It could be argued that peppermint is the flavor of the holidays. I know there are candy canes everywhere you turn this time of year and right now I have peppermint bark hardening in my freezer! It’s safe to say peppermint treats are ideal for Christmas. So if you’re still panicking about which cookies to make to get you through the next week, why not then turn to good old peppermint. These light, crunchy peppermint meringues are simple to make (but do take a bit of time, be warned) and can be made with several different types of holiday flare!

 

 

Ingredients
3 large egg whites at room temperature (leave them out of the fridge for about 30 minutes)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
dash of salt
3/4 cup sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, peppermint extract and salt into soft peaks (about 5 minutes depending how fast your electric beater is)
3. Gradually add sugar, beating between each small addition.
4. Beat until stiff peaks form (around 7+ minutes more)
5. Fill a pastry bag or ziplock bag with the meringue mixture and pipe quarter sized (1″) drops onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet
5b. To get red swirls, either add a drop of food colouring into mixture but DON’T stir it, only fold it in once or twice, or using a gel food colouring, paint 3 strips on the inside of the piping bag as I did in the video. Mush the bag a bit if you aren’t seeing the colour right away and then pipe onto the parchment paper.
6. Bake for 90 minutes then turn off oven, open over door slightly to allow the hot air to be released and leave meringues in oven until completely cooled, about 3 hours. This will allow them to get crispy!
They are done now but if you want to dip them in chocolate, melt some chocolate and carefully dip the bottom (or top) of the meringues into the chocolate and let them dry on the parchment paper.

 

Get started now, and you can have a batch of these beautifully festive meringues in no time! What do you think of this peppermint cookie recipe? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!