Description
Delight in these festive Christmas Meringue Cookies, light and airy treats shaped like little Christmas trees. Made from whipped egg whites and sugar, they are decorated with gold star sprinkles and colorful rainbow non-pareils, perfect for holiday celebrations and gift-giving.
Ingredients
Scale
Meringue Mixture
- 4 egg whites (room temperature)
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Decorations
- Green food coloring (optional)
- Gold star sprinkles
- Rainbow non-pareils
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside for piping the meringues.
- Start whipping egg whites: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the room temperature egg whites and cream of tartar. Mix on medium speed until the mixture becomes bubbly and frothy in texture.
- Add sugar gradually: Add about half of the sugar to the frothy egg whites and continue whipping on medium speed for about 2 minutes to begin dissolving the sugar into the whites.
- Incorporate remaining sugar and vanilla: Add the rest of the sugar along with the vanilla extract. Continue mixing on medium speed for another 2 minutes to integrate fully.
- Whip to stiff peaks: Increase the mixer speed to high and whip for approximately 2 more minutes until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overwhip as the meringue could deflate.
- Piping the meringue: Transfer the meringue mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Optionally, add green food coloring before piping to create festive colored meringues.
- Shape the meringue trees: Pipe small mounds onto the prepared parchment, working in circular, upward spirals to mimic Christmas tree shapes. Repeat until all the meringue is used.
- Decorate the trees: Place a gold star sprinkle at the tip of each meringue tree. Lightly dust the tops with rainbow non-pareils for a colorful festive touch.
- Bake the meringues: Bake the meringue cookies in the preheated oven for 2 hours, avoiding opening the oven door during baking to prevent temperature changes that can affect texture.
- Cool and set: After baking, turn off the oven and crack the door slightly open, using a wooden spoon handle to keep it ajar. Allow the meringues to set inside for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight for a crisp finish.
Notes
- Ensure the egg whites are at room temperature to achieve maximum volume when whipped.
- Do not open the oven door during baking to maintain consistent temperature and prevent cracking.
- Including cream of tartar stabilizes the egg whites and helps achieve stiff peaks.
- If desired, add green food coloring before piping to make the trees visually festive.
- Letting the meringues dry in the oven with the door slightly open improves crispness.
- Store cooled meringues in an airtight container to maintain their texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Christmas meringue cookies, holiday desserts, meringue trees, festive cookies, egg white desserts
