There is something so satisfying about making meringues.

They only require a handful in ingredients, the most essential being egg whites and sugar. Whip those two together, pipe or dollop them out onto a baking sheet and throw them in a super low over for hours. They’ll dry out and you’ll have a delicate cookie that’s sturdy enough to throw in a giant bowl and serve next to hot chocolate.

These cookies are somewhere in between light cookie and after dinner mint. Confusing? Yes. Delicious? Obviously.

Peppermint Meringues

• 3 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
• Red gel-paste food coloring

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; secure corners with masking tape. Fit a pastry bag with a small open-star tip (such as Ateco #22). Set aside.
2. Make meringues: Put egg whites and sugar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water, and stir gently until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Transfer bowl to an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Mix in peppermint extract.
4. Using a new small paintbrush, paint 2 or 3 stripes of red food coloring inside the pastry bag. Fill bag with 1 to 2 cups meringue. Pipe small (3/4-inch-high) star shapes onto prepared baking sheets. Refill bag as necessary, adding food coloring each time.
5. Bake cookies until crisp but not brown, about 1 hour 40 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.

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Tags | cookies, Entertaining, holiday, recipe