Crunchy, sweet, and absolutely adorable, Yule log meringue mushrooms are a versatile treat. Enjoy them as a dessert, give them as edible gifts, or use them to decorate your Buche de Noel or Christmas Yule log. Get ready for fun in the kitchen and pure joy when serving.
The meringue mushroom recipe is perfect for both dry and rainy days. Maida Heatter, the author of numerous dessert cookbooks, lives in a humid climate. She "made these innumerable times in Miami Beach, where it is almost always humid, they [meringue mushrooms] are always perfect."
Meringue mushrooms
Also known as Yule Log mushrooms, these are little edible gems that are not only adorable but also super easy to make. With just four ingredients (without cream of tartar and lemon juice) and basic piping skills, you can make them in no time!
Mushroom meringue cookies add a whimsical touch to Christmas Yule Logs and woodland cakes, like Bûche de Noël and Tree Stump Cake. They also make a delightful edible gift and a perfect addition to a Christmas cookie box.
Now, let me show you how to make meringue mushrooms so everyone around will be impressed by your baking skills. Yes, they will!
Ingredients
For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.
First, let’s chat about ingredients. You just need four simple ingredients:
- Egg whites - large egg whites at room temperature.
- Icing sugar - the same as powdered and confectioners' sugar.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Dark chocolate - melted dark chocolate (read how to melt chocolate) or replace it with milk, white chocolate, or chocolate chips.
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 step-by-step
Preheat the oven to 210°F (100°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 1. To make Swiss meringue, place egg whites in the clean bowl of a stand mixer or a large metal bowl.
Step 2. Add powdered (icing) sugar and whip egg whites with a hand whisk a few times. Put the bowl over the bain-marie or water bath and beat egg whites with a whisk until foamy.
Step 3. When the meringue mixture is hot, remove the bowl from the heat and beat it with a stand or electric mixer until it cools completely. The meringue will have a glossy appearance with stiff peaks. Use it right away.
Step 4. Transfer meringue to a large piping bag with a round piping tip of ½" (12 mm). Pipe 4 meringue dots in the corners of the prepared baking sheet and place parchment paper. It will fix the paper during pipping and baking.
For the caps of the mushrooms, keep holding the piping bag upright to the baking sheet and smoothly squeeze the bag. Push the meringue into a plain round shape (photo 1).
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 wet fingertip to flatten the spike of the meringue dome.
Step 5. Hold the pastry bag upright on the baking sheet to pipe the meringue stems. 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 (photo 2). Caps and stems should be placed 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.
Pro tip: The size of mushroom caps and the height of stems may vary: while the caps may average 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) tall.
Step 6. Sprinkle mushroom caps with cocoa powder.
Step 7. Bake caps and stems for 1 hour. Once the meringues are ready, let them cool and detach from parchment paper.
Step 8. To assemble meringue mushrooms, carefully select and arrange the caps and stems to achieve the most visually appealing size and shape combinations. Melt chocolate according to any of the ways described in the chocolate mousse recipe.
Then, use one of the provided methods for assembly.
- Make a small hole on the bottom of each cap with the tip of a small paring knife. Fill the hole and the top of the stems with a little melted dark chocolate. Insert the stems into the hole under the caps. Place the mushrooms upside down and refrigerate to allow the chocolate to set.
- Slightly trim the tops of the mushroom stems evenly using a serrated knife. Using a small offset spatula, coat the bottom of the cap with melted chocolate (photo 3). Dip the tip of a mushroom stem into the chocolate and twist it gently to attach the cap and stem together (photo 4). Place the assembled mushroom upside down on a wire rack lined with parchment and allow the chocolate to set.
Pro tip: Don't worry about slightly crooked stems: they will appear perfect when flipped over. However, adjust any completely fallen stems.
Step 9. Sprinkle a little cocoa powder on the upright meringue mushrooms to give them a freshly emerged look from a soft earth patch.
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 it is optional.
- Keep the baked caps and stems uncovered for a few days at room temperature before you assemble the mushrooms.
- Store ready meringue mushrooms in an airtight container for a few weeks.
- 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.
