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
My grand mother; her grand mother before her…they all made these often for special occasions & or just a wee treat as I remember growing up as a young girl. They passed down this recipe to all of us. They all came from Sweden….so no matter who first made these…they sure are good & pretty to boot.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Love this magnificent dessert!!! Made a couple modifications, used lemon curd as my first layer, then whip then loads of fresh berries. The meringue is a perfect sweetness and texture, giving a slight crunch to the dessert. Also, I made 9 larger ones instead of the 18 smaller ones. Made for a perfect dessert. Will definitely be making again and again and again!! Wish I could post a picture but can’t seem to on here.
Molly
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Molly!
I’ve fallen in love with Pavlovas, and I’ve made several different recipes. This by far was the best instructions and the best taste and results! I added lemon curd as the 1st topping followed by the whipped cream and then the fruit!
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Karyn. I’m all smiles!
Hey Natasha. These were great, but they weren’t chewy in the inside. Any tips?
Hi Vivi, the pavlova should be dry/crisp to the tap on the outside and marshmallow soft inside and not really chewy. Be sure not to substitute or omit any of the ingredients as each is critical to achieving the proper texture.
I just commented on Natasha’s other post about her pavlova and didn’t realize I could give the recipe a rating here! (If you’re interested, I left some tips on working with egg whites in that comment.)
This is an amazing, delicious recipe! I actually made more pavlovas than outlined (maybe mine were smaller?). I was happy to share with family and friends (who loved it), but I was disappointed when there were no more left for me!
You’re so nice! Thank you!
I have made this several times and every time the middle of my Pavlova’s hollow out. Any helpful suggestions? I am not sure if I am piping them wrong or what!! Please help
Hi Valerie, if there were no other substitutions int he recipe, it could be due to under-beating the egg white, or not baking them right away in a preheated oven. It could also be due to omitting the corn starch. I hope that helps to figure out the problem.
Pavlovas do this, in NZ and Australia it’s generally regarded as not being a problem. Most people just gently smash in the top crust just before serving, and fill the hollow with very loosely whipped cream then top with tart fruit.
I’m going to try the recipe today, thank you very much for sharing this recipe with all of us.
You’re welcome! I hope you love it, Sofia!
I ended up making these for my Australian husband today!! First Pavlova he has had since he moved to the states 4 years ago! They were a HIT! Thank you for the recipe!!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing that with me!
i want to make sure the meringues stay crispy and don’t turn soggy (i made them today and are serving them day after tomorrow). just wrapping them in plastic wrap is enough? Thank you.
Hi Broch! An airtight container is best, even a ziplock bag that doesn’t allow moisture to get in.
Hi – I am wondering if there is a way to scale down the quantity, I only need about 8-10 mini pavlovas? If I used 4 egg whites, how do the rest of the ingredients needs to scale down?
Hi Numrah, if you hover over the serving size in the recipe card and adjust it to 4 servings, you will get these results: 4 egg whites room temperature
1 cups white granulated sugar
1.33 tsp corn starch
0.33 Tbsp lemon juice
0.33 Tbsp vanilla extract
Thanks! This recipe really helped me make such great pavlovas!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi
I attempted these today and found that they were not dry and crisp.
I think it was my oven temperature..
For all those living in Australia what degrees Celsius for a fan forced oven?
Hi Rena, Pavlovas should only be dry and crisp on the outside and marshmallow-soft on the inside. These don’t get dried all the way through. I hope that helps!
Hi there! I just wanted to ask… What size eggs are used in this recipe? It can get tricky because there are so many sizes that eggs come in!
Hi Aqsa! We used Large eggs.
Hi there,
If I pipe pavlova as first pipe one rose, then pipe another rose right on top of 1st one ), how much time I need to bake them?
Thank you! 🙂
It sounds like you are going for a 2-tiered pavlova. I honestly haven’t tried baking them that way so I’m not sure how it would bake up or if it would collapse on itself since the center is soft and marshmallow like. If you experiment, let me know how it goes!
Hi Natasha. Just want to say this is the 5th time I’m making this and it comes out perfectly everytime!! The 4 other times it never piped out and stayed in its shape but the taste was still there. This time, the 5th time, I got a stand mixer and it took half the time to make and the shape stood!! So happy!! I just wanted to ask if instead of granulated sugar, can I use the same amount in superfine sugar (Castor sugar) ? Not sure what it’s called in the the US. It doesn’t say in the recipe if it’s granulated or fine sugar. Thank you!!
Hi Farzana, I honestly have only tried this with granulated sugar so I’m not sure how would affect the beating or rise of the meringue. If it doesn’t stay when piped, it could be due to under-beating or letting the meringue sit too long before piping or baking it. I hope that helps to troubleshoot.
Thank you so much for responding. I Will continue to use granulated sugar then. It’s just that the sugar never dissolves thoroughly. But I’m not complaining because you don’t notice it when you eating them :).
These are the best!!!! They turned out soooo good!! Love them!!☺❤🍥
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Hi there,
Absolutely love this recipe, going to make it for a party on Friday. Was just wondering if I could substitute the corn starch and use potato starch instead because I’m allergic to corn.
Thanks again for the recipe!
Hi Maris! The corn starch is important to achieve the proper texture inside the Pavlova and make it marshmallow soft inside. One of my readers reported great results using potato starch if that helps.
I had attempted a pavlova once before and it didn’t come out anything like these. These were wonderful. I need to get a piping bag to make them look nicer, but they turned out perfect. I would also say, try blackberries or raspberries rather than just strawberries to cut a bit of the sweet. THANKS!!!
I’m so happy you you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for sharing that with me, Daniel!
Perfect Pavlovas! Big gluten-free hit for Passover, and I managed to get 30 minis from this recipe. I used the mouth of a drinking glass to trace 15 rounds onto each of two baking sheets. Served half with chocolate whipped cream and peanut butter glaze, and half with strawberry whipped cream and berries. So delicious!
That is so clever Nadja! Thank you for sharing the glass tip with me! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Wonderful!! I followed your recipe exactly as written and it turned out perfectly. Crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Not too sweet, very refreshing!! Thank you I love your recipes!!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Sharon:)
Hi! I plan on making these tonight but I’ll be making a third of the recipe (i.e. two eggs). Should I alter the cooking time?
Hi Charlotte, it make take less time to bake. I hope you love this recipe!