Note: you can substitute vanilla extract for the almond extract, if desired.

To make your easy meringue cookies, preheat your oven to 225 degrees F. Add silicone mats to two baking sheets.

Add your egg whites to a mixing bowl and beat on high with an electric mixer fitted with a whisk until frothy.

Add the cream of tartar and salt and beat on high until soft peaks form.

Slowly add the sugar and then extract to the egg mixture, while beating on high until stiff peaks form.

Add the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a tip and pipe tablespoon sized amounts of the meringue onto your baking sheets. These won’t spread much, if at all, so you can put them pretty close together.

Bake for 45 minutes at 225 degrees F for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes, without opening the oven, turn the oven off. Let the meringue cookies sit in the oven for an hour.

After an hour, remove the meringue cookies from the oven and enjoy!