My Pavlova dessert recipe is an airy, cloud-like meringue that looks simply stunning on a plate and literally melts in your mouth. The texture is crisp on the outside and marshmallow-soft on the inside, and what’s more, the make-ahead recipe comes out perfectly, even for beginners!
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Helpful Reader Review
“I have made this recipe several times for my family. Never disappoints. SO good!! I use lemon curd, raspberries and Chantilly cream for mine. Unbelievably good!!” – Molly ★★★★★
Pavlova Video
I love the elegance of pavlova, and it doesn’t surprise me how often I see you all making this as a party dessert (I love seeing your posts on Instagram!). The single serve size keeps the Pavlova looking beautiful, unlike a large single Pavlova Cake, which always gets smooshed while slicing. It looks fancy, but I promise it’s simple to make when you follow my step-by-step instructions. Watch my video for all the tips!
Pavlova Recipe
What is Pavlova? There’s some debate about the origin of Pavlova, but the facts are – it’s a show-stopping meringue dessert, made by beating together egg whites and sugar. The addition of lemon juice and cornstarch helps form a smooth and crisp exterior, along with marshmallow-like soft centers. To serve, pavlovas are topped with lightly sweetened Whipped Cream and fresh berries.
Ingredients
Temperature and timing are important in this failproof pavlova recipe.
- Egg whites – room temperature – since the eggs separate from the yolk more easily when chilled, I prefer separating the egg whites into a bowl and then set it on top of a second bowl of warm water for 15 minutes. P.S. Save the yolks for my easy Hollandaise Sauce to top Eggs Benedict.
- Granulated Sugar – provides sweetness and structure so the dessert doesn’t collapse. I don’t recommend reducing the amount.
- Cornstarch – vital to form the crisp exterior and marshmallow-soft interior. You can substitute with potato starch.
- Lemon juice – adds a light, fresh flavor and prevents the sugar from forming crystals, creating a smooth meringue surface.
- Vanilla extract – adds perfect flavor. You can substitute with peppermint, almond, or lemon extract.
- Cream Topping – you’ll need granulated sugar and COLD Heavy whipping cream. You can even refrigerate your bowl before mixing.
Toppings for Pavlova
For this post, I used a mix of 4-5 cups of washed and dried berries and fresh mint leaves. The toppings for pavlova are endless:
- Berries – Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc.
- Tropical fruits – kiwi, pineapple, or mango
- Stone fruit – peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines
- Garnish – fresh mint or basil
- Chocolate – a reader suggested painting the cup with Chocolate Ganache and adding chocolate shavings
- Saucy drizzle – Caramel Sauce, Strawberry Sauce, or Blueberry Sauce
- Jelly – Plum Jam or Peach Preserves
How to Make Pavlova
For pavlova meringue, I use my stand mixer. If using an electric hand mixer, you may need to add 2 minutes to the mixing time for stiff, smooth, and glossy peaks to form. Do not attempt to hand whisk – yikes!
- Beat – Preheat the oven to 225°F and line an XL baking sheet or 2 cookie sheets with parchment. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Fold in the lemon juice, then vanilla, and finally cornstarch, until well blended.
- Pipe the meringue mixture into nests using a Wilton 1M Tip. Use the back of a spoon to indent the center. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, and then turn off the oven and leave it in there another 30 minutes to dry.
- Cool – transfer with the parchment paper to wire racks.
- Make Whipped Cream: Beat the cold heavy whipping cream with the sugar until light, airy, and pipeable.
- Assemble Pavlovas: Pipe the sweetened cream onto the cooled pavlova just before serving and top with fresh fruit.
Tips for the Best Pavlova
This easy pavlova dessert recipe comes out perfectly sweet and beautiful every time with these easy tips:
- Fully preheat your oven and bake right away; otherwise, pavlova can start melting or forming a layer of brown sugar at the bottom.
- If using this large 3/4 baking sheet, you can fit them all on one sheet; otherwise, bake on 2 separate baking sheets in the top and bottom thirds of your oven. You’ll need enough space for air to circulate, but they don’t expand much.
- Make sure to use parchment paper for easy removal from the baking sheet (do not use wax paper – it sticks like crazy).
