These Peppermint Meringue Cookies are crunchy, airy, super light, and dipped in chocolate and crushed peppermint candies, making them a favorite at the holidays.
Peppermint Meringue Cookie Recipe
Every year the kids’ school does several fundraisers – I have 3 favorites: the Fall Festival, with games, music, and a silent auction. The Hug a Bear drive, collecting teddy bears for children in the hospital. And the Candy Cane extravaganza, including more candy cane flavors than you can imagine.
I always get a few classic peppermint, so I can make holiday treats, like this meringue cookie recipe. ’Tis the season for all things peppermint and chocolate!
Consisting mostly of egg whites and sugar, these meringue cookies are crunchy, airy, super light, and pretty low calorie, so you can eat several without feeling guilty. I dip them in melted chocolate and crushed peppermint candies for a super festive holiday flair.
Also? I put these on top of some hot cocoa and minds were blown.
Ingredients Needed
These meringue cookies call for only 6 simple ingredients!
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and exact measurements.)
- Egg whites – The egg whites need to be fresh, room temperature, and completely free of any fat or yolk.
- Granulated sugar – Super fine sugar is ideal, which dissolves faster and better than regular granulated sugar, leaving your cookies smooth instead of grainy. If you can’t find it, you can simply make it by putting regular granulated sugar in a food processor and giving it a few whizzes until finely processed. Yes, you can also use regular granulated sugar, adding it in slowly and in very small amounts at a time, to help avoid grittiness.
- Cream of tartar – Cream of tartar adds stability to egg whites when they’re being whipped and helps ensure they’ll reach stiff peaks and not deflate, which is critical with meringues.
- Salt – Just a pinch adds flavor and also balances out the sweetness.
- Chocolate chips – These are melted and become the base for the cookies.
- Peppermint candies – Crushed up and pressed into the chocolate base.
How to Make Peppermint Meringue Cookies
Making meringue cookies is actually very easy. Getting them perfect is in the details.
(Scroll down to the printable recipe card for exact measurements and don’t miss the video below.)
- Beat the egg whites. In a medium bowl, add egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar. Beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Continue to beat, gradually adding in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved, about 2-3 minutes.
- Pipe the meringue. Transfer the meringue to a Ziploc bag; cut a very small corner off and pipe out meringue onto parchment-lined baking sheets into dollops about the width of a quarter, 1 inch apart.
- Bake. Bake at 225F in the oven for 1 & 1/2 hours until dry, but not at all brown. Turn off the heat and allow the meringues to rest in the oven with the door closed for another couple of hours until completely cool.
- Dip in candies and chocolate. Place crushed candy canes in a bowl. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips in 30 second intervals until smooth. Remove the meringues from parchment (they should pop right off, but if not, use a spatula) and gently dip them first in the melted chocolate, then in the candy canes. Place back on the baking sheets to set for a few minutes and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Use fresh eggs. The fresher the eggs, the better the results.
- Room temperature eggs. Egg whites whip up the best when they’re at room temperature.
- Crack eggs into a different bowl than the mixing bowl. Separate each egg white into a small bowl before adding them to the mixer. This way, if a yolk breaks, you won’t have to toss the entire batch. Even the tiniest bit of yolk will prevent the egg whites from properly whipping to stiff peaks. (Save the yolks to make lemon curd!)
- Equipment should be completely dry and grease-free: The bowl and beaters used to make the meringue should be completely free of any grease or moisture. Either of these can prevent stiff peaks from being formed.
- Avoid making these on a humid day. Humidity is the archenemy of meringue cookies, so avoid making these on a wet or humid day.
Video: Peppermint Meringue Cookies
Storing Meringue Cookies
- Proper Storage: Meringue cookies should be stored in a cool dry place in an airtight container to maintain crispness. They should not be refrigerated. Keep away from heat, moisture, or other foods that contain moisture as it can soften them.
- How long do Meringue Cookies last? They are best enjoyed within a few days after baking them. If you live someplace humid, their shelf life is even shorter. Alternatively, if you live someplace really dry (or in the winter time), they can keep up to 2 weeks if stored properly. I don’t recommend freezing these cookies.
More Peppermint Desserts:
- Peppermint Cheesecake
- Candy Cane Jello Shots
- Cream Cheese Mints
- Peppermint Bark Dip
- Peppermint Oreo Bark
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Peppermint Meringue Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 egg whites
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 (5-inch) peppermint candy canes, finely crushed (about 1/3 cup)
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, add egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar. Beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Continue to beat, gradually adding in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved, about 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer the meringue to a Ziploc bag; cut a very small corner off and pipe out meringue onto the parchment into dollops about the width of a quarter, 1 inch apart.
- Bake in the oven for 1 1/2 hours until dry, but not at all brown. Turn off the heat and allow the meringues to rest in the oven with the door closed for another couple of hours until completely cool.
- Place crushed candy canes in a bowl.
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips in 30 second intervals until smooth.
- Remove the meringues from parchment (they should pop right off, but if not, use a spatula) and gently dip them first in the melted chocolate, then in the candy canes. Place back on the baking sheets to set for a few minutes and enjoy!
These are so pretty!
Could you add one fourth Tyson of peppermint extract?
Can we use an alcohol sugar like erythritol instead of sugar?
Thanks!
Love these!!
Live in Denmark, so need to know, is Cream of tartar the same AS Barking powder?
Hi Helle – even though they’re both leavening agents, they’re not the same thing. The main difference is that cream of tartar consists of tartaric acid – its benefits include stabilizing egg whites so that they can be whipped for longer without collapsing and also produce finer air bubbles that are more evenly distributed so that baked have a more refined texture. Cream of tartar also affects the pigments in flour to make them appear whiter. (An angel food cake or meringue made with cream of tartar will have a whiter appearance than one made without it, like you see here.)
Baking powder contains cream of tartar along with baking soda. The cream of tartar reacts with the baking soda to release carbon dioxide bubbles that result in its leavening action.
So, that was probably WAY more information than you ever needed, but thought it might be helpful! For optimal results, you’ll want cream of tartar for this recipe.
My older daughters love meringues – can’t wait to add these to our holiday cookie list this year! Pinned!
I’m all about the classic peppermint candy canes…especially to top hot chocolate! These meringues are just genius.
Cookies on top of hot chocolate?? Best mom EVER. Will you adopt me? ;) Pinned!
These turned out just darling, loved the taste too. The light sweetness of merengue and fresh bite of peppermint are the perfect combination!
I am just drooling over these gorgeous holiday meringues! Pinned
These are the perfect little Christmas inspired treats! Pinned!
These are ADORABLE!!! Love these!!!
Oh..my..gosh. Meringues on hot chocolate???? MIND BLOWN. I need this.
Meringues are so delicate and delicious. And these are festive!
Yumm…Wish I had one now.
Those look beautiful! Thanks for sharing :)
Happy Blogging!
What a cute holiday treat. I can see why Haley and Trevor would get excited.