Meringue Cookies
Crisp peppermint meringue kisses with chocolate chips, light as air for holiday trays.
Updated: Oct 7, 2026
Why you'll like it
- Ready in about 2 hr 30 min.
- Serves 36 — easy to halve or double.
- Medium level — everyday equipment only.
- Storage, freezing and reheating covered below.
Ready in 2 hr 30 min, this meringue Cookies serves 36. Meringue cookies are feather-light USA Christmas treats, baked meringue kisses that crunch outside and melt inside with only egg whites and sugar.
Helpful guides
Instructions
Heat the oven to 225 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Separate the eggs while cold, then let the whites stand 30 minutes to reach room temperature. Cold whites whip slowly and never reach full volume, while even a speck of yolk prevents foaming entirely.
Wipe the mixer bowl and beaters with white vinegar on a paper towel to remove all grease, then dry fully. Any fat residue collapses meringue before it starts. Add the whites, salt, and cream of tartar, beating on medium until foamy with soft mounds that curl over.
Increase to high speed and rain in the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating 3 to 4 minutes to stiff glossy peaks that stand straight. The meringue should feel smooth, not gritty, when rubbed. Undissolved sugar weeps syrup during baking and spots the crisp shells.
Beat in the peppermint and vanilla briefly, then fold in the mini chips with two gentle strokes. Overfolding deflates the foam and thins the piping shapes. For striped kisses, paint thin food coloring lines inside the piping bag before filling with white meringue.
Pipe or spoon 1-tablespoon kisses 1 inch apart on the sheets, keeping sizes even for matched drying. Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours until dry, crisp, and lifting cleanly off the parchment. Meringues dry rather than brown; any gold color means the oven runs hot.
Turn off the oven, crack the door, and cool the meringues inside for 1 hour until completely crisp. Warm centers turn chewy within hours if removed early. Serve once cool, or store immediately so humidity cannot soften the shells before trays are packed.
Troubleshooting — fixes, not repeats
- If the whites will not whip, grease or yolk contaminated the bowl. Start over with a vinegar-wiped bowl, separate each egg over a small cup first, and use room-temperature whites. Plastic bowls trap oils; glass or metal bowls whip more reliably for meringue.
- If the meringues weep syrup, sugar went in too fast or humidity runs high. Add sugar slowly to full stiff peaks, bake on dry days when possible, and cool in the turned-off oven. Sticky beads mean undissolved sugar that needed another minute of beating.
- If the cookies brown, the oven runs above 225 degrees. Verify with a thermometer, bake on the center rack, and prop the door slightly if needed. White meringues should stay pale; even light gold signals overbaking that brings bitter edges and chewiness.
- If centers stay chewy, they underbaked or cooled in humidity. Extend baking 15 minutes, confirm shells lift cleanly, and finish with the 1-hour oven cool. Store airtight immediately, since crisp meringue absorbs moisture from the air within minutes on damp days.
Make it your way
- Old Dhaka style: Fold in 0.5 cup of crushed candy cane instead of chips for stronger mint crunch.
- For plain vanilla meringues, omit the peppermint and chips, keeping the same whipping and baking method for delicate white kisses.
- Tint the meringue pale green or pink with gel color for Easter trays.
- Sandwich two kisses with melted chocolate after cooling for filled cookies with the same batch and timing.
Storage & reheating
Cool leftovers within 2 hours, then refrigerate in a covered container and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat only the portion you will eat until steaming hot throughout — poultry and reheated rice should reach 165°F (74°C).
Freeze up to 1 month in airtight boxes; thaw unopened at room temperature.
FAQ
Why must the bowl be grease-free?
Egg-white foam is an air network held by protein, and even tiny fat traces pop the bubbles before they build. Wiping glass or metal bowls with vinegar removes oils that soap misses. Separate whites over a cup so no yolk slips in, since yolk fat ruins the whole batch.
Can I make meringues on a humid day?
Yes, with extra care: beat to very stiff peaks, bake the full 2 hours at 225 degrees, and cool in the turned-off oven 1 hour. Store airtight the moment they cool. Expect slightly less crisp shells than dry-day batches, and avoid opening the oven during the first hour.
How do I know they are done?
Done meringues feel dry and crisp all over, sound hollow when tapped, and lift cleanly off the parchment without sticking. Centers should shatter, not bend or chew. When unsure, bake 15 minutes longer at 225 degrees, since meringues rarely overcook at this gentle heat.