- Let pavlovas rest in the warm oven for 30 minutes before removing from the oven to ensure the exterior dries appropriately.
Make-Ahead and Storage
The individual parts can be can be made ahead, but once the pavlova is assembled, it’s best to enjoy within 4 hours since the cream will immediately start to soften the meringue.
- Make-Ahead: Make the meringue up to 3 days ahead and store loosely wrapped at room temperature (away from humidity). Store the whipped cream separately.
- Refrigerate Cream: Whipped cream refrigerates well in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Add cream to pavlovas just before serving.
- Freezing: Freezing pavlova can be tricky but you can store un-assembled meringue in the freezer, because it’s just dry enough to keep the meringue crispy. Store cooled meringue in the freezer in an airtight container. Thaw in the container for a few hours at room temperature before serving.
My fool-proof Mini Pavlova recipe makes show-stopper single-serve desserts and the mixer does most of the work for you. You’ll love how simply stunning these are when piled high with smooth whipped cream and tart berries. Try this recipe to impress your guests!
Pavlova Recipe
Ingredients
For Pavlova:
- 6 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp corn starch
- 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
For Cream:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, (very cold)
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
For Topping/Decor:
- 4-5 cups fresh fruit, blueberries, kiwi, raspberries, sliced strawberries, etc
- 15 Mint leaves , for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Beat – Preheat the Oven to 225˚ F. Line a large 3/4 baking sheet* with parchment paper. Using your stand mixer, beat 6 egg whites on high speed 1 min until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, gradually add 1 1/2 cups sugar and beat 10 minutes on high speed, or until stiff peaks form. It will be smooth and glossy.
- Fold – Use a spatula to quickly fold in 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice and 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract, then fold in 2 tsp corn starch and mix until well blended.
- Pipe meringue into 3 to 3 1/2 inches wide nests onto the parchment paper using a Wilton 1M Tip. Indent the center with a spoon to allow room for cream. Bake at 225˚ for 1 hr and 15 minutes, then turn the oven off and without opening the door, let the meringue sit in the hot oven another 30 minutes. Outsides will be dry and crisp to the touch and very pale cream-colored, and insides will still be marshmallow soft.
- Cool – Transfer the pavlova with the parchment paper onto the counter or a cookie rack and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Make the Frosting – in a large, cold mixing bowl, combine cold whipping cream with 2 Tbsp sugar and beat on high speed for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes or until whipped and spreadable.
- Assemble Pavlovas – Pipe frosting onto the pavlova and top with fresh fruit or your desired toppings.
Notes
- Fruit – berries, mango chunks, kiwi slices, diced peaches, etc.
- Syrups – Chocolate Ganache, Caramel Syrup, Blueberry Sauce, Strawberry Sauce
- Herbs – mint or basil sprigs
- Make Meringue in advance, storing it loosely wrapped on the counter up to 3 days ahead. Avoid humidity.
- Make whipped cream 2-3 days in advance, storing it in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to assemble.
- Assembled pavlova should be eaten within 4 hours since the meringue will absorb moisture from the cream and soften.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Individual Desserts
I love making mini Pavlovas for parties because they’re easy to serve and impressive looking. Here are more single-serving, bite-sized desserts you’ll love:
- No-Bake Mini Cheesecakes
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Creme Brûlée
- Lemon Posset
- Mini Chocolate Cupcakes
- Eclairs Recipe
- Homemade Cream Puffs
- Panna Cotta
- Eton Mess
- Chocolate Souffle
At 5 minutes my egg whites returned to liquid form. Not sure what would have happened at ten! What is the correct amount of time to whip?
Hi Tania! I’m sorry to hear that. Watch my video tutorial so you can see my process and the structure of the egg whites when they are done whipping. It’s best to go off visual cues to know when it’s ready. The timing can differ depending on the temperature, speed, and mixer used. If they are over-beaten, the structure will break and liquid will weep out so that could have been the reason here.
I’ve made these 4-5 times now! Great recipe! I made about 60 of them once for a bridal shower for my future daughter in law, tinting the meringue base pink with about 4 drops of red food color gel. They piped beautifully and were so pretty! I suggest leaving them in the oven after baking (and after the resting time) for additional 10 min with the oven door slightly ajar. I fill them with a mixture of pastry creme and whipped cream. Then top with fresh berries before serving. Then brush on some apricot preserves that’s been melted with a little water, to give the berries a beautiful glaze. This recipe is perfect!
