Description
Delicate and festive Meringue Wreath Cookies featuring crisp, airy textures with vibrant red and green colors, perfect for holiday celebrations. These light treats are made with whipped egg whites, lemon juice, powdered sugar, and decorated with Christmas sprinkles for a charming touch.
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 form and sugar is dissolved. The mixture should be glossy, which may take up to 10 minutes.
- Color Red Portion: Separate ½ cup of the mixture into a small bowl and gently fold in the red gel food coloring until evenly colored.
- Color Green Portion: Fold green gel food coloring gently into the larger bowl of meringue until you achieve the desired color. Avoid overmixing to prevent deflating.
- Pipe Green Wreath Base: Put the green mixture into a piping bag fitted with Wilton tip #199 and pipe medium-sized flower shapes in a circle on one baking sheet. Use a Wilton #4 tip and piping bag to pipe small holly berries between flowers. Optionally, sprinkle Christmas sprinkles on top.
- Bake in Batches: Bake for 40 minutes or until the meringues are dry to the touch. Bake in batches to avoid moisture buildup, placing the second batch while the first is baking.
- Cool Completely: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Store cookies in a dry, airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days; they do not freeze well.
- Add sprinkles before baking to ensure they adhere properly and don’t burn in the oven.
- Recommended piping tips for wreath base include Wilton 1M, Wilton #199, or Ateco 846/848/849, and tips #3, 4, or 5 for holly berries and bows.
- If short on time, use the overnight baking method to allow meringues to dry properly without overloading the oven.
- Separate eggs when cold and ensure no yolk is in whites for best whipping results.
- Allow egg whites to reach room temperature before whipping for easier and better peak formation.
- Beat egg whites at medium to medium-high speed for proper volume and peak formation without under or overbeating.
- Fold in food coloring gently to avoid deflating the meringue mixture.
- Bake until cookies are dry, matte in appearance, and sound hollow when tapped; remove once golden to prevent 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: 0.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
