Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 200°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Place about 1 inch of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a slight simmer over medium-low heat.
• In a heatproof bowl, combine the 6 large egg whites and 1 ½ cups granulated sugar. Whisk briefly just to break up the sugar and combine.
• Set the bowl over the simmering water so the bowl does not touch the water (double boiler). Whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture reaches 140°F on an instant-read thermometer.
• Remove the bowl from the heat. Fit the bowl onto a stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
• Whip the egg white mixture on medium-high speed until soft peaks form (peaks that bend over), then add ¼ teaspoon lemon juice, 1 pinch salt, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon peppermint extract.
• Continue whipping on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form and the meringue pulls away slightly from the sides of the bowl (peaks should stand straight up). This can take about 10–15 minutes.
• Prepare a piping bag: either snip the end for a round tip or fit a large star tip. Use a toothpick to draw three vertical lines of red gel food coloring up the inside of the piping bag to create red stripes when you pipe.
• Spoon the meringue into the prepared piping bag and twist the top closed. Fill the bag no more than halfway to two-thirds full to maintain control while piping.
• Pipe four small dots of meringue under the four corners of each parchment-lined sheet to anchor the paper.
• Pipe quarter-sized kisses: hold the bag close to the parchment, pipe a small dot, then slow the flow and lift the bag up to form the classic kiss peak. Leave about 1/2 inch between kisses and continue filling the sheet, working steadily.
• Bake the meringues for 1½ to 2 hours, until the outsides are crisp to the touch.
• Turn off the oven and leave the pans inside until completely cool to the touch. Once fully cooled, remove the pans from the oven.
• Gently lift the meringues from the parchment. Store in an airtight container or serve immediately. Do not refrigerate or leave uncovered to avoid the meringues becoming tacky or weepy.