The Quick Trick for Making Impossibly Fluffy Meringue

Meghan Splawn
Meghan Splawn
Meghan was the Food Editor for Kitchn's Skills content. She's a master of everyday baking, family cooking, and harnessing good light. Meghan approaches food with an eye towards budgeting — both time and money — and having fun. Meghan has a baking and pastry degree, and spent the first 10 years of her career as part of Alton Brown's culinary team. She co-hosts a weekly podcast about food and family called Didn't I Just Feed You.
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updated Apr 30, 2019
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Temperatures are rising, flowers are blooming, and the spring season is now in full force. And doesn’t it truly just feel like meringue time? Lots of fresh eggs mean more whites for cooking and baking — including light-as-air meringue cookies and luscious, meringue-topped pie.

And when it comes to the latter, we are always on the hunt for ways to make meringue as light, fluffy, and luxurious as possible. That’s why a recent reader comment — with a smart tip on how to do exactly that — caught our eye.

(Image credit: Tessa Huff)

Marshmallow Fluff Is the Secret to Sturdier Meringue

Reader comments are often a great source for cooking tricks (yes, we read them all!) and last month reader Elisabeth Oliphint dropped the smartest meringue tip on our Lemon Meringue Pie recipe.

“For a meringue that stands tall like a restaurant pie and doesn’t shrink, mix a jar of marshmallow fluff into your egg whites!”

Well, having never heard of us such an ingenious idea, I had to give it a little more research and a try. And turns out, it checks out! Even the bakers at King Arthur Flour have known this trick for years and use it in their Mile-High Meringue Pie recipe.

How to Add Marshmallow Fluff to Meringue

Because marshmallow fluff is already fluffy and sweetened, you’ll want to reduce the sugar in your meringue recipe (at least by half) and add the fluff after the meringue is fully whipped. Plan on 1 cup of marshmallow fluff for every 3 egg whites in your recipe.

Also worth noting: Marshmallow meringue browns much faster, so keep an eye on your pie in the oven — it will brown in about half the time.

Use this tip on our favorite lemon meringue pie: How to Make Lemon Meringue Pie

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