Meringue Ghosts for Halloween
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Meringue Ghosts are the perfect light and crisp Halloween party treat. The recipe starts with just three egg whites, and in less than an hour, your kitchen will be filled with little ghosts ready to haunt the dessert table—and melt in your mouth!
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Meringue Ghosts (Light, Crisp & So Adorable!)
If you need a Halloween dessert that delivers on looks, flavor, and fun, this recipe is for you.
There’s just something about those chocolate chip eyes peeking out from fluffy clouds of meringue! I love how you can pipe the ghosts tall or flat for different “personalities”—the upright ghosts are slightly soft in the center, while the flat ones just vanish with a “poof” as soon as you take a bite. Plus, the minimal prep makes these a lifesaver when you want something homemade for a class party or neighborhood bash.
The taste? Lightly sweet and crisp, with a subtle almond flavor that feels a little fancy, but also kid-approved. Baked at a low temp, they’re more dried than cooked, so you get that signature delicate crunch.
Why You’ll Love These Meringue Ghosts
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Halloween-Ready – Spooky, silly, and cute on any dessert spread. They have real “wow” factor for surprisingly little effort.
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Light as Air – Much lighter than your usual cookie—perfect if you want a sweet, crispy treat that won’t weigh you down.
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Simple Ingredients – Easy pantry basics, and you’ll use every bit. (Use leftover yolks for pudding or homemade mayo!)
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Fun for Everyone – If you’ve never piped a ghost before, here’s your excuse! Kids can help with piping or adding chocolate chip “eyes.”
Ingredients and Substitutions
- 3 egg whites – Give the best volume if at room temperature. Fresh eggs whip best! Double check there are no yolks or grease in your bowl.
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar – This little bit of acid helps steady the meringue as you whip it. No cream of tartar? Substitute the same amount of lemon juice or vinegar.
- ½ teaspoon almond extract – Adds lovely nutty flavor, but you can use vanilla if you prefer a classic twist.
- ½ cup granulated sugar – This amount gives a perfect sweetness and helps set those peaks.
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips – For ghostly eyes! Regular chocolate chips or black sprinkles also work.
The More You Know…
Here’s a tip from years of sticky meringue “learning moments”—even a tiny bit of grease (or a smidgen of egg yolk) in your bowl will deflate your egg whites! If you use plastic mixing bowls or piping bags, give them a quick rinse in vinegar to help cut any hidden grease.
Meringues and humidity don’t always mix. Since meringues are mostly sugar, they naturally absorb moisture from the air, making them sticky or chewy instead of crisp. In humid weather or rain, your ghosts might take longer to dry. Some bakers suggest baking them longer or letting them cool overnight in the turned-off oven to keep them crisp.
How to Make Meringue Ghosts
1Prep and Equipment: Preheat your oven to 250°F. Wash bowls, beaters, and piping tools really well to remove any grease. (Dawn dish soap works great; a vinegar rinse never hurts.) Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2Beat the Egg Whites: Place egg whites and cream of tartar in a large, clean bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
3Add Sugar and Flavor: While continuing to beat, slowly sprinkle in the sugar. Beat until the mixture is glossy and holds stiff peaks. Add almond extract and mix to combine.
4Pipe the Ghosts: Spoon the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (I use a Wilton #12 or just snip a zip-top bag). For upright ghosts, pipe a swirl upward, larger at the base and smaller as you go up. For flat ghosts, pipe a small disc for the head and then zig-zag outward to create a wavy ghost body. Add two mini chocolate chips for eyes to each ghost.
5Bake: Bake upright ghosts for 45 minutes and flat ghosts for about 30 minutes—until just dry on the bottoms. Turn off the oven, crack the oven door, and let ghosts cool completely inside.
Visit YouTube here for the full video.
Pro Tip
Place your piping bag, tip-down, in a tall glass and fold the top over the rim to make filling it up super easy (and less messy).
Recipe Tips
- Use fresh, room-temperature eggs for best volume. (Older eggs won’t whip as high.)
- Add sugar slowly (about 1 tablespoon at a time). This helps prevent a gritty texture.
- Pipe onto parchment – no sticking!
- Don’t open the oven while they’re baking or cooling. A sudden blast of cooler air can make the meringues collapse. Let them dry slowly with the oven door cracked open after baking
- If your ghosts get sticky after cooling, pop them back into the oven at 200°F for 10–15 minutes.
Troubleshooting
- Sticky or chewy? The ghosts weren’t dried out enough. Let them sit in the turned-off oven a bit longer, or bake a few extra minutes next time.
- Turned brown? The oven was too hot. Try lowering the temp by 15–25 degrees.
- Can’t get stiff peaks? Make sure your bowl and beaters are spotless and yolk-free. A little extra cream of tartar never hurts, especially if your kitchen is humid.
