Beautiful swirled peppermint meringue cookies are a festive addition to your holiday party dessert tray! Bonus: they’re naturally fat-free!
With Christmas just a week away, these peppermint meringue cookies are an ideal last‑minute addition to any holiday party—whether you’re hosting or bringing a treat. They’re visually striking, delightfully light, and naturally fat‑free since they’re made from egg whites, sugar and flavoring.
Meringues have a uniquely airy texture that can surprise first‑time tasters. To achieve that lift, begin with completely dry, spotless equipment: the mixing bowl, whisk or beaters must be free of any fat, which prevents egg whites from whipping properly. Bake the cookies on parchment paper or a silicone mat; if you use parchment, secure it with a small dab of batter or a bit of butter (or a folded corner) under each corner to keep the sheet from shifting as you pipe.
If you want the classic swirled look, you’ll use multiple piping bags: one large bag fitted with a tip and two smaller bags—one filled with white meringue and the other colored red or pink. The technique is straightforward: place the two smaller bags inside the larger bag so they pipe together and create the swirl. If you don’t have extra bags, you can pipe the cookies all white or color the entire batch red; both versions are delicious.
Peppermint Meringue Cookies
24 cookies
20 minutes
1 hour 30 minutes
1 hour 50 minutes
To achieve the swirled appearance you see here you’ll need one large (18-inch) piping bag with a plain or star tip and two smaller (12- or 16-inch) piping bags for the colored and uncolored meringue.
Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¾ cup sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract
- Red gel food coloring, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°F (about 95°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a clean, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat on high speed until soft peaks form.
- Lower the mixer to medium and, with it running, add the sugar gradually. Increase the speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form. Stir in the peppermint extract and beat briefly to combine.
- If you want a two‑tone effect, remove half the meringue to a separate bowl and add a drop or two of red or dark pink gel coloring. Beat until the color is uniform, adding more color a drop at a time until you reach the shade you like; note the color will deepen slightly during baking.
- Fill one 12‑ or 16‑inch piping bag halfway with white meringue and another with the colored meringue. Fit a plain or star tip into an 18‑inch piping bag, snip the tips of all three bags, and slide the two smaller bags inside the larger one so the meringues pipe together.
- Pipe the meringue in a circular, swirling motion about 1.5 inches in diameter. Continue piping until all the meringue is used, refilling the bags as needed.
- Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, until the meringues are dry and lift easily off the parchment or silicone mat. Let cool completely on a wire rack, then store in an airtight container at room temperature.
- If you prefer a single color, either leave the meringue white or color the entire batch red. Fit a single large piping bag with your chosen tip, fill it halfway, pipe the cookies, and bake as directed above.
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Recipe by The Redhead Baker
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