Name: Festive Meringue Wreath Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 large egg whites; ½ tsp lemon juice; 1⅓ cup powdered sugar; Red gel food coloring (quantity as needed); Green gel food coloring (quantity as needed); Christmas sprinkles (optional)

There's something truly magical about these crispy, airy cookies that look like tiny festive wreaths. This Festive Meringue Wreath Cookies Recipe is not only charming but fun to make — they bring a bit of holiday whimsy to your kitchen and your plate.

A stack of five bright green wreath-shaped cookies with ruffled swirls stands on a white marbled surface, each layer decorated with small round sprinkles in red, white, green, and black. The cookies have a smooth, slightly textured surface with a few red accents that look like small berries made of the same dough. The edges of each wreath show distinct, wavy ridges, and the layers are evenly stacked but not perfectly aligned, creating a playful, festive look. In the background, there is a soft focus on a container with more of the same cookies and a pink towel with a white pattern. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Festive Meringue Wreath Cookies Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Festive Meringue Wreath Cookies Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Festive Meringue Wreath Cookies Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

What I adore about this Festive Meringue Wreath Cookies Recipe is how it takes simple ingredients and transforms them into a festive showstopper. Plus, you don't need a fancy baker's degree to get this right — just a little patience and a playful heart.

Delicate yet impressive: The airy meringue texture melts in your mouth while looking beautifully festive.
Easy to personalize: You control the colors and decorations, making it perfect for any holiday vibe.
Kid-friendly fun: Piping the wreath shapes is a creative, hands-on activity kids and adults will both enjoy.
Perfect for gifting: They store well (if dry) and make adorable edible presents wrapped in cellophane.

The image shows a close-up of green meringue cookies shaped like small wreaths with smooth, swirled layers forming a ring. Each wreath has a light texture with a matte finish and is decorated with tiny round red, white, and green sprinkles scattered evenly on the surface. There are three small red meringue berries and two green leaf shapes grouped together on one side of the wreath as a decoration. The cookies are placed on a white rectangular plate, set on a white marbled background. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

The ingredient list for this recipe is refreshingly simple, but each item has a key role to play. Using fresh, high-quality eggs and fine powdered sugar really makes a difference, while the lemon juice brightens and stabilizes the meringue. And the gel food coloring? That's the magic that turns your cookies into merry wreaths.

Flat lay of three whole large eggs with clean shells, a small white ceramic bowl of fresh lemon juice, another small white ceramic bowl filled with fine powdered sugar, two separate small white ceramic bowls each containing vibrant red and green gel-like food coloring, and a scattering of colorful Christmas sprinkles arranged beside the bowls, all placed on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Egg whites: Make sure they’re cold when you separate them for best volume when whipped.
Lemon juice: Adds acidity that helps stabilize and firm up the egg whites.
Powdered sugar: Dissolves easily, giving the meringue that glossy look and sweet crunch.
Gel food coloring: More vibrant and less watery than liquid colors, so your wreaths stay bright and perfect.
Christmas sprinkles: Optional but delightful, add that extra festive sparkle.

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Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

One of the things I love about this Festive Meringue Wreath Cookies Recipe is how easy it is to tweak colors and decorations to match your personal style or current season. I often switch up the sprinkles or use different piping tips to create my own unique wreath designs.

Variation: Sometimes I add a hint of almond extract to the meringue for a subtle nutty note that pairs beautifully with the cinnamon-y scents of season.
Dietary modification: This recipe is naturally gluten-free and vegan-friendly if you use aquafaba (chickpea brine) in place of egg whites.
Difficulty scaling: Feel free to double the batch for bigger parties — just bake in batches to avoid moisture issues in the oven.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Festive Meringue Wreath Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Prep Your Oven and Workspace

I preheat my oven to 300°F and line my cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. This step ensures my meringues bake evenly without sticking. It's key to keep moisture out to get that crisp finish, so make sure your utensils and bowl are bone dry — I usually wipe everything down with a kitchen towel before starting.

Step 2: Whip the Egg Whites Just Right

Using a clean, dry bowl, I beat the egg whites with lemon juice on medium speed until soft peaks form — this usually takes about 3-5 minutes. A quick tip: start with cold egg whites, then let them come to room temperature before whipping to get the perfect volume. Don’t rush this part — adding sugar too early can prevent the whites from fluffing up properly.

