down the opposite sides of the bag. For a pretty Easter cookie simply drizzle pastel blue and pink down the sides of the bag.

How do you make Orange Meringue Cookies?

Grab your stand mixer and attach the wire whip. If you do not have a stand mixer use a hand held mixer preferably with the whisk beaters. Add the egg whites, orange extract, salt and cream of tartar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on low until the egg whites begin to turn white and frothy. Turn the mixer to high and start adding the sugar very slowly. Add the sugar about 1 tablespoon at a time. Keep adding the sugar slowly and beat until the meringue forms stiff glossy peaks. This can take anywhere from 7-10 minutes.

Attach a large piping tip to a disposable piping bag and place over a large glass for ease in filling the bag. Add about 1/3 cup of meringue to the piping bag. Drizzle about 1/8 teaspoon orange food coloring down one side of the piping bag. Carefully fill the piping bag with meringue trying not to disrupt the food coloring. Pipe the meringue in small cookies about 2 1/2 inches wide. They can be piped fairly close together as they do not spread. Cook at 250 degrees for 35 minutes and shut off the oven. Leave them in there for several hours. Store in airtight containers.

Tips for making Orange Meringue Cookies

Make sure the bowl, beaters and all utensils are clean and completely dry. Just a little oil can keep the eggs from reaching maximum volume.
Take your time when separating your eggs as a little egg yolk can cause problems with getting the whites to fluff up. Crack them one at time because if you get any yolk in the egg whites you will need to remove it. If you can not get it all out discard and try again.
Separate your eggs when they are cold and let the egg whites come to room temperature.
You can substitute vanilla extract for orange extract.
Pipe your cookies on to parchment covered baking sheets.
You can mix red and yellow dye to create orange. Using McCormick food coloring a 1/8 teaspoon is about 11 drops of yellow to 3 drops red.
If the Meringue Cookies get tacky or sticky place them back in a 250 degree oven for 10 minutes. Then turn the oven off and let them remain in there for about one hour.
Experiment with different extracts but remember a little extract goes a long way especially with mint or peppermint.
For fun try different food coloring. For instance for Christmas place red and green on opposite sides of the piping bag. It works every time and makes such beautiful cookies.

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