Mini Pavlova Christmas Trees Recipe

If you’re looking for a festive dessert that’s as charming as it is delicious, let me introduce you to my all-time favorite Mini Pavlova Christmas Trees Recipe. Imagine delicate, crispy-on-the-outside meringues shaped like little Christmas trees, topped with fluffy cream, vibrant berries, and a sprinkle of pistachio — it’s a showstopper every holiday season. Stick with me, because this recipe is fan-freaking-tastic, and I’m excited to share all my best tips so you can nail these cute treats at home!

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Ingredients You’ll Need

All the ingredients in this Mini Pavlova Christmas Trees Recipe come together to create a dessert that’s both visually stunning and delightfully tasty. I like that these are pantry-friendly basics with a few festive flairs like pistachios and rosewater to elevate the flavor.

• Free-range egg whites: Fresh and at room temperature for the best whipping volume and stability.
• Caster sugar: Fine sugar dissolves quickly into the egg whites, ensuring a smooth, glossy meringue.
• White vinegar: Helps stabilize the egg whites and gives that perfect marshmallowy texture inside.
• Cornflour: Adds structure to keep your pavlova crisp on the outside but soft inside.
• Pistachios: Finely chopped for a pretty, nutty garnish with a festive green pop.
• Thickened cream: Whipped to soft peaks to mimic fluffy snow on your mini trees.
• Icing sugar: Sweetens the whipped cream without graininess.
• Rosewater: Just a splash to add subtle floral notes — trust me, it’s worth it!
• Silver cachous, raspberries, freeze-dried raspberry powder, strawberries: For decoration that feels magical and fresh.

Variations

I love making this Mini Pavlova Christmas Trees Recipe my own depending on the occasion or who’s coming over. Feel free to get creative with toppings and flavors—you can easily adapt it to suit your style or dietary needs.

• Nut-Free Version: I swapped pistachios for toasted coconut flakes once when serving a friend with nut allergies, and it was just as festive and crunchy.
• Chocolate Twist: Drizzle dark melted chocolate over the finished trees or add a little cocoa powder to the whipped cream for a subtle chocolate vibe that your family adores.
• Berry Mix-Up: Try blueberries and pomegranate seeds instead of raspberries for a different but equally colorful presentation.
• Rosewater-Free: If you’re not a fan of floral flavors, vanilla extract works perfectly and is what I use for everyday occasions.

How to Make Mini Pavlova Christmas Trees Recipe

Step 1: Prep for Success — Mark and Grease Your Baking Sheets

Start by preheating your oven to 100°C (fan-forced) or 120°C conventional. I like to grease two large oven trays—this helps avoid any sticky messes when the meringue is baked. Then, take two sheets of baking paper and mark four 4.5cm circles on each, spacing them out. Flip the sheets over so the marks are on the underside, and lay them on your trays. This marking step makes piping your mini pavlovas easy and keeps them uniform—trust me, it’s a trick I learned the hard way!

Step 2: Beat Those Egg Whites and Gradually Add Sugar

Using an electric mixer, whip your room temperature egg whites until soft peaks form — you’ll know they’re ready when the peaks lift but still curl over gently. Then, add the caster sugar in gradually, one tablespoon at a time. This slow addition ensures the sugar dissolves fully, giving that dreamy glossy texture to your meringue. Keep beating until the mix feels smooth and shiny — you can test this by rubbing a little between your fingers; it shouldn’t feel gritty.

Step 3: Add Vinegar and Cornflour, Then Pipe Your Trees

Once your meringue is glossy, fold in the white vinegar and sifted cornflour gently but thoroughly. Now for the fun part: divide your meringue into two piping bags. The first has a 1cm plain nozzle, used to pipe small circular mounds onto the baking paper circles — these are your tree bases. The second bag gets a 0.5cm fluted nozzle, perfect for piping the delicate “branches.” Starting at the base of each mound, pipe three neat rows of vertical ribbons around each to build that iconic Christmas tree shape. It takes a few tries, but you’ll get into a rhythm quickly.

Step 4: Bake Slowly and Cool Carefully

Bake your trees for 50 minutes to an hour until the edges are crisp yet uncolored — that’s key! Overbaking turns them brown and bitter. Once done, turn off the oven but leave the door slightly ajar, letting the mini pavlovas cool gradually. This step helps prevent cracks and keeps them crisp outside with that lovely marshmallow center. Patience at this stage pays off.

Step 5: Prep Pistachio Crumbs and Whip the Cream

While the pavlovas cool, pop your pistachios into a small food processor and pulse until you get fine crumbs—perfect for sprinkling later. Next, whip your cream with icing sugar and rosewater until it just holds stiff peaks. Don’t overwhip here or it can become grainy. Reserve a little cream in a small piping bag with a plain nozzle; this helps decorate and hold your toppings in place.

Step 6: Assemble and Decorate Your Mini Pavlova Christmas Trees

Pipe tiny rounds of cream onto each meringue tree — this acts like “glue” for your silver cachous and fresh raspberries. Then, sprinkle freeze-dried raspberry powder and dusted pistachio crumbs over the tops for an extra festive touch. Serve with sliced strawberries and the remaining whipped cream for guests to add as they please. Your Mini Pavlova Christmas Trees will look like edible works of art!

How to Serve Mini Pavlova Christmas Trees Recipe

Garnishes

I stick with silver cachous and fresh raspberries because they add sparkle and pop of tartness that perfectly contrast the sweet cream and crunchy meringue. Freeze-dried raspberry powder isn’t just for show—it brings a subtle tang and vibrant look too. For a Christmas feast, these little details really impress my family and guests.

Side Dishes

Since these are mini desserts, I enjoy serving them alongside a big bowl of fresh seasonal fruit salad or a warm cup of spiced mulled wine to complement the sweetness. They’re also wonderful paired with a simple citrus sorbet or even a hot chocolate for the kids at the holiday table.

Creative Ways to Present

One Christmas, I arranged the mini pavlova trees on a large platter lined with powdered sugar “snow” and scattered edible gold stars. It felt like a winter wonderland! Try placing each tree inside a clear glass cloche or on individual festive plates to make them feel extra special at parties or as gifts.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

These mini pavlova trees are best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. Keep the whipped cream separate in the fridge to avoid soggy meringues. When ready to serve, add cream and toppings fresh for the best texture.

Freezing

I haven’t had great success freezing the assembled trees because the cream and berries don’t thaw well, but if you’re short on time, you can freeze the baked meringue shells alone in a sealed container for up to a month. Just thaw them at room temperature before adding cream and decoration.

Reheating

Meringue isn’t something you reheat normally—I find it holds best crisp and fresh straight from the oven and cooling phase. If your meringue softens a little, you can refresh it by popping it in a low oven (around 90°C) for 10 minutes, but only if it’s unassembled. Keep cream and fruit cold until serving.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

I absolutely love how these Mini Pavlova Christmas Trees turn out — they’re the perfect balance of showy and approachable. When I first tried this recipe, I was so thrilled to find a dessert that looked festive but used simple ingredients I already had. My family goes crazy for them every Christmas, and they always spark compliments. If you’re looking for a gorgeous holiday treat that’s guaranteed to impress without stress, trust me, you’ll enjoy making and eating this Mini Pavlova Christmas Trees Recipe as much as I do. Give it a go—you’ll be so glad you did!

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