These beauties are crunchy, soft, and incredibly delicious. They are super fun and easy to make but melt so quickly in your mouth. You can make these meringue fruit baskets or meringue nests any size, or shape (circular or square), and decorate them in endless ways.
Table of Contents
The baskets are similar to Pavlova or the Boccone Dolce cake. I use my Boccone Dolce meringue recipe to make these. I've made them countless times and the recipe never fails.
They may be decorated with any fruit, filled with any cream you like, and drizzled with chocolate. However, if you use a cream containing sour cream or Greek yogurt, you should fill the baskets right before serving as they may soften the meringue.
This is my favorite dessert of all time; I just love meringue! I'll be honest with you, I have the hardest time not going for seconds. All my family loves them just as much as the Boccone Dolce Cake.
Since these are much quicker and easier to make, I make them more frequently than the cake. I do not doubt that they will become your favorite as well! 🙂
Meringue Fruit Baskets Ingredients
- Large eggs (room temperature)
- Baker's sugar
- Heavy whipping cream
- Confectioners’ sugar (also known as powdered sugar)
How to Make the Meringue
Preheat oven to 270 ℉. Separate egg yolks and whites.
Using a whisk attachment whip sugar and egg whites on high speed for about 5. Scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl with a rubber spatula and mix again on high for 5 more minutes until the meringue forms a perfectly stiff soft peak.
Spoon whipped meringue into a piping bag with a large 1M tip attachment and pipe out the baskets in a circular motion making an indent in the center.
How to Bake Meringue Basket Shells
Use a flat aluminum cookie baking tray to transfer parchment paper with piped meringue baskets directly onto the oven wire racks.
Bake for 7 minutes at 270 ℉, then reduce the heat to 200 ℉ and allow them to bake/dry for 1 hour and 30 minutes more.
Then turn the oven off and let the meringues cool completely in the oven.
How to Make the Cream
Add cold heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar into a large bowl. Whip heavy whipping cream and confectioners’ sugar on a medium speed for a minute or just as soon as it becomes thick. Do not overbeat.
How to Assemble Meringue Fruit Baskets
Pipe cream into cooled meringue baskets to the top. Decorate baskets with the fresh fruit or berries of your choice. (I used candied cranberries, but kiwi, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, or blackberry tend to be popular choices; use mango and pineapple to make tropical baskets for an amazing summer dessert). The rest of the fruit is fine to decorate with at the time of cream piping.
Have fun making these and enjoy eating them! They are amazing gluten-free treats!
For a full list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.
Recipe Tips
- For a little aroma, you may add ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract or any other extract to the cream.
- You may fill each well with fruit jam or lemon curd before piping the cream.
- Use a large baking sheet to slide the parchment paper with piped baskets straight onto the oven rack for crunchier baskets.
- Do not open the oven door while they're cooling as the temperature will drastically change and cause the meringue to crack.
- If you decorate with Frosty Cranberries, be sure to decorate immediately before serving (the sugar will dissolve in the moisture of the cream).
Storing Suggestions
Store them in the fridge uncovered (covering them will soften the meringue). With the right cream, they keep well in the fridge. I've had them refrigerated for as long as 2 days before and they stay the same, except for some discoloring of the fruit.
Recipe Card
Meringue Fruit Baskets (Elegant Party Dessert!)
Ingredients
For the Merinque Baskets
- 6 egg whites (use large room temperature eggs)
- 2 cups baker’s sugar (or processed granulated sugar)
For the Cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar (also known as powdered sugar)
- Fruit or berries your choice for decorations
Instructions
How to Make the Meringue
- Preheat oven to 270 ℉. Separate egg yolks and whites.
- Using a whisk attachment whip sugar and egg whites on high speed for about 5. Scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl with a rubber spatula and mix again on high for 5 more minutes until the meringue forms a perfectly stiff soft peak.
- Spoon whipped meringue into a piping bag with a large 1M tip attachment and pipe out the baskets in a circular motion making an indent in the center.
How to Bake Meringue Basket Shells
- Use a flat aluminum cookie baking tray to transfer parchment paper with piped meringue baskets directly onto the oven wire racks.
- Bake for 7 minutes at 270 ℉, then reduce the heat to 200 ℉ and allow them to bake/dry for 1 hour and 30 minutes more.
- Then turn the oven off and let the meringues cool completely in the oven.
