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Vegan Meringues

This vegan meringue cookies use the liquid from a tin of chickpeas as a substitute for egg whites — genius! Use this as a replacement for egg white meringue in recipes such as summer fruit pavlova and Eton mess.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 25 people
Calories 1179.6 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Electric Mixer A powerful stand mixer is highly recommended for the extended beating time.
  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl Ensure it is clean and grease-free for optimal whipping.
  • 1 Baking Sheet For baking the meringues.
  • 1 Parchment Paper Essential for preventing sticking and easy removal.
  • 1 Piping Bag with Nozzle For shaping uniform meringues.

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 1 15 ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), undrained
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract Optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 210 degrees F (100 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Drain chickpeas, reserving 1/2 cup liquid from the can; save chickpeas for another use. Pour chickpea liquid into a large bowl and add cream of tartar. Beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until glossy peaks form, about 20 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
  • Spoon mixture into a piping bag. Pipe into small circles, about 1 inch in diameter, onto the prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until meringues are firm and separate easily from the parchment paper, about 90 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely, at least 15 minutes.

Notes

For optimal results, ensure your aquafaba is well-chilled before whipping; consistency can vary by chickpea brand. A powerful stand mixer is highly recommended for the extended 20-minute beating period to achieve truly stiff, glossy peaks—this is crucial for stable meringues. Gradually add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, to allow it to dissolve fully and build structure. The cream of tartar is indispensable for stabilizing the aquafaba foam; do not omit it. Bake meringues in a low oven to dry them out slowly without browning. Allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet before handling. Meringues are highly sensitive to humidity, so store them in an airtight container and ideally bake on a dry day. Experiment with extracts beyond vanilla, or add a pinch of food-grade essential oils for diverse flavor profiles.