These cute mini meringues make the perfect Easter treat. Drizzling with chocolate and filling with mini eggs means the young ones in your life will enjoy helping you decorate them too!
Easy Easter Meringue Nests
These meringues are one of my favorite easy Springtime treats that would be perfect for any celebration such as Easter, Mothers' Day, or even wedding and baby showers. The meringues are crisp and chewy and will make a beautiful centerpiece for your table.
Easy Easter Meringue Nests with Chocolate Mini Eggs
What You Will Love About This Recipe
Easter meringue cookies come together super easily, with only a few ingredients needed. You can easily whip them up the day before you plan to serve them which makes planning a breeze.
The other thing you will love about this recipe is that they are gluten free and can easily be made dairy free by swapping the chocolate and mini eggs for dairy free alternatives. This makes them the perfect cute and sweet treat for all guests at your next Spring gathering!
Ingredient Tips
While the full ingredients list is available in the recipe card below, here are some tips on what ingredients you will need to make these delicious little sweet treats.
Egg whites - I recommend separating your eggs as soon as you take them out of the fridge, since the yolk is less likely to break while the eggs are cold. You want to make sure you do not let any of the yolks get into the egg whites, or they won't foam up. Then, you will need to let them sit while covered in a small bowl until they reach room temperature. This is important, because the eggs will absorb the sugar easier and will better reach the consistency you are looking for if they are room temperature. I do not recommend using egg whites from a carton. This is because they go through a pasteurization process that toughens the proteins, which makes it harder to stretch them when whipping with your mixer. As a result, they will need a lot more time to reach the consistency you are looking for and will generally be more difficult to work with. Save your carton egg whites for your omelets and skip them here if you can!
Granulated sugar - You can use granulated or caster sugar if you have it. I find regular granulated sugar works just fine, so you don't need to feel like you have to buy a fancy sugar that will not be used as often if you don't want to.
Cream of tartar - You can also use fresh lemon juice for this, but I prefer to use cream of tartar.
Dark chocolate - If you prefer only white chocolate or milk chocolate, you can use that instead.
White chocolate - If you prefer only dark chocolate or milk chocolate, you can use that instead.
Coconut oil - This is what will give your chocolate that beautiful shine when it hardens, so I highly recommend adding a little to your chocolate as you melt it. If you do not have it and do not want to buy coconut oil just for this recipe, you can always skip it!
Mini eggs - These are what makes these Easter treats so cute in my opinion! If you can't find mini eggs, any other chocolate Easter eggs will also do the trick!
Easy Easter Meringue Nests with Chocolate Mini Eggs
Substitutions
I find these the perfect dessert to make at Easter time, but you can always make some substitutions if you want to make them more generic, or if you are simply not a fan of chocolate!
Instead of using a chocolate drizzle and mini eggs, you could use lemon curd to make a cute and bright little treat!
Not a fan of melted chocolate? You could use a buttercream or chocolate ganache to fill the center of your nests instead!
Don't have chocolate eggs on hand? Jelly beans could also work in a pinch!
Want even more chocolate flavor in your meringues? You could add a little bit of cocoa powder to your meringue mixture to achieve this.
Can't find cream of tartar? No problem, simply substitute the cream of tartar for a quarter teaspoon of fresh lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice could also work if needed.
Looking for a healthier way to serve these? You could use whipped cream and fresh fruit or fresh berries which would also look beautiful!
Recommended Tools for Making Gluten Free Meringue Nests
Making the perfect treat for Easter Sunday is a breeze with the right tools! Here is a breakdown of what you will need.
A handheld electric mixer or stand mixer
Large bowl
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Baking Sheets
Parchment or baking paper
Other equipment that would be helpful but isn't necessary includes:
Pastry bag with a large star tip (if you don't have this, no problem! You can use a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped or even scoop with a spoon for a more eclectic presentation.)
Spatula
Spoon
Easy Easter Meringue Nests with Chocolate Mini Eggs
Recipe Tips on How to Make Easter Meringues
While the full recipe instructions are available below, here are some tips to make the perfect cute meringue nests!
Preheat your oven to 175F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make sure your large mixing bowl is clean and does not have any residue of fat in it. This is important because if there is any residual fat in the bowl, you won't get the fluffy texture and stiff peaks we're after! In a large grease-free bowl, add the cream of tartar to the bottom and then add your egg whites. Using the whisk attachment on your mixer, mix on medium-low speed until the cream of tartar is absorbed and the egg whites have a light foam on the top. Bring the speed on your mixer up to medium and continue to whip egg whites as you slowly add the sugar, one or two spoonful's at a time. Once each little bit of sugar is absorbed into the egg whites, add the next little bit until there is no sugar left. The meringue mixture will start having soft peaks at this point. Bring the speed on your mixer up to medium or high and whip until stiff peaks start to form.
Add your meringue mixture to a pastry bag with the large star nozzle. On your parchment paper-lined baking sheet, pipe your meringue into three-inch rounds with some extra meringue around the top of the outer edge of each meringue. If you are using a spoon, scoop three-inch rounds onto the baking sheet. Using the back of a spoon, press an indent into the center of each meringue nest.
Place the baking sheet with meringues in the oven for one and a half to two hours. Do not open the oven door during the first hour that the meringues are in there. The drying time for the meringues is going to depend on how dense and thick the meringue is as well as your oven. You can check the readiness of the meringue by gently touching the side of it, if the sides of the nest are sticky or bend to your touch, it is not ready and you will need to continue drying in the oven for another 30-60 minutes. You are looking for a crisp meringue where the bottom comes off of the parchment easily. Once your meringues are ready, remove from the oven and let cool on the baking tray on a cooling rack for at least one hour.
