Description
This festive Christmas Meringues recipe creates light, crispy, and beautifully green tree-shaped cookies that make a perfect holiday treat. Made with simple ingredients like egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar, and vanilla, these delicate meringues are piped into charming shapes and baked low and slow until crisp. Topped with colorful sprinkles, they add a delightful and elegant touch to your holiday dessert table.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4 egg whites, cold
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Green food coloring or green food gel
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare Equipment: Clean your mixing bowl and beaters thoroughly by wiping them with white vinegar and rinsing to remove any oil or residue. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper or silicon baking mats.
- Prepare Piping Bag: Fit a pastry bag with a large plain or round tip. If you don’t have a pastry bag, use a large zip-top bag and cut off one corner to create a piping tip.
- Separate Egg Whites: Carefully separate 4 cold egg whites from yolks. Ensure no yolk mixes with the whites as it will prevent proper whipping.
- Beat Egg Whites: Using a standing mixer or hand mixer, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they become light and foamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add Sugar and Cream of Tartar: Reduce mixer speed and slowly add the granulated sugar while beating continues. Add cream of tartar to stabilize. Increase speed to high and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, approximately 5 more minutes.
- Add Flavor and Color: Mix in vanilla extract and green food coloring/gel on medium speed until the meringue reaches your desired shade of green.
- Pipe Meringue Shapes: Transfer the meringue mixture into the prepared piping bag. Pipe tree shapes onto the lined baking sheets, making the base of each tree about the size of a quarter. Decorate the tops with sprinkles.
- Bake Meringues: Bake in the preheated oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Rotate pans halfway through baking. Check for doneness by ensuring the cookies release easily from the parchment and are very crisp. If meringues begin to brown, lower temperature to 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Store: Let cool completely then store in an airtight container at room temperature. These meringues keep well for 3 to 5 days.
Notes
- Do not skip the cream of tartar as it stabilizes egg whites and helps maintain the shape of the meringues during baking.
- Make sure all equipment is free of grease to achieve perfect stiff peaks.
- Use cold egg whites for better volume when whipping.
- If meringues start browning before drying, reduce the oven temperature to prevent coloring and preserve crispness.
- Use a silicone mat instead of parchment if preferred, but both work well for easy removal.
- Sprinkles add a festive touch but can be omitted or customized to your preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 15 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
