Meringues (or as my nephew calls them, “little pavlovas”) are little cookies made with basically just egg whites and sugar with a little vinegar and salt added to help the mixture hold its structure when whipped. In this recipe, we’ve folded in some crushed peppermint sticks, leftover from Christmas. Mini chocolate chips can be added as well! What I love about making these meringues is that you just put them in the hot oven, turn off the heat, and walk away for a few hours. Come back to sweet little meringue cookies, light and airy that practically melt in your mouth. Looking for more cookie recipes for Christmas? You can see all of them here! Make sure that all bowls, hands, and utensils that might touch the eggs are clean and free from oils. For best results, avoid making on a humid or rainy day. Increase the speed to the highest setting and whip the egg whites until they are glossy and stiff peaks form when the whisk is lifted, about 4 to 5 minutes. Either use a spoon to drop teaspoonfuls of the meringue mixture onto the cookie sheets (spaced an inch apart) or use a pastry piping bag (can make one with a plastic freezer bag with the corner cut off) to pipe mounds (1 1/2 inches wide) onto the lined cookie sheet. When done, the meringues will be lightly crisp on the outside and light and airy on the inside. If they are still a little chewy after 3 hours, just let them dry out for a few more hours. Store in an airtight container.
