This meringue mushrooms recipe is a keeper. Crispy and sweet Christmas meringue cookies are perfect as a dessert, edible gifts, Buche de Noel, or Christmas Yule log decorations. They are fun to make and a joy to eat!

I have had the idea of making these mushroom meringue cookies as a dessert since my childhood. I remember how much I wanted to learn to make mushroom cookies as our neighbor did.
She decorated their caps with chocolate icing and covered the tips of the stems with poppy seeds. Then she placed them into a baked basket. It was the art I always wanted to learn.
Finally, I got the idea of making edible meringue mushrooms, but this time using meringue. As a Bûche de Noël lover, I used them to decorate the Christmas Yule log cake.
The meringue mushrooms look like real mushrooms. When I posted a picture of these sweet mushrooms with a trace of grass on Instagram some time ago, one of the readers completely confused them with the real ones.
She even asked me to post a recipe for "tagliatelle with mushrooms next time." These meringue cookies are sure to fool the eye!
History of meringue mushrooms
The first meringue mushrooms recipe appeared in Fannie Merritt Farmer’s Original 1896 Boston Cooking School Cook Book.
Although the popularity of these sweets probably is due to the recipe of Maida Heatter, who published it in 1974 in her "Book of Great Chocolate Desserts" and won the first prize for originality at the International Cooking Olympics.
Bûche de Noël meringue mushrooms
Meringue mushrooms make adorable meringue decorations for traditional French desserts - Bûche de Noël or Christmas Yule log. They are one of those “basic” log decorations that are called classic.
Use the white meringue to pipe the meringue caps or make red meringue mushrooms.
To make red meringue mushrooms, once the meringue is ready, divide the preparation into two halves. Add a few drops of red food coloring to one half and mix for about 30 seconds.
Pipe the white meringue to make stems, and pipe mushroom caps using the red-colored meringue.
Take a small amount of white meringue with a toothpick and make dots on red meringue caps. Then bake as directed.
Also, experiment with the different sizes of Yule log meringue mushrooms while pipping caps and stems.
Pastry chef Caitlin Dysart really exaggerates meringue mushrooms, her favorite decoration of a traditional Bûche de Noël!
According to Maida Heatter,
Smaller or larger mushrooms are equally attractive.
While presenting a Bûche de Noël, decorate a serving platter with meringue mushrooms fixing them with melted chocolate.
It will prevent them from breaking when they accidentally fall while serving the log to a holiday table.
Why this recipe works
- Meringue mushrooms are perfect for decorating forest-themed cakes or Christmas Yule Log (Buche de Noel).
- These Christmas meringue cookies make a great edible gift: package them in small plastic bags tied with a festive ribbon.
- Using red food coloring to make meringue mushrooms caps, these cookies are perfect for making for Halloween too.
- Mushroom meringues are fun to make for both kids and adults.
- This meringue mushroom recipe is easily made on dry and rainy days. According to Maida Heatter, who "made these innumerable times in Miami Beach, where it is almost always humid, they [meringue mushrooms] are always perfect."
- They can be made way ahead of time.
Ingredients
Here is a quick overview of what ingredients you will need. Follow the full recipe below for exact amounts and instructions. I recommend making the recipe as written for the best results.
Egg whites: use large egg whites. To separate them from the yolks, take the chilled eggs, and use an egg separator. Then let egg whites get to room temperature. It is essential!
Icing sugar: use icing sugar made with a coffee grinder or purchase powdered sugar.
Cocoa powder: the recipe calls for unsweetened cocoa powder.
Dark chocolate: use melted dark chocolate (read on how to melt chocolate) or replace it with milk or white chocolate. The use of dark chocolate brings a more realistic look to meringue mushrooms under the cap. You can also use royal icing or buttercream instead of melted chocolate to "glue" meringue caps and stems.
How to make meringue mushrooms
Preheat the oven to 210 F/100 C. To make the meringue, place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a metal bowl to use an electric mixer.
Add powdered (icing) sugar and combine (photo 1). Put the bowl over the bain-marie/water bath and beat egg whites with a hand whisk until foamy.
When the mixture is hot, remove the bowl from the heat and beat, using a stand or an electric mixer, until the meringue is cooled completely. Once it is ready, use the meringue immediately (photo 2).
Place the meringue in a pastry bag fitted with a round tip ½" (12 mm). Pipe 4 meringue dots in the corners of a baking sheet and place parchment paper. It will fix the paper during pipping and baking.
