3D Meringue Snowmen

Baking is a great way to pass the time whenever it’s too cold or snowy to head outside or travel in the winter. While classic recipes like peanut butter blossoms and frosted sugar cookies will never go out of style, it’s always fun to try something new—especially when you have time at your disposal. These adorable 3D meringue snowmen are the perfect recipe for your next snow day.

Made with a simple French meringue, these whimsical little snowmen are piped onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and then baked until firm. They’re decorated with royal icing for eyes, mouths and buttons and a single orange jimmy for each carrot nose. They’re a sweet holiday treat that kids and adults alike will love to make—and eat.

Our favorite part of this Christmas dessert is how much fun you can have decorating. Change up the faces and other decorations to give each snowman its own unique personality. They’ll make a festive addition to any cookie platter or dessert table.

Ingredients for 3D Meringue Snowmen

• Egg whites: No matter the type of meringue recipe you’re making, you’ll need egg whites. For best results, use older eggs and let the egg whites come to room temperature before beating.
• Cream of tartar: While not essential, cream of tartar is a great insurance policy when a super-structured meringue is desired. It strengthens the proteins in egg whites, allowing them to whip up faster and with greater stability.
• Superfine sugar: While an equal amount of regular granulated sugar can be used, we recommend using superfine sugar (also labeled as caster sugar) if available. Its fine sugar granules dissolve more easily, leading to a smoother, glossier meringue without a grainy texture.
• Black and white royal icing: Royal icing makes a terrific glue for adhering the noses to the 3D meringue snowmen. For the best results, a thicker, drier icing is ideal because it’s less prone to dripping and will dry faster.
• Orange jimmies: No need to buy a package of orange-only jimmies: You can grab a container of classic rainbow sprinkles and just pull out enough orange ones to make your noses.
• Twizzlers Pull ‘N’ Peel: A single strand of Twizzlers is just the right size for making each snowman a festive Christmas scarf.

How to Make 3D Meringue Snowmen

Step 1: Make the meringue

Place the egg whites in a small bowl and let them stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°F.

After they’ve come to room temperature, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium speed until foamy.

Next, gradually add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until the sugar is dissolved.

Continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.

Editor’s Tip: The time it takes to achieve stiff peaks will vary depending on your kitchen’s temperature and humidity, and on your mixer’s speed. That said, it usually takes four to six minutes to reach stiff peaks.

Step 2: Pipe on parchment

Line a sheet pan with parchment and fit a piping bag with a large round tip. Transfer the meringue to the bag. With your nozzle positioned 1 inch above the sheet pan, pipe a ball that’s about 1-1/2 inches wide onto the parchment.

Then, pipe a smaller ball on top of the first ball. If the heads of the snowmen have a point on top, use a sharp knife dipped in warm water to smooth the tops.

Editor’s Tip: These snowmen bake the best with just two stacked meringue balls each. You can attempt to make snowmen with three tiers; however, they are prone to leaning as they bake. That said, it gives them tons of character, so feel free to mix and match styles for a fun assortment of snowman friends. A Wilton No. 1A round decorating tip is the perfect size for piping.

Step 3: Bake and slowly cool

Bake for 60 minutes or until fully set and dry. Turn off the oven and let the snowmen cool for at least one hour in the oven. Remove to wire racks to finish cooling.

Editor’s Tip: Waiting is truly the most challenging part about making meringues. Don’t rush the process or you’ll be left with cracked cookies or chewy, sticky meringues.

Step 4: Decorate

To decorate, wrap a single strand of Twizzlers around each snowman’s neck to make a scarf (you may need to trim the ends if they’re long).

Next, pipe a teeny-tiny dot of white royal icing in the middle of each snowman’s face and adhere an orange sprinkle for a carrot nose.

Editor’s Tip: If you ever wanted to feel like a Michelin chef, now’s your chance. Grab a clean set of fine-tip tweezers and use them to apply the sprinkle noses to the snowmen with laser precision.

Then, apply two small dots of black royal icing on each snowman’s head for eyes. Finish by using the black royal icing to create a mouth and black coal buttons down the front of each snowman. Allow the icing to set, then serve.

Other Ways to Decorate 3D Meringue Snowmen

• Give them Santa hats: For a jolly Santa-shaped treat, leave the points on the snowmen heads. When decorating, dip each snowman headfirst into a small cup of red royal icing, allowing any excess to drip off. Next, sprinkle the wet icing with red sanding sugar, then let it set. Finish by piping a small strand of white royal icing or buttercream around the brim of each hat and a pompom on the tip.
• Equip them with earmuffs: Make adorable earmuffs for your snowmen by applying two M&M’s or large star-shaped novelty sprinkles to the sides of each snowman’s head. Connect with a thin strand of black royal icing.
• Set the serving scene: Create a wintery landscape for your 3D meringue snowmen to live in with a layer of shredded sweetened coconut. It makes a great snowlike base for serving your finished snowmen on a platter. Pair with a batch of striped mini meringues for an impressive presentation.
• Use mini chocolate chips for eyes: Instead of using black royal icing, tiny chocolate chips give these 3D meringue snowmen so much character. If you can find tiny eye-shaped decorating candies, those would also work well.

How to Store 3D Meringue Snowmen

Meringues are best stored at room temperature in an airtight food storage container. Do not refrigerate 3D meringue snowmen, as moisture will make them soft and sticky.

How long do meringue snowmen last?

When stored properly, 3D meringue snowmen will stay fresh for up to three weeks.

Can you freeze meringue snowmen?

Yes! While refrigerating meringues is not recommended, you can freeze them. Freeze decorated or undecorated snowmen in a single layer on a sheet pan for one hour. Then, transfer them to an airtight food storage container. Freeze for up to two months. To enjoy, thaw the snowmen in their sealed container at room temperature.

3D Meringue Snowmen Tips

How do I keep the meringue from deflating when piping the snowman layers?

Meringue can be fickle. If you notice that your meringue is deflating as you pipe it, a few things may have occurred. First, it’s possible that you over- or under-whipped the meringue. You need to incorporate just the right amount of air into meringue to make it stable. Too little and it won’t have enough structural integrity to hold its shape; too much can cause the proteins in the eggs to break and collapse upon piping.

Second, it’s possible that a small amount of yolk made its way into the egg whites, which prevented the egg whites from stabilizing because of the fat content.

Finally, be mindful of the temperature in your kitchen. A hot kitchen can make it difficult for a meringue to remain stable.

Why did my meringues crack or brown in the oven?

Temperature is key when baking meringues. If your oven is set too high or if you bake the meringues for too long, they will crack or turn brown. Likewise, cooling meringues properly is equally important. For the best results, cool the meringues in the oven with the door ajar for at least one hour after baking. If you cool the meringues at room temperature, the sudden temperature change can cause them to crack.

Also, overmixing meringue can also lead to cracks. Beating the egg whites too much can work too much air into the mixture, leaving large voids that expand and cause cracks to appear as the meringues bake.