There’s something truly magical about those delicate, airy bites that melt in your mouth—my Festive Peppermint Meringue Cookies Recipe delivers exactly that, with a refreshing peppermint twist that screams holiday spirit. These cookies look stunning, taste like a cloud, and fill your kitchen with the most inviting aroma.

The image shows a white bowl full of meringue cookies, each shaped like a small peak with swirling red and green colors on a white base. Some meringues have red streaks blending smoothly into the white, while others have green streaks doing the same, creating a festive mix of colors. The meringues have a smooth yet slightly textured surface, with a slight shine under the light. The bowl is placed on a surface with a white marbled texture, with some red and white peppermint candies scattered around it in soft focus. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Festive Peppermint Meringue Cookies Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Festive Peppermint Meringue Cookies Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Festive Peppermint Meringue Cookies Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Honestly, these peppermint meringues have become a holiday staple in my kitchen. I love how they bring a pop of color, a crisp texture, and that unmistakable minty freshness that complements so many festive treats. Plus, they're surprisingly simple once you get the hang of it!

Light and Airy Texture: The cookies literally melt in your mouth, perfect for anyone who loves a delicate sweet bite.
Easy to Customize: You can pipe them in festive shapes and colors to match any holiday vibe.
Long Lasting Crunch: When stored right, these stay crisp for up to a week, making them great for gifting.
Minty Fresh Flavor: Peppermint extract adds that cool holiday kick without overpowering the sweetness.

The image shows several meringue cookies arranged randomly on a flat surface with a white marbled texture. Each cookie has a single swirl with two colors on their top half — either red and white or green and white. The cookies have a light, airy texture with gentle ridges and peaks, and they look crisp and delicate. The red swirls are a mix of bright and darker red shades, giving a painted effect, while the green swirls range from bright to dark green, also with a painted texture. The rest of the cookie is pure white, creating a strong contrast with the colored swirls, photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

All the ingredients here work harmoniously to create the perfect meringue. Using room-temperature egg whites makes it easier to whip air into them, and caster sugar dissolves smoothly to keep that shiny, glossy finish on your cookies.

Flat lay of four whole uncracked brown egg whites in shell, a small white ceramic bowl of fine white caster sugar, a small white ceramic bowl of cornstarch powder, a small white ceramic bowl of clear white vinegar, a small white ceramic bowl of clear peppermint extract, and two delicate streaks of red and green gel food coloring on a simple white ceramic surface arranged symmetrically, placed on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Egg whites: Essential for that fluffy meringue base—make sure they're room temperature for the best volume.
White vinegar: Helps stabilize the egg whites so your meringue holds its shape beautifully.
Cornstarch: Adds a tender texture and helps absorb moisture during baking for crisp cookies.
Caster sugar: Finer than regular sugar, it dissolves quickly, ensuring a smooth meringue without grit.
Peppermint extract: The star flavor that gives these cookies their festive peppermint kiss.
Gel food coloring: For adding those classic Christmas red and green swirls that look as good as they taste.

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Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

I always encourage tweaking this recipe to make it yours. Whether it’s adjusting peppermint levels to suit your taste buds, or playing with color patterns—in my kitchen, experimentation is half the fun!

Variation: I once added a dash of vanilla alongside peppermint to soften the minty punch, and the result was a lovely, rounded flavor that my family adored.
Dietary tweak: For friends who avoid artificial colors, I've used natural beet juice or spinach powder to create red and green hues—still festive, just cleaner.
Sweetness level: If you prefer a less-sweet cookie, try reducing caster sugar by a tablespoon or two—just be careful not to lose that glossy, stiff peak finish.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Festive Peppermint Meringue Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Whip the Egg Whites to Fluffy Perfection

Start by beating your room-temperature egg whites on high speed until they’re foamy—about 30 seconds. This first foamy stage is your indicator to add the white vinegar and cornstarch, which will stabilize and soften the meringue’s texture. Keep whipping until you see soft peaks form, roughly another minute.

Step 2: Slowly Sweeten and Add the Peppermint

This step requires patience! Gradually pour in the caster sugar in a thin, steady stream while continuing to beat. This slow addition ensures the sugar fully dissolves, preventing gritty meringue. Once all the sugar is in, add your peppermint extract and keep beating for about 4 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form. Your meringue should be thick enough to hold its shape when you lift the beaters.

