When you get asked to sign up to “bring a favorite snack” do you instantly get deer in the headlights? I do, because I have not decided what my “go-to” or signature dish is for public events. I am always trying new things, and sometimes those trials don’t go very well. On the other hand, sometimes they turn out so well, and then I wonder why can’t I just stick with THAT recipe every time. But I just love new recipes too much!
It’s probably because I like coming up with themes for parties (as you might know!). I mean, I could sign up for paper goods every time, but trying a new recipe is more enticing. Plus, then I get to share it with you!
For a recent event, and with Easter and spring in the mix, I thought a cheerful blue and yellow theme would be nice. I decided to make some sweet treats that were yellow/blue colored to match the theme!
Pretty treats don’t mean yucky food dye!
Did you know? You can get all natural food colorings so you don’t have to give up beautifully colored treats!
[referral links] I found naturally colored icing mix from Color Kitchen this past Christmas. And there are so many other ways to dye food naturally, from using Red Raspberry Powder, Butterfly Pea Powder (makes a gorgeous blue), or trying out the natural food colorants from Watkins, India Tree, or Supernatural.
But back to my springtime cookie recipe!
Festive Spiced Meringue Cookies for Spring
I decided on the Festive Meringue Cookies because they looked easy and fast (with all I have going on, that’s what I needed!). BUT… I took it a step further by flavoring and spicing my meringue cookies as well as coloring them!
Here’s the easy recipe I adapted from the McCormick site!
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Cream of Tartar
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract OR McCormick® Pure Lemon Extract
- 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Cinnamon OR McCormick® Ground Ginger
- 25 to 30 drops McCormick® Assorted NEON! Food Colors and Egg Dye
- Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225°F.
Instructions
- Beat egg whites in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until frothy. (If using a freestanding mixer, use wire whisk attachment.) Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Increase speed to medium-high. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form. Beat in extract and food color until well blended. Gently stir in chips, if desired.
- Drop by rounded measuring teaspoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto 2 large foil-lined baking sheets sprayed with no stick cooking spray.
- Bake both sheets of meringues at the same time 45 minutes. Turn oven off. Let meringues stand in oven 1 hour or until completely cooled.
I halved the recipe to make a half batch EACH of Vanilla-Cinnamon Meringues and Lemon-Ginger Meringues. The prep time doubled because you have to beat each batch separately, but the cook time was the same because I had the same quantity.
Both are very yummy! What other flavoring-spice combo would you come up with?
This one batch filled two cookie sheets, and made almost 60 cookies!
As my very first batch of meringue cookies goes, I was happy with how they turned out – light, and with a delicate flavor from the spices and extracts!
What’s your favorite springtime baking recipe?
ColleenMarie82
Monday 16th of April 2012
Yum looks good! I love that you can use fresh fruit more in the spring and summer time with out breaking the bank. So I try to incorporate that into a lot of my baking. Like Strawberry shortcake.
ColleenMarie82
Monday 16th of April 2012
Yum looks good! I love that you can use fresh fruit more in the spring and summer time with out breaking the bank. So I try to incorporate that into a lot of my baking. Like Strawberry shortcake.
Crunchy Beach Mama
Monday 16th of April 2012
sooo yum and fun! wish I could try one right now! :)
shared, shared, and shared!!
Crunchy Beach Mama
Monday 16th of April 2012
sooo yum and fun! wish I could try one right now! :)
shared, shared, and shared!!
Maria
Saturday 14th of April 2012
These look awesome!