- Lost their shape/spreading? The egg whites weren’t whipped long enough—make sure to reach stiff, glossy peaks before piping.
Variations
- Flavor Swap: Sub almond extract for vanilla, lemon, or even peppermint for a little holiday twist.
- Festive Ghosts: Add a touch of gel food coloring for pastel ghosts or “bloody” red streaks for a dramatic effect.
- Sprinkle Fans: Decorate with holiday sprinkles or edible glitter before baking.
- Chocolate Dipped: Once cooled, dip ghost bottoms in melted dark or white chocolate.
Storage Suggestions
Store meringue ghosts with a bit of airflow in a dry spot on your counter—loosely tented with parchment or in a container with the lid ajar, especially if your house isn’t too humid. Airtight containers tend to make them soft.
If they do start to get sticky, a quick 10-minute trip to the oven on low heat will crisp them up again. Enjoy within a week (though honestly, they rarely last that long around here!)
FAQs
Can I make these ahead?
Absolutely! Make them a day or two before your party and store as above. They’re a stress-free make-ahead treat.
What’s the best way to separate egg whites?
Crack each egg over a small bowl, letting the white fall in while keeping the yolk in the shell. Add one egg white at a time to your mixing bowl, so a broken yolk doesn’t ruin the whole batch. Egg separators and cold eggs both help with clean separation.
What if I don’t have a piping bag?
No problem. Use a zip-top bag with the corner cut off or a makeshift parchment bag. You can even spoon blobs and shape with the back of your spoon.
Can I flavor the ghosts with something besides almond?
Definitely! Swap almond extract for vanilla, peppermint, coconut, or even a little lemon extract for a citrusy twist. Just don’t use more than ½ teaspoon total, as too much extract can deflate your meringue.
Can I pipe different ghost shapes and sizes?
Absolutely! Try tall, upright ghosts for a soft and chewy center, or pipe flatter “splat” ghosts for a crisp, melt-in-your-mouth bite. Mix sizes on your sheet—just adjust the bake time (smaller ghosts bake faster).
Why did my meringue ghosts crack in the oven?
Cracking can happen if the oven is too hot or if there’s a sudden change in temperature. Keep the baking temp low (250ºF or even 225ºF if your oven runs hot), and let the ghosts cool fully in the oven with the door ajar to prevent a shock.
My meringue always gets sticky. Help!
The biggest culprit is humidity or super airtight storage. Leave the container slightly open, or store in a cool, dry place. If needed, re-crisp in a low oven.
More Recipes You Might Like
- Witch Hat Cookies
- Easy Graveyard Pudding Cups
- “Killer” Pumpkin Banana Cookies
- Spooky Monster Eyes Deviled Eggs
- Easy Monster Cupcakes for Halloween
Did You Make These Meringue Ghosts?
Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. If you share an image on Instagram or Facebook, be sure to tag me and use #scatteredmomrecipes!
Print
Meringue Ghosts for Halloween
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 40 1x
- Category: dessert
- Method: oven
Description
Meringue Ghosts are the perfect light and crisp Halloween party treat. The recipe starts with just three egg whites, and in less than an hour, your kitchen will be filled with little ghosts ready to haunt the dessert table—and melt in your mouth!
Ingredients
- 3 egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chip
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Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 250º. Make sure your bowls and utensils are completely grease-free, as even a small amount can prevent the egg whites from whipping. Washing them with a strong dish detergent is a good way to do this. If you’re using plastic items, rinsing them with vinegar can also help.
- Place egg whites in a large bowl with cream of tartar, and beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Continue to beat, while gradually adding sugar.
- Beat until stiff peaks form.
- Spoon egg whites into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, such as a Wilton #12. You can use a disposable piping bag or ziploc sandwich bag, cutting the tip (or corner) to an appropriate width, or make a parchment piping bag, as shown in the video.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and pipe ghosts onto the sheets. Hold the piping bag upright with the tip about ½ inch from the sheetpan surface, and begin to squeeze egg whites until a circle about an inch wide, then begin to lift the piping bag while still squeezing, but tapering off. Stop squeezing and lift bag away. Then repeat to make a second tier on top.
- Place chocolate chips on the second tier for eyes.
- Place in preheated oven, baking for 45 minutes, until they’re just beginning to brown on the bottom.
- Remove from oven and let cool.
Notes
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To make flat ghosts, hold the bag vertically, and hover about ¼ inch from the pan, creating a disc for the head, and then zig-zag out, roughly in the shape of a Christmas tree for the body. Place chocolate chips for eyes in the head. Bake flat ghosts for 30 minutes. The flat ghosts dry out really nicely while baking, and have more of a melt-in-your-mouth quality, while the upright ghosts have a softer center.
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