Love it! Thank you so much for this great review, Paulette. So glad that you always enjoy this recipe!
Tried the recipe for Easter. I’ve made Pavlova before and thought the mini cakes would be perfect for the holiday. The bottom of the meringue was tough to easily break with a fork and sticky. I’ve not had this happen before. Followed the recipe to a tee. Not sure why, the only thing I can think of was maybe the eggs were too cold? Once they baked I turned off the oven and left them inside until the next morning so I don’t think they were underbaked. Flavor was great, they just didn’t eat easily. Suggestions? Thank you.
Hi Debra, if that’s the only change that you made that’s most likely the cause of it. I’d love to know how it goes if you try the recipe again.
My all time fav. I tried making these 3 times in one day because they never turn out white, they just always seem to turn out off white/beige color!! I follow the oven instructions too. What do you think is my issue here? Do I need to set my baking to regular or conventional bake?? Thanks In advance!!! 🙂
Hi Lana, we make pavlova on regular bake mode. Ensure your pavlova is not too close to the heating element, but I would also recommend making sure your oven is calibrated and not running too hot.
Ok so I made these 100 times and so perfect, thank you! BUT TODAY AFTER PUTTING THEM IN THE IVER I REALIZED I FORGOT CORN STARCH 🤦🏼♀️ I guess my question now is do you think they are goners now??
Hi Alla! How did they turn out after they were baked?
Yes and no. I didn’t serve them to guests))) but they r edible)) with corn starch way better .. ☺️☺️
Sorry didn’t really answer the question 😅 .. they didn’t “puff up” , they were too yellow and softish but later hardened and not glossy looking .
I made these today and they were delicious Thank you for the tested perfect recipe
Hi Stacy! That’s wonderful. Thank you for sharing.
I am going to try it. I have never before tried pavlova, but my friends keep telling me how much they love it.
I have seen the comments and they seem very positive.
An I saw your recipe. It looked so good, I just have to try it.
Hi Ava! I hope you love the recipe! 🙂
Thank you Natasha ☺️. I am making it today. Thanks again for the recipe. You are a great chef 👩🍳.
You’re welcome! I hope you love it!
Actually I’m working on making a new YouTube channel of mine. It is called “Meat Me Today” and i am going to bake and cook a lot of cool recipes. And I was wondering when I start my channel. I can use some of your recipes, I will tell them that you made the recipes. But I am asking just in case.😅 xoxo Ava
Good luck with your cooking channel. Yes, please credit the source of the recipe if you are using any from my website.
I am making the recipe today, I am going to be a chef one day and I hope I can make the right the first time, wish me luck. 😅 😄
Hi Ava! That’s wonderful. I hope you enjoy this recipe! 🙂
Perfect…topped with whipped cream macerated strawberries and a balsamic reduction.
So yum! Happy that you enjoyed this recipe too.
I tried the recipe, and it turned out great.. I’ve always had problem with doing pavlovas, and this one turned out to be successful. Though, I set the temp to 80c oven baked for 3 hours 😊 since my oven runs hot.
Hi Faye! I’m glad you loved it. Thank you for sharing.
I make this in a pie pan, serve in wedges and dribble a strawberry or raspberry sauce over it and then put some fresh fruit on top. So good.
That sounds delicious!
OMG I made Pavlova years ago. My sister-in-law and 2 of her friends were teachers. Her 2 friends went to Australia to teach. They brought back the recipe for Pavlova and I was lucky enough to get it. It’s been years but have wanted to make it again for the longest time. Thanks for the reminder.
You’re welcome! Let us know how you like this recipe. 🙂
Amazing. So easy and delicious treat to combine with whatever fruit you like, chocolate, caramel… so many options!
Yes! You can decorate it and make it pretty with little effort & the flavor combination possibilities are endless! I’m so glad you loved it, Carla!
Tried this recipe yesterday, they tasted great, but mine turned out a bit yellow/brown instead of white. Did I over bake them?
