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peeps nests meringue cookies with peep on top on white cake platter

I can’t believe that Easter is in less than two weeks! Jordan has half days all this week, and is off all the next, so I need to get myself in gear for Easter basket goodies!

I think the early Easter has affected the blog too – this is my first “cute” Easter post! I posted a few brunch ideas (Raspberry Snack Cake and Peanut Butter Muffins) over the past few weeks…but nothing fun! Until now…

Peeps are an iconic Easter treat. Every February 15 you see them start to pop up in stores, ready to be baked and crafted with and thrown into Easter baskets and plastic eggs. When I was invited to join the Spring Hop Along Peeps Party, I knew I wanted to do a cute Easter Peeps treat! I actually had two ideas…and this one happened first. Maybe I’ll get to the other one before the big day!

I’ve never made pavlovas before. I can’t even remember if I’ve ever tasted them either! But I love meringues, so I knew I’d love pavlovas too. In fact, making pavlova is not that different from making meringue cookies, although I think the recipe is a teensy bit different.

Normally, you see pavlovas served with fruit on top. Now, I’m not a huge fruit-in-dessert person. But I am totally a sugar-on-sugar and cute dessert person, so I am introducing you to your cutest ever Easter dessert: Mini Pavlova Peeps Nests.

peeps nests meringue cookies with peep on top on white cake platter

Have you ever ended up with leftover egg whites in your fridge? If you’ve ever made homemade pudding, I can bet the answer is yes. When I made the Coconut Cream Pies in Jars, I had a few egg whites left over and I wanted to use them instead of finding them in the back of my refrigerator in three months, all green and fluffy.

{Don’t judge; you know you’ve been there too.}

Somehow pavlovas came to mind, and shortly after, Peeps nest popped into my brain. Pavlovas are super simple to make: whip eggs and sugar with a little cream of tartar and vanilla. You get a sweet, stiff mixture reminiscent of liquid marshmallow. This is your meringue, what the pavlovas are made out of. Then you bake it at a low temperature (in essence, you are just drying them out) and the become crunchy on the outside and soft and sweet on the inside.

You can pipe your pavlovas onto parchment using a piping bag, to make them perfectly round and sculpted. Or, you can just spoon them on, like I did. You can even make one large pavlova instead of minis, and make more of a cake. Then you top with delicious things, like whipped cream or berries. I’m sure they’re delicious with strawberries or peaches. For me, they’re perfect with whipped cream and Peeps!

Then I added some Robin’s Eggs and some sprinkles, for good measure. Everything is better with candy eggs and sprinkles!

peeps nests meringue cookies with peep on top on white cake platter

Cute Easter food at it’s finest! Want some other cute Peeps ideas? Check out the list below for some inspiration!

peeps nests meringue cookies with peep on top on white cake platter

Pavlova Peeps Nests

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Mini pavlovas are topped with frosting and a PEEP! Perfect for Easter!
Total Time 2 hours
Yield 8 pavlovas
Serving Size 1 serving

Ingredients
 

  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups whipped cream unsweetened
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
  • 3-4 drops green food coloring
  • About 8 Peeps
  • Candy eggs and/or sprinkles if desired

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment or a silpat.
  • Beat egg whites using an electric mixer on high until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, with the mixer running. Beat until the egg whites are very stiff and glossy and if you feel the meringue between your fingers there is no grittiness (the sugar has dissolved), about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla.
  • Using 2 spoons, scoop dollops of meringue on your prepared cookie sheet. Use the back of one spoon to smooth the meringue into a small circle and place an indent in the center to hold the filling. Alternately, you could place your meringue in a piping bag and pipe small circles. You will get about 8 circles.
  • Bake for 50-60 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. They are done when the outside is no longer sticky, but the inside is still soft. Turn off the oven and let the pavlovas cool inside it.
  • Once cool, remove the pavlovas to a serving plate.
  • Take your whipped cream and stir in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and food coloring. Alternately, you could use whipped topping or leftover frosting (but those wouldn’t need sweeting). Place about 2 tablespoons of whipped cream on top the pavlovas. Top with a Peep and sprinkles!

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 165kcal
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Mini Pavlova Peeps Nests are the perfect treat for Easter

Do you love Peeps? Then you’re in luck! This post is part of a Spring Hop Along Peeps Party!

PEEPS S’mores from The Southern Institute
Giant PEEPS Cereal Treat from Dollhouse Bake Shoppe
Layered S’mores Brownies with PEEPS from Shugary Sweets
PEEPS Brownie Pops from Munchkin Munchies
Easter PEEPS in their Finest from Pint Sized Baker
Peeps Get Married from Haniela’s
Peek A Boo PEEPS Cookies from In Katrina’s Kitchen
Spring Hop Along PEEPS Party from Love From the Oven
PEEPS Magician Hat from Not Your Momma’s Cookie
Other Easter cuteness:

Baby Peeps

baby-peeps

Bunny Munch

bunny-munch

Peeps from friends:
Peeps Doodle Cake by Something Swanky
Peeps & Patron Cocktail by Smart School House
Peeps in a Basket by Mom on Timeout

Last Updated on March 10, 2024



Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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102 Comments

  1. You can’t really say what is beautiful about a place, but the image of the place will remain vividly with you.

  2. My daughter is coming for Easter. She is gluten intolerant–these nest look like the perfect dessert, filled with fruit and whipped cream. Thanks for a great idea that she will enjoy–we all will.

  3. Sugar on sugar, hehe 🙂 Love these pavlovas! They are adorable with the peeps on top!