Description
Delicate and festive Meringue Wreath Cookies, perfect for holiday celebrations. These light, airy cookies are flavored with lemon juice, colored with red and green gel food coloring, and optionally decorated with Christmas sprinkles. Baked until crisp and dry, they make a charming and sweet treat to brighten your dessert table.
Ingredients
Scale
Meringue Base
- 3 large egg whites
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- 1⅓ cup powdered sugar
Coloring and Decoration
- Red gel food coloring (quantity as needed)
- Green gel food coloring (quantity as needed)
- Christmas sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Heat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking.
- Beat Egg Whites: Using a stand or hand mixer with a dry, large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and lemon juice on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add Sugar Gradually: Slowly add the powdered sugar, one-third cup at a time, while continually beating until stiff peaks form, sugar is dissolved, and mixture is glossy. This may take 10 or more minutes.
- Color the Meringue Mixture: Separate ½ cup of the meringue into a small bowl and gently fold in the red food coloring. In the remaining large bowl, gently fold in green food coloring until the desired shade is reached, being careful not to overmix.
- Pipe the Wreath Shapes: Place the green mixture in a piping bag fitted with Wilton tip #199 and pipe medium-sized flowers in a circle onto a prepared baking sheet. Using a piping bag with Wilton tip #4, pipe small holly berries between flowers. Sprinkle with Christmas sprinkles if desired.
- Bake in Batches: Bake the cookies for 30-40 minutes or until dry to the touch. While the first batch bakes, pipe the second batch on the other baking sheet. Avoid overloading the oven to ensure proper drying.
- Cool Before Serving: Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely, about 5-10 minutes, before serving or storing.
Notes
- Store cookies in a dry, airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days; they do not freeze well.
- Add sprinkles before baking; adding them after baking won't make them stick.
- Recommended piping tips for wreath bases: Wilton 1M, Wilton #199, Ateco 846/848/849; for holly berries and bows: Wilton tip #3, 4, or 5.
- If short on time, use the overnight method to bake meringues to ensure dryness.
- Separate eggs cold from the refrigerator and avoid any yolk contamination for best results.
- Allow egg whites to come to room temperature before whipping (about 30 minutes) to achieve volume.
- Use medium to medium-high mixer speed throughout to incorporate air properly.
- Be patient and add powdered sugar gradually after soft peaks develop to prevent a sticky liquid mixture.
- Look for stiff peaks that stand upright when whisk is lifted for ideal meringue consistency.
- Fold in food coloring gently to avoid knocking out air from the meringue mixture.
- Bake until cookies have a dry, matte finish and are hollow sounding when tapped; remove promptly to avoid burning.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 40 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
