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Holiday Meringue Kisses

Holiday meringue kisses are crisp, airy cookies piped with festive red and green stripes. Bake them low and slow, then let them dry in the turned-off oven for a delicate texture that lifts cleanly from the parchment.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
drying 1 hour
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 48 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 18
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 egg whites large, at room temperature
  • 0.5 tsp cream of tartar
  • 0.125 tsp salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.125 tsp food coloring red gel
  • 0.125 tsp food coloring green gel

Equipment

  • 2 18x13-inch rimmed baking sheets
  • 1 electric mixer

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 200°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds, and line two 18x13-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a clean, dry mixing bowl, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt on medium speed until foamy.
  3. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form.
  4. With the mixer running, add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.
  5. Beat for 5 to 7 minutes until the meringue is glossy and forms very stiff peaks.
  6. Rub a little meringue between your fingers to check that the sugar has dissolved.
  7. Beat in the vanilla.
  8. Fit a piping bag with a 1/2-inch star tip and use a small clean brush to paint narrow stripes of red and green food coloring inside the bag.
  9. Fill the bag with the meringue without stirring in the coloring.
  10. Pipe 1-inch kisses about 1 inch apart onto the prepared sheets, refilling the bag as needed.
  11. Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes, swapping the sheets between racks and rotating them front to back halfway through, until the kisses are dry and lift cleanly from the parchment.
  12. Turn off the oven and leave the door closed while the meringues dry for 1 hour.
  13. Remove the sheets and cool the kisses completely before storing them in an airtight container.

Notes

For crisp kisses, make sure the mixing bowl is clean and dry and check that the sugar has dissolved before piping. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 2 weeks; refrigeration is not recommended, but if refrigerated, use within 3 days. Freezer: yes, store airtight. No meaningful dietary swap is needed; these are naturally gluten-free.