Chocolate dipped peppermint meringue kiss Christmas cookies look so elegant but they aren’t hard to make. If you are in the mood to make holiday meringue cookies, you can’t go wrong with these dipped meringue kisses. You will love the flavour combination of meringue, chocolate and candy cane.
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You don’t need many ingredients to make chocolate dipped peppermint meringue kiss Christmas cookies. Semisweet chocolate chips, sugar, egg whites, peppermint candy, and cream of tartar are the main ones. You can also choose from peppermint or vanilla extract, or even make some of each.
Are Peppermint Meringue Cookies Gluten Free?
Yes, these chocolate dipped peppermint meringue kiss cookies are gluten free. Make sure that you choose peppermint candy or candy canes that are gluten free.
If you prefer a different kind of chocolate, bittersweet or milk chocolate would work. The sugar should be just regular white, granulated sugar. Use any kind of peppermint candies for these meringue, chocolate and candy cane treats. This is one of the best Christmas meringue cookie recipes. I just know you’ll love it!
What is Cream of Tartar?
This is one of those ingredients that is often called for in sweet recipes. But what is it exactly? Despite the name, it isn’t creamy. It’s a powder which is going to make all the difference in your chocolate dipped peppermint meringue kiss Christmas cookies.
Also known as potassium bi-tartrate or tartaric acid, cream of tartar is a by-product of grapes, when they are fermented into wine. You can find it in every spice aisle. Add some to egg whites to encourage them to foam and stabilize. This means perfect, light-as-air meringues.
This ingredient is also used in other recipes, such as angel food cake, to achieve a light texture. Snickerdoodle cookies get their tangy taste from cream of tartar, which also stops the sugar crystalizing in the dough and becoming crunchy. So it keeps them chewy instead of crunchy.
How to Make Holiday Meringue Cookies
Whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar until frothy. It’s important to ensure the whisk and mixing bowl are perfectly clean before you start with no trace of grease. You should also ensure there is no trace of egg yolk in the egg whites.
Once frothy, you can add in the sugar and then the peppermint or vanilla extract. I like to use clear vanilla extract so it doesn’t colour the meringues at all. It doesn’t make too much difference but I love getting the meringues beautifully snowy white for Christmas!
You can now pipe swirls of the meringue mixture from a piping bag on to parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake them until firm without opening the oven door then let them switch the oven off and leave the meringues in there for another 1½ hours or until completely cool.
Now melt the chocolate chips and dip each meringue in there. Finally dip them into the crushed peppermint candies while the chocolate is still liquid. Let them set completely then enjoy!
Chocolate dipped meringue kisses are unique. They seem to have a hard crunch then dissolve and melt in the mouth! You can use Starlight mints or peppermint candy canes to dip the chocolate into. If you don’t like either, finely chopped nuts would also work or even sprinkles.
Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Meringue Kiss Christmas Cookies Tips
Here are 3 tips to ensure you get the best results from this meringue, chocolate and candy cane recipe:
- I find it easier to make the meringues with a stand mixer. A hand-held mixer would also work but it can take longer.
- If you’re new to using a piping bag, practice first before making Christmas meringue cookie recipes. If you don’t want to, you can spoon the meringue mixture instead of piping it. They will look different but still taste great.
- The most important step for meringue-making is not to open the oven door. Meringues don’t actually ‘bake’ in the oven. They set in an oven that was heated. This is why it’s crucial to leave them in the warm oven for an hour and a half. You can’t rush meringue, chocolate and candy cane treats!
How to Store Chocolate Dipped Meringue Kisses
Christmas meringue cookie recipes do keep for a while. They will be fine at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week. The exception is if you’re in a warm climate or your kitchen gets really hot, since this will melt the chocolate. You can also keep them refrigerated.
Holiday meringue cookies are suitable for freezing also. Pack them in an airtight container and they will freeze for up to a month. When you want to thaw them, let them sit on a wire rack at room temperature. So you might like to make a double batch of chocolate dipped peppermint meringue kiss Christmas cookies!
Find these cookies and others in my holiday cookie box
If you like these dipped meringue kisses, you might also like Berry Almond Pavlova with Lemon Curd – Gluten Free Dessert, Homemade Torrone Italian Nut Nougat, or Gluten Free Christmas Pinwheel Cookies.
Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Meringue Kiss Christmas Cookies
Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Meringue Kiss Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 Cup sugar
- 4 egg whites at room temperature
- 1/2 Cup candy canes crushed
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract clear vanilla extract if you can find or try or peppermint extract
- 1/2 Teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions
- Prepare 2 baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.
- Preheat your oven to 225 degrees F.
- In the bowl of a mixer, combine the cream of tartar with the room temperature egg whites. Beat on medium high until the eggs become nice and frothy.
- Slowly stream in the sugar a little bit at a time.
- Whip and sugar and eggs until the mixture holds stiff peaks.
- Add the vanilla or peppermint extract and give one last good mix until combined.
- Place the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a star piping tip.
- Pipe 1.5” swirls onto your prepared baking sheet, keeping 1.5”to 2” between each one
- Bake at 225 degrees F (preheated) for approximately 45 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Leave the tray in the oven with the door closed, turn the oven off and let rest for 60 to 90 additional minutes.
- Once the cookies have cooled completely, remove from the oven.
- Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl.
- Dip the bottom of each meringue into the chocolate then dip into the crushed peppermint candy.
- Place the meringue back onto the cookie sheet to set.
- Once the chocolate has hardened, serve or store in an airtight container.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
These gluten free chocolate dipped peppermint meringue kiss Christmas cookies are so much easier to make than you would think. They are great for cookie exchanges, cookie boxes and all your holiday events.
If you are looking for other Christmas cookies, you might like these Starbucks Ginger Molasses Cookies Copycat Recipe.
These look so good! I have always wanted to try them. This is the year!