Ring in the holidays with festive peppermint meringues! This Christmas dessert is super easy to make. If you love Trader Joe’s Peppermint Meringues, or these patriotic meringue cookies, you’ll enjoy these too.
Peppermint season is here! It’s time to bake something wonderful and fun. In just 10 minutes, assemble the peppermint meringue batter and pipe it onto baking trays. The remaining time is just baking and cooling.
Spread Christmas cheer. Every holiday table deserves a bowl of these swirled confections. Set them next to the candy canes. They’re a low-calorie treat. Light and airy, peppermint meringues almost melt in your mouth.
Share these festive cookies with friends and neighbors. Small and easy to transport, peppermint meringue cookies are perfect for all occasions: cookie exchanges, holiday parties, potlucks, and church socials.
Mint meringue cookies are also ideal for snacking. Pass them around the table. Enjoy them with coffee, tea, espresso, milk, hot chocolate, or homemade iced vanilla latte. Pack them for holiday road trips.
INGREDIENTS
These Christmas cookies are even better than Trader Joe’s Peppermint Meringues. They’re simple to make. Here’s what you’ll need.
- Large eggs (whites only)
- Cream of tartar
- Caster sugar or granulated sugar
- Pure peppermint extract
- Red gel food coloring (not the liquid type)
- Christmas candy sprinkles
INSTRUCTIONS
RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 275°F. Line 2 baking trays with a reusable silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Fit a disposable pastry bag with a small open-star tip.
- STEP 1: Separate egg whites from yolks. Don’t let one drop of yolk mix with the whites. Add whites to the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment. Beat egg whites on medium-low speed (about 30 seconds) until light and frothy. Add cream of tartar and continue mixing.
- STEP 2: Slowly (over a span of 2 minutes) add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until all of the sugar has been added. Once sugar is fully incorporated, beat the mixture on medium speed about 3 minutes until stiff peaks form. The meringue should be thick and glossy. Add peppermint extract. Mix until just combined.
- STEP 3: With a thin food paint brush (or dessert spoon), paint 4 vertical stripes of red food coloring inside the prepared piping bag. For thin red accents around the edges, paint the 4 lines 1/4-inch thick. For peppermint meringues with a candy-cane look, paint the lines 1-inch thick. Carefully fill piping bag with meringue. Try not to smudge the painted lines. Pipe 1-inch meringues onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 1 inch between cookies.
- STEP 4: Bake cookies 60 to 65 minutes, or meringues are until dry and crisp. Turn off the oven. Open the oven door. Let the meringues remain inside the oven for 1 hour, or until cooled to room temperature.
RECIPE FAQ
These are the most commonly-asked questions when making peppermint meringues, and the most helpful answers for recipe success.
It’s not recommended. These delicate cookies need a dry environment. Humidity is their biggest enemy. I know this well, because I spend half the year on the coast of Mexico where it’s hot and humid. When I make meringues, I’m in my California kitchen.
Before starting the recipe, wipe down the bowl and whip with lemon juice and a paper towel to make sure they’re super clean. It’s very important that everything be immaculate and free of grease. Even the tiniest drop of grease or egg yolk will prevent the egg whites from developing volume.
Caster sugar (also known as “super-fine sugar”) is the best choice for super light meringue cookies. But granulated sugar also works well. The only difference between caster sugar and granulated sugar is texture. Caster sugar is more finely ground with smaller crystals. It has a consistency between granulated sugar and powdered sugar.
Room temperature egg whites whip up lighter and fluffier than cold eggs. To bring a cold egg to room temperature quickly, place the egg in a bowl of warm (not hot) water. Let it sit for a few minutes until the egg is no longer cold. Wipe the egg dry with a lint-free kitchen cloth.
Cream of tartar stabilizes the egg whites to prevent cracking or weeping while the meringues are baking. If you don’t have this ingredient on hand, replace it with 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
The mixture should be super thick and glossy. You’ll know the meringue is done when stiff peaks have formed on the end of the whip.
Basic peppermint meringue cookies are made with eggs, sugar, cream of tartar, pure peppermint extract, and no flour. This mixture is gluten free. However, before using red food coloring and candy sprinkles, read the ingredient labels carefully. Make sure they’re gluten free.
Rebake the cookies 10 to 15 minutes to crisp them up again. Keep a close eye on the meringues to make sure they don’t brown. We want the cookies to remain pale. Turn off the oven. Open the oven door. Let cookies cool inside the oven for 1 hour.
