Description
Delight in these festive Meringue Wreath Cookies, featuring delicate, airy meringue piped into colorful flowers and holly berries. Perfect for holiday celebrations, these light and sweet treats are crafted with whipped egg whites, lemon juice, and powdered sugar, then decorated with red and green gel food coloring and optional Christmas sprinkles. Enjoy a fun and visually stunning dessert that’s as tasty as it is beautiful.
Ingredients
Scale
Meringue Base
- 3 large egg whites
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- 1⅓ cup powdered sugar
Coloring & Decorations
- Red gel food coloring
- Green gel food coloring
- Christmas sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150°C) and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prepare for baking.
- Beat egg whites and lemon juice: In a dry, large mixing bowl, use a stand or hand mixer to beat the egg whites and lemon juice on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add powdered sugar gradually: Slowly incorporate the powdered sugar, about ⅓ cup at a time, continuing to beat until stiff peaks hold and the mixture is glossy. This process may take 10 minutes or longer, ensuring the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Color the red portion: Take ½ cup of the meringue mixture and gently fold in red gel food coloring in a small bowl, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
- Color the green portion: Gently fold green gel food coloring into the remaining larger bowl of meringue until you reach the desired shade, mixing carefully not to overwork it.
- Pipe the wreath shapes: Transfer the green meringue to a piping bag fitted with a Wilton tip #199 and pipe medium-sized flower shapes in a circular wreath pattern onto one parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a piping bag with Wilton tip #4, pipe small holly berries in between the flowers. Optionally, sprinkle with Christmas sprinkles for added festivity.
- Bake the meringue wreaths: Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until the cookies are dry to the touch. Bake in batches as placing too many in the oven at once may introduce moisture, preventing them from drying properly. For a time-saving alternative, see the notes for the overnight baking method.
- Cool and serve: Remove the baked wreaths from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the baking sheets, about 5-10 minutes, before carefully transferring and serving.
Notes
- For an easier drying method, bake the meringues overnight at a lower temperature (about 200°F or 93°C) to remove moisture slowly and ensure crisp texture.
- Make sure your mixing bowl and beaters are completely dry and free of any grease to achieve stiff peaks in the egg whites.
- Use gel food coloring as it won’t dilute the meringue like liquid colorings can.
- Store baked meringue wreaths in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain crispness.
- Be gentle folding in food coloring to avoid deflating the meringue mixture, which can affect texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Meringue Cookies, Holiday Cookies, Christmas Desserts, Festive Treats, Egg White Cookies, Colorful Meringue, Holiday Baking
