Pink Meringue Clouds

Submitted by Debbie R.

"This has a cookie base topped by meringue that has both crush peppermint sticks and chocolate chips in it. It looks really pretty and festive. It's a Pillsbury bakeoff recipe. I haven't made it yet, but it looks like a must for a Christmas tray! Someone who has made this recipe says that the mini chocolate chips mix into the meringue better, so please consider that when making the recipe."

 

• Ready In: 55mins
• Ingredients: 15
• Yields: 42 cookies

ingredients

• Cookie dough

• 2 egg yolks
• 2 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 2⁄3 cup shortening
• 1⁄4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• Peppermint Meringue

• 2 egg whites
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vinegar
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (mini chips may be better)
• 1 cup coarsely-crushed peppermint stick candy

directions

1. Combine everything for the cookie dough; chill while preparing meringue.
2. To prepare meringue: Beat egg whites with salt in small bowl until soft mounds (not peaks) form. Gradually add sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form. (Once you get peaks that stand up, stop. You can overbeat meringue.) Fold in vanilla, vinegar, chocolate chips, and crushed candy.
3. Shape dough into balls using a rounded teaspoon. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.
4. Top each cookie with a rounded teaspoon of meringue. Bake at 325 for 20-25 minute.

Reviews

[SiriZ]

I loved the meringue part of this, and found these easy to make. I found the cookie part to be a little bland and unexciting; might like to try it with a chocolate cookie base which would be pretty with the pinkish meringue.

 

[MN.Maenad]

My mom and I have made these every year since I was a little girl. The picture in the Pillsbury cookbook shows fluffy white meringues with pink showing through the cracks, but we've never been able to achieve that, they're always just plain pink! My guess is that breaking the candy into larger chunks, so there isn't as much pink candy dust to color the meringue, would help. We also used to use the jumbo candy canes, that were straight and about 1" across and 12" long - less red dye used than in the regular sized canes. Regular peppermint candies work too, but unwrapping each little candy is labor-intensive.