These charming snowman meringues are equal parts baking project and holiday showpiece. Made from vanilla-scented French-style meringue, they bake low and slow until crisp, feather-light, and delicately sweet, then are finished with colorful fruit tape scarves, a snowy coconut footer, and chocolate details. As whimsical as they look, these snowmen rely on solid meringue technique: carefully whipping the egg whites to stiff, glossy peaks and piping each snowman with steady pressure. The result is a delightful, adorable snowman meringue that practically melts on your tongue.
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Preheat the oven to 225°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment or lightly grease. If your baking sheets are dark, place one pan on top of a second pan to help protect the bottom of the meringues from becoming too dark.
To make the snowman meringues: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat on medium-low speed until the cream of tartar is broken up and the egg whites are foamy, about 2 minutes. Add the salt and whisk to combine.
In a small bowl, whisk to combine the granulated sugar and confectioners’ sugar, removing any lumps.
Slowly increase the speed of the mixer to medium-high. When the volume of the eggs has doubled and they begin to look opaque, sprinkle in the sugars 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue beating the whites and adding the sugar until the meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks and you’ve added all the sugar, 2 to 4 minutes.
Add the vanilla and whisk on low speed to incorporate.
Fit a pastry bag with an open round tip (or no tip at all). (An 806 or 808 tip, one with a 1/2" to 5/8" opening, works well here.) If not using a tip, simply cut off the pointy end of the bag to create a round opening about 1/2" in diameter. Transfer the meringue to the bag, filling it no more than two-thirds full. If your bag cannot accommodate all of the meringue at once, refill it with the remaining meringue as needed.
Using your dominant hand, hold the pastry bag perpendicular to the baking sheet, about 1/2" above the surface. Squeeze the bag decisively and steadily to pipe about 1 tablespoon (4g) meringue in a rounded dome. (This creates the snowman’s body.) Stop squeezing and quickly flick your wrist to create a small peak. Immediately lift the bag about 1/2" above the first dome, and pipe about 1 teaspoon (2g) meringue directly on top. Stop squeezing and quickly pull the pastry bag upward to create a small decorative peak. (This creates the snowman’s head.)
Repeat step 7, continuing to pipe snowman meringues on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1" apart (they don’t spread much) until you’ve used all the meringue.
Bake the meringues for 30 minutes, then without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 200°F, and continue to bake for another 2 hours. Remove the meringues from the oven and test if they’re done: They should feel very light for their size and should sound hollow when gently tapped on the bottom. If the meringues don’t seem thoroughly baked, turn off the oven and return them to the lower rack, allowing them to continue drying as the oven cools down.
Allow the snowman meringues to cool completely on the pan, at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours, uncovered, at room temperature.
To decorate the snowmen meringues: Use a sharp paring knife to cut pieces of fruit tape 5" to 6" long and 1/2" wide; leave the fruit tape on its paper while you cut it. These are the snowmen’s scarves.
Working quickly so the fruit tape doesn’t stick to your fingers, peel one “scarf” off the paper and wrap it around the “neck” of one of the snowman meringues. Where the strip overlaps, gently twist together the ends to hold the scarf in place. Repeat with the second strip of fruit tape on another meringue. Repeat this process, slicing new lengths of fruit tape and placing them on the meringues until all the snowmen have scarves.
In a small, microwave-safe bowl, place the white chocolate. Heat at 50% power, uncovered, in 20-second increments, stirring between each, until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Place the shredded coconut on a large plate or shallow bowl in an even layer.
Working with one meringue at a time, dip the bottom 1/8" to 1/4" into the white chocolate and then immediately into the coconut. Transfer the meringue back to the baking sheet to dry, right-side up, for about 15 minutes.
Set aside the excess white chocolate; you’ll use it to adhere the snowmen’s noses. While the white chocolate sets, make a parchment cornet.
In a small, microwave-safe bowl, place the semisweet chocolate. Heat at 50% power, uncovered, in 20-second increments, stirring between each, until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Transfer enough melted chocolate to the cornet to fill it two-thirds full, and fold to seal. Snip off the tip of the cornet and test it by piping a small dot of chocolate on a plate or small piece of parchment. If the chocolate isn’t coming out smoothly or you have to squeeze very firmly, snip the hole a little bigger. The goal is to get consistent, tiny dots that flow easily.
Working with one snowman meringue at a time, use the cornet to pipe two side-by-side “eyes” onto the head and two to three “buttons” vertically down the length of the torso. Continue piping the chocolate on the remaining meringues (refilling the cornet if needed), and allow the chocolate to dry, about 10 minutes.
By now, the white chocolate that was used on the bottoms of the snowmen meringues should be cool and semi-firm, about the consistency of peanut butter. If it has completely hardened, remelt it briefly in the microwave until you achieve a peanut butter-like consistency. If it is still very fluid, allow it to sit at cool room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes until it firms up slightly.
Working carefully, dip the end of a sprinkle into the white chocolate and immediately adhere it to the “face” of one of the snowman meringues just below the “eyes.” Hold it in place for 5 to 10 seconds to adhere. If the chocolate is the ideal texture, the sprinkle should stick out like a carrot nose on a snowman. If the chocolate is a little too fluid, the sprinkle will fall and stick to the snowman’s “face” vertically. Either way works; you get to choose the outcome based on your level of patience for fine detail.
Storage information: Serve the Snowman Meringue Cookies at room temperature; store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week. Freezing is not recommended.
Tips from our Bakers
Eggs are easiest to separate when they're cold, but the whites should be at room temperature when you beat them to achieve maximum volume. The easiest way to do this is to separate the eggs straight from the refrigerator, then place the bowl with the egg whites into another bowl filled with warm water. Use a fork to break up the whites. After about 10 minutes, the whites will be warm enough to use.
The weight of egg whites can vary, even if they're all labeled as the same size. For best results, use between 90g and 105g of egg whites in this recipe.
For best results, your coconut should be very finely shredded (about 1/8" pieces). If this is hard to find in store or online, use a food processor to finely grate up the smallest sweetened coconut available.
For best results, avoid using chocolate chips in this recipe. They contain stabilizers that make piping the tiny snowmen eyes and buttons difficult.
Be aware: Some of your baking ingredients can be a hidden source of gluten. Learn more at our blog post: For gluten-free baking, think beyond just flour. For additional information on King Arthur-produced products, read the complete details of our allergen program, including our contact-prevention practices.