Hi Julie! Yes, that could be the reason, it also could be that your oven runs a bit hot. If you do not already I highly encourage the use of an internal oven thermometer. I will link it HERE.
Thanks! I am using the Anova Precison oven and I think I need to keep it at a lower temperature than a regular oven. Will try again:)
Great recipe, that I used countless times!
My tip for others is to beat on speed 4 on KitchenAid for 10 minutes, not high speed. When I beat on high speed, my meringue reached stiff peaks in 2 minutes, and I didn’t want to overbeat for other 8 min.
At speed 4 for 10 min, the sugar and egg whites combine completely and the end result is a smooth stiff meringue, that when baked, holds its shape and doesn’t fall flat, nor is grainy/uneven.
Thank you for your comments and suggestion, Angelina. Good to know that you enjoyed this!
I need to make these 1/2 the size. Do I still use the same temp/time?
Hi Kasia, I haven’t tried making these any smaller but I suspect it would take less time in the oven.
Omg Natasha these were not as thick to Putin a pastry bag. So I do I’d t think they would come out? Oh my gosh, sooo good! I did it, it took me 2 times but I made them! I will share a pic. So worth the time. Yummy yummy
I just tried to make these, mine never tricked up?? I WG
WHipped for way longer then 10 minutes?? I did add gel food coloring to it. Could that have caused this?? How can I save my recipe? I finished with lemon juice, vanilla and cornstarch . I put it in the fridge hoping someone could help me??
Hi Debbie! I’m sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, without being there to see the process you took, I cannot say what went wrong. Not sure what you can do to save the recipe at this point. The texture of the meringue is very important in this recipe. If your egg whites do not reach stiff peaks you will have a flat and messy dessert. I would look over my process again to see if you missed anything or did anything differently. Tips that could help: Use room-temperature eggs. Use a glass or stainless steel bowl. Make sure the bowl you whisk the egg whites in is free from any greasy residue. If you have to, you can wipe your bowl down with lemon juice or vinegar to help remove any grease residue. Make sure that there is no egg yolk in the egg whites. Egg yolks are very high in fat and will hinder the whisking process. I hope that helps!
Thank you Natasha! I tried again today , and in the recipe it says beat 7 min but you say 10?? My husband was helping me with my hand mixer because of my arthritis. But he says he feels it was nice and thick , and then as he beat it he felt in got thinner? I still baked them, I’m whipping my cream now. I’ll get back to you how they came out. I tried to use the pastry bag but it was so loose it was a mess. So I just used a spoon. I ended up getting 21. I think because it was loose? So I couldn’t get more on each one. Boy for an easy dessert, it’s turned into the hardest thing I’ve ever made!
Hi Debbie, in step #1 it says “With the mixer on, gradually add 1 1/2 cups sugar and beat 10 min on high speed”. I hope that helps, but I also hope it all works out nicely!
They tasted delicious! I think it was because I didn’t use a stainless steal bowl.. I will definitely be making these again. Sorry for being a pain. I need to read my comments before I hit send. I had a hard time reading my messages! Lol thank you again Natasha!
I’m glad they worked out well, Debbie!
Hi,
This was a great recipe, good for party’s and event’s. But Pavlovas are actually from Australia not Russia and Ukraine.
I’m glad you liked the recipe. Many countries and cultures have this same dish.
I had a friend make these, she made them pink. First time and I absolutely loved them!! So she sent me your recipe. I love watching you make your recipes!! I was cracking up when you said how your body was reacting inside and out!!!! Lmao!! Thank you, I can’t wait to make them!!
Hi Debbie! Thank you. Welcome to my channel! I hope you find many more recipes to enjoy.
I love these. Made them for Christmas but painted the inside of the meringue cup with a layer of melted chocolate, once hardened I add some pastry cream (using up my egg yolks), sprinkled raspberries over this, added a dollop of whip cream & shredded some chocolate over this. Topped it with a fresh raspberry. Yummy!
That sounds beautiful and delicious! Thank you for sharing.
Luv it!!!!
I gave it to my class and they loved it. My teacher said she has had pavlova many times before but this was her fav.
I gave them all the recipe!!!
#thanksformakingmepopular
That’s amazing, Emma! I’m so glad it was such a hit!