These sweet Peppermint Bark Meringues are made with just a handful of ingredients! They’re adorably festive with candy cane stripes, dipped in dark chocolate, and sprinkled with crushed candy cane pieces!
It’s officially cookie season!! While we always make the classics in my home each year (chocolate chip, sugar cookies, snickerdoodles, the works), this year we’re also featuring these fun, festive Peppermint Bark Meringues! These cookies are flavored with both vanilla and peppermint extract (make sure you use peppermint extract and not “mint” extract, which has more of a toothpaste taste), are decorated with skinny candy cane-esque stripes of red food coloring, then once they’ve finished baking and cooling are dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with peppermint pieces. They have slightly crisp exteriors with sweet peppermint interiors and snappy bits of candy pieces, they’re absolutely addictive.
PEPPERMINT BARK MERINGUES
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Meringues may seem a little intimidating at first, but these addictive cookies only require a few ingredients, and they are actually quite simple once you master the technique, which I walk you through in the recipe.
The key to making these perfectly, airy Peppermint Bark Meringues is to make sure that you whip your egg whites to stiff peaks (if you’ve ever made whipped cream before, then you should be pretty familiar with stiff peaks — it simply means that when you turn the whisk upside down, the meringue stands tall, or stiff, without folding back into itself). Once you achieve stiff peaks, stop beating the mixture or you run the risk of over-mixing the batter (which is just as bad as under-mixing it).
I used a large star tip to pipe these Peppermint Bark Meringues, and do add those pretty ribbons of red I painted the inside of a large disposable piping bag with stripes of red food coloring (I have a small paint brush that I use specifically for food coloring).
Want more peppermint recipes?
- White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge
- Slow Cooker Candy Cane White Hot Chocolate
- Peppermint Truffle Bark
- Peppermint Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies
- Peppermint Brownie Brittle
- Chocolate Crinkle Peppermint Blossom
- More dessert recipes…
Tools used to make this Peppermint Bark Meringues recipe
Baking Sheet: A nice big baking sheet is a must have for any kitchen. This half pan sheet is large than a regular cookie and works great for anything you’re baking.
Stand Mixer: I don’t know what I’d do without my stand mixer. I use it for just about everything…and I mean everything! Cakes, cookies, mashed potatoes, and shredding chicken!
Piping Bag: Disposable pipings bags handy to have on hand for filling desserts & donuts and food decorating. Pop a coupler and icing tip on your bag or snip off the end and you’re all set!
Ingredients
For Meringues
- 4 large egg whites room temperature
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- Red food dye
For Dipping
- 1 cup dark chocolate melting wafers
- ½ cup crushed candy cane pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225F and line a large cookie sheet (or two regular-sized cookie sheets -- make sure they will fit in your oven together) with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in a large, completely clean, completely grease-free bowl.
- Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer (with either the whisk or paddle attachment), stir on low speed until mixture becomes foamy.
- Increase speed to high.
- Gradually add sugar, about 1 Tablespoon at a time, stirring after each addition until sugar is dissolved (about 15-20 seconds between each addition).
- Beat until mixture is thick, shiny, and has increased in volume. Mixture should have stiff peaks and sugar should be completely dissolved.
- Stir in vanilla extract and peppermint extract.
- Fit a large disposable piping bag with a large tip (I used Ateco 846, but any large star tip will work, or you can just snip the edge of the piping bag for a “kiss” formation) and use a clean paintbrush to paint the inside of the piping bag with stripes of red food dye (running the length of the piping bag).
- Transfer meringue to prepared piping bag and pipe onto prepared cookie sheet. The meringue cookies can be pretty close to each other as they won’t spread, and you will want to bake all of the cookies at the same time, so keeping them close together will ensure that you have enough space.
- Bake on 225F for 1 hour. Turn off the oven once the baking time has passed, and do not open the oven door. Leave the oven door closed and allow cookies to cool completely in the oven (1-2 hours) before removing.
- Once cookies have cooled, melt dark chocolate melting wafers according to package instructions.
- Dip the bottoms of the meringues in the dark chocolate and sprinkle with peppermint pieces. Place meringues on their side on a piece of wax paper and allow chocolate to harden before enjoying.
Marge says
My family isn’t a chocolate fan, well maybe except for one. I’m going to make these for a summer family vacation using white chocolate. I may make a couple of batches using different flavors—lemon with crisped candied lemon or lime peel and then crushed, strawberry using crushed dehydrated strawberries, and maybe other flavors, too.
Michele says
people add a little coconut oil to chips to thin out the chocolate a little. never put water in chocolate to thin it, it ruins it
Donna Sharp says
Hi Samantha! Quick question, can you use dark chocolate chips instead of wafers? TIA.
Lexie Freese says
I made these for my family gathering for thankgiving and they were a hit! Thank you so much!
Aubrey Cota says
I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you, Lexie.
Susan says
These look delicious. I’d like to make them for a party, but need to do them ahead of time.. will they keep for 2 weeks? Should they be frozen to last that long?
Aubrey Cota says
You can freeze meringues but you’ll need to be careful that when they defrost they do not absorb any moisture, as this will soften the outside of the meringue. {ut them in airtight containers, layered with baking parchment (parchment paper), make sure they are completely baked and cooled being mindful not to crush them. You can freeze for up to 1 month.