Description
Delight in the festive charm of these Meringue Wreath Cookies, featuring delicate, airy meringue piped into wreath shapes with vibrant red and green accents perfect for the holiday season. Light, sweet, and crisp, these cookies are a beautiful treat to share and decorate with Christmas sprinkles.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- 1⅓ cup powdered sugar
Coloring and Decoration
- Red gel food coloring
- Green gel food coloring
- Christmas sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Heat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prepare for baking.
- Beat Egg Whites and Lemon Juice: Using a stand or hand mixer with a dry, large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and lemon juice on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes.
- Add Powdered Sugar Gradually: Slowly add the powdered sugar ⅓ cup at a time, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form and the mixture is glossy, which may take up to 10 minutes.
- Color the Meringue: Separate ½ cup of the meringue into a small bowl and gently fold in red food coloring. Fold green food coloring into the remaining meringue in the large bowl to desired color without overmixing.
- Pipe Wreath Shapes: Place green meringue in a piping bag with Wilton tip #199 and pipe medium-sized flowers in a circle on a baking sheet. Use a Wilton tip #4 and the red meringue to pipe holly berries between flowers. Optionally, sprinkle Christmas sprinkles on top before baking.
- Bake in Batches: Bake the meringues for 40 minutes or until dry to the touch. Bake in batches to prevent moisture buildup in the oven, which can affect baking. Alternatively, use the overnight method detailed in notes if short on time.
- Cool and Serve: Remove baked meringue wreaths from the oven and allow to cool completely for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Store meringue wreath cookies in a dry, airtight container for 3-5 days; they do not freeze well.
- Add sprinkles before baking to ensure they stick and don’t burn in the oven.
- Recommended piping tips for wreath bases are Wilton 1M, #199, or Ateco 846/848/849; for holly berries and bows, Wilton tip #3, #4, or #5 works well.
- If short on time, use the overnight baking method to bake meringues more efficiently in one batch.
- Separate eggs when cold for best results; avoid any yolk contamination for optimal whipping.
- Let egg whites come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before whipping to improve volume and stability.
- Beat egg whites at medium to medium-high speed to incorporate air quickly and form stiff peaks.
- Add powdered sugar gradually after soft peaks appear to ensure a fluffy meringue instead of a sticky mixture.
- Fold in food coloring gently to avoid deflating the airy meringue.
- Bake until completely dry and matte with a hollow sound when tapped; watch carefully near the end to prevent burning.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 40 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
