Light and sweet, these almond meringue cookies make a terrific afternoon snack or dessert. And they are gluten-free.
Almond Meringue
Makes 2 dozen
2 large egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups ground almonds
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
With an electric mixer, beat egg whites with cream of tartar and salt until stiff peaks form (when you lift the blender out of the egg whites, the egg whites will form peaks that don’t collapse on the blender beaters). Gradually beat in sugar and vanilla extract until the mixture becomes glossy. Gently fold in almonds, being careful not to deflate egg whites.
Drop teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 15 minutes or until cookies are firm to the touch. Cool on cookie sheets for two minutes. Remove to wire racks to finish cooling.