how to make swiss meringue

Swiss Meringue (or homemade marshmallow fluff!) is the perfect topping for so many desserts! It’s made with simple ingredients – egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla. Although this is a simple recipe, it’s important to read through the recipe thoroughly before starting, so you are set up for success! I’ve tinkered with this technique for years, and have learned exactly what to do and not do for perfectly stable meringue.

this recipe

Why you’ll love this Swiss Meringue Recipe:

• Super Sturdy – The swiss method of making meringue yields a super sturdy meringue that’s perfect for filling layer cakes, piping onto desserts, and topping cheesecakes or pies with!
• Simple to Make – There is a lot of information in this post and in the recipe card, but this truly is a simple recipe. I’ve given you the most possible information to ensure you can succeed on your first try. I experimented and learned about meringue over the course of a few years, and I’m sharing all my knowledge (so you can skip all the recipe flops!) in this comprehensive post.
• No Raw Eggs – The eggs are cooked with the sugar until they reach 175 degrees F, and eggs are safe to eat at 160 degrees F, so no need to worry about raw egg whites!

Ingredient Overview:

As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).

• Granulated sugar – Granulated sugar provides sweetness and stabilization.
• Eggs – Use large eggs. Separate them while cold (it’s easier when cold!), and then let the egg whites come to room temperature in a bowl on your counter.
• Cream of Tartar – This helps provide stability while also giving a bit of tartness to balance the sweet flavor. Don’t skip it!
• Salt – A pinch of salt also balances the sweetness.
• Vanilla – You can use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. I prefer vanilla bean paste here, because I like to see the little flecks of vanilla in the white meringue. Do use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor, as there’s not much else providing flavor here.

Recipe Variations:

• Gluten-free – This recipe is naturally gluten-free!
• Dairy-free – This recipe is naturally dairy-free!
• Other Substitutes – I don’t recommend making any substitutions to this recipe as these are the precise ingredients and amounts needed for the meringue to properly stabilize.
• Flavor Variations – Erin McDowell’s Cookbook “The Book on Pie” has directions for making delicious flavor variations. I highly recommend it!

How to Make this Swiss Meringue Recipe:

Step 1: Prepare. Before beginning, read the recipe thoroughly. You’ll need to wash your bowl, whisk, and beaters or whisk attachment with hot water and vinegar to ensure no fat residue from previous bakes remains.

Little flecks of butter or egg from previous uses can cling to the utensils and a bit of fat is enough to destabilize meringue. You also need a metal bowl that can sit in a saucepan above a few inches of simmering water without touching it.

Step 2: Begin the Meringue. In your selected, clean, bowl, combine egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar, and salt.

Step 3: Cook the Meringue. Place the bowl over your saucepan with 1-2 inches of simmering water (on low heat), and cook, whisking constantly, for about 8 minutes or until the mixture registers 175 degrees F.

The mixture will look milky. This stage is important as it dissolves the sugar granules so you don’t have a grainy meringue, but it also helps stabilize the eggs while the sugar dissolves, ensuring the mixture will whip up properly.

Step 4: Whip. If using the bowl of your stand mixer, pop it into the mixer, or simply get out your hand mixer.

Add the vanilla, and beat the mixture on high speed for 2-3 minutes (for a smaller batch) or for 4-5 minutes (for the larger batch pictured here).

Step 5: Finish Mixing. As you mix, the mixture will grow up the sides of the bowl, and will look super silky smooth, but then will start clumping up inside of the whisk attachment. This is a good sign that it’s ready.

You can check this by gently removing the whisk attachment and holding it upright – the points of the meringue should hold upright, or have just the *slightest* bit of wobble or flop. (See very first photo at the top of this page!)

Serving + Storing:

Once your meringue is made, you’ll want to use it immediately. It’s not something that can be made ahead. Spread it on top of Lemon Meringue Cheesecake or pie, or pipe it onto cookies or my S’mores Cake.

Torch it with a kitchen torch, then serve the dessert immediately! Note: If you’ve properly stabilized your meringue, like in all my photos here, it should hold up once you’ve topped a dessert with it.

So, if it appears as stable as mine does, you can place the meringue topped dessert in the fridge for about 4-6 hours before serving, and it will hold up.

Expert Recipe Tips:

• Read the Recipe Before Beginning – Please, set yourself up for the best possible success by reading the recipe entirely before beginning! This ensures that you are prepared, have all your utensils cleaned and your ingredients ready to go.
• Clean Your Utensils – Be sure to give your utensils that extra rinse with hot water and white vinegar. Dry them well with a clean towel (or let them air dry). This ensures there’s no fat residue (butter, egg yolk, etc.) left behind from previous uses, even if the dishes have already gone through your dishwasher.

Piping Swiss Meringue:

To pipe swiss meringue, simply fit a piping bag with your preferred tip and pipe the meringue onto your cupcakes, cheesecakes, pie, or cookies. I used a Wilton 6B here (you can see what that looks like in the S’mores Cake photo above and on the cookie photo towards the top of this post).

FAQs:

Special Tools:

• Metal Bowl – You’ll need a metal bowl that can sit inside of a small or medium saucepan without touching the 1-2 inches of simmering water.
• Whisk – You’ll need a whisk to make this recipe.
• Instant-Read Thermometer – An instant read thermometer is essential for knowing when your egg mixture has cooked to the correct temperature. (It’s also easier to read than a candy thermometer – you don’t need both kinds!)
• Kitchen Torch – You know those cute little hand held kitchen torches? They crap out after a couple uses – don’t waste your money on those cheap things. Buy this Bernzomatic Trigger Start Torch and a few Propane Tanks to go with it – it’s a much higher-quality torch and has lasted me for years! It’s perfect for torching your meringue.

Recipes to Use Swiss Meringue in:

• Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
• S’mores Cake
• S’mores Tart
• Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Cookies

Note that Swiss Meringue is not the same as Swiss Meringue Buttercream – check out this Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe if you’d like to make that!

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