Name: Meringue Wreath Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: PT-496829H41M58S
Total time: PT-496829H41M58S
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 large egg whites; ½ tsp lemon juice; 1⅓ cup powdered sugar; Red gel food coloring; Green gel food coloring; Christmas sprinkles (optional)

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Introduction

These Meringue Wreath Cookies are delicate, festive treats perfect for the holiday season. Light and airy with a crisp texture, they add a charming touch to any dessert platter. With their pretty floral design and optional sprinkles, they’re as fun to make as they are to eat.

The image shows bright green cookies shaped like wreaths with a soft piped texture, arranged on a white plate. Each wreath cookie has two layers: the base layer is made of soft green dough piped in a circular wreath shape with ridges, while the top is decorated with small red frosting berries and green leaves, resembling holly. The green dough is sprinkled with tiny round red, green, white, and black nonpareil sprinkles scattered evenly across the surface. In the background, another wreath cookie is partly visible on a white plate on a white marbled surface, along with a small white bowl holding more sprinkles. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

3 large egg whites
½ teaspoon lemon juice

1⅓ cups powdered sugar
Red gel food coloring

Green gel food coloring
Christmas sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Step 2: 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.
Step 3: Gradually add the powdered sugar, about ⅓ cup at a time, beating constantly until stiff peaks hold and the sugar dissolves. The mixture should be glossy; this may take 10 minutes or more.

Step 4: Scoop out ½ cup of the meringue into a small bowl and gently fold in red gel food coloring.
Step 5: Fold green gel food coloring into the remaining meringue until you reach your desired shade. Be careful not to overmix.
Step 6: Transfer the green mixture to a piping bag fitted with a Wilton #199 tip. Pipe medium-sized flowers in a circle onto one baking sheet. Then, with a Wilton #4 tip and piping bag filled with red meringue, pipe small holly berries between each flower. Sprinkle with Christmas sprinkles if desired.

Step 7: Bake for 30-40 minutes until the meringues are dry to the touch. Bake in batches to avoid moisture buildup in the oven, which can prevent proper drying. You can pipe the second batch while the first is baking. For a quicker method, consider the overnight baking technique (see tips).
Step 8: Remove from oven and let cool completely on the baking sheets for about 5-10 minutes before serving.

Tips & Variations

For a quicker drying time, try baking the meringues overnight at a lower temperature (around 200°F or 90°C) for 2-3 hours.

If you don’t have gel food coloring, powdered food coloring can be used as an alternative but add sparingly to avoid affecting meringue texture.
Use different piping tips to create varied floral shapes or festive designs like stars or leaves.
Store unused meringue mixture in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours and re-whip briefly before piping.

Storage

Store baked meringue wreath cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep crisp for up to two weeks. Avoid storing in humid environments to prevent them from becoming sticky. If they soften, you can re-crisp them in a low oven (about 200°F or 90°C) for 10-15 minutes.

How to Serve

A tall stack of four green meringue wreaths is shown, each layer wavy and textured with ridges and dollops of bright green meringue. Small colorful round sprinkles in red, white, green, and black are scattered across every layer. Some layers have green holly leaves piped on the edges with vibrant red meringue berries placed between the leaves. The background is a white marbled texture with a red and white patterned cloth and a gift box with green and red wrapping partially visible. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use regular food coloring instead of gel?

Regular liquid food coloring can be used but use less to avoid making the meringue too wet, which can affect the texture and stability.

Why is my meringue sticky after baking?

Sticky meringue is usually due to residual moisture. Make sure to bake with the oven door slightly ajar to allow moisture to escape or try the low-temperature overnight method for drier results.