Description
Delight in these festive Christmas Meringue Kisses, light and airy bite-sized treats perfect for holiday gatherings. Made with simple ingredients like egg whites and sugar, flavored with vanilla or peppermint, and optionally colored red and green, these sweet meringue cookies offer a crisp texture and melt-in-your-mouth sweetness, baked low and slow to perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Basic Meringue
- 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
Optional
- Red and green gel food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 200°F (93°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper, avoiding foil to prevent sticking. This low temperature is key for drying out the meringues slowly.
- Whip the Egg Whites: Using a clean, grease-free stand mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed for about 1 minute until foamy, creating the base structure for your meringues.
- Add Cream of Tartar: Incorporate the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. This means when you lift the whisk, the peaks are soft and hold their shape briefly.
- Incorporate the Sugar: With the mixer running, add granulated sugar one tablespoon at a time, making sure each addition is fully dissolved before adding the next. This slow addition ensures a smooth, glossy meringue texture.
- Whip to Stiff Peaks: Increase mixer speed to high and beat for 6–8 minutes, until the meringue forms stiff, glossy peaks that hold a firm point and feel smooth to the touch with no grit.
- Flavor the Meringue: Gently beat in vanilla or peppermint extract just until combined, being careful not to overwhip and deflate your meringue.
- Color the Meringue: If desired, divide the mixture into bowls and add gel food coloring by gently folding in. For pretty striped kisses, paint stripes inside the piping bag before filling with plain white meringue.
- Pipe the Meringue: Fit a piping bag with a star tip and pipe kisses about 1 to 1.5 inches wide onto the lined baking sheets, placing them close together as they will not spread during baking.
- Bake the Meringues: Bake for 90 minutes at 200°F without opening the oven door to maintain even drying. The meringues should remain pale and dry to the touch.
- Cool in the Oven: After baking, turn off the oven and leave the door cracked open slightly. Let the meringues cool inside for 1 hour to prevent cracking and set their texture perfectly.
- Remove and Store: Once fully cooled, carefully lift the meringue kisses off the parchment. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Ensure all tools and mixing bowls are completely clean and free of grease or moisture, which can prevent egg whites from whipping properly.
- Wipe the bowl and whisk with vinegar and let dry to help the whites whip up perfectly.
- Use gel food coloring rather than liquid to maintain the meringue’s texture and avoid adding extra moisture.
- Meringues can be made a day in advance and stored well to keep them crisp and fresh.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meringue kiss (approx. 3 g)
- Calories: 12
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 2 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
