Christmas Tree Meringue Cookies

These Christmas tree meringue cookies are crisp, light, and piped into festive green trees with holiday sprinkles. They make a unique addition to Christmas cookie platters and can be prepared up to two weeks ahead.

Great recipe! I added these to my Christmas cookie platters this year and they are a big hit. Very cute results and easy to follow recipe!

Melissa

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A Christmas Cookie We Make Every Year

These Christmas tree meringues are such a unique and fun addition to a holiday cookie platter, and we make them every year. They look festive next to more traditional cookies, and because they keep well in an airtight container, I can make them ahead during a busy baking week.

Meringue can be particular, so I check it carefully before piping. The mixture should look thick and glossy, feel completely smooth when rubbed between my fingers, and form a stiff peak that stands upright. If it still feels gritty or the peak bends over, I keep mixing before filling the piping bag.

Key Ingredients

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

• Egg Whites: Separate the eggs carefully so no yolk gets into the whites. Let the egg whites come to room temperature before mixing.
• Cream of Tartar: Helps stabilize the whipped egg whites so the meringue holds its shape during piping and baking.
• Sugar: Superfine or caster sugar dissolves most easily. Regular granulated sugar also works, but do not use powdered sugar. For the most accurate result, weigh the sugar so it is twice the weight of the egg whites.
• Green gel food coloring: Gel coloring adds color without introducing much additional liquid.
• Holiday sprinkles: Add them before baking, so they adhere to the trees.

How to Make Christmas Tree Meringue Cookies

Here is a quick overview. The full recipe with ingredient amounts and detailed instructions is in the recipe card below.

Whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar, then add the sugar gradually. Keep mixing until the meringue is thick and glossy, feels smooth between your fingers, and forms stiff peaks that stand upright.

Mix in the vanilla and green gel food coloring, then pipe the meringue into tree shapes and add the sprinkles. Bake at a low temperature, then leave the cookies in the turned off oven until they are completely cool, crisp, dry, and no longer tacky.

What to Serve with Christmas Tree Meringue Cookies

Add these meringues to a Christmas cookie platter with Christmas crack, chocolate peppermint cookies, or Oreo truffles.

Christmas Meringue Tips

• Use a clean glass or metal mixing bowl. Any grease or egg yolk can prevent the egg whites from whipping properly.
• Add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing for about 15 seconds between additions so it has time to dissolve.
• Rub a small amount of meringue between your fingers before piping. Continue mixing if it still feels gritty.
• Use a digital kitchen scale for the most accurate egg white and sugar measurements. The sugar should weigh twice as much as the egg whites.
• Use gel food coloring rather than liquid coloring so the meringue does not become too loose.
• Keep the trees close to the size stated in the recipe card. Larger trees may need more drying time and will reduce the yield.
• Humidity can make meringues sticky and slow their drying. Let them remain in the cooling oven until they feel completely dry, then transfer them promptly to an airtight container.

FAQs

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Recipe

5 from 7 votes

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Christmas Tree Meringue Cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr

Cooling time: 2 hours hrs

Total Time: 3 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Author: Diana

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These crisp vanilla meringue cookies are colored green, piped into small Christmas trees, and decorated with holiday sprinkles. They dry at a low oven temperature and can be made ahead for cookie trays and gifts.

90 cookies

These crisp vanilla meringue cookies are colored green, piped into small Christmas trees, and decorated with holiday sprinkles. They dry at a low oven temperature and can be made ahead for cookie trays and gifts.

Equipment

• Stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment
• 2 large baking sheets
• Parchment paper
• Large piping bag
• Wilton #18 open star tip or #12 round tip
• Digital kitchen scale recommended

Ingredients 

1/2x1x2x3x

• ▢ 6 large (200 g) eggs whites at room temperature
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar Note 1
• ▢ 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar 400g in total
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or other flavor extract, optional
• ▢ Green gel food coloring
• ▢ Holiday sprinkles
• ▢ Star sprinkles

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 200°F (95°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the room temperature egg whites and the cream of tartar. Beat with the whisk attachment on low speed until the mixture becomes foamy. Increase the speed to high, and add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing for about 15 seconds between each addition. Once all the sugar is added, continue beating until the egg whites reach the stiff peaks stage and are thick and shiny.
• To check to see that the meringue is ready, you can rub a small amount of it between your fingers to make sure that it’s not gritty. If there is any grit, continue mixing until it’s gone. You should also lift the whisk up out of the bowl to see that the peaks are indeed stiff, with peaks that will curl over on themselves.
• Add food coloring and vanilla extract and mix until the color is evenly blended.
• Transfer the meringue to a large piping bag fitted with a medium or large piping tip. You can use a round, flat, or even an open star tip. I suggest a Wilton 18 Star or a Wilton 12 round for these, but you can use any tip you like as long as you can draw lines with it.
• Pipe the meringue onto the parchment lined sheets, making lines in a back and forth pattern to create a triangular tree. Each tree should be no larger than 3 inches tall. You can put marks on the underside of the parchment to guide if you like.
• Add the sprinkles before baking. I like the stars at the top and then colorful sprinkles to act as decorations.
• Bake the meringues for 1 hour at 200°F (93°C), then turn off the oven. DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR at any point.
• Leave the meringues in the oven and allow the oven to cool down completely before removing the cookies. This can take between 1-3 hours. The cookies should be crisp and dry when finished.

Notes:

1. Make sure your cream of tartar is fresh: Mix a half teaspoon of cream of tartar into a half cup of warm water. Add a pinch of baking soda to the mix. If it foams up, the tartar is still good. If it doesn’t, or if the foaming is very weak, it will be best to get fresh cream of tartar.
2. Storing: These cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container in a dry area for up to two weeks. Avoid putting them in the fridge or freezer, or in any humid place. It’s often best to remove them from the kitchen and keep them in an office or dining room to keep them dry.
3. Yield: This recipe makes about 90 cookies that are 2 inches tall. But keep in mind that the amount will vary based on how the cookies are piped and the size of the tip that is used.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 19kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Sodium: 4mg, Potassium: 8mg, Sugar: 4g, Calcium: 1mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

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