Have you seen meringue Easter nests? They feel like such a classic Easter treat. We put a little spin on them and created meringue Easter baskets instead!! Complete with a cute little meringue handle and shredded coconut turned Easter grass!
These would be such a sweet treat for any Easter celebration, filled with your favorite Easter egg candies!! Here’s how to make them.
Ingredients for Meringue Easter Baskets
Here’s what you’ll need to make your meringue Easter nests:
- 2 egg whites (room temperature)
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice or 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 c sugar
- Food coloring (optional) for basket and/or bow
- Piping bag with large star tip
- White chocolate (for assembling)
- Shredded coconut
- Green food coloring
- Candy Easter eggs of your choice
- Parchment paper
- Cookie sheets
Making the Meringue Nests & Added Basket Details
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees.
Draw/trace circles on the backside of parchment paper to use as a template.
With a stand or hand mixer, whip the egg whites until foamy, a few minutes. Then add cream of tartar or lemon juice and continuing whipping.
Slowly add the sugar. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Add to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe over the circles (ensure the circles you drew are on the underside of the parchment!), starting in the center. Then pipe around the outer edge, going around 2-3 times to form the sides of the “basket.”
Then pipe arch shapes for handles, directly onto parchment paper, and bow shapes if desired. Pipe a few extra in case any break as you are assembling later.
Bake all at 200 degrees for about two hours. Then turn off the oven and let them cool in the oven for a few hours. This eliminates the sudden temperature change and can prevent cracking.
Assembling Your Baskets
While your meringues are baking, dye your coconut by adding coconut and a few drops of food coloring to a plastic bag. Mix with your hands until the coconut is all colored, then spread out and allow to dry on a baking sheet.
To assemble the baskets, melt your white chocolate and put into a piping bag or plastic bag with the corner trimmed off. Add a small drop of white chocolate to each side of the nest and add attach the handle. Then attach a bow to the handle with another drop of white chocolate if desired.
Fill with coconut grass. Top with your favorite Easter egg candies!
How To Store & Display Meringue Easter Baskets
If not using immediately, wait on adding the handles and store all pieces in an air tight container at room temperature. Add the handles shortly before serving.
Display your meringue Easter baskets on a cake stand or on a long platter. They look great stacked at various heights, or as a centerpiece on your Easter table!
Easter Candies To Use
I ended up using a combination of a few different Easter candies here. Here are some of my favorites for filling your meringue Easter baskets:
- Peanut Butter M&M Eggs
- Mini Cadbury Eggs
- Dark Chocolate Mini Cadbury Eggs
- Robin’s Eggs
- M&M’s Almond Easter Eggs
- Reese’s Pieces Eggs
- Milk Chocolate Marshmallow Eggs
- Robin’s Egg Caramels
Photos by Jeff Mindell
If you make these for your next Easter celebration, be sure to share a pic with me! I’d love to see them!!
Meringue Easter Baskets
Ingredients
- 2 egg whites (room temperature)
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar (or 1/2 tsp lemon juice)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- Food coloring (optional for basket and/or bow)
- White chocolate (for assembling)
- Green food coloring
- Shredded coconut
- Candy Easter eggs
- Piping bag with star tip
- Parchment paper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200 degrees.
- Draw/trace circles on the backside of parchment paper to use as a template.
- With a stand or hand mixer, whip the egg whites until foamy, a few minutes. Then add cream of tartar or lemon juice and continuing whipping.
- Slowly add the sugar. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Add to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe over the circles (ensure the circles you drew are on the underside of the parchment!), starting in the center. Then pipe around the outer edge, going around 2-3 times to form the sides of the "basket."
- Then pipe arch shapes for handles, directly onto parchment paper, and bow shapes if desired. Pipe a few extra in case any break as you are assembling later.
- Bake all at 200 degrees for about two hours. Then turn off the oven and let them cool in the oven for a few hours. This eliminates the sudden temperature change and can prevent cracking.
- While your meringues are baking, dye your coconut by adding coconut and a few drops of food coloring to a plastic bag. Mix with your hands until the coconut is all colored, then spread out and allow to dry on a baking sheet.
- To assemble the baskets, melt your white chocolate and put into a piping bag or plastic bag with the corner trimmed off. Add a small drop of white chocolate to each side of the nest and add attach the handle. Then attach a bow to the handle with another drop of white chocolate if desired.
- Fill with coconut grass. Top with your favorite Easter egg candies!
Francis Kirk says
I love the idea of a separate page on your site that details where you buy supplies! That would be so helpful to have all that info in one location rather than trying to find it in different posts. 🙂 Keep up the good work!
Buy Geometry Dash: Read Apps & Games Reviews
Albertina says
This Easter basket looks so cute my kids will love them. Thanks a lot for sharing the recipe