Description
These Lemon Meringue Cookies combine a zesty lemon curd filling with soft, buttery cookies topped with delicately toasted Swiss meringue. Perfectly balanced between tart and sweet, these cookies are a delightful treat for any lemon lover and feature a creamy, fluffy meringue crown that adds elegance and texture.
Ingredients
Lemon Curd
- 1 large whole egg
- 2 large egg yolks (reserve the egg whites for meringue)
- 60 g granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 40 g unsalted butter (room temperature, cubed)
Cookies
- 220 g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 115 g unsalted butter (melted)
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 50 g brown sugar
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Swiss Meringue
- 2 large egg whites
- 60 g granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make Lemon Curd: In a small pan, combine the whole egg, egg yolks, granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Stir the mixture frequently over medium heat until it thickens to a gel-like consistency, about 7-10 minutes. The curd is ready when dragging a spatula leaves a clear line that slowly comes back together.
- Incorporate Butter: Remove from heat and gradually stir in the room temperature cubed butter, one piece at a time, until fully melted and incorporated into a silky lemon curd.
- Strain and Cool: Push the lemon curd through a fine mesh sieve to remove any cooked egg bits or lemon seeds. Set aside at room temperature or refrigerate to cool completely.
- Prepare Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined. Add in the egg and vanilla extract, then whisk until smooth.
- Combine Dough: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture gently with a spatula until a soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing.
- Scoop Cookies: Using a large cookie scoop (3 to 4 tablespoons), form balls of dough and place them spaced about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes until the edges are set but the centers are still soft and puffy.
- Create Indentations: Immediately after removing from the oven, press the back of a spoon into the center of each cookie to make a small depression for the lemon curd. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5-10 minutes until firm enough to transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Swiss Meringue: Set up a double boiler by boiling about 1 inch of water in a small pot. In a heatproof mixing bowl that fits snugly on top of the pot without touching the water, combine the reserved egg whites, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Heat Mixture: Remove the pot from heat once water boils, place the bowl on the pot, and gently heat the mixture, stirring frequently until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm and smooth to the touch without graininess.
- Whip Meringue: Carefully remove the bowl and use an electric hand mixer to beat the egg white mixture first on low-medium speed until foamy, then increase to medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the meringue is opaque white with peaks that slightly curl.
- Assemble Cookies: If chilled, warm lemon curd slightly in the microwave for 5-10 seconds. Spoon a dollop of lemon curd into the depression of each cookie, then top each with a generous smear of Swiss meringue.
- Toast Meringue: Use a kitchen torch to gently toast the meringue on each cookie until golden brown for a beautiful finish.
Notes
- Make sure the butter for the lemon curd is at room temperature to melt smoothly into the hot curd without cooling it too quickly.
- Reserve and properly separate egg whites for a stable meringue; use room temperature eggs for better volume.
- Spoon and torch the meringue just before serving to retain its fluffy texture and toasted flavor.
- If you don’t have a kitchen torch, briefly broil the meringue in the oven but watch carefully to prevent burning.
- Cooling cookies completely before assembling helps maintain their shape and texture when topped.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 57 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
