Meringue

Ingredients
Adapted from Martha Stewart 

3 large egg whites, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

Large pinch of salt

Large pinch of cream of tartar

Vanilla

Flavouring drops (peppermint - cinnamon - whatever you like) 

Red Gel-paste food coloring

1 kebob skewer

1 zip lock bag or piping bag with piping tip (depends on the look you would like to achieve)  

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Combine egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl.  Set bowl over a pot of simmering water, and stir until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm, about 3 minutes. Add salt and cream of tartar.

Beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form and meringue is mostly cooled, about 7 minutes. Add desired flavourings or vanilla extract. 

Using a small paintbrush, paint 2 vertical stripes of food coloring inside a pastry bag on opposite sides - remember to fit the piping tip first and prep the bag by placing in a cup for easy handling. 

Fill bag with meringue, and pipe 1 3/4-inch circular shapes (they don't need to be perfect rounds) 2 inches apart on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. As you finish piping each shape, apply less pressure to pastry bag, and swirl the tip off in a circular motion.

Bake meringues until crisp on the outside but still soft inside, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Do not remove from the oven and let them sit overnight with the oven off. 

Enjoy! 

For the complete cookie list this year check out the list for 2012 here