Peppermint Meringues Dipped in Chocolate – Easy Christmas Cookie Recipe
Winter break starts for the girls today and we have plenty of baking to look forward to, starting off with peppermint meringues! Meringues are a go-to treat to bake especially during the holidays because they’re simple, beautiful, versatile and dairy free/gluten free. The peppermint meringues feature intricate ridges, adorable curled tops and crushed peppermint chocolate bottoms, and are everything you’d envision in holiday treat with an addictive mallow-like texture and sweet flavor! In addition to being addictive, they are the perfect little treat for gifting, indulging and of course sharing with your friends and family!
Peppermint Meringues Dipped in Chocolate
Festive peppermint meringue cookies, infused with peppermint extract, dipped in dairy free dark chocolate and coated with crushed peppermints. A delicious dairy free and gluten free treat and gift option for Christmas and the holiday season!
How do peppermint meringues taste?
Meringues/meringue kisses are classically known to be light and airy. They have a delicate cloud like texture, that’s slightly crisp on the outside and soft inside and are incredibly satisfying to bite into with a mallow-like center. At first bite you’ll taste sweet peppermint flavor, that pairs so festively with the dark chocolate bottoms and crunchy peppermint. The texture and flavor combined make them such an addictive holiday cookie! Thank goodness the recipe makes so many!
How to make Peppermint Meringues
Making meringues/kisses is fairly simple requiring only 7 ingredients! The low and slow baking time of 2 hours @ 2oo degrees F takes the longest, but they will surely be worth the wait! The meringues can also be made several days in advance and store well in sealed containers. Just be sure to give yourself enough of a window for the lengthy baking time when you.
Ingredients and supplies
Below is the list of ingredients you’ll need to make peppermint meringues at home.
Meringues:
- Egg whites
- Granulated sugar (warmed for 5 minutes)
- Cream of tartar
- Peppermint extract
- Vanilla
- Dairy free dark chocolate
- Crushed peppermints
Additional Supplies:
- Scale (the meringue recipe is in grams but can be measured by cup as well)
- Parchment paper
- Large piping bag fitted with 4B or large star tip
- 2 baking sheets
- Stand mixer (preferred)
Heated sugar – Ottolenghi method
While making meringues, I like to use Yotam Ottolenghi’s method which involves heating sugar in the prior to whisking it into the egg whites. This method is somewhat of a cross between French and Italian meringue (minus the water), and has worked like a charm for me the many times I’ve made meringues in the past. The heated sugar dissolves into the egg whites quicker and helps to stabilize for a delicious, marshmallow-like glossy meringue, that holds its shape while baking. While Ottolenghi suggests baking the sugar at a higher temperature for slightly longer, I found that 5 minutes at 350 degrees F works best with my oven, to ensure that the sugar doesn’t burn.
Step by step peppermint meringue baking
To make the peppermint meringues, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour granulated sugar onto a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake for 5 minutes. While the sugar is heating, whisk the measured egg whites, until foamy. Pour in the cream of tartar and continue whisking on medium high. The eggs whites will increase in volume. Continue whisking at this speed until heated sugar is ready. Carefully and slowly pour the heated sugar down the side of the mixing bowl, into the egg whites, increasing the speed of the mixer and continuing to whisk. Now add the peppermint and vanilla extract and continue whisking until just before stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. You’ll know the meringue is ready when it looks similar to the consistency of marshmallow and the meringue holds its shape, with the peaks folding over slightly when tested.
Decrease oven temp to 200 degrees F, then transfer meringue to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe meringues onto a parchment lined baking sheet, gently easing up on the piping bag after piping each meringue to create the classic curl.
Bake in the middle rack for 2 hours. Remove from oven and cool.
While meringues are cooling, heat dark chocolate in a double boiler to 115 degrees F, until fully melted.
Pour crushed peppermints into a dish, then dip the bottoms of the peppermint meringues into the dark chocolate.
Then dip directly into the crushed peppermints.
Place the dipped and coated meringues onto parchment and set aside for the chocolate to set, for about 20 minutes. You can also pop them into the fridge for 5 minutes to speed up the setting process.