Storing and freezing
Store the cooled meringue mushrooms in an air-tight container, preferably a tin box, at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Can you freeze meringue mushrooms? To freeze meringue mushrooms, place them on parchment flat and freeze them. After one hour, transfer meringues to an airtight container and keep them in the freezer for several weeks.
To thaw, bring them to room temperature for about an hour.
Recipe variations
- Replace cocoa powder with sifted freeze-dried strawberry powder on meringue mushroom caps.
- Use red food coloring to make meringue mushroom tops:
- 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.
- Experiment with a mushroom shape and size of mushroom meringues. According to Maida Heatter, "Smaller or larger mushrooms are equally attractive." Pastry chef Caitlin Dysart exaggerates meringue mushrooms, her favorite decoration of a traditional Bûche de Noël.
- Make more realistic mushrooms by rubbing cocoa powder into the baked meringues and buffing their caps and stems.
Recipe FAQ
Meringue mushrooms are the perfect decoration for Buche de Noel or Christmas Yule log cake. Prepare them ahead of time to adorn the Christmas dessert.
Meringue mushrooms crack due to high oven temperature or sudden temperature changes. Prevent this by baking them at a low temperature and allowing them to cool in the switched-off oven.
Meringue mushrooms are sensitive to humidity. To keep their crunch texture, it is not recommended to keep them in the fridge.
Love Christmas cookies? Try these next!
- Mini Gingerbread Men Cookies
- Chocolate Banana Pecan Cookies
- Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
- Bredele Cookies
- Christmas Cookie Ornaments
- Or browse all the cookie recipes
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PrintRecipe card
Meringue Mushrooms Recipe
Crunchy, sweet, and utterly irresistible, these meringue mushrroms are a versatile treat. Enjoy them as a dessert, give them as edible gifts, or use them to adorn your Buche de Noel or Christmas Yule log.
- Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Yield: 20 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
For Swiss meringue:
- 4 large egg whites, room temperature
- 2 cups (250 g) powdered (icing) sugar
For the finish:
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 2 oz (60 g) dark chocolate
* If needed, please refer to Baking Conversion Charts.
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 210°F (100°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
To make Swiss meringue, place egg whites in the clean bowl of a stand mixer or a large metal bowl. Add powdered (icing) sugar and whip egg whites with a hand whisk a few times. Put the bowl over the bain-marie or water bath and beat egg whites with a whisk until foamy.
-
When the meringue mixture is hot, remove the bowl from the heat, and beat it with a stand or electric mixer until it cools completely. The meringue will have a glossy appearance with stiff peaks. Use it right away.
-
Transfer meringue to a large piping bag with a round piping tip ½" (12 mm). Pipe 4 meringue dots in the corners of the prepared baking sheet and place parchment paper. It will fix the paper during pipping and baking.
-
To pipe the meringue stems, hold the pastry bag upright on 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 caps of the mushrooms, keep holding the piping bag upright 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 wet fingertip 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 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) tall. 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.
-
To assemble meringue mushrooms, carefully select and arrange the caps and stems to achieve the most visually appealing size and shape combinations. Melt chocolate in a double boiler or microwave.
-
Then, use one of the provided methods for assembly. Don't worry about slightly crooked stems: they will appear perfect when flipped over. However, adjust any completely fallen stems.
-
Slightly trim the tops of the mushroom stems evenly using a serrated knife. Using a small offset spatula, coat the bottom of the cap with melted chocolate. Dip the tip of a mushroom stem into the chocolate and twist it gently to attach the cap and stem together. Place the assembled mushroom upside down on a wire rack lined with parchment and allow the chocolate to set.
-
Another way to assemble the meringue mushrooms is to make a small hole on the bottom of each cap with the tip of a small paring knife. Fill the hole and the top of the stems with a little melted dark chocolate. Insert the stems into the hole under the caps. Place the mushrooms upside down and refrigerate to allow the chocolate to set.
-
Sprinkle cocoa powder on the upright meringue mushrooms to give them a freshly emerged look from a soft earth patch.
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 it is optional.
- Keep the baked caps and stems uncovered for a few days at room temperature before you assemble the mushrooms.
- Store ready meringue mushrooms in an airtight container for a few weeks.
- 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.
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
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.
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