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Vegan Snowmen Meringue Cookies

These snowman-shaped vegan meringue cookies will be a hit at your next wintertime gathering. They are sweet, crisp, airy and completely adorable!
Course Dessert
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings 25 cookies
Calories 54kcal

Ingredients

  • Liquid from a 15 oz can of chickpeas (unsalted)
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon Cream of tartar *See note
  • ¾ cup fine sugar
  • cup vegan chocolate chips
  • Orange food coloring

Items needed:

  • 2 decorating bags or ziploc bags.
  • Small round decorating tip for snowmen noses (I used Wilton #3 tip)
  • Medium round decorating tip for snowmen bodies (I used Wilton #12 tip)
  • Ribbon for snowmen scarves (vegan rope candy can be used too)
  • 1 fine tipped paint brush for chocolate eyes , mouth & buttons.

Instructions

  • Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, add chickpea brine, vanilla & cream of tartar to the bowl. Start speed on low to gently incorporate. Gradually increase speed over the next few minutes, until you end up at med-high (not full speed). The mixture will start to get foamy, then it will start to thicken up and turn white and form soft peaks. Once it starts to form stiff peaks, slowly add the sugar a few tablespoons at a time. Continue whipping until sugar is incorporated and the stiff peaks are glossy and hold their shape. The process can take 10-12 mins. *See note for meringue tips
  • Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (*see note)
  • Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (use dots of meringue underneath in the corners to keep paper down)
  • Cut tip off decorating bag (or ziploc) and fit with decorating tip (for both bags). Using a spoon, transfer the white meringue to a pastry bag fitted with the #12 tip (you might need to fill it twice). Leave about ⅓ cup meringue for orange noses. Gently twist the top to close and keep shut with a clip, band or use hand to keep closed while piping.
  • Start piping the snowman head on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Squeeze from the top and create a quarter-size head shape. Don't touch tip to paper, hover it over it a little bit about ¼ inch. Stop squeezing before lifting up to avoid a long peak from forming. Continue to the mid-body, making the circle a bit larger than the head, and so on for the bottom half of the body. The three circles should be connected. Continue until white meringue is used up. Leave about 2 inches in between each cookie. If little peaks form, slightly dampen your finger and lightly press them down. The cookies will smooth out more as they cook.
  • Put 1-2 drops of food coloring into the remaining white meringue and combine. Be careful not to use too much or it could make the meringue runny. Fill your pastry bag and begin piping the noses. I made a tiny circular motion as I worked up.
  • Place in oven for 1 ½ - 2 hours (*see note). The cookies should be light and crisp and not browned. To check for doneness, test to see if a cookie will easily lift off parchment paper. The bottoms should be dry and not sticky. Turn off heat and let cookies completely cool in oven before removing to avoid cracking.
  • When cookies are completely cooled, melt your chocolate chips over low heat and stir constantly to prevent burning or microwave for 30-60 seconds. Using a small-tipped paintbrush or toothpick, dot on eyes, buttons and make little smiles. Have fun with it!
  • For the snowmen scarves, cut and tie ribbon around the neck or use vegan rope candy.

Video

Notes

MERINGUE TIPS:
  • 1. Make sure the mixing bowl & attachments are very clean with no oil residue. Clean with vinegar, if needed.
  • 2. To check for stiff peaks, remove whisk & dip into meringue and hold whisk straight up. If the peaks fall over, continue to whip until they are firm and don't fall over.
  • 3. Cream of tartar isn't completely necessary to use, but it does help the meringue hold its shape a little better & longer.
  • 4. I use a balloon whip attachment, but a whisk attachment can be used too.
* I lightly sprinkled granulated sugar on top of the wet meringues to give a subtle sparkly effect.
*Oven Temperature: My oven tends to run hot, so I heat it to 200 F and leave the door open slightly while cooking. My meringues take 1 ½ hours to finish. I turn the heat off after that and let them cool for a few hours in the oven. A hot oven can cause the meringues to cook too quickly on the outside. Also, cooling too quickly can cause cracking. Don't open the door all the way too many times, just keep a careful eye on the cookies so they don't burn.
*If the meringues get lightly brown on the bottom, it shouldn't affect the way they taste. If you want to cover it, dip the backs in melted chocolate and place on wax paper to dry. Volia! Nobody will ever know.
**Step by step photos in the post above.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Cookie | Calories: 54kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Fat: 1g | Potassium: 11mg | Sugar: 7g | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.2mg