How to Make the Cream
- Add cold heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar into a large bowl. Whip heavy whipping cream and confectioners’ sugar on a medium speed for a minute or just as soon as it becomes thick. Do not overbeat.
How to Assemble Meringue Fruit Baskets
- Pipe cream into cooled meringue baskets to the top. Decorate baskets with the fresh fruit or berries of your choice. (I used candied cranberries, but kiwi, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, or blackberry tend to be popular choices; use mango and pineapple to make tropical baskets for an amazing summer dessert). The rest of the fruit is fine to decorate with at the time of cream piping.
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This recipe was originally posted on November 10, 2016 (original picture below), and updated for a better user experience. The post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure.
Lillian says
Is there a reason you don’t leave the parchment on the cookie sheet?
Valya's Taste of Home says
I'm sorry can you explain your question or what step in the recipe you're referring to?
Casey says
Hi! I’m curious, what size of circle are you making these in when piping? Or does it not matter?
Valya's Taste of Home says
It does not really matter, but I usually try to pipe them out about 2 inches in diameter.
Roxanne Miller says
What are some non dairy options for filling the nests? Lime curd? Is there a chocolate kind of filling that doesn't require cream? I would still garnish with fruit on top. They look lovely.
Valya's Taste of Home says
You can buy dairy-free whipped cream at most natural stores. Also, you can use lemon curd instead of cream.
Lucy says
I have made these many times and they worked out great, but after changing my oven to conventional and two ovens range, after baking for suggested time, they turn dark in color but still soft. What am I doing wrong , I know it’s whipped perfectly , it has a great shape , just seems raw after cooking it and letting it dry over night, leaves it sticky and soft. What could be wrong ?
Valya's Taste of Home says
The problem is in a conventional oven. Once I've baked them on a convention setting and they were exactly how you described it. I use regular settings not conventions and it turns out great. If you have the option on your oven to use a regular baking setting then try that if not you need to lower the baking temperature to 50 degrees. I hope this helps. Let me know how it goes.
lucy says
By 50 degrees, What do you mean by that ? I have made them this weekend again and turned it on regular setting, and it turned out exactly the same , dark in color , soft , had to dry for 2.5hrs and they were sticky. I never had an issue with this recipe, just recently after changing oven.
Valya's Taste of Home says
What kind of oven do you have now? Is it gas or electric?
Lucy says
It is a double conventional electric oven. I have tried putting them on the top oven; then tried the bottom oven. They turn brown, soft, and dries for longer then 2-3 hrs and still sticky at the end.
Valya's Taste of Home says
I don't know what to tell you, dear. Ovens differ one from another and can be very frustrating at times when you have to relearn how to make a certain recipe. I went through the same thing with my last oven and learned not to bake any meringue on a convention setting. Do not bake meringue on the baking sheet, slide parchment paper directly onto second from the bottom oven rack. Practice makes perfect!
Irina says
Hi Valya, for this recipe how much cranberries do I need. It says this recipe will make 50 baskets right?
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
If I remember correctly, I've used most of the cranberries using this Frosted Cranberries Recipe.
Irina says
Thank you! Also how big do make the baskets to get 50? I’m going to make them for new year’s party so I want to make sure it will be enough
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
I usually pipe them about 2" in diameter.
Carmen says
Hi! I´ll be making these lovely baskets next weekend. In step1 you say: "Beat egg whites and sugar on high for 10 minutes". Do you beat eggwhites first and then add the sugar, or you put everything at the same time?
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
I put everything into the bowl at the same time. Hope you like them as much as I do!;)
Rosa says
These look gorgeous but I'm so confused about the cranberries. The cranberries look amazing but I didn't realise you could eat raw cranberries. Aren't they reall hard??? I want to make them with the cranberries because they look so nice but I can't imagine eating an uncooked cranberry. Am I missing something???
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
Yes, you car eat them raw. Cranberries coated with syrup and sugar and sweet meringue blend so well together! Enjoy!
Angie says
So I noticed green leaves between some of your cranberrys, what are those? It all looks wanderful but it will be a bit before I get to make them.
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
Hi Angie! Those are little mint leaves.
Kayla Arnold says
I can't wait to try this recipe! I love the look of the cranberries but haven't ever worked with them before. How do you process them? Cook them or raw? How do you get the sugar to stick?
