These adorable meringue Christmas trees are delicious and easy to make. Perfect for fun and festive holiday baking!
When it comes to holiday baking, I love making these gorgeous Christmas tree meringues! They're so cute and pretty!
These light and airy festive meringue cookies not only taste amazing but also make the perfect addition to any festive Christmas table.
These mallowy meringues are light and crispy on the outside, and soft inside. They’re sweet with a hint of vanilla, making them the perfect treat to enjoy on their own or alongside a warm cup of cocoa. Absolutely melt-in-your-mouth delicious!
Love easy desserts with few ingredients? Try my Easy Peanut Butter Bars, my Easy Chocolate Cheesecake (no eggs), or my Easy Chocolate Mousse (without eggs).
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Why you'll love these meringue Christmas cookies
- Easy. This is an easy meringue recipe that's perfect for holiday parties or edible gifts.
- Elegant and festive. With their delicate swirls, these adorable mini Christmas tree cookies are perfect for gifting or decorating your table.
- Simple ingredients. You only need a few pantry staples to create these stunning meringue trees.
- Customizable. You can easily add your favorite colors, flavors, or sprinkles.
- Delicious. These Christmas meringues taste like luscious clouds of sweetness - crunchy on the outside and soft and mallowy inside, with a light vanilla flavor.
- Make them all year round. Instead of Christmas trees, pipe simple blobs or meringue kisses and enjoy them any time of the year.
What you'll need
Ingredients for meringue Christmas trees
- Egg whites. The base of your meringue; they whip up to create the airy structure.
- Sugar. I recommend using superfine sugar for the best results, but regular granulated sugar works too. If you can’t find superfine sugar, simply process granulated sugar in a food processor, one tablespoon at a time, until it’s finer—but not powdered. This ensures the sugar dissolves properly in the egg whites.
- Vinegar. I use white vinegar. It helps to stabilize the egg whites and prevent cracking during baking.
- Pinch of salt. It enhances the flavor and helps the egg whites whip up better because it provides some structure.
- Vanilla extract. I use pure vanilla extract, but you can also use any other flavor you prefer.
- Edible glitter (not shown above). I also use edible gold glitter, which I sprinkle on the meringues before baking. I love the simple, yet festive and classy look! Feel free to add your favorite sprinkles.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.
Equipment you'll need
- Stand mixer (or hand mixer)
- Piping bag and large star tip
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
How to Make Easy Meringue Christmas Trees
Step-by-step Instructions
1. Start with the whisk on low speed and after a few seconds when you see bubbles, increase the speed to medium and add the salt and the vinegar.
2. Gradually increase the speed to high until it looks soapy and there are soft peaks.
3. Start adding the sugar, but NOT all at once. Add a tablespoon at a time while still beating.
4. Finally, add the vanilla and beat until it gets thick and glossy and there are stiff peaks, about 8 minutes more.
Top Tip
If you can't find superfine sugar, process regular granulated sugar in a food processor until it's finer. Just make sure you don't turn it into powdered sugar.
How to pipe meringue Christmas trees
1. Pipe a tiny blob on the four corners of your baking sheet and place the parchment paper on top. This will prevent the paper from moving around while you pipe the trees.
2. Hold the piping bag completely straight and vertical over the parchment paper. Pipe a blob, (a little over an inch big, about 3 cm).
3. Release the pressure and pull away a little bit, but not completely and then pipe a slightly smaller blob on top.
4. Finally, pipe an even smaller blob. Then lift the piping bag up and pull away, so that you make a peak on top.
5. Then just add some edible glitter or sprinkles and bake!
Recipe notes
Substitutions
- Cream of tartar. Use equal amounts in place of vinegar for stabilizing the meringue.
- Meringue powder. You can replace the egg whites with meringue powder, following the package instructions for the equivalent amount. Just make sure you use meringue powder, not powdered egg whites, because they're not the same.
Storage Tips & Freezing
Store these Christmas meringue cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
I've never frozen these, because I think they'll get too soft once thawed.
Variations
- Flavored meringues. Make mint meringue Christmas trees by adding mint extract instead of vanilla.
- Colorful Christmas meringues. You can add some green food coloring to make green meringue trees. I always use gel food coloring. You could also add your favorite sprinkles.
- Nutella-filled meringues. Cut a small hole in the base and pipe Nutella inside!
- Chocolate-dipped. Dip the bottoms of your trees in melted chocolate.
Tips for success
- Avoid humid days. Meringues absorb moisture from the air and can get sticky.
- Keep Equipment Clean. Ensure all bowls and utensils are completely clean and grease-free, as even a small amount of grease can prevent your meringue from whipping properly. I clean my equipment with vinegar. Don't worry! Your meringues won't smell or taste like vinegar!
- Separate Egg Whites Carefully. Crack each egg and separate the white into a small bowl before adding it to the mixer. This prevents an entire batch from being ruined if a yolk accidentally breaks.
- Use Superfine Sugar (aka extra-fine or caster sugar). Superfine sugar dissolves more easily, giving your meringue a smoother texture that's not gritty.
