Keto Ghost Meringue Cookies
Published October 2, 2021 • Updated March 2, 2026
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Ghost meringue cookies are my go-to keto Halloween treat. Four ingredients, zero carbs, and one batch makes 30, so you're covered for every party on the calendar.
I started making these ghost cookies three Halloweens ago when I needed something I could bring to two different parties in one week. One batch makes about 30, so I piped half as ghosts for a neighborhood party and left the other half plain for a school event. Both trays came home empty.
If you’ve made my keto meringue cookies before, you already know the base. This version just adds the ghost shapes and face decorations. The batter is the same four ingredients: egg whites, cream of tartar, a pinch of salt, and powdered erythritol. Zero net carbs per cookie.
What makes my method different from most meringue recipes is the bake. I use 200 degrees for one hour, then turn off the oven and let the cookies sit inside for another full hour without opening the door. A lot of recipes call for 225 degrees for two hours straight. I’ve tried both. The lower temperature with the oven-rest gives you a crisper shell without any browning. The inside stays slightly chewy, which is what you want from a meringue.
These are naturally dairy free and nut free, so they work for pretty much every allergy situation at a party. I’ve brought them to events where three different people had different restrictions, and everyone could eat these. If you’re building a full keto Halloween cookie spread, pair them with sugar free candy corn or keto candy for a complete table.
The decorating is the fun part, and it’s easier than it looks. I used to paint the ghost mouths with a small brush, but a toothpick dipped in black food gel gives you way more control. One of my readers, Crystal, mentioned this in the comments and she’s right. The toothpick lets you make smaller, more detailed faces without the gel bleeding everywhere. For the eyes, press candy eyes into the meringue right after piping, before the surface starts to set.
Hands-on time is about 15 minutes. The rest is just the oven doing its thing while you do something else. I’ve made these on a weeknight after dinner with zero stress. The biggest thing I tell first-timers: do not open that oven door during the rest period. Every time you let heat escape, the cookies lose their crisp. Let them cool completely inside, then store in an airtight container at room temperature. They hold up well for days, which is why I make them the night before an event and never worry about it.
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Ingredients
4 egg whites -
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
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Pinch of Salt
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1/2 cup powdered erythritol
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Candy Eyes, optional
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Black food paint
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1A piping tip, optional
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Piping bags, optional
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Small paint brush, optional
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Beat eggs until foamy
To a large clean, dry bowl, add egg whites, cream of tartar and a pinch of salt. Beat with an electric mixer until the egg mixture is foamy.
NOTE: It’s important for the bowl to be clean so your meringue forms stiff peaks. Make sure no egg yolk is in your mixture or you will not get stiff peaks and your meringue will not set.
Beat until stiff peaks form
Slowly add sugar free sweetener while continuing to beat mixture. Beat until very stiff peaks form (around 3-5 minutes). Meringue needs to be so stiff that you can flip the bowl upside down without the meringue mixture falling out.
Pipe into ghost shapes
Add sugar free meringue to a piping bag fitted with a 1A tip or cut a large hole about 3/4 of an inch wide. Pipe ghost shapes onto the parchment lined baking tray spacing about 1/2 inch apart.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Why won't my meringue form stiff peaks?
I've had this happen twice, and both times it was the same problem: fat in the bowl. Even a tiny drop of egg yolk or residue from a plastic bowl will keep the whites from whipping up. I only use glass or metal now, and I wipe the bowl with a paper towel before I start. Also make sure your eggs are at room temperature. Cold whites are stubborn and take forever to peak, if they peak at all.
Can I use allulose instead of erythritol for meringue?
I'd go with a monk fruit/erythritol blend before I'd use allulose. I've heard from other keto bloggers that 100% allulose doesn't set properly in meringues, and a few readers have told me the same thing. Allulose keeps things soft, which is great for chewy cookies but works against you here where you need that dry, crispy shell. The monk fruit/erythritol blend has been the most reliable swap in my testing.
Do the eggs need to be at room temperature?
Yes, and I learned this the hard way. Cold egg whites are harder to whip and don't hold as much air. I pull my eggs out about 30 minutes before I start. If I forget, I set them in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for about 10 minutes. The difference in volume is noticeable.
Why are my meringues soft and sticky instead of crispy?
