Keep your kids busy with these fun meringue dinosaur poop cookies! Quick, easy, and guaranteed to bring smiles to everyone’s faces.
How to Make Dinosaur Poop Cookies
- Dissolve the sugar: Place the egg whites in a large bowl. Add the sugar and whisk to combine. Place the mixture over a pot of simmering water and whisk until the sugar dissolves.
- Beat the mixture: Use a stand mixer to beat the egg mixture until soft peaks form. Use a medium speed to prevent overmixing. Add the vanilla and cream of tartar as soon as the soft peaks form. Switch to high speed and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Color the meringue: Divide the mixture between three bowls. Add one drop of gel color to each bowl and mix to combine.
- Form the poop cookies: Fill each of the three icing bags of the three-color coupler with one of the meringue colors. Place the 1A tip on the three-color coupler and screw on the top to hold the tip in place. Pipe the meringue cookies onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake in the oven for 120 minutes or until firm to the touch. Turn off the oven (do not open the oven door) and leave the meringues for another hour.
- Cooling: Remove the meringues from the oven after the hour is up and allow them to cool completely before attempting to move them to a container. Eat them immediately, or store them in a dry place sealed inside an airtight container.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
To Store: Cover the bottom of a container with parchment paper. Put the cookies in the container with a piece of parchment paper between each layer—store them at room temperature for up to three weeks.
To Freeze: For longer storage, put your meringue cookies in the freezer for up to a month. Make sure they are properly sealed to keep them dry.
Recipe Variations for Dinosaur Poop Cookies
Citrus flavored: Add one tablespoon of lemon or orange zest to the meringue mixture for a zesty twist. Mix it in along with the vanilla extract and cream of tartar.
Chocolate drizzle: Melt a quarter of a cup of dark chocolate chips and drizzle it over the baked meringue cookies. Let the cookies cool completely before drizzling to prevent them from collapsing.
Coconut version: Fold a quarter of a cup of shredded coconut into the meringue mixture before piping it onto the baking sheet.
Minty meringues: Replace the vanilla extract with a quarter teaspoon of peppermint extract. Add it when you add cream of tartar for even distribution.
Cinnamon spice: Sprinkle half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon into the meringue mixture for a warm, comforting flavor. Mix it in gently after stiff peaks form.
Almond twist: Fold a quarter cup of chopped almonds and a quarter cup of mini chocolate chips into the meringue mixture before piping onto the baking sheet.
Raspberry swirl cookies: Gently fold a quarter cup of raspberry puree into the meringue mixture, creating a swirl effect. Don’t overmix to maintain the swirl pattern.
Blueberry twist: Add a quarter cup of dried blueberries into the meringue mixture. Fold them in gently to avoid deflating the meringue.
Maple twist: Replace granulated sugar with half a cup of maple syrup for a subtle sweetness and maple flavor. Due to the extra moisture, adjust the baking time as needed.
Pecan cookies: Fold a quarter cup of chopped pecans into the meringue mixture for a nutty flavor and added crunch.
Dinosaur Poop Cookies
Equipment
- Gel food coloring green, orange and brown
- 3 Color Piping Bag Coupler
- Wilton Decorating Tip-1A
Ingredients
- ½ cup eggs whites
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cream of tartar
- 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175ºF.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Place the egg whites in a large bowl.
- Add the sugar and whisk to combine.
- Place the mixture over a pot of simmering water and whisk until the sugar dissolves.
- Pour the mixture into the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form.
- Add the vanilla extract and cream of tartar.
- Continue beating on high spread until stiff glossy peaks form.
- Divide the mixture between 3 bowls.
- Add one small drip of gel color to each bowl and mix to combine.
- Using a 3-Color Coupler fill 3 icing bags with the different color meringue.
- Place the 1A tip on the 3-Color Coupler and screw on the top to hold the tip in place.
- Pipe small meringues onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in the oven for 120 minutes or until firm to the touch.
- Turn off the oven (do not open oven door) and leave meringues in oven 1 hour.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Serve or store in an airtight container and keep in a dry place.
Notes
- Consistency: Beat the egg whites until stiff, glossy peaks form, but don’t overmix. This will help the merengue cookies to hold their shape while baking.
- Gentle folding: When adding gel food coloring, gently fold it into the meringue mixture to maintain the airy texture. Overmixing can deflate the meringue.
- Piping tip: Hold the three-color coupler straight up with the pointy end down to pipe small meringues onto the baking sheet. Consistent pressure will help create uniform shapes.
- Patience: After baking, resist the urge to open the oven door. Letting the meringues cool gradually helps prevent them from collapsing.
- Storage tip: To maintain their crispiness, store the cooled meringue poop cookies in an airtight container in a dry place. Avoid humid environments to prevent them from becoming sticky.
- Experiment with colors: Get creative with different gel food colors to make a variety of dinosaur poop meringues. Just a small amount can create vibrant hues.
