Description
Delightful tree meringue cookies emerge as a whimsical winter treat, blending crisp edges with cloud-like centers. Sweet holiday magic dances on your palate, inviting joyful memories of festive gatherings and delicate confectionery craftsmanship.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Sugar Cookies (Base):
- Sugar cookies
Main Ingredients:
- 4 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Flavor and Enhancers:
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Sanitize all equipment by thoroughly cleaning mixing bowl and beaters to ensure no residual oils interfere with egg white volume.
- Crack egg whites into the spotless mixing bowl, ensuring no yolk contamination that could prevent proper whipping.
- Initiate whipping at medium speed, creating a frothy base that will help stabilize the meringue structure.
- Sprinkle cream of tartar into the softly whipped whites to enhance structural integrity and volume.
- Gradually introduce sugar while continuously beating, creating a smooth, glossy mixture with gradually increasing stiffness.
- Continue whisking until meringue forms robust, sharp peaks that hold their shape without collapsing, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Delicately incorporate vanilla extract using gentle folding motions to preserve the meringue’s delicate air bubbles.
- Prepare a piping bag with a decorative star tip, carefully transferring the meringue mixture without deflating its volume.
- Craft tree-shaped designs onto sugar cookie bases, using consistent pressure and smooth, deliberate motion.
- Position baking sheet in a preheated oven set at an extremely low temperature, allowing gentle dehydration.
- Maintain low heat for 1.5-2 hours, creating crisp, light meringue trees with a delicate, melt-in-mouth texture.
- Once fully dried, switch off oven and leave door slightly open, permitting gradual cooling to prevent cracking.
Notes
- Use room temperature egg whites for maximum volume and stability when whipping meringue.
- Add sugar gradually to ensure smooth, glossy texture and prevent grainy consistency.
- Keep all utensils completely dry to prevent meringue from deflating or failing to form stiff peaks.
- Hold piping bag vertically and apply steady pressure to create uniform, elegant tree shapes with clean lines.
- Slow, low-heat baking prevents browning and maintains meringues’ pristine white color.
- Store completely cooled meringues in airtight container at room temperature for up to one week to preserve crispness.
- Experiment with different extracts like peppermint or almond for festive seasonal twists.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 70
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg