Ghost Cupcakes Recipe

Last Updated on October 2, 2025

I wanted something fun for Halloween so I made these adorable Ghost Cupcakes.

The “ghosts” are actually meringue cookies so this is really two desserts in one, just like these peanut butter cup chocolate cookies!

Meringues do take a little bit of effort and some patience, so we’re going to save our time on the cupcakes by using cake mix as a shortcut and store-bought frosting. All our effort is going to go into those adorable meringue ghosts.

Jump to:

• Why Use Meringues on the Cupcakes?
• SAVE THIS RECIPE!
• ❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🔀 Substitutions
• 🌈 Variations / Options / Add-Ins
• 🥄 Equipment Needed / Helpful Tools
• Tired of Ads?
• 🔪 How to Make Ghost Cupcakes
• 👩‍🍳 Pro Tips
• ❓ Recipe FAQs
• 🙏 Pairing
• Get Crafty This Halloween with Easy DIY Ideas
• SAVE THIS RECIPE!
• 📋 Recipe
• Pro Tips
• Recipe FAQs

Why Use Meringues on the Cupcakes?

Since making the meringues takes a little bit of effort, by should we use them? Meringues make perfect ghosts for so many reasons:

• They’re the perfect color since we usually associate ghosts as being white.
• Meringue can easily be piped into the shape of a ghost.
• The fact that they’re barely there is the real seller, right?! Just like ghosts, meringues are not quite solid-one bite and they melt away so you’re almost not certain they existed in the first place.
• This delicate structure of meringue offers a unique texture that complements the richness of the cake.
• The light, sweet flavor doesn’t overpower the taste of the cupcake, but rather adds a delicate finishing touch.
• Meringues are dairy-free and gluten-free so if you have a guest that has those dietary needs, you can set some of the “ghosts” aside for them to enjoy so they don’t feel left out of eating a Halloween treat.

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These spooky cupcakes are such a fun dessert to serve at your Halloween party.:

• Easy to make: Even though these cupcakes take some time to make, each step is fairly easy to do.
• Fun to make: Your kids can help you make the cupcakes, frost them, and even help with the meringues. It's a great way to make special family memories on Halloween.
• Always a hit at parties: People really seem to like holiday themed food, so these cupcakes topped with ghosts, will disappear quickly.

If you like Halloween themed recipes like this one, then next time you may want to give these Halloween devil cupcakes a try.

🥘 Ingredients

The good news is, you’ll be able to find all of the ingredients at your nearest grocery store, if they aren’t already in your kitchen.

• White cake mix: This makes it really easy to make the cupcakes. You can use any brand you prefer.
• White frosting: It acts as a glue so the meringue cookies will stick when you place them on top. You can use any brand you prefer.
• Egg whites: Make sure to use room-temperature whites so they whip up with more volume and create the light, airy foam that dries into crisp ghosts.
• Cream of tartar: This stabilizes the whipped egg whites, helping them reach stiff peaks and stay glossy without collapsing.
• Sugar: It sweetens the meringue and helps create a stable foam. The dissolved sugar also keeps the texture smooth instead of grainy.
• Vanilla extract: The extract adds flavor to the meringue so it's not just sweet but also pleasantly aromatic.
• Chocolate chips: Use regular size and mini for the eyes of the ghost (the size of chocolate chip you use depends on what size meringue you make).

See recipe card for complete list of ingredients and quantities.

🔀 Substitutions

If you don’t have the ingredients you need or if you have different dietary preferences, see if you have these instead:

White cake mix: Vanilla cake mix will be very similar, if that’s all you can find or what you prefer; or, you can also make your own if you have a favorite recipe. If you need to, you can use a gluten-free cake mix.

White frosting: You can make your own if you prefer. If you need to, you can use a vegan buttercream or a store-bought dairy-free vanilla frosting.

Egg whites: If you want a vegan/egg-free version, Aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas) whips up almost exactly like egg whites-use 3 tablespoons aquafaba per egg white.

Cream of tartar: Lemon juice or white vinegar will work instead. Use about ½ teaspoon of either to provide the acid that stabilizes the foam.

Sugar: Superfine (caster) sugar is best if you have it because it dissolves faster, but regular granulated sugar works fine. For a less-refined option, use organic cane sugar; just make sure it's fine-grained so it dissolves.

Vanilla extract: In case you don’t like this flavor, almond extract, lemon extract, or a splash of maple extract will give you a different flavor.