To pipe the meringue stems, hold the pastry bag perpendicular to the baking sheet. Start piping gently, forming a stem's base, then lift the bag while squeezing. Make sure to make the pointed end by pulling up the bag.
For the mushroom caps, keep holding the piping bag perpendicular to the baking sheet and smoothly squeeze the bag. Push the meringue into a plain round shape.
Once the perfect shape is obtained, stop squeezing and slowly remove the bag off to the side to avoid creating a peak on top.
If needed, use a lightly moistened finger to flatten the spike of the meringue dome.
The size of mushroom caps and the height of stems may vary: while the caps may average to 1 to 2 inch (2.5 cm to 5 cm) rounds and about 1 inch/2.5 cm high, the stems may get about 1 inch/2.5 cm high.
Caps and stems should be placed 1 inch/2.5 cm apart. Sprinkle mushroom caps with cocoa powder (photo 3).
Bake caps and stems for 1 hour. Once the meringue is ready, let it cool and detach from parchment paper. Make a hole on the bottom of each cap with the tip of a knife (photo 4).
Fill the hole and the top of stems with a little dark chocolate melted in a microwave.
Insert the stems into the hole under the caps. Place the mushrooms upside down and refrigerate to allow the chocolate to set (photos 5-6).
Expert tips
- Make sure egg whites are at room temperature.
- Pipe different rounds and lengths of mushroom caps and stems.
- Make a few extra stems since some of them may fall during baking.
- Once meringue caps and stems are baked, keep the oven door slightly ajar to allow the meringues to cool; although, this step could be omitted.
- Keep the baked caps and stems uncovered for a few days at room temperature before you assemble mushrooms.
- To facilitate the assembling process, use a serrated knife to slightly even the meringue stems' top.
- Store ready meringue mushrooms in an airtight container for a few weeks.
Frequently asked questions
Once the meringue mushrooms are cooled well, store them in an air-tight container, preferably a tin box, at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Meringue mushrooms are sensitive to humidity. To keep their crunch texture, it is not recommended to keeping them in the fridge.
Yes, to freeze meringue mushrooms, place them on parchment flat and freeze. After one hour, transfer meringues in an air-tight container and keep them in the freezer for several weeks. To thaw, bring them to room temperature for about an hour.
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Recipe card
Meringue Mushrooms Recipe
This meringue mushrooms recipe is a keeper. Crispy and sweet Christmas meringue cookies are perfect as a dessert, edible gifts, or Buche de Noel or Christmas Yule log decorations. They are fun to make and a joy to eat!
- Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Yield: 20 mushrooms 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
For the Swiss meringue:
- 4 large egg whites
- 2 cups (250 g) powdered (icing) sugar
For the finish:
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 oz (30 g) dark chocolate
* If needed, please refer to Baking Conversion Charts.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 210 F/100 C. To make the meringue, place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a metal bowl to use an electric mixer. Add powdered (icing) sugar and combine. Put the bowl over the bain-marie and beat egg whites with a hand whisk until foamy. When the mixture is hot, remove the bowl from the heat and beat, using a stand or an electric mixer, until the meringue is cooled completely. Once it is ready, use the meringue immediately.
- Place the meringue in a pastry bag fitted with a round tip ½" (12 mm). Pipe 4 meringue dots in the corners of a baking sheet and place parchment paper. It will fix the paper during pipping and baking.
- To pipe the meringue stems, hold the pastry bag perpendicular to the baking sheet. Start piping gently, forming a stem's base, then lift the bag while squeezing. Make sure to make the pointed end by pulling up the bag.
- For the mushroom caps, keep holding the piping bag perpendicular to the baking sheet and smoothly squeeze the bag. Push the meringue into a plain round shape. Once the perfect shape is obtained, stop squeezing and slowly remove the bag off to the side to avoid creating a peak on top. If needed, use a lightly moistened finger to flatten the spike of the meringue dome.
- The size of mushroom caps and the height of stems may vary: while the caps may average to 1 to 2 inch (2.5 cm to 5 cm) rounds and about 1 inch/2.5 cm high, the stems may get about 1 inch/2.5 cm high. Caps and stems should be placed 1 inch/2.5 cm apart. Sprinkle mushroom caps with cocoa powder.
- Bake caps and stems for 1 hour. Once the meringue is ready, let it cool and detach from parchment paper. Make a hole on the bottom of each cap with the tip of a knife. Fill the hole and the top of stems with a little dark chocolate melted in a microwave. Insert the stems into the hole under the caps. Place the mushrooms upside down and refrigerate to allow the chocolate to set.
Notes
- Make sure egg whites are at room temperature.
