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Meringue Christmas Trees

Meringue Christmas trees bake low and slow at 200°F until dry and crisp, then cool in the oven for a delicate finish. Green piped peaks and holiday sprinkles make these bite-size cookies a festive addition to a holiday dessert table.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Cooling 1 hour
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 46
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the meringue
  • 4 egg whites large, at room temperature
  • 0.25 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp green gel food coloring
For decorating
  • 2 tbsp holiday sprinkles

Equipment

  • 1 large rimmed baking sheet
  • 1 electric mixer

Method
 

Make the meringue
  1. Heat the oven to 200°F.
  2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute.
  4. Add the cream of tartar and beat on medium-high until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.
  5. With the mixer on high, add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.
  6. Beat until the meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks, 7 to 10 minutes.
  7. Rub a little meringue between your fingers to check that the sugar has dissolved.
  8. Beat in the vanilla and green gel food coloring on low just until evenly colored, about 20 seconds.
Pipe and bake the trees
  1. Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch open-star tip.
  2. Pipe 2-inch-tall tree shapes onto the prepared sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
  3. Add the holiday sprinkles.
  4. Bake until the trees feel dry and lift cleanly from the parchment, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
  5. Turn off the oven.
  6. Let the trees cool inside for 1 hour before removing them.

Notes

Make sure the bowl is completely clean and dry for stable meringue. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks; refrigeration is not recommended (0 days), and freezing airtight for up to 1 month is possible. For an egg-free variation, aquafaba can replace the egg whites, though the texture may differ.