- Slowly Add Sugar. Drizzle sugar into the mixer gradually while it's running. Add it a teaspoon or a tablespoon at a time to ensure smooth, glossy meringue.
- Keep the piping bag straight. That way you'll get the right shapes for the trees.
- Don't pipe too much. Otherwise, your trees might droop.
- Pipe Immediately. Pipe your meringue right after mixing to prevent it from losing its structure or consistency.
- Let Them Rest. Once baked, leave the meringues in the oven for at least an hour. Avoid opening the door during this time—they really need a warm, dry environment to set properly.
- Use an Electric Hand Mixer if Needed. Don’t have a stand mixer? A large bowl and an electric hand mixer will work too, but be prepared for the process to take longer.
Frequently asked questions
No. I've successfully made these meringues without cream of tartar, using vinegar, instead.
They should feel dry and firm to the touch. If they’re sticky, bake for a little longer.
Meringue cookies can crack if they bake too quickly or at too high a temperature. It's important to bake them at a low temperature and allow them to cool slowly in the oven to prevent cracking.
More Christmas recipes to try!
Happy Baking!
Did you make this recipe? If so, please let me know how it turned out and leave a rating and review below! I'd love to hear from you! ❤️
Recipe
Meringue Christmas Trees
Ingredients
- 2 egg whites (about 76g)
- ¼ teaspoon white vinegar (+ extra to clean equipment)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
- ¾ cup superfine sugar (152g) (see step 4 under "Before You Start" in the Instructions below to make your own)
- edible glitter or sprinkles (optional)
Note:
For best results, please read through the full post before beginning the recipe.
Instructions
Before You Start
- Preheat oven to 212℉ / 100℃.
- Wipe the bowl and whisk attachment with vinegar (don't worry, nothing will smell or taste like vinegar in the end).
- Weigh the egg whites and use double the weight of the egg whites in sugar. For example, my egg whites weighed 76 grams, so I used 152 grams of superfine sugar, which is about ¾ cups.2 egg whites (about 76g), ¾ cup superfine sugar (152g)
- How to make your own superfine sugar: Pulse 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a food processor until it's finer, but NOT powdered sugar and then pour it into a bowl. Repeat the process with the remaining sugar. (By pulsing the sugar 2 tablespoons at a time, you can monitor how fine the sugar gets without becoming powdered). Set it aside.
Make The Meringues
- Put the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer. You could use a hand mixer, but it will take longer.
- Start with the whisk on low speed and after a few seconds when you see bubbles, increase the speed to medium and add the salt and the vinegar.pinch of salt, ¼ teaspoon white vinegar
- Gradually increase the speed to high until it looks soapy and there are soft peaks.
- Start adding the sugar, a tablespoon at a time while still beating.
- Add the vanilla and beat until it gets thick and glossy and there are stiff peaks, about 8 minutes more. It will be thick and marshmallowy.½ teaspoon vanilla
- If you want to color meringues, I suggest using gel food coloring. Add a very tiny amount with a toothpick. Use the whisk attachment to mix it in evenly.
Pipe Christmas Trees & Bake
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a large French star tip and pipe a blob under the parchment paper in each corner of the baking sheet. Then press the parchment paper on top, so it sticks. This will prevent the paper from moving around.
- Hold the piping bag completely vertical and straight and pipe a big blog. Without pulling away completely, gently pull up and pipe a smaller blob, then pull up a little bit again and pipe a really small blob. Then pull the piping bag away.
- Don't make the trees too high, because they'll droop.
- Add edible glitter or sprinkles, if using.edible glitter or sprinkles (optional)
- Bake for one hour for meringues that are soft and mallowy inside, or 90 minutes for really crunchy meringues. The longer you bake them, the crunchier they get.
- After the time is up, turn off the oven and let the meringues cool inside for at least one hour. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR DURING THIS TIME.
- The meringues are done when they are dried throughout and you can easily pull off a tree from the parchment paper. It should be hard outside, not sticky.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Avoid baking meringues on humid days, as they can absorb moisture and become sticky.
- Clean Equipment Thoroughly. Make sure bowls and utensils are grease-free; even a trace can prevent proper whipping. Cleaning with vinegar works well and won’t affect the flavor.
- Separate Eggs Carefully. Crack each egg into a small bowl first to avoid contaminating the batch if a yolk breaks.
- Use Superfine Sugar. Superfine sugar dissolves better for smooth meringues. If unavailable, pulse regular sugar in a food processor until finer, but not powdered.
- Add Sugar Gradually. Slowly drizzle sugar into the running mixer, a teaspoon or tablespoon at a time, for glossy, stable peaks.
- Color Carefully. For colored meringues, use gel food coloring. Add a very tiny amount with a toothpick and mix evenly.
- Keep the piping bag straight for proper tree shapes; avoid making the trees too big to prevent them from drooping.
- Pipe Immediately. Pipe your meringue as soon as it's ready to preserve its structure and consistency.
- Let meringues rest after baking, leave them in the oven for at least an hour without opening the door to allow them to set.
- Hand Mixer Option. If using a hand mixer, expect a much longer mixing time compared to a stand mixer.
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