This usually means they didn't dry out enough in the oven. My method is to bake at 200 degrees for an hour, then turn off the oven and leave them inside with the door closed for another full hour. That rest period is where the crispiness happens. If you pull them out too soon, they'll be soft. Humidity also plays a role. On muggy days, I sometimes leave them in the turned-off oven even longer, up to two hours.
Can I make these the night before a party?
I do this all the time. They hold up really well overnight in an airtight container at room temperature. I've made them up to three days ahead and they stayed crispy. The key is keeping them sealed and away from moisture. Don't refrigerate them. The fridge introduces humidity and turns them chewy.
Can I add different flavors to make these year-round?
I've added a few drops of peppermint extract around Christmas and lemon extract in the summer, and both worked well. Just add the extract to the egg whites before whipping. Make sure whatever you use is sugar free. I skip the ghost shapes when I'm making them for non-Halloween occasions and just pipe swirls or kiss shapes. Same recipe, completely different look. My keto thin mint cookies are another option if you want a crispy cookie with a flavor twist.
Can I use a ziplock bag instead of a piping bag?
Yes. One of my readers, Crystal, did exactly this and said they held their shape better than she expected. Cut a corner off a gallon-size bag, about 3/4 inch wide. You won't get the same perfectly round base as a 1A piping tip, but the ghost shape is forgiving enough that it doesn't matter. I've done it both ways and the results are close enough that I wouldn't buy piping bags just for this recipe.
How should I store these cookies?
I keep mine in an airtight container at room temperature. These low carb meringues last about a week, but I think they're best within the first three or four days before they start getting slightly soft. Never refrigerate them. The moisture in the fridge ruins the texture. If you live somewhere humid, I put a small piece of parchment paper between layers to keep them from sticking.
My daughter spotted the leftover candy eyes and asked to make these without the ghost theme. We piped them into little clouds and she immediately called them 'sky cookies.' Meringue held up fine. Now I keep four egg whites aside on baking days.
My 8-year-old spotted the piping bag and took over. I was bracing for disaster because she is NOT gentle, but every lopsided ghost face held up. She's already asking for a second batch with purple food paint.
Lopsided ghosts are the best ghosts. For purple, use gel food coloring mixed with a tiny bit of vodka or clear extract. Liquid food coloring will make the surface weep and get sticky.
Tip if you're nervous about meringue: wipe down your bowl and beaters with white vinegar before starting. Even a tiny bit of grease will stop the egg whites from forming stiff peaks, and this recipe is simple enough otherwise that it's worth taking that extra minute.
Same. Lemon juice works too if you're out of vinegar. Plastic bowls hold onto grease even after washing, so I switched to stainless for meringue.
I've tried at least four keto meringue recipes over the past two years and most turn tacky by day two or deflate before they finish baking. This one holds up. The cream of tartar ratio is finally right. Mine came out with that papery crunch on the outside and a marshmallowy pull in the center, which is exactly the texture I've been chasing. I piped them without the 1A tip (just cut a large opening in the bag) and they held their shape through the full bake. The only thing I'd adjust is the sweetener, just a touch more for my taste, but that's easy to dial in on the next batch. This is the base recipe I'll keep coming back to.
You nailed the texture description. On the sweetener, start with an extra tablespoon. Some erythritol brands run noticeably less sweet than others.
Cut the corner off a ziplock bag and piped them that way, no piping tip necessary, and they held their shape way better than I expected for a first timer. Skipped the candy eyes and dotted the faces on with a toothpick dipped in the black food paint, so much less fiddly and they still looked super cute.
The toothpick trick gives you way more control than a brush honestly. First time and you already figured out the better method.
Made these for my daughter's class party. Zero carbs is crazy.
That's perfect for a class party. I've done the same thing. They hold up really well in a container too, so you can make them the night before.
Can you use other keto-approved sweeteners without erythritol? Or is it necessary to maintain a slight crisp texture? I know it’s necessary for crispier cookies, wasn’t sure if a monk fruit/erythritol blend would be better than monk fruit/allulose blend which is known to keep treats softer.
Thanks, sounds like a great, easy recipe.
You can use a monkfruit/erythritol blend. The only one I'm not sure if it works because I've heard other keto bloggers have issues making meringues with it is 100% allulose.
My friend made a nest using this recipe and put strawberries with a bit of cream cheese in them after baking . Maybe a pinch of whipped cream on top. Heaven
Oh that's good. The meringue can totally hold a filling if you pipe it nest-shaped. Strawberries and cream cheese in one of these... yeah, I need to try that for spring.