Vegan Cardamom Meringue Cookies With Strawberry Compote

Fragrant cardamom and an aromatic strawberry compote masks any 'beaniness' in aquafaba meringue cookies.

By Nik Sharma
Updated December 01, 2022
Overhead view of aquafaba meringue cookies with strawberry compote

Serious Eats / Nik Sharma

Why It Works

  • Macerating the fruit with the herbs brings out and intensifies their flavors.
  • Adding the fruit to the meringue cookies just before serving helps reduce sogginess.
  • Zesting the lime directly into the compote ensures volatile oils aren't lost on your cutting board.
  • Cardamom masks any 'beaniness' from the aquafaba.

Inspired by the Eton mess—a classic English dessert consisting of meringue, whipped cream, and strawberries—this vegan version features aquafaba meringue cookies served with ripe strawberries macerated in a fragrant mixture of fresh lime, mint, and Thai basil. Although this recipe skips out on the traditional whipped cream, feel free to add a scoop of your favorite dairy or dairy-free variety. 

The meringues are prepared from aquafaba, the cooking liquid for chickpeas, which is whisked with cream of tartar and sugar to produce a stable and airy foam that, when portioned and baked, produces white, satiny pillows that immediately melt in your mouth. However, since aquafaba meringue can have a rather strong “beany” aroma, I chose to tweak the traditional macerated strawberry topping, adding very aromatic ingredients like mint and Thai basil to cover it up. Using both lime juice and zest in the compote also adds to the flavors and helps provide some needed brightness to offset the sweetness of the dessert.

Once you mix the berries with the meringue cookies, make sure to serve and enjoy immediately to prevent the liquids from dissolving the cookies.

May 2021

Recipe Details

Aquafaba Cardamom Meringue Cookies with Strawberry Compote Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Maceration Time 10 mins
Total 15 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

For the Strawberry Compote:

  • 1 pound (450g) fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered lengthwise

  • 12 fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced

  • 12 fresh Thai basil leaves, thinly sliced

  • 1 tablespoon (12g) sugar

  • Zest of 1 lime (do not zest until called for in recipe step)

  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) fresh lime juice from 1 to 2 limes

For Serving:

Directions

  1. For the Strawberry Compote: In a medium mixing bowl, combine strawberries with mint, Thai basil, and sugar.

    strawberries, mint, sugar, thai basil in a bowl

    Nik Sharma

  2. Using a zester, zest the peel of 1 lime directly over the strawberries (this will ensure volatile oils from the lime peel get into the strawberries and won't be lost on your cutting board).

    hands grating lime zest directly over strawberry mixture with a microplane

    Nik Sharma

  3. Add lime juice to the strawberries, mix well, then let stand for at least 5 and up to 10 minutes.

    a hand squeezing lime juice into the strawberry mixture

    Nik Sharma

  4. For Serving: When ready to serve, crumble the meringues into bite-size pieces and divide among 4 serving bowls. Top each with the strawberry compote and serve immediately.

    a hand spooning the strawberry compote onto the aquafaba meringue cookies on a plate

    Nik Sharma

Make-Ahead and Storage

The dessert is best prepared and assembled right before serving.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
107Calories
0gFat
19gCarbs
1gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories107
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 6mg0%
Total Carbohydrate 19g7%
Dietary Fiber 2g9%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 72mg358%
Calcium 26mg2%
Iron 1mg3%
Potassium 220mg5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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