Recipe: Creole Kisses

One of the glories of the holiday season is the keeping of tradition. Whether it's unwrapping just-one-and-only-one present on Christmas Eve or setting out single-malt scotch for Santa, we've all got a special thing we do each year without fail.

As a young girl, my mother would take me to the "big city" (a.k.a. Atlanta) to see The Nutcracker at The Fabulous Fox Theatre. I'd dress up in my finest taffeta and velvet, with spiral curls and blush to boot. Afterwards we would sip silky hot chocolate at the fancy hotel across the street and relive our favorite costumes and dances. It was always a toss up between Tea and Mother Ginger. And, goodness how I envied young Clara. I would have done anything to be up on that stage.

Now fast forward twenty years (!?!). Yesterday my mother drove up to the "big city" so we could continue our wonderful Christmas tradition. I donned a sparkly silver dress and high heels, spiral curls and blush, too. After the show we headed across the street, only this time for cocktails instead of cocoa.

The ballet was just as magical as I remembered, if not better. We gushed about the carefully sewn costumes, the craftsmanship of the stage, and the exquisite orchestra music -- things I never noticed as a child. Mother Ginger no longer seemed so enchanting; this time it was the Sugar Plum Fairy who stole my heart.

Not wanting the evening to end, we returned home to bundle up and share a few last laughs. Outside the snow fluttered and the wind blew. We snacked on these addictive Creole Kisses and a mug of hot wassail or two.

It's only a shame the night couldn't last... Until next year, that is. Do you share a special holiday tradition with your loved ones? What is it?

Creole Kisses
yields 30 to 40 cookies

3 large egg whites
1 cup superfine sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment or wax paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat egg whites until frothy. Add sugar, vanilla, and cream of tartar, and beat until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Fold in the pecans.

Using a small spring-load ice cream scoop, drop batter into rounded balls onto baking sheet, smoothing and shaping as desired (OR transfer mix into a pastry bag fitted with a round tip and pipe "kisses" onto baking sheet). Bake for approximately 30 minutes. Immediately remove kisses to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Store in airtight containers for up to a week.

(Images: Nealey Dozier)

Comments (6)

My family calls this Divinity. They are great when made well. My mother's always falls though and it turns into a chewy goop... which prompts her to dip them in chocolate and make the most wonderful candies. She tries it every year with the same result. My family's fears are that she eventually learns what she's doing wrong and makes them right :-/

Oh, man. I make these "Forgotten Cookies" (not divinity, more like a meringue) all the time. But the first time I made them, I used a gas oven. The instructions I have call for preheating the oven to 400 degrees, then putting the cookies in and TURNING THE OVEN OFF for 8 hours (hence the "forgotten"portion of them name).
This does NOT work in a gas oven. It was a total failure.
Now, thanks to you guys, I know I can use a "slow" oven to achieve the same result.
Thanks!!

Yea somewhiteguy, these are like pecan meringues. Divinity is close to this but more like candy. So in actuality your mom might have been making divinity!

i grew up eating something like this called "suspiros" (little meringues), but without the pecans. i've never tried making them myself. does anyone know if the recipe is the same if i just omit the pecans?

I pointed my mother to this article and she corrected me as well. They seem so close though. I'm still hoping she attempts divinity again this year :-D

I made these with my daughter and they were delicious! Although we ate half the batter raw. ;)