Halloween Ghost Meringue Cookies

Why you’ll love it

• Only 5 ingredients: egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, vanilla and chocolate chips.
• Light and gluten-free: about 80 calories for 3 crisp little ghosts.
• Fun to make with kids: everyone can give their ghosts a different face.

Quick facts

Ingredients

For the meringue

• 4 large egg whites (about 1/2 cup / 120 g), at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 pinch fine salt
• 1 cup (200 g) superfine sugar or granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (clear vanilla keeps them whitest)

For the ghost faces

• 2 tbsp (25 g) mini semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 oz (28 g) dark chocolate, melted (optional, for drawing faces after baking)

Step-by-step method

1. Prepare the oven and pans. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat it to 200°F (95°C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper; put a dab of meringue under each corner later to hold the paper in place.

2. Start the whites. Wipe a large, clean glass or stainless steel bowl and the beaters with a paper towel dampened with a little vinegar to remove any trace of fat. Add the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt and beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until foamy and opaque.

3. Add the sugar slowly. Increase the speed to medium-high and add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, waiting about 15 seconds between additions, so it dissolves completely.

4. Whip to stiff peaks. Beat on high speed for 5 to 7 minutes more, until the meringue is thick, very glossy and holds stiff, straight peaks when you lift the beaters. Rub a little between your fingers: it should feel smooth, not gritty. Beat in the vanilla for 10 seconds.

5. Pipe the ghosts. Spoon the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) round tip, or a zip-top bag with a corner snipped off. Hold the bag straight up about 1/2 inch above the parchment and squeeze to make a 1 1/2-inch (4 cm) mound. Keep squeezing more gently as you lift the bag to build a second, smaller layer on top, then stop squeezing and pull up quickly to form a pointy ghost head about 2 inches (5 cm) tall. Space them 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.

6. Add the faces. Press 2 mini chocolate chips, pointed side in, into each ghost for the eyes and 1 chip a little lower for the mouth.

7. Bake low and slow. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, switching the pans between racks and rotating them halfway through, until the meringues are dry and firm to the touch and lift off the parchment easily.

8. Dry in the oven. Turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside with the door closed for at least 1 hour, or overnight, so they dry completely and do not crack. If you did not use chocolate chips, draw eyes and mouths with the melted chocolate and a toothpick once they are cool.

How to know it is done

The meringues are ready when they are still bright white or barely ivory, feel completely dry and firm on the outside, sound slightly hollow when tapped and release from the parchment without sticking. Break one open after cooling: it should be crisp all the way through or have just a tiny chewy center. If the bottoms are sticky or soft, return them to a 200°F (95°C) oven for 15 to 20 minutes more.

Tips for the best result

• Separate the eggs while cold, but beat the whites at room temperature; they whip higher.
• Even a drop of yolk or fat keeps the whites from whipping, so separate each egg over a small bowl first.
• Make meringues on a dry day if you can; humidity makes them sticky.
• Do not raise the oven temperature to speed things up, or the ghosts will turn beige and crack.
• Superfine sugar dissolves fastest; you can make it by pulsing granulated sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds.

Variations and substitutions

• Pumpkin meringues: tint the meringue with orange gel food coloring, pipe round mounds and add a tiny green candy-melt stem after baking.
• Chocolate ghosts: gently fold 2 tbsp sifted unsweetened cocoa powder into the finished meringue for chocolate meringues.
• Flavor twists: replace the vanilla with 1/2 tsp almond extract or 1/4 tsp peppermint extract.
• Mini ghosts: pipe 1-inch (2.5 cm) ghosts to decorate cupcakes or pudding cups and start checking them at 1 hour.
• No piping bag: drop the meringue with 2 spoons and pull the top up into a point with the back of a spoon.

Make ahead

Meringue cookies are perfect for making ahead. Bake them up to 1 week before your Halloween party and keep them in an airtight container at room temperature, away from heat and humidity. If you plan to use them as cupcake or dessert toppers, add them just before serving, because meringues soften when they touch frosting or whipped cream for a long time.

Storage and reheating

Store the meringues in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Do not refrigerate them; the moisture in the refrigerator makes them sticky and chewy. If they soften, re-crisp them on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a 200°F (95°C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes and let them cool in the turned-off oven. Freezing is not recommended.