Egg-Free And Gluten-Free “Boo” Meringues For Halloween
If you’re looking for gluten-free, egg-free or vegan dessert options for your Halloween party, then these ghost meringue cookies are the perfect choice. Made with only 5 ingredients, this recipe is easy to whip up the day you need them.
The secret ingredient is aquafaba, which mimics egg-whites but is completely vegan. For adorably fluffy, delicious, cloud-like ghosts, check out the recipe below.
What Is Aquafaba?
Aquafaba is the liquid in canned chickpeas that you’ve probably been draining away all these years. But don’t! Not only is this liquid full of starches, but when it’s whipped it crates a foam that is perfect for meringues.
The chickpea liquid mimics egg whites but doesn’t contain as much protein as egg whites. Aquafaba’s ability to trap air, allows it to create light and fluffy looking clouds. In fact, when aquafaba is whipped it triples in size.
Are There Substitutes For Aquafaba?
I get it, you probably don’t want to open up a can of chickpeas just for a little bit of the liquid but there aren’t many other options if you want to keep the recipe vegan. Liquid from other beans, like black beans, end up turning out flat.
The great news is that aquafaba can be stored frozen without losing it’s whipping abilities. Next time you cook garbanzo beans or use a can, save the liquid in an ice cube tray in 1 Tbs portions. Then when you need some, you can easily grab a cube to defrost.
Do I Have To Use Cream Of Tartar?
Yes, cream of tartar is a must if you want your meringues to stay fluffy. In non-vegan meringues, cream of tartar works to keep the egg whites light and fluffy by preventing the proteins from binding. Cream of tartar does the same thing for the aquafaba but with the starches.
If you choose not to use cream of tartar in your ghost meringues, they may look great initially but will shortly flatten out into a pancake instead of staying peaked. They’ll still taste delicious though.
What Do I Need To Make Boo Meringues?
There are only a few items that are absolutely necessary for this recipe including:
- A Stand Mixer
- Vegan Black Decorating Icing Gel (this is what I use)
- Piping Bags
- Parchment paper
- Cooling Racks
What Ingredients Are Needed?
These vegan Halloween meringues use only 5 ingredients!
- 1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
- 1 cup minus a Tablespoon of strained Aquafaba from Unsalted Canned Chick Peas (can also use liquid cooked from dried garbanzo beans)
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of cornstarch
Want to save this recipe?
How To Make Vegan Meringue
Making vegan meringue isn’t as intense of a process than you may think. In fact, newbies can make this simple recipe. And once you know how to make the base meringue, you can add other flavors, coloring, or try your hand at different shapes.
- Make sure your oven is preheated to 275˚and line two baking sheets with parchment paper so the meringues won’t stick.
- Set up your stand mixer with the whisk attachment and put the cream of tartar in the mixer’s bowl.
- Pour the aquafaba (strained) into the mixer on low and let it blend into the cream of tartar.
- Slowly increase the speed from low up to medium. Continue beating on medium until the mixture is foamy.
- Increase the speed until high until the mixture can hold soft peaks.
- Then, tablespoon by tablespoon, slowly add in the sugar making sure to beat well in between each addition of sugar.
- Continue beating until the mixture is glossy and holds stiff peaks.
- Add in the vanilla and beat for 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle the corn starch over the top and beat for another 30 seconds. Then turn off the mixer.
- Fit a disposable icing bag with a 1-inch tip by cutting off the end of the bag. If you prefer, you can use a larger tip, smaller tip, or you don’t even have to use a tip on the bag. It’s whatever your preference is.
Tip: Place the pipet bag into an empty jar so it stays open for easy filling.
- Pipe your ghosts onto the parchment-lined baking sheets. They don’t spread much so you can place them somewhat close together.
- Fill your entire sheets with your boos. Make sure the base is wider than the top. When you’re done squeezing the bag, pull upwards slightly so that the meringue will end in a point.
- Place the baking sheets into the oven for 75 minutes. Make sure to rotate them at the half way point.
Tip: To avoid browned ghosts, place your baking sheets on the lower oven racks.
- Once the meringue ghosts have finished baking, turn off the oven, open the oven door slightly, and let the oven cool with the meringues still inside.
- When the oven is completely cool, remove the trays of meringue cookies and move them to cooling racks so that the bottoms can dry. Make sure your house is dry and warm or else the meringues may get sticky.
- Later on, when the meringue cookies have completely dried, use the black decoration gel to add eyes and a mouth to each.
How To Store Meringue Cookies
Meringues are best eaten the day they’re made since humidity and temperature affect them. If you must store them, place them into an airtight container and put them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
If you need to make your meringue ghosts ahead of time, hold off on adding the faces until you’re ready to serve them.
Other ideas for use include brushing the bottom of the ghosts with vegan white chocolate and then placing them on cupcakes. They make adorable cake decorations too.
Aquafaba Vegan Meringue Ghost Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
- 1 cup minus a Tablespoon of strained Aquafaba from Unsalted Canned Chick Peas can also use liquid cooked from dried garbanzo beans
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275˚. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent the meringues from sticking.
- Use a stand mixer with whisk attachment. Add the cream of tartar into the mixing bowl.
- Pour the strained aquafaba into the mixing bowl on low and let it blend.
- Increase the mixer’s speed from low to medium slowly. Continue mixing on medium speed until the mixture is foamy.
- Beat the mixture on high until it can hold soft peaks.
- Slowly add in the sugar tablespoon by tablespoon, making sure to beat well between each sugar addition.
- Continue beating until the mixture holds soft peaks and is glossy.
- Add in the vanilla and beat for 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle the cornstarch over the top and beat for another 30 seconds before turning off the mixture.
- Fit a disposable icing bag with a 1-inch tip by cutting off the end of the bag. If you prefer, you can use a larger tip, smaller tip, or you don’t even have to use a tip on the bag. It’s whatever your preference is.
- Pipe out the ghosts onto the baking sheets. They can be fairly close together since they don’t spread much during baking.
- Fill both baking sheets with the ghost cookies while making sure the base is wider than that top. When you’re done squeezing, pull the bag up slightly in order to make the top of the meringue pointed.
- Place both baking sheets into the oven for 75 minutes, making sure to rotate them mid-way through.
- When the meringues have finished baking, turn off the oven, open the oven door slightly, and let the oven cool with the meringues still inside.
- When the oven is completely cool, remove the trays of meringue cookies and move them to cooling racks so that the bottoms can dry. Make sure your house is dry and warm or else the meringues may get sticky.
- When the meringue cookies have completely dried, you can add the black decorative gel for the ghost faces.