Place cooled cookies in an airtight container with snap-on lid. Store peppermint meringues at room temperature up to 5 days.
Yes. They can be frozen in an airtight container with snap-on lid. Layer the pieces between parchment paper. Freeze up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature, not in the fridge. The cookies must be kept away from moisture or they will become sticky and soft.
MORE CHRISTMAS DESSERTS
Celebrate the holiday season with these yummy Christmas treats. Each pairs well with peppermint meringues on a dessert table.
- Cranberry Cupcakes
- Tiramisu
- Gingerbread Loaf
- Tiramisu Cupcakes
- Gingerbread Man Cookies
- Chocolate Pudding Dessert
rate this recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Peppermint meringues top the list of favorite Christmas cookies. They’re quick and easy to assemble, and are super festive. Family and friends agree, these cookies are better than Trader Joe’s Peppermint Meringues.
If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, give it a 5-star rating in the comments. Then be a recipe hero! Pin it to Pinterest. Great recipes are meant to be shared.
PEPPERMINT MERINGUES
- Total Time: 2 Hours 10 Minutes
- Yield: 48 Cookies 1x
Description
These festive peppermint meringues bring smiles, joy and holiday cheer! They’re perfect for cookie exchanges, Christmas parties, and church socials. Assemble in 10 minutes. Then bake and cool.
Ingredients
- 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup caster sugar (super-fine sugar) or granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
- Red gel food coloring (not liquid type)
- Holiday candy sprinkles.
Instructions
RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 275°F. Line 2 baking trays with reusable silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Fit a disposable piping bag with a Wilton 1M metal tip.
- Separate egg whites from yolks. Don’t let one drop of yolk mix with the whites. This is important! Add egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-low speed (about 30 seconds) until the egg whites become light and frothy. Add cream of tartar and continue mixing.
- Slowly (over a span of 2 minutes) add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until all of the sugar has been added. Once sugar is fully incorporated, beat the mixture on medium speed about 3 minutes until stiff peaks form. The meringue should be thick and glossy. Add peppermint extract. Mix until just combined.
- With a thin food paint brush (or dessert spoon), paint 4 vertical stripes of red gel food coloring inside the prepared piping bag. For thin red accents around the edges, paint the 4 lines 1/4-inch thick. For a red/white candy-cane look, paint lines 1-inch thick.
- Carefully fill piping bag with meringue. Try not to smudge the painted lines. Pipe 1-inch meringues onto prepared baking trays, leaving 1 inch between cookies.
- Bake cookies 60 to 65 minutes, or meringues are until dry and crisp. Turn off the oven. Open the oven door. Let the meringues remain inside the oven for 1 hour, or until cooled to room temperature.
Notes
BEST TIP FOR MAKING MERINGUE COOKIES: Before starting the recipe, wipe down the mixing bowl and whip with lemon juice and a paper towel to make sure they’re super clean. It’s very important that everything be immaculate and free of grease. Even the tiniest drop of grease or egg yolk will prevent the egg whites from developing volume.
CAN MERINGUE COOKIES BE MADE IN A HUMID CLIMATE? It’s not recommended. These delicate cookies need a dry environment. Humidity is their biggest enemy. I know this well, because I spend half the year on the coast of Mexico where it’s hot and humid. When I make meringues, I’m in my California kitchen.
HOW TO STORE PEPPERMINT MERINGUES: Place cooled cookies in an airtight container with snap-on lid. Store peppermint meringues at room temperature up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cool Time: 1 Hour
- Cook Time: 1 Hour
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Peppermint Meringues, Peppermint Meringue Cookies, Peppermint Meringue Recipe, Trader Joe’s Peppermint Meringues
PEPPERMINT MERINGUES > JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Have you tried Trader Joe’s Peppermint Meringues? These homemade cookies taste even better! Would you like to make some for a friend who could use some Christmas cheer? Share your thoughts below!
These were so fun and delicious! Thank you for the fabulous recipe! :)
★★★★★
Nice! Can’t wait to make these meringues for Christmas!
★★★★★
Such a delicious and pretty holiday treat! Thanks for all the tips. They are perfect on a holiday dessert tray!
★★★★★
I love meringues, and this recipe is as pretty as it is tasty! This is the perfect addition to my Christmas cookie tray!
★★★★★
This recipe is so perfect for the Christmas season! So happy I found this!
★★★★★