How would you like a festive holiday cookie that’s gluten-free…without making you feel like you’re missing out on something? Enter Mint Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies, one of our favorite holiday cookies from our youth. This is essentially the original gluten free cookie – it was gluten free before people even knew what gluten was.
When we were kids, we used to just dollop the meringue drops on a cookie sheet and not care about the shapes or sizes. Today, though, the expectations seem like they’re a little big higher, so we used a pastry bag to pipe out the meringue batter in neat little circles.
The main quirk about baking these little cookies is that they have to sit in the oven overnight. So if you’re planning on using them for a cookie exchange, make sure you get started a day ahead of time.
Mint Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 to 3 drops peppermint extract
- 2 to 3 drops green food coloring optional
- 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
-
In a medium bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add the sugar and beat until fully mixed and the egg whites appear glossy. Beat in the vanilla, peppermint extract, and green food coloring if you are using it. Stir in chocolate chips.
-
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and then turn it off.
-
Using a pastry bag, pipe the meringues onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper (or if you don't have a pastry bag handy, use rounded tablespoonfuls of batter).
-
Place cookie sheets in oven (which has now been turned off). Let baking sheets sit in the oven overnight.
-
The next day, bake the cookies at 250 degrees for 15 minutes. Do not let them brown. Makes 2 dozen small cookies.
Note how the green food coloring is optional. If you are not keen on using food coloring (which we generally aren’t), it’s fine to skip the food coloring and just let the mint flavor shine through. If you want to give it more of a “minty” look, you only need a drop or two to do the trick.
Extra bonus: Meringues are fun to make with your kids, particularly if they’re comfortable holding an electric beater. Let them power through those egg whites while you get other things done in the kitchen. Enjoy!
Hi! I'm Jeanne Fratello - a writer, reporter, and food enthusiast who is on a mission to write great stories about food and where your food comes from.
These have me very curious to make them. One of my friends loves Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream, and this looks so light and tasty as Meringue Cookies. Thanks!