Peppermint Meringue Cookies

Peppermint Meringue Cookies are an adorable and festive treat that are perfect for the holidays! Pipe them onto lollipop sticks for a whimsical "Candyland" effect, or into smaller meringue kisses!

What are meringue cookies?

Meringue cookies are simply made from egg whites, sugar, and flavoring/extract. The egg whites and sugar are whipped to stiff peaks to form a meringue, and then the meringue is piped into shapes and baked in the oven on a very low temperature to create a super light, airy, and crispy confection!

Ingredients for peppermint meringue cookies

With just 3 ingredients, these meringue cookies are super simple to make! Here's what you'll need:

• egg whites
• sugar
• peppermint extract

Supplies

• lollipop sticks- I found the 4-inch sticks to be the perfect size for these
• red gel food coloring
• small paint brush- for painting red stripes
• open-star piping tip
• piping bag

How to make peppermint meringue cookies

First, fit a piping bag with a large open star tip and preheat your oven to 175ºF. Lay out lollipop sticks onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

We are going to make these peppermint meringue cookies using the Swiss meringue method, which includes heating the egg whites and sugar together over a water bath, until the sugar has dissolved.

So, first, combine your egg whites and sugar in a heat-proof bowl, and whisk to combine. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl.

Whisk the mixture until the sugar has completely dissolved. Check whether the sugar is dissolved by pinching some of the mixture between your fingers. If you feel granules of sugar, keep heating the mixture.

Once the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch, pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on medium-high speed, until the meringue reaches stiff peaks. Now, mix in the peppermint extract.

Pipe the meringue

Using a small paintbrush, paint 2-3 evenly-spaced stripes of the red food coloring inside the piping bag, along the whole length of the bag. If you have to refill the piping bag with more meringue, paint new stripes.

Fill the bag with meringue and start piping it on top of the lollipop sticks in a swirl/spiral motion to create a circle.

Pipe the meringue onto the lollipop stick so that the stick is 3/4 of the way inside the actual cookie. in other words, you want the stick to be almost to the top of the cookie.

Baking

Place the piped meringue cookies in the preheated oven. Bake the peppermint meringue cookies for 1 hour and 40 minutes, until they are completely dried out.

Decorating peppermint meringue cookies

This part is optional, but fun! Make these peppermint meringue cookies extra festive by adding some edible luster dust.

Grab some red edible luster dust. add a small amount to a bowl, along with a few drops of clear alcohol (vodka) or flavoring extract, such as peppermint. This will create a liquid glitter that you can paint onto the peppermint meringue cookies.

Dip your paintbrush into the mixture and paint over the existing red stripes with the sparkles.

If you make these, I would really appreciate if you left a comment and a rating below! Your support helps me continue to be able to bring you free recipes and content! You can also tag me on Instagram @lalaskitchentable if you make one of my recipes- I love to see what you’re making! 🙂

Peppermint Meringue Cookies

Light, airy, minty, and melt in your mouth, Peppermint Meringue Cookies are so festive and perfect for any peppermint lover!

• Small paint brush
• Open star piping tip
• Piping bag
• 4-inch lilipop sticks

• 3 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• red gel food coloring

1. Preheat oven to 175ºF. Fit a piping bag with a large open star tip. Lay out lollipop sticks onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

2. Add egg whites and sugar to a heat-proof bowl. Set bowl over pan of simmering water; stir gently until sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch, 2-3 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl of electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Miz on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Miz in peppermint extract.

3. Using a new small paint brush, paint two or three stripes of red gel food coloring inside the piping bag. fill bag with meringue. In a swirl/spiral motion to create a circle, pipe the meringue onto the lollipop stick so that the stick is 3/4 of the way inside the actual cookie. In other words, you want the stick to be almost to the top of the circle. Refill bag if necessary, painting new stripes each time.

4. Bake cookies for 1 hour 40 minutes. Allow to cool completely on sheets. See recipe notes for additional decoration ideas.

to add shimmer: grab some red edible luster dust. Add a small amount to a bowl, along with a few drops of clear alcohol (vodka) or flavoring extract, such as peppermint. This will create a liquid glitter that you can paint onto the peppermint meringue cookies. Dip your paintbrush into the mixture and paint over the existing red stripes with the sparkles.

Dessert