Meringue Mushrooms Recipe - Completely adorable meringue Christmas cookies perfect for decorating holiday cakes like the yule log! (step-by-step photos)

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These meringue mushrooms are highly prized on Christmas cookie platters and are darling for decorating holiday cakes such as yule logs (stay tuned for my next recipe – eek eek so excited)! Meringue mushroom cookies take some time to dry out in the oven but otherwise, they are easy to make. And they can be made a few days in advance!

No need to strive for perfection here. It’s best if they are imperfect because lets face it, mushrooms are all unique and their imperfections will make them look more natural. This recipe yields 30-35 meringue mushrooms.

As with any meringue recipe, it works best on a dry day, stored at room temp, and not in a humid climate. Also, the cream of tartar is important and stabilizes the egg whites so the cookies don’t turn out hollow.

They aren’t the same without cream of tartar. It’s an inexpensive ingredient that makes a big difference in meringue recipes.

Meringue Mushrooms Recipe - Completely adorable meringue Christmas cookies perfect for decorating holiday cakes like the yule log! (step-by-step photos)

Ingredients for Meringue Mushrooms

2 large egg whites, room temp (if you forgot, put them in warm water for 15 min)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

Meringue Mushrooms Recipe - Completely adorable meringue Christmas cookies perfect for decorating holiday cakes like the yule log! (step-by-step photos)

Tools You’ll Need for Meringue Mushrooms:

A large cookie sheet
Parchment Paper
Wilton 2A tip with a piping bag (or use a big ziploc bag and a 3/8″ round hole cut in the corner, it just won’t be as easy to pipe).

Bakers tip: organic granulated sugar does not work well in this recipe because it’s too coarse. I’ve tried it and it sucks.

How to Make Meringue Mushrooms:

Prep: Preheat Oven to 200° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (not wax paper).
1. Add 2 egg whites, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/8 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp cream of tartar and beat with whisk attachment on high speed 7 min or until you have glossy ribbons and the peaks stay fairly stiff (cold whites take longer).

Meringue Mushrooms Recipe - Completely adorable meringue Christmas cookies perfect for decorating holiday cakes like the yule log! (step-by-step photos)

2. Transfer meringue to pastry bag fitted with a 3/8″ round tip and pipe onto lined cookie sheet (about 1″ apart). Mushroom caps should look like large chocolate kisses (1 1/2″ diameter at the base) with the tip swirled into the side so you get an even top. If you’re a perfectionist; you can smooth the mushroom caps with a wet fingertip. Mushroom stems should look like slimmer/taller kisses (3/4″ diameter at the base) and tips pointed up. It’s ok if stems curve a little – gives more character to the mushrooms but too much curve and mushrooms will fall over. 

Meringue Mushrooms Recipe - Completely adorable meringue Christmas cookies perfect for decorating holiday cakes like the yule log! (step-by-step photos)

3. Bake at 200˚F for 1 hour 30 min. They should slide easily off the parchment paper easily when they are done. Remove from oven and pull the parchment paper off the baking sheet . Let cool on the paper completely to room temp. Note: When they come out of the oven, they will be crisp on the outside and a little marshmallowy on the inside, but will harden as they cool.

Meringue Mushrooms Recipe - Completely adorable meringue Christmas cookies perfect for decorating holiday cakes like the yule log! (step-by-step photos)

4. To assemble, dust the tops and stems lightly with cocoa powder. If you like, you can smudge the cocoa powder with your fingers to give them that natural dirty glow :). It’s easiest to add the cocoa powder before assembling. Rotate the tip of a small paring knife in the center of each mushroom cap to cut a small hole just large enough to fit the tip of the base.

Meringue Mushrooms Recipe - Completely adorable meringue Christmas cookies perfect for decorating holiday cakes like the yule log! (step-by-step photos)

5. Now melt chocolate, transfer into a ziploc bag, snip off a tiny hole from the corner of the bag and pipe chocolate into the holes of meringue. Stick the bases into the holes and leave them upside-down until chocolate hardens and sets. Gently transfer set cookies to an airtight container and store for several days at room temp. Do not refrigerate.

Meringue Mushrooms Recipe - Completely adorable meringue Christmas cookies perfect for decorating holiday cakes like the yule log! (step-by-step photos)

Meringue Mushrooms Recipe - Completely adorable meringue Christmas cookies perfect for decorating holiday cakes like the yule log! (step-by-step photos)

 

Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Meringue Mushrooms Recipe

5 from 34 votes
Author: Natasha Kravchuk
These meringue mushrooms are highly prized on Christmas cookie platters and are darling for decorating holiday cakes such as yule logs They can be made a few days in advance!
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 30 to 35 cookies

For the Meringue Mushrooms:

  • 2 large egg whites, room temp (if you forgot, put them in warm water for 15 min)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

Tools you'll need:

  • A large cookie sheet
  • Parchment Paper
  • Wilton 2A tip with a piping bag, or use a big ziploc bag and a 3/8″ round hole cut in the corner, it just won't be as easy to pipe.

