Kisses for Everyone! Meringue Kisses, that is. :)

Meringue Kisses...a kiss for you, a kiss for you, and a kiss for you too!
Simple recipe, beautiful results. Hugs and Kisses all around.

Recipe for the Perfect Meringue Kisses and Cookies

• Egg Whites: 8 egg whites, or 8 ounces
• Granulated Sugar: 2 cups or 16 ounces
• Vanilla Extract: 1 tsp or .15 fluid ounces
• Optional: Lorann Oils additional flavoring by the drop (try Tutti-Frutti or Tropical Punch, Cotton Candy or Lemonade)
• Optional: coloring, sprinkles, and fun
• Yields 1 pound 8 ounces of meringue, or 24- 1 ounce cookies.

Tools:

• 3 bowls for egg white separation
• Mixer with whip attachment
• Measuring cups or scale
• Parchment or Silicone Mat Lined Baking Sheet
• Piping Bag
• Star Tip #32 or the larger 1M or 2D - your choice
• Spatulas or Spoons

1. All bowls and utensils must be 100% grease free or the whipped meringue might fail.
2. When separating egg white from egg yolk, any egg yolk in the mix will cause the whipped meringue to fail. We use a 3 bowl system.  We crack the egg in one bowl.  Scoop the yolk out to a second bowl.  Pour the clean white into a final bowl.
3. Preheat oven to a low setting, 225 degrees should do.
4. Place the egg whites into a mixing bowl and whip at medium high speed until it begins to form foam.
5. Sprinkle half of your granulated sugar slowly as you continue to whip.
6. As the sugar incorporates and the meringue begins to come together and turns white, begin sprinkling in the other half of the sugar.
7. Whip on medium high until medium peaks form and the mixture is beautiful and glossy. 
8. Fold in your flavoring after medium peaks have formed to avoid loss of loft. (Oil based flavorings will keep your meringue from forming beautiful peaks…so fold those in after you’ve made the perfect batch of meringue.)
9. Now is the time to add gel color too, if you plan on making beautiful shades of coral.  We've kept it simple here. :)
10. Fill your piping bag with meringue mixture.
11. Pipe your kisses using a large star tip on parchment or silicone sheet lined baking pans.
12. Bake at 225 degrees for about 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the thickness of your piped shapes. You may need to bake as long as 2 hours your shapes are large and pillowy and billowy.
13. To check for done-ness, pull one cookie off of the baking sheet and place on a cooling rack. Wait 30 seconds and then break in half.  If the cookie is still wet or sticky on the inside, it’s not quite done.
14. Fully baked meringues should be firm and crispy on the outside, dry on the inside.
15. If your cookies begin to brown, lower your temperature or move the cookies further away from the element.
16. When finished baking, remove cookies from oven and move to a cooling rack to prevent further baking.
17. Once cool, store your cookies in a tightly sealed bag.  You can leave them unrefrigerated, but freezing the bags will keep them in excellent condition until you are ready to pass your kisses out.
18. Arkansas humidity WILL affect your cookies, making them softer if exposed to humid air. I actually prefer them this way...a slight chew. Nom nom nom.
19. This recipe can also be used for meringue topping on pies if you choose to use pasteurized dried egg white instead of raw egg whites.

Problem solving:

Wet or sticky centers: bake longer.

Cracked outer edges: bake slower at a lower temperature.

Browned cookies: reduce oven temperature further and move cookies further from the heat element.

Crumbly cookies: bake for a shorter period of time.