Christmas Tree Meringues
Festive Christmas Tree Meringues made with green-tinted meringue. Crisp, light, and easy to decorate with sprinkles or powdered sugar “snow.”
These Christmas Tree Meringues are an easy and charming addition to any holiday dessert table. Light, crisp, and naturally sweet, they’re made by tinting fluffy meringue a festive green and piping it into simple tree shapes. They look impressive lined up on a platter, yet require only a handful of basic ingredients and a bit of gentle piping.
Decorate them with a few nonpareils for ornaments or leave them plain for a more classic look. A dusting of powdered sugar adds a snowy finish that makes them feel perfectly seasonal. Whether you’re packaging them as homemade gifts, setting them out for a holiday party, or making them with kids for a fun seasonal activity, these meringue trees are a delightful, fuss-free treat that brings a little extra cheer to the season.
Tips for Best Results
- Start with spotless equipment: Even a trace of grease prevents egg whites from whipping properly. Wipe bowls and beaters with vinegar if needed.
- Add sugar slowly: This ensures the meringue forms a stable structure and turns glossy rather than grainy.
- Pipe straight up and down: For clean tree layers, stop squeezing before lifting the piping tip for the next tier.
- Avoid humidity: Damp air softens meringues. Choose a dry day or let a dehumidifier run in the kitchen.
- Decorations may shift in the oven: Nonpareils stay put, but star sprinkles can melt or make the trees lean.
- Don’t rush cooling: Keeping them in the oven as it cools prevents cracking and helps them dry out fully.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Egg whites – Fresh whites work best. Carton whites can be used but may not whip as firmly.
- Cream of tartar – Helps stabilise the meringue. Swap with 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar if needed.
- Salt – Enhances flavour and strengthens the meringue structure.
- Granulated sugar – Dissolves cleanly into the egg whites. Avoid coarse sugar or icing sugar.
- Vanilla extract – Adds a hint of flavour. Almond or peppermint extract also work well in small amounts.
- Green gel food colouring – Gel colouring is ideal as it won’t thin the mixture.
- Optional decorations – Nonpareils for ornaments, star sprinkles (with melting risk), and powdered sugar for a snowy finish.
Looking for More Christmas Desserts?
Check out more of my favourite Christmas desserts!
Light, airy, and festive, this Christmas Pavlova Wreath is topped with whipped cream, raspberry coulis, fresh fruit, and sugared cranberries!
Moist cranberry orange bread with fresh cranberries and sweet orange glaze. A bright, easy quick bread perfect for holidays or anytime.
Buttery cherry snowball cookies with a sweet candied cherry centre, rolled in snowy icing sugar – perfect for a festive treat!
Christmas Tree Meringues
Yields: About 36 small meringues | Prep time: 25 minutes | Cook time: 1 hour | Cooling time: 2 hours
Ingredients
- 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Green gel food colouring
- Optional: nonpareils (as ornaments)
- Optional: star sprinkles (may melt or cause the trees to lean)
- Optional: powdered sugar for a snowy finish
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 225°F (105°C) and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Place the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt into a clean, grease-free mixing bowl. Beat on low until the mixture becomes foamy. (Image 1)
- Raise the speed to high and add the sugar gradually, about a tablespoon at a time, allowing it to mix in before adding more.
- Continue whisking until the mixture is thick, glossy, and holds stiff peaks. Rub a tiny amount between your fingers – if you feel any grittiness, keep whipping until it’s smooth. (Image 2)
- Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Tint the meringue green using gel colouring. (Image 3)
- Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 4B tip. Pipe a small mound to form the base of the tree. Stop squeezing, lift slightly, then pipe a smaller mound on top. Repeat once more for a three-tier tree shape.
- Add nonpareils if using. If placing star sprinkles or candy on top, note that they may soften or melt during baking so use at your own risk. (Image 4)
- Bake for 1 hour. Switch off the oven and let the meringues cool inside without opening the door for 2 hours, or until fully dry.
- Once cooled, dust lightly with powdered sugar for a snowy look, if desired. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Christmas Tree Meringues
Festive Christmas Tree Meringues made with green-tinted meringue. Crisp, light, and easy to decorate with sprinkles or powdered sugar “snow.”
Ingredients
- 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Green gel food colouring
- Optional: nonpareils (as ornaments)
- Optional: star sprinkles (may melt or cause the trees to lean)
- Optional: powdered sugar for a snowy finish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 225°F (105°C) and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Place the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt into a clean, grease-free mixing bowl. Beat on low until the mixture becomes foamy.
- Raise the speed to high and add the sugar gradually, about a tablespoon at a time, allowing it to mix in before adding more.
- Continue whisking until the mixture is thick, glossy, and holds stiff peaks. Rub a tiny amount between your fingers – if you feel any grittiness, keep whipping until it’s smooth.
- Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Tint the meringue green using gel colouring.
- Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 4B tip. Pipe a small mound to form the base of the tree. Stop squeezing, lift slightly, then pipe a smaller mound on top. Repeat once more for a three-tier tree shape.
- Add nonpareils if using. If placing star sprinkles on top, note that they may soften or melt during baking.
- Bake for 1 hour. Switch off the oven and let the meringues cool inside without opening the door for 2 hours, or until fully dry.
- Once cooled, dust lightly with powdered sugar for a snowy look, if desired. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
18Serving Size:
2 MeringuesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 71Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 31mgCarbohydrates: 14gSugar: 14gProtein: 1g
This information is provided as a courtesy and for entertainment purposes only. This information comes from online calculators. Although frugalmomeh.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
