Carrot Meringues

Easter is just less then two weeks away and can you believe I haven’t baked a single Easter treat? What’s my deal? I blame it on the macarons really, if I hadn’t recently fell in love with the adorable little yummy treats I would be dreaming up floppy bunny ears and cute little cotton tails. Instead of dreaming of different macaron combos. But hey, maybe they won’t mind if we have coconut macarons for Easter dessert, or maybe some stuffed in their eggs? Think they’ll even notice the lack of fuzzy chicks?

Just incase, I whipped up some of the sweetest little carrots for the kiddos and Mr. Cotton tail. These carrot meringue cookies are so simple and fun, once again I had the kiddos begging to eat their “veggies“. (Remember the peas?) Sure they aren’t exactly vitamin C packed, but it’s nice to hear the kiddos begging can I pleeeeaaassee have another carrot mom? Just like all the other meringues I’ve shared they come together with just a few simple ingredients and then you just pop them in the oven and leave them! I don’t think Mr. Cottontail will mind a plate of these when he stops to visit, with a few carrot cake macarons maybe?!

Psst. Sorry for the crappy step by step pictures below. I have a major lack of light in the new kitchen and it’s causing me a real headache, I’m working on a few things to try and help out. I miss my beautiful natural light!

Here’s what you will need:

4 Egg Whites
1 1/3 Cup Sugar
1/4 TSP Salt
1/4 TSP Cream of Tarter
Orange Gel Coloring
Green Gel Coloring
Parchment Paper
2 Piping Bag
Small Round Tip (I used Wilton Top #10)
Small Leaf Tip (optional)

Makes approx. 64 carrot cookies.

Step 1: Preheat oven to about 150-170. (pretty much the lowest setting that it will allow) In the bowl of an electric mixer separate egg yolks from egg whites.

Step 2: Beat eggs until white and foamy. Mix in 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp cream of tarter until soft peaks form.

Step 3: Set timer for 7 minutes. Slowly add in sugar a bit at a time taking the entire 7 minutes to do so.

Step 4: Separate about 1 cup of meringue into a smaller bowl. Add some orange gel coloring to the remaining meringue in the mixer and beat just a moment until it’s mixed in. (mine took a pretty good scoop of coloring) Next, add a little bit of green gel coloring to the small amount you set aside.

Step 5: Prepare two piping bag with couplers and tips. I played around with several different leaf tips but in the end I ended up using the SAME small round tip (Wilton tip #10) for both leaf and carrot. I highly recommend using couplers so you can swap out tips as you need. I piped all of the carrots, washed the tip out, then placed it on the green and piped the leaves. I found that the leaf tips different work as well with the meringue. (my guess is it compressed the air and made it too thin)

Step 6: Begin by piping small “coils” about 2.5 inches long and 3/4 inch wide onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. (I found this pretty gingham parchment paper at World Market!) There will be plenty of meringue so if you’re a little nervous about the coils try out several test coils on a spare piece of parchment paper, also you can pipe more of a “zigzag” getting a little wider as you go if you would like. It’s much easier, but I really wanted it to be taller.

Step 7: Now pipe on little leaves. Again I used the same small round tip. For each leaf I squeezed out a little meringue and then pulled out away from the carrot.

Step 8: Place meringues in the center of the oven and set time for 2.5 hours. (I move both racks to the center and use both) Baking time will depend on how large you’ve piped your carrots. Once done carrots should be crisp and easily pull right off the parchment paper. If you aren’t sure you can always turn off the oven after the 2.5 hours then leave them in there until the entire oven is cool for a little extra baking time.

I really love making meringues, and I hope you guys give it a try too! I’ve found everybody from kiddos to adults and maybe even rabbits can’t stop munching on them. If you want to see more meringue ideas, check out more of my meringue treats here!