Guest-Favorite Ghost-Shaped Meringue Cookies: Easy 3-Ingredient Recipe
These ethereal ghost-shaped meringue cookies are a showstopper for Halloween parties and gatherings. Made with just three ingredients, they are light, crisp, and dissolve on your tongue like a whispered secret.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 24 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 large egg whites (room temperature, about 90g or 3.2 ounces)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150g or about 5.3 ounces)
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (about 2g)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional but recommended, about 2.5ml)
- Black gel food coloring (for faces, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°F (93°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Separate three large eggs while cold, dropping the whites into a clean mixing bowl. Let the whites sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Attach the whisk to your stand mixer and begin beating the egg whites on medium speed. After about 30 seconds, when frothy, add the cream of tartar. Continue beating until soft peaks form (2-3 minutes).
- With the mixer running on medium-high speed, add the sugar one tablespoon at a time, fully incorporating each addition before adding the next (5-7 minutes). Add the vanilla extract during the last tablespoon of sugar.
- Increase speed to high and beat until the meringue is glossy and forms stiff peaks (2-4 minutes). The meringue should feel smooth between your fingers.
- Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe ghosts onto the prepared baking sheets: pipe a round blob for the body, then lift and pipe a smaller blob for the head. Leave about 2 inches between each ghost. If adding faces, dot on black gel food coloring with a toothpick before baking.
- Bake for 2 hours, rotating the pans halfway through. The meringues are done when firm to the touch and easily lift off the parchment.
- Turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside with the door slightly ajar for 1 hour. Then cool completely on the baking sheets on a wire rack.
Notes
Humidity is the enemy of meringue; bake on a dry day if possible. Ensure the bowl and whisk are completely clean and grease-free. Add sugar gradually to avoid grainy meringue. For vegan version, use aquafaba (3 tablespoons per egg white).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 2530
- Sugar: 67
- Sodium: 10
- Carbohydrates: 67
- Protein: 0.5
Keywords: meringue cookies, ghost cookies, Halloween cookies, 3-ingredient recipe, gluten-free dessert, egg white cookies