Description

Delight in these light and airy Peppermint Meringues, perfectly crisp on the outside with a melt-in-your-mouth texture inside. Flavored with refreshing peppermint extract and optionally dipped in rich white or semisweet chocolate with crushed candy canes, these festive treats bring a perfect balance of sweetness and minty freshness, ideal for holiday celebrations or anytime you crave a delicate dessert.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Meringues:

4 egg whites, from 4 large eggs, room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup caster sugar (super fine sugar)
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract

Optional Toppings:

6 oz melted white chocolate
6 oz melted semisweet chocolate
½ cup crushed candy canes

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 225°F (107°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent the meringues from sticking during baking.
Beat Egg Whites: Place the room temperature egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes until frothy.
Add Cream of Tartar: Add ¼ teaspoon of cream of tartar to stabilize the egg whites and increase the mixer to high speed. Beat for 2 more minutes until soft peaks form.
Incorporate Sugar: On medium speed, gradually add the caster sugar one tablespoon at a time, allowing 20 seconds of mixing between each addition. Pause occasionally to scrape down the bowl sides to ensure all sugar dissolves. Continue until stiff, glossy peaks form and the mixture is smooth.
Add Peppermint Extract: Gently fold in ¼ teaspoon of peppermint extract without overmixing to prevent deflating the meringue.
Pipe Meringues: Transfer the meringue mixture into a piping bag fitted with a closed star or swirl tip. Pipe the meringues onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
Bake and Dry: Bake the meringues in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Then turn off the oven, leaving the meringues inside to dry for another 90 minutes. If necessary, leave them in for an additional hour or more to achieve a fully crisp texture.
Cool and Decorate: Remove meringues from the oven and allow them to cool completely. Optionally, dip or drizzle with melted white or semisweet chocolate and sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Let the chocolate set before serving for a festive finish.

Notes

Use room temperature egg whites to achieve maximum volume in your meringue.
Be sure to add sugar gradually and thoroughly to prevent grainy texture.
If meringues feel soft in the center after drying time, extend the drying phase in the turned-off oven until crisp.
Carefully fold in peppermint extract; overmixing can cause the meringue to collapse.
Store meringues in an airtight container to maintain crispness.
For a dairy-free option, use dairy-free chocolate for topping.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 meringue (approximately 10 grams)
Calories: 35
Sugar: 8 grams
Sodium: 5 mg
Fat: 0.1 grams
Saturated Fat: 0 grams
Unsaturated Fat: 0.1 grams
Trans Fat: 0 grams
Carbohydrates: 8 grams
Fiber: 0 grams
Protein: 1 gram
Cholesterol: 0 mg