Introduction

Peppermint Meringue Kisses are light, airy treats with a refreshing minty twist. Perfect for holiday gatherings or a sweet snack, these delicate meringues combine crisp texture with festive red stripes that add visual appeal. They’re surprisingly simple to make and delightfully delicious.

A round bowl with a rough light brown rim and white inside holds several small, pointed meringue cookies. Each meringue is white with bright red swirls mixed in, creating a striped, marbled look. The meringues are tall and peaked, showing smooth and slightly shiny surfaces. Around the bowl, you can see a soft red and white striped fabric and a few red and silver Christmas ornaments placed on a white marbled texture surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1 ½ cups granulated sugar
6 large egg whites (room temperature)
¼ teaspoon lemon juice
1 pinch salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Red gel food coloring

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 200℉ and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2: Add 1 inch of water to a medium saucepan and bring it to a slight simmer.
Step 3: In a heatproof bowl of a stand mixer, combine the egg whites and sugar. Whisk them together and place the bowl over the simmering water, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water.
Step 4: Whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 140℉. Remove from heat and fit the bowl onto the stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whip until soft peaks form.
Step 5: Add the lemon juice, salt, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Continue whipping on high speed until stiff peaks form. This can take 10-15 minutes; the meringue will pull away from the sides, and peaks will stand straight up when the whisk is lifted.
Step 6: Prepare your piping bag by either snipping the end for round piping or fitting it with a large star tip. Use a toothpick to draw three lines of red gel food coloring along the inside of the piping bag, creating peppermint candy stripes.
Step 7: Spoon the meringue into the piping bag, filling it about halfway to two-thirds full. Twist the top closed, careful not to overfill.
Step 8: Pipe four small dots of meringue at the corners of each parchment-lined baking sheet and press them down firmly to prevent the parchment from lifting and sticking to the meringues during baking.
Step 9: Pipe quarter-sized kisses by pressing down and slowing your piping as you lift the bag to form the classic kiss shape. Leave about half an inch between each one to allow for even baking.
Step 10: Bake for 1½ to 2 hours, until the meringues are crisp on the outside. Turn off the oven and let the baking sheets cool inside completely before removing.
Step 11: Gently peel the meringue kisses from the parchment. Store in an airtight container or serve immediately. Avoid refrigeration or leaving them uncovered to prevent them from becoming tacky or weepy.

Tips & Variations

Use room temperature egg whites for better volume and stability in your meringue.
Add a few drops of green gel food coloring alongside the red for a more colorful peppermint effect.
If you don’t have a stand mixer, use a hand mixer but be prepared to whip longer for stiff peaks.
For a different flavor, swap peppermint extract with almond or lemon extract.

Storage

Store peppermint meringue kisses in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. Avoid refrigerating as moisture can cause them to become sticky and lose their crisp texture. If they soften, you can refresh them by placing in a low oven (about 200℉) for a few minutes.

How to Serve

The image shows a round, shallow white speckled bowl full of small meringue cookies that have a swirl pattern of white and bright red. Each meringue has a glossy surface with a soft, peak shape at the top, and the red swirls look like paint strokes across the white base. The bowl sits on a smooth white marbled surface with some red, silver, and small pine branch decorations blurred softly in the background. A red and white striped cloth is partly in the frame on the right side. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use regular food coloring instead of gel?

Gel food coloring is best because it adds color without thinning the meringue mixture. Regular liquid coloring can affect the consistency and may prevent the meringue from reaching stiff peaks.

Why isn’t my meringue forming stiff peaks?

Make sure your mixing bowl and whisk are completely clean and free of grease. Also, use room temperature egg whites and whip long enough at high speed. Adding the acid, such as lemon juice, helps stabilize the meringue.