Christmas Meringue Cookies (Beginner Friendly Recipe)
If you're looking to make classic Christmas meringue cookies, this recipe is perfect and will give you crisp, airy, perfectly sweet cookies!
Course Cookies
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Christmas Meringue Cookies
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 3 hourshours
Total Time 3 hourshours15 minutesminutes
Servings 100cookies
Author Valya's Taste of Home
Ingredients
For Christmas Meringue Cookies
5large – eggs
2cups– bakers sugar
White glitter
⅛tsp.– cream of tartaroptional
16" - Wilton piping bag
6B - Wilton piping tip
Parchment paper
Instructions
Step 1: Preparing Your Parchment Paper
Before you start, you might find it helpful to draw one-inch circles on your parchment paper. This can act as a guide when it's time to pipe your meringue cookies.
However, this step isn't strictly necessary and can be skipped once you're comfortable with the piping process.
Step 2: Preheating the Oven
Next, it is time to preheat your oven. Set it to a low temperature of around 175 F (79 C).
Meringue cookies require slow, gentle baking to achieve their distinctive light, crisp texture.
Step 3: Preparing Your Tools
Grease is the enemy of a good meringue! Make sure all your tools are squeaky clean and dry before you start.
Some people even like to use white vinegar or lemon juice to wipe down their mixing bowl to guarantee that there's no residual grease.
Step 4: Separating the Eggs
Next up, you'll need to separate your egg yolks from the egg whites.
It is absolutely crucial to keep the egg whites free from any yolk, as even a tiny bit can prevent your meringue from reaching stiff peaks.
Crack your eggs into a separate bowl when separating to avoid any mishaps.
Step 5: Making the Meringue Mixture
Now it is time to make the meringue. Place your egg whites and baker’s sugar into a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Beat these together on a medium-high speed for a couple of minutes before adding cream of tartar.
Continue to beat the mixture for about ten more minutes on medium speed, until you achieve glossy, stiff peaks that hold their shape without falling.
Step 6: Piping the Meringue Cookies
Fill your piping bag with the meringue mixture and pipe out cookies about one inch in diameter. For a festive touch, sprinkle some white edible glitter over your piped cookies.
Step 7: Baking the Meringue Cookies
Using a flat baking sheet, transfer the parchment paper with your piped meringue cookies straight onto the oven racks. Bake your meringue cookies for around three hours at the same temperature you preheat your oven to (175 F/79 C).
Step 8: Cooling the Meringue Cookies
Once the cookies are done baking, turn off the oven but leave the cookies inside to cool. This step allows the cookies to crisp up as the oven dries out all the remaining moisture in the egg whites. Expect this cooling process to take about four hours.
Step 9: Serving the Meringue Cookies
Finally, once your meringue cookies have cooled and crisped up, remove them from the oven. You're now ready to serve your delicious, sparkly Christmas Meringue Cookies. Enjoy!
Once done, remove from the oven. Your delicious, sparkly Meringue Cookies are ready to be served.