- Pipe different rounds and lengths of mushroom caps and stems.
- Make a few extra stems since some of them may fall during baking.
- Once meringue caps and stems are baked, keep the oven door slightly ajar to allow the meringues to cool; although, this step could be omitted.
- Keep the baked caps and stems uncovered for a few days at room temperature before you assemble mushrooms.
- To facilitate the assembling, use a serrated knife to slightly even the top of the meringue stems.
- Store ready Meringue Mushrooms in an airtight container for a few weeks.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meringue mushroom
- Calories: 61
- Sugar: 13.1 g
- Sodium: 8 mg
- Fat: 0.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.5 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 0.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: meringue mushrooms, meringue mushrooms recipe, how to make meringue mushrooms, meringue mushroom cookies
The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.
The recipe was originally published on May 05, 2018. It has been revised to include improved content and photos. All posted pictures are mine.
Katie says
These are so cute and fun! Can't wait to use them on Christmas goodies this year.
★★★★★
Irina says
Thanks Katie! These sweet mushrooms are fun to make. Enjoy!
Jessica says
These cookies are so fun! My kids will love to help me make these!
★★★★★
Irina says
Oh, this is for sure Jessica. Your kids might eat these meringue treats while they make them:) Enjoy!
SHANIKA says
I've never tried Meringue Mushrooms but this looks so tempting!
★★★★★
Irina says
Yes, I know Shanika! Making these Meringue Mushrooms is a unique baking project:) Enjoy! Thanks for your comment.
Stephanie says
These crispy and sweet meringue cookies were a perfect dessert for both adults and kids.
★★★★★
Irina says
I am happy to hear that you loved these sweet cuties! Thanks Stephanie!
Anita says
These mushrooms are simply too cute. They are indeed perfect to decorate a Christmas log cake.
★★★★★
Irina says
Thank you Anita! Making Buche de Noel now and decorating it with these sweet cookie-cuties! Happy holidays!
Emily Liao says
What a fun idea to make mushrooms out of meringue! The texture was perfect and made it a fun project for the kids.
★★★★★
Irina says
Thank you, Emily, for your comment. Yes, it is a fun baking project with kids.
Tara says
Oh, how cute! They look exactly like mushrooms! I love the dusting of cocoa powder on top. My kids would love these.
★★★★★
Irina says
Thank you, Tara. Please, enjoy the recipe!
Laurie says
What a great and unique idea to make mushrooms out of meringue! I am saving the recipe to make with kids later.
★★★★★
Irina says
Thanks, Linda! Please, enjoy the recipe!
Cindy says
My kiddos and I made this together! We have been spending a lot more time in the kitchen lately, and it is so fun. They really enjoyed making this recipe, but they enjoyed eating it even more! Thanks for this delish creation; we are adding it to our “make again” list!!
★★★★★
Irina says
WOW, Cindy! I am happy for you and your kids having fun while making these cute meringue mushrooms.
Biana says
These mushrooms are so much fun! I love the cocoa dusting, which really makes them look like mushrooms.
★★★★★
Irina says
Yes, it is genuine, Biana! Thanks for visiting the recipe.
Jennifer says
What a delight! These were so much fun to make. We did a little mushroom village for our fairies with them, and it was such a treat to eat them. And they are definitely going on my Buche de noel this winter.
★★★★★
Irina says
Yes, they are fun to make, a joy to eat, and the best decoration option. Please, enjoy it, Jennifer!
Kushigalu says
Never tried something like this before. So creative. It would be a great treat for the holidays. I pinned to try this.
★★★★★
Irina says
I am happy you already love the recipe. The rest is to make it one day. Thanks for stopping by, Kushigalu!
Dannii says
Oh wow - these really look like mushrooms. I can't wait to try them.
★★★★★
Irina says
Happy baking, and enjoy it, Dannii! Thanks for visiting the recipe.
Adrianne says
I love these cute meringues! I would never have thought to make them, but you have been thinking of it for along time. So perfect for the festive season also. Cheers!
★★★★★
Irina says
Yes, I had to make them. I was dreaming of that creation for years! 🙂 Thanks for visiting the recipe, Adrianne!
Charla says
This is the perfect recipe to make with kids over the holidays. Love it!
★★★★★
Irina says
Yes, Adrianne, it is one of the best fun baking projects to enjoy with kids. Happy baking!
Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
These are so lifelike, so I can see they would fool people. I love playing with meringue, so this has got me very excited! Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Irina says
Amanda, please, enjoy the recipe. I hope you will make these one day 🙂