Description
Light, crisp, melt-in-your-mouth Halloween Ghost Meringues made with just 4 ingredients and so easy the kids can help decorate. Guaranteed to vanish faster than candy on trick-or-treat night!
Ingredients
- 4 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract
- Black edible markers or melted chocolate/black gel icing for decorating
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 200°F. Line two baking sheets with silpat or parchment paper.
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In a clean mixing bowl, add egg whites and cream of tartar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat on medium speed until frothy.
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Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, while whisking on medium high speed. Continue whisking until soft, glossy peaks form. Keep a close eye on it! This can take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes, depending on your equipment, age of the eggs used, temperature, etc.
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Add in vanilla paste or vanilla extract. Continue whisking until stiff peaks form, again anywhere between 2 and 10 minutes depending on several factors.
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Once stiff peaks have formed, use a silicone spatula to gently transfer meringue to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped). Pipe tall swirls onto prepared baking sheets to resemble ghost shapes.
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Bake for 1 hour until dry to the touch. Turn off the oven and let them cool inside with the door closed for 1 to 2 hours.
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Decorate cooled meringues: use black edible markers to draw eyes and mouths. Alternatively, use melted chocolate/black gel icing applied with a toothpick.
Notes
Room temperature egg whites: They whip faster and hold more volume than cold egg whites.
No yolks: Even a tiny bit of yolk will keep your meringue from reaching stiff peaks.
Grease-free equipment: Wipe your bowl and whisk down thoroughly to remove any grease, or the egg whites won’t whip properly.
Bake low & slow: Keep the oven around 200°F so the meringues dry out evenly without browning or cracking.
Pipe tall swirls: Pipe in a spiral motion, pulling up at the end to form the ghost “head.”
Cool before decorating: Let meringues cool completely before adding faces, and handle gently to avoid cracks.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in a dry place at room temperature for up to 5 days. Avoid humidity; do not refrigerate or freeze!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American