Step 3: Slowly Sweeten Until Stiff and Glossy

I add the powdered sugar gradually, about a third at a time, while continuing to beat the mixture. It takes patience, sometimes 10 or more minutes, but you're looking for stiff, glossy peaks that hold their shape like little snowy mountains. This is the heart of your wreath’s perfect texture.

Step 4: Color and Fold Gently

I scoop about half a cup of the mixture into a small bowl and gently fold in red gel food coloring — be careful not to deflate those precious air bubbles! Then I fold green coloring into the larger bowl until the shade is just right for those wreathy leaves.

Step 5: Pipe Your Wreaths and Berries

With the green mixture in a piping bag fitted with a Wilton #199 tip, I pipe medium-sized flower shapes into circles on the baking sheet. Using a smaller tip like Wilton #4 for the red mixture, I add little holly berries between the flowers. Don’t forget to sprinkle festive Christmas sprinkles right before baking — they stick perfectly and add a fun crunch.

Step 6: Bake with Patience

Pop them in the oven for 30-40 minutes until they're dry to the touch. I find it’s best to bake in batches — overloading the oven adds moisture and ruins the cookies’ crispness. If you’re pressed for time, try the overnight method I share in the FAQs below — it’s a game-changer!

Step 7: Cool Completely

Once the cookies come out of the oven, I let them cool on the sheets for about 5-10 minutes before gently transferring to a wire rack. Full cooling is crucial — if you eat them too soon, you lose that beautiful crisp texture.

Top Tip

From my many attempts making the Festive Meringue Wreath Cookies Recipe, I learned a few tricks that save you from frustration and bring out the best cookie every time.

Room temperature eggs: Let your egg whites sit out for 30 minutes before whipping to get maximum volume but separate them cold for easiest separation.
Gradual sugar addition: Add powdered sugar slowly while whipping to avoid the mixture becoming runny or sticky.
Gentle folding for color: Fold in your colors delicately to maintain the fluffy peaks without deflating the meringue.
Check doneness carefully: Your cookies are done when dry, matte, and crisp to touch, not glossy — watch closely toward the end to prevent burning.

How to Serve Festive Meringue Wreath Cookies Recipe

festive meringue wreaths - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I personally love finishing these cookies with a light dusting of powdered sugar to mimic a snowy effect. Bright red and green sprinkles are my go-to for that classic Christmas look, but if you want to get fancy, edible glitter adds a magical sparkle that wows guests.

Side Dishes

These wreath cookies pair beautifully with hot cocoa or mulled wine for cozy holiday gatherings. I also love serving them alongside a spread of other festive treats like gingerbread or spiced nuts for a full seasonal dessert table.

Creative Ways to Present

For holiday parties, I arrange the cookies around a cluster of pine branches and berries on a festive platter, making it look like a real wreath centerpiece. Gift-wise, I place a small stack in clear cello bags tied with ribbon and an attached homemade tag — such a simple, charming present!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature, placing parchment between layers to keep them from sticking. In my experience, they stay crisp and delicious for about 3-5 days. Just make sure to keep them away from humidity!

Freezing

I generally don’t freeze these wreath cookies because the moisture in the freezer can make them soggy. Instead, I recommend making the batch fresh or storing them properly at room temperature.

Reheating

If your cookies lose a bit of crispness, a quick 3-5 minute warm-up in a low oven (around 250°F) can help revive that perfect crunch. Just keep a close eye so they don’t brown or burn.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I make these wreath cookies ahead of time?

Absolutely! You can make the meringues a day or two ahead, just be sure to store them in a dry, airtight container to keep them crisp. Avoid humid environments to prevent them from becoming sticky.

Why did my meringue turn out sticky instead of crisp?

Sticky meringues usually mean there was too much moisture or they weren’t baked long enough. Make sure your oven temperature is accurate and bake until the meringues feel dry and sound hollow when tapped gently.

Can I skip the lemon juice?

I recommend adding lemon juice as it stabilizes the egg whites and helps achieve those perfect peaks. Without it, the texture might be less stable and more prone to collapsing.

What is the overnight baking method?

If you’re short on time, you can bake the meringue cookies overnight at a very low temperature (around 200°F) for 3-4 hours. This slow dry heat helps remove moisture without browning them and frees up daytime hours.

Final Thoughts

This Festive Meringue Wreath Cookies Recipe holds a special place in my heart because it’s simple yet transforms your baking time into something playful and rewarding. I hope you’ll give it a go and share the joy of these light, crunchy delights with your loved ones — they’re just perfect for bringing that holiday sparkle to your kitchen and your celebrations.