Light Ghost Meringue Cookies with Easy Chocolate Chip Eyes
These ghost meringue cookies are crisp, airy, and adorable, made with just four simple ingredients. Perfect for Halloween parties, classroom treats, or spooky movie nights, they melt in your mouth like a sweet cloud.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60-75 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours (including 30 minutes cooling in oven)
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- Optional: 1 tablespoon cocoa powder for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°F (93°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Wipe your mixing bowl and whisk attachment with a little lemon juice or white vinegar on a paper towel to remove any grease.
- Add the room temperature egg whites and cream of tartar to the bowl. Start whipping on medium speed until the mixture becomes foamy and bubbly, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, while the mixer runs on medium speed. Continue whipping for another 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the vanilla extract and increase the speed to medium-high. Whip until the meringue forms stiff, glossy peaks, which usually takes 5 to 7 minutes total.
- Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a round tip (or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off).
- Pipe ghost shapes onto the prepared baking sheet: squeeze out a round base, then lift the bag straight up while continuing to squeeze gently to form a peak. Each ghost should be about 1 to 1.5 inches tall, with 1 inch between cookies.
- Gently press two mini chocolate chips into each ghost for eyes, placing them about halfway down the ghost’s body.
- Bake for 60 to 75 minutes at 200°F (93°C), until the cookies are dry to the touch and easily lift off the parchment.
- Turn off the oven and leave the cookies inside with the door slightly ajar for another 30 minutes to dry out completely.
Notes
For best results, use room temperature egg whites and ensure all equipment is grease-free. Humidity can affect the texture, so avoid making these on rainy days. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. Can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 25
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 10
- Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 5
- Protein: 0.5
Keywords: ghost meringue cookies, Halloween cookies, meringue cookies, easy Halloween treats, ghost cookies, chocolate chip eyes, gluten-free cookies, dairy-free cookies