Step 1

Preheat your oven to 225°F. Prep your baking sheets by lining the parchment paper.

Step 2

In a large mixing bowl that is completely dry and free of any grease add your egg whites, cream of tartar and salt.

Step 3

Using an electric hand mixer or even your stand mixer mix on low just until the mixture becomes foamy. Increase the speed to high.

Step 4

While mixing add the sugar about 1 tablespoon at a time.  You want the sugar to dissolve before adding the next tablespoon of sugar.  I test this by rubbing a little bit between my fingers, if it is gritty the sugar hasn't quite dissolved.

Step 5

Continue mixing until mixture is thick and shiny, and has stiff peaks.  This means when you lift the beaters out of the mixture the peaks stay upright.

Step 6

Stir in your vanilla and peppermint extract.

Step 7

Transfer the meringue to a piping bag or ziploc bag with the tip cut off.

Step 8

Pipe your meringues onto the prepared baking sheets.  You can fit quite a few on the tray because they will not spread much and don’t need too much room between them.

Step 9

Bake for 1 hour. Once one hour has passed turn off the oven and leave them in the off oven for 1 hour or until completely cool.

Step 10

Once the oven and meringues are completely cool you can remove them.

Step 11

In a microwave safe bowl melt your semisweet chocolate in 30 second increments.

Step 12

Very carefully dip the bottom of each meringue in the chocolate and then immediately sprinkle the chocolate with the crushed peppermints. Set on parchment paper to harden.  Once the chocolate has hardened, serve!