Peppermint Meringue Cookies

Light and airy peppermint meringue cookies, made with egg whites, sugar, crushed candy peppermints, and optional chocolate chips.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated May 26, 2023
Elise Bauer
Peppermint Meringue Cookies
Elise Bauer

Whenever I make ice cream from scratch, we usually have lots of leftover egg whites to use up.

Meringues (or as my nephew calls them, "little pavlovas") are little cookies made with basically just egg whites and sugar with a little vinegar and salt added to help the mixture hold its structure when whipped.

In this recipe, we've folded in some crushed peppermint sticks, leftover from Christmas. Mini chocolate chips can be added as well!

Peppermint Meringue Cookies
Elise Bauer

What I love about making these meringues is that you just put them in the hot oven, turn off the heat, and walk away for a few hours.

Come back to sweet little meringue cookies, light and airy that practically melt in your mouth.

Looking for more cookie recipes for Christmas? You can see all of them here!

Peppermint Meringue Cookies

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 1 mins
Rest In Oven 3 hrs
Total Time 3 hrs 21 mins
Servings 24 meringue cookies

It's easiest to separate the eggs when they are cold. Since you'll want the egg whites to be at room temperature before whipping them (They will get more lift that way.), for best results, separate your eggs at least a half hour before starting this recipe, and leave egg whites out to come to room temp.

Make sure that all bowls, hands, and utensils that might touch the eggs are clean and free from oils.

For best results, avoid making on a humid or rainy day.

Crush candies by placing them in sealed, doubled-up freezer bags. Use a meat mallet (smooth side) or hammer to gently pound them into a fine powder.

Ingredients

  • 3 large egg whites

  • Pinch kosher salt

  • 1 cup sugar (use superfine if you have it)

  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons thoroughly crushed peppermint candies

  • 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 330°F.
  2. Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt:

    Put egg whites into a standup mixer, add a pinch of salt. Start the mixer on low, gradually increasing the speed to medium until quite foamy and soft peaks can just begin to form, about 2 to 3 minutes. Egg white bubbles should be small and uniform.

    Elise Bauer
    Elise Bauer
  3. Continue to beat egg whites, slowly adding a sugar, then vinegar:

    Increase the speed to medium high and slowly add the sugar, a little (1 to 2 teaspoons) at a time. Continue to whip egg whites and sugar for a few minutes, then add the vinegar.

    Elise Bauer
    Elise Bauer

    Increase the speed to the highest setting and whip the egg whites until they are glossy and stiff peaks form when the whisk is lifted, about 4 to 5 minutes.

  4. Gently fold in the crushed peppermints:

    Use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the crushed peppermints and the mini chocolate chips, if you are using.

  5. Pipe meringues onto lined cookie sheet:

    Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone. If you are using parchment paper, you can put a dollop of the meringue mixture in the corners of the pans before placing the parchment paper on them, to help secure the parchment paper in place (pastry chef's trick).

    Elise Bauer
    Elise Bauer

    Either use a spoon to drop teaspoonfuls of the meringue mixture onto the cookie sheets (spaced an inch apart) or use a pastry piping bag (can make one with a plastic freezer bag with the corner cut off) to pipe mounds (1 1/2 inches wide) onto the lined cookie sheet.

  6. Bake 1 minute, turn oven off:

    Put the cookie sheets in the 300°F oven, and close the door. Wait for one minute only, then turn the oven OFF. Do not open the door for another 3 hours. You can leave them in the oven overnight. The meringues will gently cook in the residual heat of the oven.

    When done, the meringues will be lightly crisp on the outside and light and airy on the inside. If they are still a little chewy after 3 hours, just let them dry out for a few more hours.

    Store in an airtight container.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
42 Calories
0g Fat
10g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories 42
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 11mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 1mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 8mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.