Christmas Meringue Pops Recipe - Fun Cookie Recipes

Need a little holiday cheer? Try these adorable Christmas tree and Santa hat meringue pops! They’re perfect for kids of all ages, can be beautifully decorated, a wonderful gift idea, and are great for sales when individually packaged.

Christmas meringue pop shaped like a santa hat

Whether you are looking for an easy meringue recipe or a fun activity to do with your kids, meringues make the perfect treat anytime. They’re so simple and yet they look like something out of Pinterest! With just three main ingredients that any grocery store carries, you can have these pops whipped up in no time flat. And if you’re looking for meringue flavors, you can add any extract or flavoring to this recipe and it will turn out perfect every time.

Table of Contents

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Easy Recipe. Meringue cookies or pops are super easy to make! You can whip them up in just 30 minutes, then bake and chill and you’re done! I must admit that the baking and chilling time is around 3 hours, but it’s completely hands off and totally worth it.
Customizable. It’s always fun to see how kids and adults decorate their meringue cookies. Add fun sprinkles, edible glitter, a drizzle of melted chocolate, use bright colors and make unique shapes!
Kids love them. Kids will have a blast decorating meringue pops. So, if you’re looking for an easy kid-friendly treat to make this Christmas then these meringues are just what you need!

Christmas meringue pops shaped in christmas trees and santa hats

What You’ll Need To Make Meringue Pops

To make meringue pops you’ll need just three simple ingredients that you already have in your kitchen!

Complete list of ingredients with quantities and instructions is located in the recipe card below

Egg Whites: Use just the egg whites of 3 large eggs (no yolks!) to make a fluffy meringue.
Salt: This helps reduce moisture in your meringues so they look nice and fluffy!
Powdered Sugar: Make sure to use powdered sugar instead of regular granulated or it won’t dissolve properly.

And now the optional ingredients:

Pure Vanilla Extract: Adding any kind of extract is optional, but it’s what makes meringue cookies taste delicious. I like to use a high-quality pure vanilla extract, but you can do almond, strawberry, peppermint, or coconut extract if you like.
Food Coloring: Food coloring is what makes meringue cookies look festive and pretty! And it’s fun to color them different colors so they match your Christmas theme. I like to use gel food colorings for vibrant and beautiful meringue cookies.
Sprinkles: Optional but fun! Go for festive sprinkles, stars, or edible glitter.
Straws or Lollipop Sticks: Use lollipop sticks or wooden craft sticks for the meringues, whichever you have on hand.

How To Make Meringue Pops

Baking meringues is so easy! You can decorate them to look like anything your heart desires, but I really love these meringue pops shaped like Christmas trees and Santa hats. They are perfect for Christmas parties or family gatherings this holiday season!

Holding a whisk beater with whipped white meringue over a metal bowl

Preheat and Prep Cookie Sheets. Start by preheating your oven to 230°F/110°C. Then line a baking sheet (or 2!) with parchment paper and draw small circles on the sheet that are about three inches in diameter (use a glass if you don’t have a circle cookie cutter). Draw 6 circles per pan, for 12 meringues total!
Whip Egg Whites. Next, using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whip egg whites until stiff peaks form. This will take about five minutes or so at high speed. Keep beating while slowly adding the salt and powdered sugar (feel free to add your extract of choice at this point too).
Add Color. Once the meringue is thickened, divide between 3 bowls and color each with gel food coloring (I did green, red, and yellow). Add meringue to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip or star tip.
Place Lollipop Sticks at the bottom of each circle so it touches the center of the circle.
Pipe Fun Shapes. Pipe meringues into your circles on the baking sheet, creating the desired shapes. The circles will help you create even shapes.
Bake! Bake meringues for 60 to 90 minutes depending on the size. Then turn off the oven and leave meringues inside to cool completely for about two hours.

Tips and Tricks

The key to fluffy meringue and great volume is to use a clean grease free mixing bowl for beating the egg whites. A great tip is to wipe the bowl with a little white vinegar or lemon juice to get rid of any grease that might be in your bowl. Grease or fat will prevent your meringue from fluffing up nicely.
To help get nice high and sturdy peaks when whipping egg whites, you can add half a teaspoon of cream of tartar (it’s an acid!). It is common to use cream of tartar in meringue as it helps stabilize the egg whites, whip faster, and gives more volume.
Make Ahead. Make meringue cookies ahead and store them in an airtight container. You can leave meringues out at room temperature for about 2 weeks, it does not need to be refrigerated. But keep in mind that they best when enjoyed fresh, they are typically gone in the first 3 days in my house and what’s when they’re quite crispy.
If you don’t have cookie sticks on hand, try using cake pop sticks, or craft wooden sticks as munching sticks instead. Just make sure that they’re oven safe!

FAQs

Can meringues be frozen?

Yes, meringues can be frozen but they won’t hold their shape as nicely.

How do you know when meringues are ready?

They are ready when they look dry and can be easily lifted up from the parchment paper or silicone mat with their bases left intact and not broken.

How to fix chewy meringue?

If your meringue pops are a bit sticky or chewy, just pop them in the oven for 10 minutes at a 200°F/95°C degree oven.

Where to Buy Supplies

Food Coloring. My first choice is always Wilton gel based food colorings, I use them for frosting, icing, cookies, cakes, and meringue. The color does not change as the treats are baking baked, and it does not change the consistency of whatever you’re adding the food colors to.

Disposable Piping Bags. I like to use Wilton disposable bags as they’re super convenient. I order mine from Amazon, but you can get other similar piping bags from Michaels or Joann’s.

Cookie Sticks and Popsicle Straws. Wooden craft sticks work just as well, but cookie sticks are so cute! I like to use them for meringues because they come in different colors and it makes the meringues look like munching popsicles. They are available at Walmart, Michael’s, Kroger, or Amazon. These are the oven safe cookie sticks that I usually order from Amazon.

Parchment Paper and Baking Sheets: Parchment paper is a must in any baker’s kitchen, especially when baking meringue cookies because they can stick to the parchment if you don’t use anything under them! I like using silicone mats over my baking sheets for easy clean up too. For silicone baking mats, I always recommend Silpat brand as the quality is great and they will last you for ages.

What do you think? Will you try making these at home? Share pictures of what they turn out like if you do, and don’t forget to tag me on social media! Happy Holidays from our family to yours!