Festive cranberry and almond meringue cookies with a holiday sparkle of red sugar.

Cranberry Almond Puffs

3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup finely ground almonds
1/4 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Red food coloring (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 200°F (90°C).
2. Coat 2 sheet pans with baking spray. In medium bowl using a hand mixer, beat together egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar until very stiff and shiny. Stir in almonds and cranberry sauce; beat for an additional minute.
3. Drop cookie batter by heaping teaspoonfuls onto prepared sheet pans.
4. Bake in preheated oven 2 hours. Cool completely before removing from pans to wire racks.
5. In medium bowl, place powdered sugar. Add 1 to 2 drops red food coloring, if using. Rub sugar between the palms of hands until sugar is pink. Sift sugar over cookies.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Nutritional Information, Per Cookie: 38 calories; 6 g carbohydrate; 1 g fat; 0.1 g saturated fat

Recipe provided courtesy of The Sugar Association, Inc.