Ghost Meringue Cookies

I love Halloween. It is far and away my favorite holiday. I know Christmas and Hanukkah are at the top of most lists because of all the food and gift giving/getting. But I like Halloween. Why? Because of all the candy of course. Yes, if you know anything about me, you know that I have a serious sweet tooth, especially when it comes to chocolate. So the idea of going from house to house to get free chocolate bars and peanut butter cups always makes me smile. (No, I no longer beg for candy. That’s what my sons are for.) The fact that you also get to dress up as whatever evil, pretty or bloody creature you want (yes, I do still dress up) makes Halloween absolutely the best holiday out there. And since every holiday must have something sweet to go with it, I’m always creating fun, interesting treats.

Halloween is no different. I know I mentioned the candy, but homemade sweets are just as important as store-bought ones. A couple years ago I made some awesome chocolate pudding using leftover mini Milky Ways. But this year, I decided to go 100% scratch. That’s right, not 1 pre-made anything, anywhere. As a matter of fact, these cookies only have 4 ingredients, making them by far the simplest Halloween treat you’re going to find.

Now, people are always yelling at me when I say something is super easy to make. They tell me “Shut up, Jenn. You always say that. But hellooo, you’re a cook. Everything is easy to you.” While that may be true with some things, I promise you, these cookies really are easy. If you can separate an egg and use a pastry bag, you’re in!

There is one drawback to these ghostly treats though: waiting for them to come out of the oven. See, unlike a chocolate chip or sugar cookie which only takes about 10 minutes to cook, these little cuties require some serious patience. Once they go in the oven, you have to wait at least 90 minutes before you can take a bite. I know it’s hard to wait, especially when it comes to sugar and chocolate, but if you open the oven too soon, the meringues will fall. So, instead of cute, plump ghosts, you’ll end up with flat, dead ghosts. And nobody likes a flat ghost. Dead is okay, but flat just isn’t cute at all.

Ghost Meringue Cookies

Ingredients:

• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter
• 2/3 cup sugar
• mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 250° F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high until foamy. Add the cream of tarter and continue to beat until soft peaks form.
3. Gradually add the sugar a little at time and continue to beat until the sugar is dissolved, the meringue is shiny and holds stiff peaks.
4. Spoon all the meringue into a pastry bag with a round, circular tip. Then, holding the now full pastry bag over your prepared cookie sheets, squeeze a small amount of meringue, about the size of a silver dollar, onto the sheet, lift up a little and  repeat, making a smaller circle on top, and once again, for a third even smaller circle for the head (kinda like a fat snowman). Then end by releasing pressure as you lift, so you’ll get a nice point on the top. Repeat this process to get at least 12 ghosts per sheet.
5. Once you’ve finished off your meringue ghosts, grab a handful of mini chocolate chips and place 2 on each top layer of meringue to act as eyes.
6. Place the ghostly meringues in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Once the timer goes off DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN. Just turn the oven off and let the meringues sit in there for at least another 40 – 60 minutes. Once the cookies are crisp and dry, serve to all those little ghosts and witches who come knocking at your door.