Name: Candy Cane Meringue Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Yield: 48 cookies
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons cornstarch; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 4 large egg whites; 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar; 1/2 cup chocolate chips; 2-3 candy canes or peppermint sticks (finely crushed)

Candy Cane Meringue Cookies

These Candy Cane Meringue Cookies are fun, festive easy to make! Crunchy and sweet with the perfect balance of chocolate and peppermint.

Prep10 min

Cook2 hr

Total2 hr 10 min

Serves48 cookies

Published 5 Dec 2013

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These easyCandy Cane Meringue Cookieswill make holiday snacking fun and festive! They’re crunchy and sweet cookies with the perfect balance of chocolate and peppermint!

White plate with candy cane meringue cookies piled beside peppermint sticks.

The holidays are the best time to try your hand at some more creative and out-there baking projects. And these cute and crunchy candy cane meringue cookies should bump to the top of your baking to-do list. They are sofun and whimsical and remind me of asweet treatyou’d see in one of those holiday cartoon movieslike Rudolph or the original Grinch.

Candy Cane Meringue Cookies are like little snowdrops ofsweetness, peppermint, and a hint of chocolate. If you’re amint and chocolate personlike me, you have GOT to try these. They’reeasy to make, but a bit time-consumingbecause they bake for an hour and then cool in the turned-off oven for one to two hours. That slow cooling period is super important formeringue cookiesto allow them not to crack.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

You can bedoing other things while you wait for these cookies to finish in the oven!I can’t wait for you to bake and bite into these all holiday season long!
Meringue cookies will last up totwo weeks in an airtight container after they’ve completely cooled.
This is agreat recipe to have on handfor when you have made something that is egg-yolk heavy, likehomemade puddingor creme brûlée.

Recipe Ingredients

Sugar
Cornstarch
Egg whites
Vanilla extract
Cream of tartar
Chocolate chips
Candy canes or peppermint sticks

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

candy cane meringue cookies on a baking sheet ready for the oven.

How to Make Candy Cane Meringue Cookies

Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt, and whisk to combine.
Whip the egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tartar, and add the sugar mixture.
Fold in chocolate chips then make meringue kisses on the baking sheets.
Sprinkle with crushed candy canes and bake!

Recipe FAQs

Can I put meringue cookies in the fridge or freezer?

Yes. You can store them in the fridge, as long as they are kept in an airtight container. The way to keep them nice and crispy is not allowing humidity to hit them.

Why are my meringue cookies chewy?

Sugar pulls moisture from the air and into the cookies, so leaving the cookies in the oven for at least an hour (or two, if you live in a humid or rainy climate) is important to get them nice and crisp. If they’re still chewy, bake them for another 10 minutes at 225 degrees

Why did my meringue cookies crack?

Meringue cookies are very sensitive to the air—both its humidity and temperature —so leave them in the turned-off oven after baking for at least an hour. They’ll crack if they cool too quickly, so better safe than sorry… The longer time left in the oven, the better!

Expert Tips

You can freeze meringue cookies, but when you defrost them, be careful that they don’t absorb any moisture and soften the meringue. Layer them in an airtight container between parchment papers, andfreeze for up to a month.
Keep meringues crispy bystoring extras in an airtight containerif you live in a humid area.
Be carefulnot to overbeat egg whites, as this can cause the meringue to become dry and grainy.

More Christmas Cookie Recipes to Consider

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Candy Cane Meringue Cookies

These easy Candy Cane Meringue Cookies will make holiday snacking fun and festive! They're crunchy and sweet cookies with the perfect balance of chocolate and peppermint!

Ingredients

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F., and adjust two racks so that they are in the upper-middle and lower-middle position.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt, and whisk to combine.

Whip the egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tartar together with an electric mixer on medium-low speed, until the mixture is foamy, about 1 minute.

Increase the mixer speed to medium-high, and whip until the whites are soft and "billowy."

Gradually, add the sugar mixture while the mixer is running, and whip until the whites are glossy and form stiff peaks, 1 to 3 minutes.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Use a spoon or a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip to make 1 1/4-inch wide meringue kisses on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about an inch apart.

Sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

Bake the meringue cookies for 1 hour. Turn off the oven, and let the meringues sit in the oven for an additional 1 hour (or 2 hours, if in humid or rainy conditions). Remove the cookies from the oven, and let the cool before serving, about 10 minutes.

Keep meringues crispy by storing extras in an airtight container if you live in a humid area.

Notes

Be sure that there is NO egg yolk in your whites— even a little will stop your egg whites from whipping up properly. Don't overbeat egg whites, it can cause the meringue to become dry and grainy. Along that line, make sure your bowl and mixer are free from grease; this will also cause your egg whites not to whip up correctly (egg whites hate fat). This is a great recipe to have on hand for when you have made something that is egg-yolk heavy, like pudding or creme brûlée.

Nutrition

Calories23

Carbohydrates4

Fat1

Fiber0.001

Protein0.3

Saturated fat0.3

Sodium11

Sugar4