Tips for quality meringues
- The first tip to making quality meringue kisses is making sure you have a clean mixing bowl. Built up residue can result in under developed meringue as can any shells or yolk in the egg whites.
- Heating sugar in the oven prior to pouring into the egg whites, allows it to easily incorporate into the meringue resulting in glossy and fluffy finished product.
- Be careful not to over whisk the meringue. Whisk to firm but not quite stiff peaks. (If too firm, the meringues will not present the curled tip. But they will still look pretty and taste delicious!)When ready, the meringue will have a bird beak peak that holds its shape but is slightly soft and curled at the tip.
- Know your oven temperature. If your oven runs hot the meringues will brown. Lower the temperature by 10-15 degrees and bake 15 minutes longer to be on the safe side.
- Allow meringues to fully cool before removing from parchment paper.
- Store meringues in a airtight container until ready to enjoy!
- They will keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
Peppermint Meringues
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 2 hrs
- Total Time: 2hr 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 dozen + 1x
- Category: Baking
- Method: Peppermint Meringues
- Cuisine: Dessert
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Festive peppermint meringue kisses, infused with peppermint extract, dipped in dairy free dark chocolate and coated with crushed peppermints. A delicious dairy and gluten free treat and gift option for Christmas and the holiday season!
Ingredients
- 80 grams of egg whites or (2.5 egg whites)
- 130 grams of granulated sugar or (1/2 cup + 2 TBSP)
- Pinch of cream of tartar
- 2-3 drops peppermint extract or flavoring
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 4 oz dairy free/vegan dark chocolate
- crushed peppermints
- 1 large piping bags fitted with star tip 4B.
- Parchment paper
Instructions
Peppermint Meringues:
- Prep the piping bag with star tip 4B.
- Preheat oven to 350. Evenly spread sugar onto a parchment lined baking sheet and heat in the oven for 5 minutes, setting a timer.
- While sugar is heating, pour egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment.
- Beat on low until foamy.
- Sprinkle in a dash of cream of tartar to stabilize, then gradually increase speed to medium high.
- Continue whisking the whites on medium hi until the sugar is ready.
- Remove sugar from the oven.
- With the mixer on medium high, slowly and carefully pour sugar down the side of the mixing bowl incorporating into the whipped egg whites.
- Increase the mixer speed to high, add the peppermint extract and whisk egg whites, JUST until firm (before stiff) glossy peaks form.
- Be careful not to over-whisk.
- You’ll know the meringue is ready when the peaks hold and then gently curl over.
- Decrease oven temp to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (10 – 15 degrees lower if oven runs hot.)
- Transfer finished meringue to piping bag(s).
- Pipe 2 inch meringue kisses onto parchment paper leaving space between each, slowly easing up on the piping bag to achieve the cute curl on the tops of the meringues.
- Bake in the oven for 2 full hours.
- Finished meringues should be crispy on the outside with a slightly soft center and should remove from parchment easily.
- Cool fully.
- Once meringues have cooled, melt dairy free dark chocolate over a double boiler, to 115 degrees if you have a thermometer.
- Transfer melted chocolate and crushed peppermints to two small bowls.
- Dip the bottoms of the peppermint meringues into the dark chocolate.
- Then coat the dark chocolate dipped meringues with crushed peppermint.
- Place back onto parchment to set. (About 20 minutes or pop in the fridge for 5 minutes to set quicker.)
- Enjoy, or store in an airtight container for up to two weeks until ready to enjoy!
These meringue kisses are the yummiest and easiest treat to make this holiday season!
In addition to serving, they can be incorporated into other desserts, such as Yule logs, cakes and cupcakes, and would look beautiful garnishing a festive drink or added to your holiday cookie box!
Enjoying with a hot cup of cocoa or coffee is also a must!
Happy holiday baking! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does!
This post titled Peppermint Meringues was seen first on Posh Little Designs. All Rights Reserved. 2023
This looks so good! What a great combination of flavors!
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy baking them!
These are fantastic and my guests eat them all up every year. Theyre addictive even.
Thank you for trying the recipe, Leslie! They really are addictive. It’s a good thing the recipe makes so many. Happy holidays to you! ❤️