Description
Delightfully festive Meringue Wreath Cookies that are light, airy, and perfect for holiday celebrations. These colorful cookies use whipped egg whites and powdered sugar for a crisp texture, decorated with red and green gel food coloring and optional Christmas sprinkles to create beautiful wreath shapes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- 1⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 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: Using a stand or hand mixer with a dry, large mixing bowl, beat together the egg whites and lemon juice on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes.
- Add Sugar Gradually: Slowly add the powdered sugar, one-third cup at a time, beating continually until stiff peaks hold and the sugar is dissolved. The mixture should become glossy; this can take up to 10 minutes.
- Color the Mixtures: Separate ½ cup of the meringue into a small bowl and gently fold in red food coloring. In the remaining larger bowl, gently fold in green food coloring until the desired shade is achieved, careful not to overmix.
- Pipe the Wreaths: Place the green mixture in a piping bag fitted with a Wilton tip #199 and pipe medium-sized flowers in a circle onto one prepared baking sheet. Use a Wilton tip #4 with another piping bag to pipe little holly berries between the flowers. Sprinkle with Christmas sprinkles if using.
- Bake in Batches: Bake the meringue wreaths for 40 minutes or until they are dry to the touch. While the first batch bakes, pipe the remaining mixture onto the second baking sheet. Baking in batches prevents moisture buildup in the oven for perfect drying.
- Cool Completely: Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes before serving or storing.
Notes
- Store meringue wreath cookies in a dry, airtight container at room temperature; they last 3-5 days but 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 include Wilton 1M, Wilton #199, or Ateco 846/848/849; for holly berries and bows, use Wilton tips #3, #4, or #5.
- To save time if baking large batches, try the overnight baking method detailed in FAQs.
- Separate eggs cold from the refrigerator to avoid yolk contamination; allow egg whites to come to room temperature before whipping for better volume.
- Beat egg whites at medium to medium-high speed to incorporate air quickly and achieve stiff peaks that hold shape when whisk is lifted.
- Fold in food coloring gently to avoid deflating the meringue air bubbles; fold only until color is fully incorporated.
- Ensure cookies dry completely in the oven; they should have a matte, dry finish and sound hollow when tapped. Avoid overbaking which can cause burning.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 40 kcal
- Sugar: 8 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
