Delightfully crisp on the outside and perfectly airy on the inside, these Festive Meringue Christmas Trees are the sweetest way to light up your holiday table. Their vibrant green swirls, topped with gold stars and sparkled with mini sugar ornaments, make them as beautiful to look at as they are delicious to eat.


Whether you’re baking for a Christmas cookie exchange or crafting edible decorations with the kids, these meringue trees are fun, festive, and full of holiday spirit. They’re naturally gluten-free, melt-in-your-mouth light, and made with just a few pantry staples. Bonus: they last for days, so you can prepare them well in advance!
What Kind of Food Coloring Should I Use?
Gel food coloring works best for these meringue trees. It provides vibrant color without adding extra liquid that might disrupt the delicate structure of the meringue. A drop or two of leaf green or mint green will give your trees that signature holiday hue.
Ingredients for the Festive Meringue Christmas Trees
Egg Whites: The backbone of any meringue. Make sure they’re at room temperature to whip up to full volume.
Granulated Sugar: Dissolves into the egg whites and gives structure, gloss, and sweetness to the meringue.
Cream of Tartar: Stabilizes the egg whites and helps achieve that perfect stiff peak texture.
Vanilla Extract: Adds a subtle flavor note that complements the sweetness.
Green Gel Food Coloring: A few drops will give you that rich Christmas tree green without watering down the batter.
Sprinkles and Edible Stars: These are for decoration, transforming your piped meringue into a holiday masterpiece.
How To Make the Festive Meringue Christmas Trees
Step 1: Prep the Oven and Tools
Preheat your oven to 200°F (93°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Fit a large piping bag with a star or round tip.
Step 2: Whip the Egg Whites
In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, a spoonful at a time, increasing the speed to high. Beat until stiff, glossy peaks form.
Step 3: Add Flavor and Color
Gently beat in the vanilla extract and green food coloring until fully incorporated. Adjust the shade to your liking.
Step 4: Pipe the Trees
Spoon the meringue into the piping bag. Pipe swirled trees onto the prepared baking sheets by creating three stacked circles, decreasing in size as you go up.
Step 5: Decorate and Bake
Sprinkle the trees with mini sugar pearls or holiday-themed sprinkles. Top each tree with a golden star. Bake for 1.5 hours, then turn the oven off and let them cool inside for another hour to avoid cracking.

Serving and Storing These Festive Meringue Christmas Trees
These meringue trees are perfect for holiday parties, edible centerpieces, or cookie trays. Serve them on a festive platter or box them as adorable gifts. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Avoid humidity to maintain their crisp texture.
What to Serve With Festive Meringue Christmas Trees?
Hot Cocoa
The rich, chocolatey flavor of hot cocoa pairs beautifully with the light crunch of these meringues.
Spiced Apple Cider
The warm spices in apple cider bring out the vanilla notes in the meringue.
Chocolate Dipped Pretzels
Balance sweet with salty for an irresistible combination.
Christmas Sugar Cookies
Round out your dessert table with a variety of holiday classics.
Mini Cheesecake Bites
The creamy texture complements the airy crispness of the meringues.
Peppermint Bark
A touch of mint and chocolate goes wonderfully with the subtle sweetness of these trees.
Want More Holiday Cookie Ideas?
If you love these Festive Meringue Christmas Trees, you’ll probably enjoy these other merry creations:
- Condensed Milk Snow Cookies for a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Jimmy Carter’s Grandmother’s Peanut Butter Cookies for a nostalgic bite.
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Crumble Cookies with creamy, fruity magic.
- Chocolate Cherry Cookies that offer a decadent, rich finish.
- Salted Caramel Cupcakes if you want to go all out with caramel joy.
Save This Pin For Later
Save this delicious idea to your favorite Pinterest board so it’s easy to find when you’re ready to whip it up again.
Tried it with a twist? Maybe added peppermint extract or colored them in pastel for a winter wonderland theme? Let us know how yours turned out—drop your creations or questions in the comments below.
Need more inspiration? Explore my daily kitchen creations on SavorQueen.com on Pinterest. Your next favorite might be waiting there.
Festive Meringue Christmas Trees
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 meringue trees
Description
Add a whimsical and delicious touch to your holiday table with these Festive Meringue Christmas Trees. These adorable tree-shaped treats are crisp on the outside, light and airy inside, and look like they came straight out of Santa’s bakery! Perfect for edible gifts, cookie swaps, or just a cheerful kitchen project, this easy recipe uses pantry staples and is naturally gluten-free. If you’re searching for fun Christmas dessert ideas, holiday food ideas, or an easy recipe to wow guests, this is your go-to for festive baking magic.
Ingredients
3 large egg whites
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Green gel food coloring (about 2 drops)
Assorted holiday sprinkles
12 edible gold star sprinkles
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 200°F (93°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
3. Gradually add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff, glossy peaks form.
4. Add vanilla extract and green food coloring. Beat gently to combine.
5. Transfer meringue to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
6. Pipe tree shapes by layering small swirls on top of each other in decreasing sizes.
7. Decorate with sprinkles and place a gold star on each tree.
8. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and let cool inside for 1 hour.
9. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
Make sure your mixing bowl is completely grease-free to get perfect stiff peaks.
Let the meringues cool in the oven to avoid cracks caused by sudden temperature changes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meringue tree
- Calories: 45
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 6mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: christmas cookies, holiday meringue, edible decorations, easy meringue recipe, festive desserts