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
Here is the recipe of HOW TO MAKE FROSTY CRANBERRIES. Cant wait to hear back from you how you like the recipe.
N Z says
Any different with time baking and mixing if you cut recipes in half? Thanks!
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
Not in mixing, but I would cut making the time a bit (to about 15 minutes) due to the smaller amount of them in the oven. Let me know how it goes!
Wendi says
Hi, I tried these yesterday and they went in bright white and came out a a little brown. How do I fix that??
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
Hi Wendi! So, sounds like your oven is much stronger than mine. Try to reduce the temperature to 200 and baking time to 1 hour and 15 minutes instead (also, do not bake on convention settings as it’s too powerful for meringue). They will not be bright white after baking as before baking. They should be more of a off white color after baking. I hope this help! 🙂
Wendi says
Thank you and I was using convection. They still tased good 😉
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
I’m glad you found out the solution! Practice makes perfect. Thank you for your comments! 🙂
Judy Anderson says
Hi Valya, these look awesome! Can the recipe be halved?
Thanks, Judy
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
Yes, simple half the ingredients. Thank you!
Trudy says
I've been dying to try a meringue dessert since traveling to Europe and I think this is it! Please tell me what you did to the fruit to make it glisten so! Thank you.
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
Here is the recipe for Frosty Cranberries
Rachel says
I guess for my first time I shouldn't be surprised they don't look like yours! Perfect!!!! But they were a success. Topped with lemon curd and fresh blueberries! Can't wait to try again!
www.valyastasteofhome.com says
Practice makes perfect! Im happy to hear that this recipe was a success for you. Meringue, lemon curd, and blueberries are the perfect combination. I would love to see the picture of your beautiful creation. You can share it with my private Facebook group or any other social media. Thank you for sharing your experience with me! 🙂
Jane Miklovic says
Just wondering if you have ever frozen the baskets without the filling? Thanks.
valya'stasteofhome.com says
No, I have not. The meringue will soften after thawing. I hope that helps. Thank you!
Zinab says
They look amazing❤
For people who asked if they can freeze the meringue; sure they stay crispy. I have done that many times and for more than a month, they stayed perfectly crispy as fresh! I put some orange zest in air_tight container with the meringue to avoid the smell of the egg ????
I hope this helps ????
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
Wow! Thank you for experimenting that. That will help many so much! I really appreciate you coming back and leaving such an amazing tip! 🙂
Julie says
These are stunning! I think I'm going to try them with something seasonal like raspberries!
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Hi Julie! Yes, you can top it with fruit of your choice. Enjoy!
Barbara Evans says
Hi Habla,
These are so pretty. I would like to include the sugared cranberries. Can you give me directions ? Many thanks, Barbara
Barbara says
Valya, Please accept my apologies for the type-o on your name. It was difficult to see until it posted. So sorry
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
No worries. We all have those technical difficulty moments 😉
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
HERE it is.
Miriam says
Valya, can I add chopped up toasted nuts to my meringue before I bake them?
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Hi Marina. You sure can.
Oa never |No plate Like Home says
These are gorgeous! They are so festive for Christmas and don't look complicated.
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Thank you! You can use any summer berries for the fruit topping and it can be a summer dessert 😉
Gabriele Harmon says
I tried these last night but just couldn't get my meringue thick enough to set in baskets. I don't have a mixer so I used my hand mixer. It thickened, but nothing to what I needed to be, and it mixed much longer than 15 min... Any suggestions? Thanks.
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Yes, it was not beaten enough. Hand mixer will take about 45 minutes to beat to get this consistency and even then I don't even know if it will. You need to beat it with very powerful mixer. Any stand mixer or Kitchen Aid does perfect job.
Olya says
Valechka I made your meringue baskets for Thanksgiving dessert and everyone loved it! They stayed nice and crispy! I'll be making these often now, since its hubbys favorite dessert! Thank you Valechka as always for simple, great recipe! Your rcipes never failed me! ?
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Wow! That's quite a compliment! Thank you very much for such an amazing review! It's one of our family favorites too. They are so cute and simple to make. Have a wonderful Christmas dear! 🙂
Yulya says
Hello Valya!
I made your boccone dolce cake several times and it turned out AMAZING. Thank you for wonderful recipes. Ltitle pavlovas are I the oven right now, but I have a question: what can I make with left over yolk? Feel bad just throwing them away. Thank you. Have a blessed Thanksgiving.