Step 3: Color and Pipe Your Festive Meringue

Using a clean pastry bag with a star tip, draw thin lines inside with red gel food coloring—this creates those pretty swirls when you pipe. Fill the bag halfway with the meringue mixture and pipe one-inch stars onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Repeat this with the other half of the meringue, adding green gel food coloring for a complementary color batch. This step lets you get festive and creative!

Step 4: Low and Slow Baking for Crisp Perfection

Bake your piped cookies in a 200°F (about 93°C) oven for around 80 minutes. Don’t rush this—then turn the oven off but leave the cookies inside for 4 hours or overnight. This slow drying is the key to their crisp texture without browning or burning. Patience here really pays off!

Step 5: Storing Your Festive Peppermint Meringue Cookies

Once cooled, store your meringues in an airtight container to keep them crisp. They last well for up to a week but honestly, they’re at their best the day you bake them—light, crunchy, and festive fresh.

Top Tip

Over the years, I’ve learned a few secrets in making perfect meringue cookies every time—these simple tips will save you lots of frustration and guarantee stellar results.

Egg White Separation: Be extra cautious when separating the whites from yolks—any fat from yolks will prevent stiff peaks.
Sugar Timing: Don’t add sugar too soon; wait until the whites are foamy, so the meringue can properly fluff up.
Oven Temperature: Check your oven with a thermometer since too-hot ovens can brown the meringues instead of drying them.
Piping Color Trick: Draw the lines inside the piping bag with gel food coloring before filling—that swirl makes your cookies look shop-bought!

How to Serve Festive Peppermint Meringue Cookies Recipe

peppermint meringue cookies - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I like to sprinkle a tiny pinch of crushed candy canes on some cookies before baking for added crunch and vibrant specks. It adds texture and amps up that peppermint vibe. A light dusting of powdered sugar can also make them look beautifully frosted if you’re aiming for an elegant presentation.

Side Dishes

These cookies pair wonderfully with hot chocolate, peppermint mocha, or a warm cup of tea. At holiday parties, I set them alongside a cheese board or spiced nuts so guests can balance the sweet with savory bites.

Creative Ways to Present

I’ve had great fun arranging these meringues in clear glass jars with festive ribbons as gifts. For parties, I like to stack them on tiered dessert stands mixed with colorful candies and sprigs of rosemary or holly for that gorgeous holiday table look.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Store your leftover meringues in an airtight container at room temperature—try to keep humidity out, as moisture is the enemy of crispiness. I usually keep them on the counter for up to a week and refresh the container’s seal each day.

Freezing

Though not absolutely necessary, I’ve frozen these meringues wrapped well in plastic wrap and stored in airtight bags, which preserves their texture and flavor nicely for up to a month. Just thaw at room temp before serving.

Reheating

If your meringues lose crispness, pop them briefly in a low oven (about 200°F) for 5-10 minutes to help re-crisp without melting. Keep a close eye so they don’t brown or burn.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use regular granulated sugar instead of caster sugar in this recipe?

Caster sugar is finer than regular granulated sugar, which helps it dissolve more smoothly into the meringue. If you don't have caster sugar, you can pulse regular white sugar in a food processor for a few seconds to achieve a similar fine texture, but do not substitute with powdered sugar as it changes the texture dramatically.

How do I know when the meringue has stiff peaks?

Stiff peaks mean when you lift the beaters out of the meringue, the peaks stand up straight without drooping. The mixture should look shiny and hold its shape firmly. This is crucial for your cookies to pipe nicely and bake with the right structure.

Can I add crushed candy canes to this recipe?

Yes! Lightly folding in or sprinkling crushed candy canes on top before baking adds that fun crunch and extra peppermint flavor. Just be careful not to add too much, as it can affect the texture of your cookies.

Why do I need to leave the cookies in the turned-off oven?

Leaving the cookies to dry in the turned-off oven for several hours helps them dry out gently without browning or burning. This low, prolonged drying is what gives meringue cookies their characteristic crisp and airy texture.

Final Thoughts

Making these Festive Peppermint Meringue Cookies Recipe has become one of my favorite holiday traditions. They’re light, fun to make (with a bit of focus on technique), and bring that perfect peppermint cheer to the room. I’m betting once you try them, you’ll find they’re the star of your cookie platter too—give them a go, and enjoy every sweet, crisp bite!