‘Tis the season for big wooly mittens, hot cocoa, and of course, cookies. Light and airy peppermint meringues are the perfect addition to any holiday cookie tray!
Peppermint Meringue Cookies
The taste of these peppermint meringues is somewhere between a cookie and a candy cane. I found out by accident that dissolving one into my morning coffee with a little whipped cream instantly makes me feel like I’m drinking a Starbucks Peppermint Latte. I bet it would be yummy in hot cocoa too!
These Dark Chocolate and Mint Chip Clouds are similar in texture and also perfect for the holidays. Skinny Gingerbread Cookies and No Bake Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookies are always on my holiday baking agenda too.
Why You’ll Love This Peppermint Meringue Recipe
- A skinny holiday cookie. Meringues are made with egg whites and sugar, so they are naturally low-fat and gluten-free. Some of my favorites varieties include Chocolate Chip Clouds, Black and White Clouds, and To Die For Coconut Cookies.
- Easy to decorate. These beautiful candy cane gems are colored with a little gel paste food coloring inside the piping bag to give you the peppermint stripe. If you struggle to get your sugar cookies and gingerbread to look just so when you decorate, you’ll love the simplicity of these peppermint meringues!
- Fabulous texture. Meringues are like eating clouds! They’re crisp, they melt in your mouth, and there’s just nothing else like them.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Egg whites – Separate the eggs when they’re fresh out of the refrigerator. You’re less likely to get streaks of yolk when the eggs are chilled.
- Sugar – Use granulated sugar, also known as white sugar.
- Peppermint flavor – You can use peppermint concentrate or pure peppermint extract.
- Red gel-paste food coloring – You can find this at Michael’s.
How to Make Peppermint Meringues
See the recipe card below for printable instructions.
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 175ºF and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Fit a pastry bag with a small open-star tip.
- Warm the meringue mixture. Set the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof mixer bowl. Place the bowl over simmering water and stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Beat. Use the whisk attachment on an electric mixer to beat the meringue mixture until stiff peaks form. Mix in the peppermint concentrate
- Fill the piping bag. Paint stripes of food coloring inside the pastry bag, then add the meringue.
- Pipe the peppermint meringues. Pipe small meringue stars onto the baking sheets.
- Bake. Place the pans in the oven and bake for about 1 hour and 40 minutes, or until the meringues are crisp.
- Cool. Turn off the oven and leave the pan inside for 30 minutes. Then, set the pans on wire racks to cool completely before serving or storing the cookies.
Tips and Variations
- Skip the food coloring. If you’d like, you can make these without the stripes and just have white peppermint meringues, or add red gel food coloring to the meringue mixture and fold it in.
- Make sure the bowl and beaters are clean. Always use metal bowls and beaters and be sure they are squeaky clean before making meringues to guarantee good results. Any trace of oil or grease can ruin your meringues.
- Don’t overbeat the meringue mixture. It’s important to monitor your meringue closely while beating it, as overbeating can result in a grainy texture. Once it hits stiff peak stage, stop beating.
Proper Storage
It’s important to keep these peppermint meringues away from moisture when storing them. Let them cool completely, then place them in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. Store at room temperature, away from sunlight or heat, for 2 weeks.
More Holiday Cookie Recipes
Yield: 30 servings
Serving Size: 3 cookies
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Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Fit a pastry bag with a small open-star tip (such as Wilton M1). Set aside.
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Place egg whites and sugar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer.
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Set bowl over a pan of simmering water, and stir gently until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes.
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Transfer bowl to an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
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Whisk on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
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Mix in peppermint concentrate.
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Using a new small paintbrush, paint 2 or 3 stripes of red food coloring inside the pastry bag.
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Fill bag with 1 to 2 cups meringue.
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Pipe small (3/4-inch-high) star shapes onto prepared baking sheets.
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Refill bag as necessary, adding food coloring each time.
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Bake cookies until crisp but not brown, about 1 hour 40 minutes.
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Shut the oven off and leave in the oven for 30 minutes.
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Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks then place in a sealed container.
Last Step:
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Serving: 3 cookies, Calories: 21 kcal, Carbohydrates: 5 g, Protein: 0.5 g, Sodium: 6 mg, Sugar: 5 g