Peppermint Kisses

Twelve Days of Cookie Baking — Day 3

Create memories your families and friends will savor for years to come

These melt-in-your-mouth peppermint kisses are light as air — fluffy, slightly crispy and definitely low fat. “We made these a lot when we were younger because my sister had a wheat and gluten allergy,” Kristi Anderson said. “My mom was continually searching for recipes that she could enjoy. These became a family favorite for Christmas and year-round!” CJK

Peppermint Kisses

(Kristi Anderson)

4 egg whites

1/8 tsp. cream of tartar

Pinch of salt

1 1/3 cups sugar

1/2 tsp. peppermint extract

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper.

Beat the egg whites until fluffy. Mix in the cream of tartar and salt. Add the sugar one tablespoon at a time; beating until the egg whites form stiff peaks and the mixture is glossy. With a rubber scraper, gently fold the peppermint extract and chocolate chips into the egg white mixture.

Drop by teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet. Place it in the oven and turn the oven off. (Yes, turn it off!) Leave the cookies in the oven for several hours or overnight. (During this time, do not open the oven door!)

Store in an airtight container.

Yield: 36 kisses

A note from Kristi: We’ve often substituted finely crushed candy canes for the peppermint extract in this recipe. You could also add a few drops of food coloring to the egg white mixture or lightly sprinkle the tops of the kisses with colored sugar before placing in the oven.

For another variation on these cookies, spoon the meringue into a pastry bag (or resealable bag with a one-inch hole cut in the corner), add a metal or plastic tip and pipe the mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet.

Instead of parchment paper, my mother always lined the cookie sheet with a paper cut from a brown paper bag. That works well, too, and is cheaper than parchment paper.

A note from Carol: Kristi is the secretary for The Catholic Foundation and Vocation Offices for St. Cloud Diocese. She is a regular columnist for “Central Minnesota Women Magazine” and “The Bright Side of Fifty” and an occasional writer for “The Visitor.” Check out other recipes she has shared with FFF readers: Chocolate Peanut Butter Stuffed French Toast, Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake Pops and Avocado Salsa.