Santa Hat Cookies
Delight your guests with homemade Santa Hat Cookies! This recipe uses simple ingredients and a classic meringue technique to create adorable treats.
Santa Hat Cookies
These cute Santa hat cookies are a light and airy meringue cookie. They're great for Christmas parties, cookie exchanges, or adding something "themed" to your holiday dessert table.
They aren't only adorable, but they are easy to make. They only require a few ingredients.
They're a great cookie to make with kids.
Ingredients
Egg whites: Use room temperature egg whites for the best results. Be careful not to get any yolks in the whites when separating.
Vanilla extract: Make sure to use pure vanilla extract if possible.
Cream of tartar: Don’t skip this ingredient—without cream of tartar, the meringue might not hold up as well while baking.
Sugar: Granulated sugar works best for meringue. Be sure to add it slowly, a little at a time, so it dissolves completely into the egg whites.
Red gel food coloring: Gel food coloring is preferred over liquid because it won’t thin out the meringue. Use just enough to get the red color.
How to Make
Preheat the oven to 200°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a stand mixer, combine the egg whites, vanilla extract, and cream of tartar.
Beat on medium speed until the mixture becomes frothy and soft peaks begin to form.
Once the peaks start to appear, gradually add the sugar one tablespoon at a time, waiting a few seconds between each addition.
Continue beating for about five minutes until the meringue is glossy and stiff.
Transfer half of the meringue mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.
Add the red gel food coloring to the remaining meringue and mix it in until no streaks remain.
Transfer the red meringue to a separate piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
On each baking sheet, pipe a small circle of white meringue and top it with a star of red meringue.
Finish each cookie by adding a small dot of white meringue to the top of the red meringue to resemble the fluffy pom-pom on Santa’s hat.
Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes.
When the baking time is complete, turn off the oven but leave the cookies inside for another hour to cool and set.
After an hour, remove the cookies from the oven.
Let them cool completely on the sheets before transferring them to an airtight container for storage.
Tips & Tricks
Here are some tips for making the best Santa Hat Cookies:
Use fresh egg whites: Fresher egg whites whip up better and hold their shape more easily.
Room temperature egg whites: Allow the egg whites to come to room temperature before whipping; they’ll reach stiff peaks faster.
Don’t skip the cream of tartar: It helps stabilize the egg whites and prevents the meringue from collapsing.
Slowly add sugar: Add the sugar gradually, a tablespoon at a time, to make sure it dissolves fully and your meringue stays smooth and glossy.
Gel food coloring is key: Gel food coloring won’t thin out the meringue like liquid food coloring might, so use it for bright, vibrant color without messing with the texture.
Don’t overbake: The cookies should be light and crispy, not browned. Keep an eye on them to avoid overbaking.
Add sprinkles or edible glitter: If you want, you can sprinkle edible glitter or red and white sprinkles on top of the meringue before baking.
Leftovers/Storage
Store leftover Santa Hat Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
If you want to freeze them, place the cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a zip-top bag for up to 3 months.
To reheat, simply let them come to room temperature—there’s no need to bake or warm them up.
F.A.Qs.
What do I do if the cookies collapse after baking?
If the meringue collapses, it could be due to under-beating or opening the oven door while baking. Let the meringue bake in a stable, low heat and don’t disturb it while it’s cooling in the oven.
My cookies are too soft and chewy, not crisp. What went wrong?
The meringue might not have been baked long enough, or the oven temperature may have been too high. For crispness, bake at a low temperature and let them cool completely in the oven after baking.
Make sure to "PIN IT" for later and follow Gather in my Kitchen on Pinterest for all the latest easy and delicious recipes!
Santa Hat Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 egg whites room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- â…› teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¾ cup sugar
- Red gel food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Beat the egg whites, vanilla extract, and cream of tartar in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on medium speed until the mixture is frothy and peaks begin to form.3 egg whites, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- While the mixer still running, add the sugar one tablespoon at a time, waiting a few seconds between each addition.¾ cup sugar
- After all the sugar has been added, continue beating for around five more minutes, until the mixture is glossy and stiff.
- Transfer half the mixture to a piping bag with a large round tip.
- Add the red gel food coloring to the remaining mixture and mix until no white streaks appear. Transfer the red mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.Red gel food coloring
- Pipe a circle of white meringue on each baking sheet and top with a star of red meringue. Add a small dot of white meringue to the top of the red meringue.
- Place the cookies in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes. When the cook time is up, turn off the oven and allow the cookies to sit in the oven for an additional 1 hour. Then, remove the pan from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely before eating or storing in an airtight container.
Please note that the nutritional content of this recipe will vary based on the specific ingredients used. For a detailed breakdown of the nutritional values, consider using a recipe nutrition calculator with the exact brands and measurements you've used.
