Meringue Cookies {Peppermint & Chocolate Chip}

Several meringue cookies on parchment paper, surrounded by some mini candy canes and chocolate chips

4.75 from 4 votes

Meringue Cookies {Peppermint & Chocolate Chip}

Meringue cookies are a treat straight from my childhood. Candy canes & chocolate chips tucked inside make these a fantastic holiday cookie.

Prep Time30

Cook Time2 30

Resting Time10

Total Time3 10

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American, Swiss

Keyword: Christmas Cookies, Meringue Cookies

Servings: small cookies

Calories: 22.6kcal

Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

¾ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
⅛ teaspoon salt
4 large egg whites room temperature
¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
⅓ cup crushed candy canes (16 mini)
48 large dark (60%) chocolate chips such as Ghirardelli (about 1 oz. - ¼ cup)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F. Place one rack in the upper-middle and one in the lower-middle position of the oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if using hand mixer), combine egg whites, vanilla extract, and cream of tartar. Use the whisk attachment for the stand mixer.
With the mixture set on medium-low setting, whip the mixture until foamy, about 1 minute. While continuing to whip, gradually add the sugar mixture.
Turn the mixer to medium speed. Continue to whip the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks, 4 to 5 minutes. This may take less or more time depending on the humidity. Make sure that stiff peaks do form, but do not overwhip or they will become dry.
Gently fold in three-quarters of the crushed candy canes.
Using a spoon or a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip, form meringues on the prepared baking sheets. They should have a little peak, resembling the shape of Hershey’s kisses, and should each be about 1 ¼-inches wide.
Using your finger, gently poke 1 chocolate chip into the middle of each meringue. Gently patch the hole with meringue. Sprinkle the remaining crushed candy canes on top of the meringues.
Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 1 ¼ hours, switching the placement of the baking sheets and from front to back halfway through baking.
Turn off the oven and let the meringues rest in the oven until dry, about 1 ¼ hours (more time may be necessary in humid weather).
Remove the meringues from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Serve.
Make sure the meringues are completely cooled before storing in an airtight container.

Notes

*If using a piping bag to form the cookies, make sure there aren't any larger candy cane chunks that could be caught in the piping tip.

If still tacky to the touch at the end of the drying period, leave them in the oven for longer. If you live in a humid environment and your cookies are really tacky, turn the oven back on for another 15 minutes or so.

Weight Watchers Points: 1 (Blue - Freestyle SP) / 1 (Green) / 1 (Purple)

Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I provide nutritional information for my recipes as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using the Sparks nutrition calculator and Weight Watchers points are calculated using the Recipe Builder on their site. While I attempt to provide information that is as accurate as possible, you should calculate the nutritional information independently before relying on it.

Nutrition