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Looking for an easy way to brighten your day? These lemon meringue cookies are sure to do the trick! With a delicate, crisp meringue base and a hearty swirl of homemade lemon curd, these cookies are the perfect combination of sweet and tart.

It's February and I feel like we're getting to that awkward part of Spring/Winter where the days are still short, cold and dark but I'm SO ready for sunshine, warmth and budding plants. It's a time of year where I crave sunny foods, bright colors and flowers all over my home.

So today I bought two bouquets of tulips, wore my favorite rainbow jacket (I'm an adult, I do what I want) and whipped up these delicious meringues with a sweet punch of sunny citrus.

How to make meringue cookies

First, make the lemon curd.

In a bowl over a pot of boiling water, combine the granulated sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and egg yolks. Cook until thickened (about 10 minutes).

Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before stirring in the butter. Cover and refrigerate.

Second, whip up the meringue.

If you're new to making meringue, I highly recommend checking out my guide to meringue, which includes common meringue problems and how to fix them.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the egg whites and sugar on high until light, fluffy and the sugar has dissolved (about 10 minutes).

Add the vanilla extract, mixing on low until just combined.

Finally, assemble the cookies.

Spoon the meringue into a piping bag, clip a large opening in the end and pipe 3" discs onto parchment paper lined baking sheets.

Drizzle each cookie with one to two teaspoons of curd, using a butter knife to swirl.

Preheat oven to 250F and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until dry to the touch.

Turn the oven off and allow the meringues to cool inside.

Tips for making the perfect lemon meringue cookies

If you'd like to use store bought lemon curd in place of making your own, you'll need about ½ - 1 cup.
Start with a perfectly clean bowl: This may seem like a no-brainer but even a little bit of grease can ruin your meringue. Whatever you use, making sure it’s been thoroughly scrubbed with warm, soapy water.
Don’t use plastics bowls: To the point above, it’s very hard to completely remove fats from plastic bowls and kitchen utensils, which tend to develop a greasy coating over time. Instead, use a glass, metal or ceramic bowl.
Crack your eggs into a separate bowl: Egg yolks = fat and as we’ve established, fats will keep your meringue from reaching it’s full potential. To avoid having a single yolk ruin the whole batch, be sure to crack and separate your eggs over a small bowl before adding the white to the rest of the batch.
If you're lemon curd is cold, try microwaving it for 10 seconds so that it's easier to swirl into the meringue.
Storage: Baked meringue is best stored in an air tight container at room temperature for 1-2 days (dependent on humidity).

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it went in the comments below. Better still, snap a photo and tag it on Instagram with #thesimplesweetlife. I love seeing your creations!

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