Instructions

Prep: Preheat Oven to 200° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (not wax paper).

  • Add 2 egg whites, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/8 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp cream of tartar and beat with whisk attachment on high speed 7 min or until you have glossy ribbons and the peaks stay fairly stiff.
  • Transfer meringue to your pastry bag fitted with a 3/8" round tip and pipe onto lined cookie sheet (about 1″ apart). Mushroom caps should look like large chocolate kisses (1 1/2" diameter at the base) with the tip swirled into the side so you get an even top. If you're a perfectionist; you can smooth the mushroom caps with a wet fingertip. Mushroom stems should look like slimmer/taller kisses (3/4" diameter at the base) and tips pointed up.
  • Bake at 200˚F for 1 hour 30 min. They should slide easily off the parchment paper easily when they are done. Remove from oven and pull parchment paper off the baking sheet. Let cool on paper completely to room temp. Note: When they come out of the oven, they will be crisp on the outside and a little marshmallowy on the inside, but will harden as they cool.
  • To assemble, dust the tops and stems lightly with cocoa powder. If you like, you can smudge the cocoa powder with your fingers to give them that natural dirty glow :). Rotate the tip of a small paring knife in the center of each mushroom cap to cut a small hole just large enough to fit the tip of the base.
  • Now melt chocolate, transfer into a ziploc bag, snip off a tiny hole from the corner of the bag and pipe chocolate into the holes of meringue. Stick the bases into the holes and leave them upside-down until chocolate hardens and sets. Gently transfer set cookies to an airtight container and store for several days at room temp. Do not refrigerate.

Notes

As with any meringue recipe, it works best on a dry day, stored at room temp, and not in a humid climate.
Cream of tartar is important and stabilizes egg whites so the cookies don't turn out hollow.
Organic granulated sugar does not work well in this recipe because it's too coarse.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: meringue mushrooms, mushroom cookies
Skill Level: Easy/Medium
Cost to Make: $

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

 

Hello darlings! ? The cake that I made with these though – can’t wait to share it with y’all!! If you are subscribed to my weekly newsletter you got a sneak peak allready, if you’re not subscribed, you can become a Natasha’s Kitchen insider here.

Merry Merry Christmas my friends!

Meringue Mushrooms Recipe - Completely adorable meringue Christmas cookies perfect for decorating holiday cakes like the yule log! (step-by-step photos)

Meringue Mushrooms Recipe - Completely adorable meringue Christmas cookies perfect for decorating holiday cakes like the yule log! (step-by-step photos)
Meringue Mushrooms Recipe - Completely adorable meringue Christmas cookies perfect for decorating holiday cakes like the yule log! (step-by-step photos)

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

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Comments

  • Kelly
    February 29, 2024

    Made these just now…they turned out runny when piping. Once baked, they turned out hollow and cracked. Ie can’t be used.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      February 29, 2024

      HI Kelly, it sounds like the meringue needed to be beaten longer. Beat until you have glossy ribbons and the peaks stay fairly stiff (note that cold egg whites take longer).

      Reply

  • Lil
    December 21, 2023

    How long do these mushrooms last, once placed on the yule log?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      December 21, 2023

      Hi Lil. I don’t recommend placing them on until you are ready to display and serve it. They do not keep well in the refrigerator and once they are exposed to moisture (from touching the frosting) they start to get soft and sticky.
      Also- the Yule Log Cake shouldn’t be left out of the refrigerator for more than 2hrs.

      Reply

  • Colleen
    March 16, 2023

    There were so many pop up, moving ads on this page, I had to screenshot the steps and leave to actually read it. That being said, it’s a great recipe. Huge hit!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      March 16, 2023

      Hi Colleen, we don’t have any popup ads on the page – are you referring to my email signup possibly? that should only show up once and shouldn’t pop back up after it’s closed. If it’s something else, could you send me the screenshot so I can make sure to address it – you can email my assistant at: hello @ natashaskitchen.com (no spaces). Thank you so much and I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!

      Reply

  • Magda
    December 2, 2022

    Hi
    I have made these tonight , not sure what I have done wrong but they came out yellow. Plus I feel like they are really salty? I have tried to convert as best I could in UK measurements.
    Any advice is welcome.

    Thank you
    Magda

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      December 2, 2022

      Hi Magda! Be sure to read through my notes above for helpful tips to see if you possibly missed something or did something differently. I also highly encourage the use of an internal oven thermometer. Every oven bakes differently so you may need to adjust your oven. It sounds like the oven could have been too hot. 1/8 teaspoon of salt is not very much, so they should not have been too salty.

      Reply

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