A fun and super easy Halloween Treats - Ghost Meringue Cookies. Enjoy it munching as is, or use it as a fun decoration on your Halloween Cake or dessert boards. The Meringue Cookies are light and not overly sweet like the store bought ones. And these definitely brings a smile to every kid's face.
Why you will love these Meringue Cookies
Meringue Cookies are light, crispy sweet treats prepared with just 5 ingredients! I prepared the Ghost Meringue Cookies using the French Meringue Technique, which I find the easiest to follow
There are three different kinds of Meringue Cookies - Italian Meringue Cookies, French Meringue Cookies and Swiss Meringue Cookies.
What I like to make are the French Meringue Cookies since these turns out super light and airy.
Learn about the different Meringue Cookies
Italian Meringue Cookies - Sugar syrup is gradually added to egg white while it is whisked to stiff peak. Then you shape and bake.
French Meringue Cookies - These are the most popular ones not only for cookies but also can be used for souffle. Granulated sugar is added in interval and whisked until peak stiff is formed. It is then shaped and baked.
Swiss Meringue Cookies - The texture of these meringue cookies are dense. White Sugar and egg whites are cooked in a bowl that is placed over a pot of simmering water. It is then whisked to form a stiff peak. It looks super fine and glossy compared to other two variety, but it also has a much denser texture.
I started making Meringue Cookies several years back and seeing how much my son loves these, I got into the habit of it of making it every festive season.
Last year, I had prepared a layered Halloween Cake and decorated it with these ghost Meringue Cookies.
Ingredient Notes:
You need just 4 ingredients:
Egg whites: Meringue Cookies are prepared with egg whites and for vegan version, you can use Aquafaba. Pro Tip - It is always easy to separate eggs when it is cold out of the fridge. For fluffy, light meringue cookies, make sure you use room temperature egg whites. So separate the egg while it's cold and leave at room temperature for a couple of hours.
Cream of Tartar - It helps in creating volume and glossy texture of the meringue by stabilizing the tiny bubbles in egg whites. If you don't have cream of tartar, you can use a tiny drop of lemon juice or white vinegar too.
White Granulated Sugar - You add white granulated sugar little by little as you whisk the egg white to the right consistency. The sugar should dissolve as it whisks with egg white.
Pinch of salt - You need a very tiny pinch of salt
Steps to Prepare the Cookies:
To prepare Meringue you need an electric whisk, either hand whisk or stand mixer. It is definitely possible to even whisk with hand, but you will need some really strong muscle for that.
- Meringue is prepared using egg whites kept at room temperature or Aquafaba. Separate the egg white while it is still cold out of the fridge, as it separates easy. And then place it in the stand mixer bowl and leave aside for an hour or two to bring it to room temperature.
- Add cream of tartar once you are ready to start whisking.
3. Whisk at medium high speed until it looks frothy.
4. Now start adding 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar every 20 to 30 seconds and continue whisking at high speed. Adding sugar at an interval will make sure it dissolves properly. This is a key step for smooth grain-free meringue.
5. Keep whisking for 5 to 7 minutes or until it increases in volume, looks glossy and form a stiff peak. Rub a little bit of the batter between your fingers to feel the texture. It shouldn’t feel grainy.
6. Pour the meringue into a pipping bag and pipe it using a round tip. I keep all different wobbly shape to add variety.
7. Using black food color, draw the eyes and mouth. You can use candy edible eyes too.
8. Bake at a low heat for a long time for that perfect crispy texture.
Recipe Video
Key Tips to make the Meringue
Making Meringue Cookies perfectly does take some practice, and here are a few steps you want to follow.
- Separate the eggs while it's still cold in the fridge, but then leave the egg whites to come to room temperature. Room temperature egg whites will give more volume than the cold ones. '
- Make sure the whisk and the bowl you are using are complete dry and no water droplets are there.
- Do not rush to add the sugar, remember to wait for 20 seconds between every tablespoon. This is a key step for smooth grain-free meringue.
- Once you are done adding all the sugar, scrape the sides to make sure there are no sugar grains here and there. And whisk again.
- The meringue needs to be stiff peaked, so don't stop before that, also don't over whisk.
Baking Tips:
Do not open the oven door in between baking and even after the times goes off, leave the door shut for another 1 hour. If you open the door in between baking time, the meringue will shrink down. If you open soon after baking time, it might crack.
Once the baking and resting time is over, you will realize that the ghost meringue cookies comes out easy from the baking sheet, and it should feel super light.
If it feels sticky, put it back and bake for some more time.
Making The Ghost Meringue Cookies
I like to pipe it wiggly and funny and then use a gel black color to dot the eye and make the mouth using a tooth pick. Watch the video to understand the step better.
I love the fact that I don't have to be perfect here. It should look funny cause that what makes the kid excited, so this wobbly meringue are welcoming with creepy smiles.
How to Store Meringue Cookies
Meringue Cookies should be stored in an airtight jar in the refrigerator. At high heat or humidity, it will lose it's crisp texture and instead turn sticky and chewy.
FAQs
French Meringue, which is the simplest. Then there is Swiss and Italian.
Adding acid to egg white makes sure you get fluffy meringue. You can use cream or tartar, lemon juice or white vinegar.
Chewy baked meringue can happen for two reasons. You under baked these. Needs more time. And sometimes, humidity also bakes it chewy. If that happens, just pop it back in the oven for about 5 to 10 minutes to make it crispy again.
If the egg white is cold straight out of the fridge, it may not whisk to the right consistency. Always use room temperature egg whites.
Recipes you might like:
Pistachio Meringue Cake with Mascarpone Lemon Curd Frosting
Ghost Meringue Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- tiny pinch of salt
- black gel color
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 225F and line a big cookie sheet with parchment paper
- In your mixing bowl, pour the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt. Start whisking slowly increase the speed to medium until the mixture looks foamy.
- Pour 1 tablespoon of sugar, increase the speed to high and keep whisking. After every 20 seconds, add 1 tablespoon of sugar without stopping the mixer and continue whisking. Repeat the process until you have added all the sugar.
- Scrap the sides and continue whisking in high speed.
- In about 5 to 7 minutes, it would look glossy and form a stiff peak. Rub a little of the batter between your fingers to feel the texture. It shouldn’t feel grainy.
- Take a piping bag and fix a small or star piping tip. Pour the meringue into the bag and pipe tiny morsels. Using a tooth pick and black gel color, dot the eyes and the mouth.
- Place the cookie sheet in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Then, switch off the oven and let it rest in the warm oven for an extra hour.
- After one hour, take the cookie sheet off the oven and let it cool completely before you store the meringue cookies.
Notes
Nutrition