Once your meringues are cooled, boil water in a small or medium sized pot and place a heat safe bowl over it to create a bain-marie. When the water reaches a rolling simmer, place the chocolate and coconut oil in the bowl over the pot of hot water and stir until it is melted and fully combined. Let it cool for a few minutes before you decorate your meringues.
Drizzle some of the melted chocolate in the middle of the nest shape of each meringue and place roughly three of the mini chocolate eggs in the melted chocolate so that they are held in place as the chocolate hardens. Let cool until the chocolate is hard and the mini eggs do not move. Serve and enjoy!
How to Store Meringue Nests
The best way to store these adorable meringue nests is to keep them at room temperature in an airtight container separated by layers of parchment paper. They will last up to five days like this or up to three months if you place the container in the freezer.
Easy Easter Meringue Nests with Chocolate Mini Eggs
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I stop my meringues from cracking?
You want to make sure you have your oven set to 175F, drying your meringues low and slow is the best way to make sure you avoid cracking your mini nest cookies. If it is cold where you are when baking these, you may want to let your meringues cool in the oven. Simply turn the oven off and leave them in there as the oven cools. This will help to avoid a sudden temperature change which could shock the meringues and cause cracking.
Can I make these meringues in advance?
Yes! You can store these meringues for up to five days in an airtight container at room temperature. These would be perfect to prepare in advance of your next Spring get together.
What can I do with the leftover egg yolks?
One way I love to use leftover egg yolks is to add them to scrambled eggs as I whisk the eggs together. This makes a super rich and creamy egg scramble which is absolutely delicious. You could also save them to make a carbonara pasta sauce or hollandaise sauce. There are many uses for your egg yolks, so don't let them go to waste!
Is this recipe gluten or dairy free?
This recipe is gluten free and can easily be made dairy free! Simply make sure you use dairy free chocolate options for the center of your egg nests.
Do I have to use cream of tartar?
No you do not. You can swap for a quarter teaspoon of lemon juice or simply remove it all together. Note this will make the meringue mixture take more time to come together as a result.
Can I use a piping bag to make meringue Nests?
Yes of course! This will be the easiest way to make your nests, especially if you want to have that beautiful spiral base to show off. A piping bag or pastry bag is by no means necessary though. You can use a Ziploc bag with the corn snipped or even scoop with a spoon to create a more uneven nest shape.
How Can I Tell My Meringues are Ready?
You can check the readiness of your meringues by gently touching the side of it, if the sides of the nest are sticky or bend to your touch, it is not ready and you will need to continue drying in the oven for another 30-60 minutes. You are looking for a crisp meringue where the bottom comes off of the parchment easily.
Easy Easter Meringue Nests with Chocolate Mini Eggs
More Delicious Recipes for Easter
Love this Easter recipe and looking for more? Here are some other delicious recipes for sweet treats that you will love!
Easy Easter Meringue Nests with Chocolate Mini Eggs
These cute mini meringues make the perfect Easter treat. Drizzling with chocolate and filling with mini eggs means the young ones in your life will enjoy helping you decorate them too!
Preheat your oven to 175F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make sure your large mixing bowl is clean and does not have any residue of fat in it. This is important because if there is any residual fat in the bowl, you won't get the fluffy texture and stiff peaks we're after! In a large grease-free bowl, add the cream of tartar to the bottom and then add your egg whites. Using the whisk attachment on your mixer, mix on medium-low speed until the cream of tartar is absorbed and the egg whites have a light foam on the top. Bring the speed on your mixer up to medium and continue to whip egg whites as you slowly add the sugar, one or two spoonful's at a time. Once each little bit of sugar is absorbed into the egg whites, add the next little bit until there is no sugar left. The meringue mixture will start having soft peaks at this point. Bring the speed on your mixer up to medium or high and whip until stiff peaks start to form.
Add your meringue mixture to a pastry bag with the large star nozzle. On your parchment paper-lined baking sheet, pipe your meringue into three-inch rounds with some extra meringue around the top of the outer edge of each meringue. If you are using a spoon, scoop three-inch rounds onto the baking sheet. Using the back of a spoon, press an indent into the center of each meringue nest.
Place the baking sheet with meringues in the oven for one and a half to two hours. Do not open the oven door during the first hour that the meringues are in there. The drying time for the meringues is going to depend on how dense and thick the meringue is as well as your oven. You can check the readiness of the meringue by gently touching the side of it, if the sides of the nest are sticky or bend to your touch, it is not ready and you will need to continue drying in the oven for another 30-60 minutes. You are looking for a crisp meringue where the bottom comes off of the parchment easily. Once your meringues are ready, remove from the oven and let cool on the baking tray on a cooling rack for at least one hour.
Once your meringues are cooled, boil water in a small or medium sized pot and place a heat safe bowl over it to create a bain-marie. When the water reaches a rolling simmer, place the chocolate and coconut oil in the bowl over the pot of hot water and stir until it is melted and fully combined. Let it cool for a few minutes before you decorate your meringues.
Drizzle some of the melted chocolate in the middle of the nest shape of each meringue and place roughly three of the mini chocolate eggs in the melted chocolate so that they are held in place as the chocolate hardens. Let cool until the chocolate is hard and the mini eggs do not move. Serve and enjoy!
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