Maple syrup and cinnamon add a rich warm flavor while toasted chopped almonds add crunch to these entirely refined sugar-free meringues.
A good meringue is a beautiful thing; light as air, every bite a cloud of sweetness.
Rugged on the outside with airy interiors, the delicate shell gives way to a fluffy tender melt-in-your-mouth center. Deceptively simple, these ingenious little cookies are so much more than the sum of their parts and a timeless classic.
At its most basic, meringue is a combination of egg whites and sweetener in a ratio of 1:2 but the fun comes in the little extras that take a somewhat plain jane cookie to the ranks of delicious confection. A shower of shaved chocolate, a splash of good vanilla or rum, or a few pinches of cinnamon are all good contenders.
Now there are three different ways to conquer egg whites and make meringue: French, Swiss and Italian.
The French method is perhaps the most common and consists of slowly adding spoonfuls of sweetener to egg whites while simultaneously whipping until a smooth and glossy texture emerges. Italian on the other hand involves a cooked sugar syrup poured into egg whites, but Swiss is the method I chose for this recipe because of its stability and ease.
Here’s the general idea: maple syrup replaces traditional white sugar making these particular meringues entirely refined sugar free and a more wholesome option than traditional ones. It also adds a richness of flavor and pale amber hue while the cinnamon gives a bit of spice.
The egg whites and maple syrup are gently heated over a pot of simmering water before being whipped until stiff and shiny then generously scooped onto baking sheets, topped with chopped almonds, a pinch of sea salt and left to dry in a rather cool oven for about 2 hours (meringues aren’t so much baked as they are dried out.)
The result is a sheet full of large, somewhat misshapen clusters that are ethereally light and utterly addicting.
Have you ever made meringue?
Maple Cinnamon Meringue Cookie Recipe with Salted Toasted Almonds
Melt in your mouth meringues flavored with maple syrup, cinnamon and salted toasted almonds.
Ingredients
- 4 large egg whites (120grams)
- 1 cup/240ml maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (preferably Celyon), plus more for dusting
- ½ cup/56 grams almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
- Sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a saucepan, bring 1 to 2 inches water to a simmer.
- In a mixer bowl combine egg whites, maple syrup, cream of tartar, salt and set over pot of simmering water; stirring until mixture is warm, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove bowl from heat and beat mixture with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 to 7 minutes. The meringue should be firm and glossy and keep its shape.
- Gently fold in cinnamon powder with a spatula.
- Drop meringue mixture with two tablespoons in generous amounts onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart or transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a pastry tip and pipe onto baking sheet. Top each mound with chopped toasted almonds and dust with additional cinnamon. Sprinkle tops of meringues with a pinch of sea salt.
- Bake until dry, about 1 ½ to 2 hours rotating the sheets half way through.
- Turn oven off and cool completely on baking sheets inside oven. (You can leave them in the oven overnight)
- Meringues can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to a week.
Notes
Gluten Free, Grain Free, Vegetarian, Paleo
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 52Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 69mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 0gSugar: 8gProtein: 1g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Amanda says
Hi there,
Is the oven temp 200 degrees celsius or Fahrenheit? Thanks XO
Sylvie says
Fahrenheit
Hope says
For this recipe I didn't have quite 1 cup of maple syrup, but I read on one of the comments honey could be used. I made the meringues exactly as the instructions said, and they turned out lovely when I pulled them out of the oven. However, warning to any who attempts honey, because of it's humectant nature, they will slowly become more soft and sticky. Best consumed right after baking/drying. They are delicious though, and i am happy to eat them anyways!
Kate says
WOW - These look AMAZING! Yesterday was my first time EVER making meringues ... they looked like so much fun to make! So today I had to make another batch and continue experimenting! They turned out so awesome and it makes me even happier that I came across this recipe! I do a bake sale at a Maple Syrup Festival in a little town called Powassan , Ontario, Canada. This is going to be the perfect to try out this year! So so happy I found this! Yay!
Becka says
Oh my...these are amazing! Thank you!
Jessica says
I have made meringues for years but always the traditional way with refined sugar and had been curious about other methods like this now that I don't eat refined sugar. These were excellent! I added mini chocolate chips and toasted almond slices folded into the batter and then dusted cinnamon on top. Just make sure to dry them out all the way. They were a huge hit at the family Hanukkah party!
mandy moore says
Hi Sylvia, I tried this recipe,and it was a disaster. I just can't see how you used 1 cup of maple syrup. It was waaaay to wet.The eggs did foam up but under them laid a pool of maple syrup.It would not form peaks.I mixed with electric mixer for over 15min. then tried adding more egg whites,nothing worked.I wanted theses on our table for Thanksgiving.They look so lovely.
So disappointed 🙁
Sylvie says
Hi Mandy, I'm sorry that it didn't work out for you. Did you heat the egg whites and maple syrup together before you whipped them up? That helps to combine them and makes for a more stable meringue.
Dyhana says
Thanks, Slyvie, I'll have to try it again with a handheld mixer.... it made a tasty pudding, anyway 🙂
Dyhana says
I had the same problem with the weepy mixture....it never formed peaks and got thick. I think I heated it enough, but I used a vitamix, can it be whipped too much? It got thickened somewhat, but then seemed to head the other direction and start getting more liquid with the maple syrup separating.....
Sylvie says
Yes it can be taken too far and the meringue will break which is what it sounds like happened for you in this case. You'll know that the meringue is ready when it's thick and glossy and holds a firm peak, if you continue to beat it after that it will break. I've never used a vitamix to beat my egg whites so I can't really comment on that but I'm guessing that it might be a bit too powerful and hard to judge when the right consistency is achieved. I would suggest using a handheld or stand mixer for whipping egg whites.