Peppermint Meringues

24 Cookies
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes

Peppermint Meringues are crispy, chewy holiday cookies. Melt in your mouth Christmas treats made with egg white, candy canes, peppermint extract, and sugar.

This easy to make, light, and chewy peppermint treat is perfect for when you want a break from rich, heavy Christmas Cookie Recipes like GingerbreadChocolate Cookies, or even Sugar Cookies!

Peppermint Meringues in serving basket

Most of the holiday season seems to revolve around decadent food, rich, buttery desserts, and never-ending party food. It’s true that the holidays are best spent enjoying food (and time) with family and friends. But even though calories don’t count on Christmas, you still might be craving something just a little lighter after all the indulging.

This recipe for Peppermint Meringues is the best of both worlds. Lots of holiday flavor but light enough that you can enjoy them late at night wrapping presents. They are the perfect Christmas treat, like Peppermint Bark but with a crispy chewy cookie outside.

These are Christmas cookies you can feel good about. Peppermint Meringues are naturally low fat, gluten free, and less than 20 calories each. They are simply egg whites, sugar, peppermint extract, and cream of tartar. Not a stick of butter or cup of flour in sight!

Peppermint Meringues collage

With this easy Peppermint Meringue recipe, you will be making fancy cookies to rival the champions of any baking show. If you’re nervous about making a holiday treat you’ve only seen on a baking show championship, there are some tips below to master these treats. 

Peppermint Meringues can be a bit fragile so make sure to use an angled pastry spatula to remove them and always line baking sheets with parchment paper. As you get better at making them, try piping the meringue into designs for easy, fancy cake decorations.

Dissolve a Peppermint Meringue or two in a cup of coffee for a Peppermint Latte copycat, complete with a dollop of Whipped Cream. This works for hot chocolate too. The Peppermint Meringue gives a creamy, peppermint burst of flavor – no need for creamer!

Peppermint Meringues on baking sheet after baking

What are Meringues?

Meringues are made from whipping egg whites (and a few other ingredients) to stiff peaks and baking them into cookies. The egg whites make up the structure of the cookie with help from a few other ingredients. They have a unique, delightful texture that is fitting for special holidays and other celebrations. You’ll find the familiarity of a cookie, combined with a unique taste and texture that is all their own.

Due to the simple ingredients of Meringues, they easily take on the flavors they are made with. These Peppermint Meringues have that perfect holiday Peppermint flavor, however you can add more flavors if you want! Take a look at the Variations listed farther down in this post for some ideas.

More Peppermint Dessert Recipes

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use packaged egg whites to make my Meringues?

Do not use a packaged egg white product for your Meringues. In order to get the best result, you want to use only fresh egg whites.

What is the difference between soft peaks and stiff peaks?

While testing your egg whites, form a peak with the tip of your whisk. Take a look at it and if a peak forms but the tip droops, that is a soft peak. If a peak forms and holds it’s shape, that is a stiff peak.

How do I know if I have over-beaten my egg whites?

When egg whites are over-beaten they will begin to visibly lose volume. You will also see it becoming grainy, or begin to separate and get watery.

What is cream of tartar?

Cream of tartar is not a cream at all! It is a powdery substance that is a byproduct of the process of winemaking and comes from tartaric acid. It’s chemical makeup makes it perfect for helping to stabilize whipped egg whites.

Where do Meringues come from?

Meringue comes from Switzerland and their origins date as far back as 1720. While Meringue is always egg whites mixed with sugar, the preparation differs in different regions. This recipe uses the French preparation of baking it, as opposed to the Swiss preparation of using a double boiler, or the Italian preparation of mixing in hot sugar syrup.

Tips for Making Peppermint Meringues

  • For the fluffiest, airiest meringues use cream of tartar. Yes, you can substitute lemon juice but it won’t get that exact crisp outside and airy inside.
  • To decorate meringues, use a small paintbrush and gel food coloring diluted with a tablespoon of vodka or lemon extract. (Don’t worry, the vodka is such a small amount and the alcohol evaporates.)
  • Moisture is a meringue destroyer. Use parchment paper to separate layers and cool completely before freezing.
  • Clean and dry your mixing bowl and whisk attachment really well. Any water or residue can keep the egg whites from getting foamy.
  • Have a gentle hand when piping. Squeezing the piping bag too hard can push air out and deflate your meringues.
  • If your Meringue cookies are not crisp to the touch, they will need a little more time in the oven. You want your cookies to be a bit crisp on the outside, however if they start to brown on top, they will be overdone. Watch them closely in the oven if you feel they are close to done.
Peppermint Meringues in serving basket

Variations on Peppermint Meringues

  • Chocolate: Dip the bottom of baked Peppermint Meringues into Chocolate Ganache and even more crushed candy cane pieces. You can also drizzle meringues with melted white chocolate or dark chocolate.
  • Keto: Equally substitute Stevia or granulated monk fruit sweetener for the sugar. Instead of candy canes, use carob chips for a peppermint chocolate flavor.
  • Flavors: Peppermint Meringues can easily be transformed by using different extracts like lemon, vanilla, almond, or any other favorites. Change the topping to match the flavor, like lemon candies with lemon extract. 
  • Colors: To add color to your meringue batter, simply add a few drops of food coloring while mixing. Gel food coloring is best, it adds less liquid and is so vibrant. You can also paint the insides of your pastry bag for a candy cane look.
Peppermint Meringues on serving plate

How to Make Peppermint Meringues with Candy Cane Stripes

To make a peppermint candy design for your Peppermint Meringues, you will need a pastry bag fixed with a star tip, red gel food coloring, and a small paintbrush. Place pastry bag in a cup with the top rolled down to secure to glass (to keep steady). Paint wide stripes with red gel food coloring on the inside of a pastry bag. Carefully fill with Peppermint Meringue. Pipe a few small test meringues to get the stripes even and then pipe and bake as usual.

More Holiday Cookie Classics

How to Store Peppermint Meringues

  • Serve: Store Peppermint Meringues at room temperature for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container, lined with parchment paper.
  • Store: Storing in the refrigerator won’t really extend the life of your meringue and might collect moisture.
  • Freeze: These freeze well! Cool completely before freezing in a single layer (or layers separated by parchment paper). Thaw on the counter when ready to serve.

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Peppermint Meringues

Peppermint Meringues are crispy, chewy holiday cookies. Melt in your mouth Christmas treats made with egg white, candy canes, peppermint extract, and sugar.
Yield 24 Cookies
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Author Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients
 

  • 2 large egg whites , room temperature
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 peppermint candy canes , crushed

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Line baking sheets with foil or parchment paper.
  • In a bowl, beat egg whites until foamy.
  • Sprinkle with salt and cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form.
  • Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes.
  • Drop by teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets; sprinkle with the crushed candy.
  • Bake for 1 ½ hours.
  • Turn off heat; leave cookies in the oven with the door ajar until cool, for at least 1 hour.
  • Store in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Calories: 17kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 16mg | Potassium: 7mg | Sugar: 4g | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg
Keyword: Peppermint Meringues
Peppermint Meringues collage

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. If you enjoyed the recipe and would like to publish it on your own site, please re-write it in your own words, and link back to my site and recipe page. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

  1. These cute peppermint meringues melted in our mouth! Everyone can’t get enough of these, they love these! Excited to have these for Christmas. Must-try!