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Hi Yulya. I am so happy to hear that Boccone Dolce cake turned out amazing. I use egg yokes to make Lemon Pie https://www.valyastasteofhome.com/super-easy-lemon-pie-recipe/ and some other recipes I will post later. Thank you for awesome review. Have a blessed Thanksgiving as well! 🙂
Holly A says
These look absolutely gorgeous!! I have my meringue in the oven now, making these as a refreshing dessert for tomorrow's Thanksgiving dinner! First time ever making meringue myself, and with a little difficulty, managed to get them piped and in the oven. Excited to see how they turn out!
valya'stasteofhome.com says
That's awesome Holly! I'm excited for you! Let me know how they turn out for you and how you like them. Have a very blessed Thanksgiving! 🙂
Karina says
Hi, I made these today, and they are very hard. I thought they are supposed to be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside?
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Hi Karina. I guess I don't know what you mean by hard. They are pretty crispy after baking and they soften a little after they stay filled with cream for at least 4 hours in the fridge. The entire basket shell is crispy not soft inside like a regular meringue cookie would be.
Karina says
Oh ,ok thanks for clarifying, I thought they were supposed to be like Pavlovas.
valya'stasteofhome.com says
You are very welcome Karina 🙂
rose natalie says
Can these be shipped for a thanksgiving gift?
valya'stasteofhome.com says
I wouldn't ship it decorated. Dry meringues should be fine to ship.
Tzivia says
Omg wow Vala yo these look very stunning and so very yummmm these meringues totally scream winter maybe for chanukah or just a random winter day great job sweetheart gotta try cheers
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Thank you very much dear 🙂
Wendy says
Your photo's are fabulous! My late mom used to make these and add in a splash of vanilla extract and a teaspoon of vinegar - they were exceptional and her guests used to wolf them down.
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Thank you Wendy. Adding vanilla is a good idea, I'll will try it next time I make it. I'm not sure why would she added vinegar. Let me know, I'm just curious. Thank you very much for stopping by and commenting 🙂
Wendy says
I'm not sure why she used it either! Maybe to 'cut through the extreme sweetness' - she also used it in other baking recipes sometimes and she was a star baker! Her meringues were lighter than air and so crisp - so maybe that was why.
Manuela says
I'll make it as soon as possible! Cant't wait anymore! The explanations are very clear. Thank you
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Hi Manuela! I'm glad you find my recipe instructions easy to follow. Let me know how these meringue baskets turn out for you. And thank you very much for kind words! 🙂
Olya says
Valechka these look soooo good! I really want to try making them! ?Quick question, do egg whites have to be room temperature? And do you bake them without a pan, just on parchment paper? Thanks?
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Hi dear. I mentioned in the post that the eggs need to be room temperature. The egg whites wheat up better that way. Also, I use cookie baking sheet to transfer parchment paper with piped meringue baskets directly onto oven wire racks (so the baskets are baked directly on parchment paper not on a pan). I hope this clarifies bit more. Thank you very much for asking 🙂
Kristina says
Do these refrigerate well? Or will they become very soft from the refrigerator?
valya'stasteofhome.com says
They refrigerate well. Do not cover them, just leave them on a platter or a box as they are. Covering them with a lid will make the meringue soft. Thank you for asking Kristina 🙂
Joy Lackey says
I'll be making these for a dinner party Dec 4. I'll be doing something a tad different for my dairy-free friends, but most of them will be as per your glorious recipe!!
valya'stasteofhome.com says
That's awesome! What is the dairy substitute you are going to use? Come back and share your feedback with me. Thank you very much for commenting and have fun making these Joy 🙂
Natasha says
These are absolutely gorgeous!!! I will be making them soon. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Thank you Natasha! They are so delicious as well. Let me know how they turn out for you. Thank you for stopping by and commenting. 🙂
Sheila Bradford says
Hello, Im wondering what you used to put in the fruits. Is it just plain sugar, or the course sugars. Im doing a 4 tier cake and will be putting blueberries, red àzz nd black raspberries, red grapes. The picture show it looking pretty crystallized with sugars, just like the ones yiu have shown in your Meringue nest with grapes. Thanks for your help in advance. I will also be trying out your recipe sounds very tasty and beautiful for a luncheon.
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
You can make any fruit look frosty like the cranberries. See the recipe HERE.