Chocolate chips: Any small edible dark accent works, like mini candy-coated chocolates, small fondant circles, tiny raisins, or black decorating gel dots.

🌈 Variations / Options / Add-Ins

Here are a few ways that you can personalize this simple dessert recipe. 

• Flavor Variations: For chocolate ghosts, add 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder to the meringue for cocoa-colored ghosts, or swirl in a bit of melted dark chocolate before piping. Swap the white cake mix for chocolate, red velvet, or pumpkin spice cake to create a contrasting "night sky" base.
• Add-Ins: Fold mini chocolate chips, crushed cookies, or rainbow sprinkles into the cupcake batter. You can also core the baked cupcakes and spoon in jam, lemon curd, or chocolate ganache before frosting.
• Color & Decoration: Dust the meringues lightly with edible shimmer before baking for a magical effect. Another option is to add a drop of gel food coloring to part of the meringue for pastel ghosts (think lavender or pale orange).

If you want to try some different meringues good for any occasion, try this mini meringues recipe.

🥄 Equipment Needed / Helpful Tools

You only need a few kitchen tools to help you make these Halloween cupcakes.  Grab these tools and get ready to enjoy this festive treat. 

• Cupcake pan: A standard 12-cup pan for baking the cupcakes.
• Mixing bowl: These mixing bowls are nice because the bottom is non-skid-that will be useful when your kids are stirring the cupcake batter.
• Cooling rack: For cooling baked cupcakes before decorating.
• Stand mixer with whisk attachment or hand mixer: Essential for whipping egg whites to stiff peaks.
• Piping bag with large round piping tip: For piping mounds of meringue into smooth, rounded ghost shapes.
• Baking sheet: To hold the piped meringues.
• Parchment paper: Prevents the ghosts from sticking.

🔪 How to Make Ghost Cupcakes

Don’t be afraid, the scariest part of these cupcakes is the eerie ghosts, which really aren’t that hard to create. Just follow the instructions below and you will have some festive cupcakes in no time at all.

Step 1: Bake Cupcakes

Prepare the cupcakes according to package instructions and allow to cool completely. When you remove the cupcakes from the oven, reduce the temperature to 225 F for the meringues.

Step 2: Frost the Cupcakes

Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, top with a thin layer of icing and set aside.

I used white cupcakes with white frosting to make it seem like they’re floating in fog. If you prefer your ghosts to be hanging out in a graveyard, you can use chocolate cupcakes and chocolate frosting instead.

Step 3: Beat Egg Whites

While the cupcakes are cooling, you can start getting your ghosts ready. You can use a hand mixer, but if you have a stand mixer, it’s much easier, especially for the next part.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed until they are frothy. Add cream of tartar and beat on medium until soft peaks begin to form.

Step 4: Add the Sugar

Turn mixer to high and begin adding the sugar one tablespoon at a time, mixing between each addition. Continue beating until all the sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks begin to form.

If you’re using a stand mixer, you can just keep the beater running and drop in each tablespoon of sugar as the previous one is incorporated. You can accomplish the same thing with a hand mixer and kitchen assistant (a child or good hand eye coordination) too though so don’t sweat it if you don’t have a stand mixer.

Step 5: Add Vanilla

Add the vanilla extract and beat until it’s fully incorporated.

Step 6: Make the Ghosts

Now is the fun part! Pour the egg white mixture into a piping bag and pipe mounds onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

If you want all of your ghosts to be the same size, you can make the mounds identical in shape. If you prefer to have ghosts of all sizes you can make small and large mounds.

Step 7: Add the Eyes

Add two regular chocolate chip eyes to each large mound and mini chocolate chip eyes to the small mounds.

Step 8: Bake the Meringues

Then, place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. When the 45 minutes is up, turn off the oven but leave the ghosts in the oven for another hour.

Step 9: Cool the Cookies

Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Step 10: Serve and Enjoy

Once the ghost meringues are completely cooled, place them on the cupcakes and serve.

👩‍🍳 Pro Tips

Here are a few tips for this Halloween recipe to help make your experience even better. 

• If cupcakes dome, gently press them down with a clean kitchen towel while still warm for an even surface for the ghosts.
• Let cupcakes cool fully before adding the frosting; even a little warmth can cause the frosting "glue" to melt and the ghosts to slide.
• Any trace of fat will prevent egg whites from whipping. Wipe bowl and beaters with a little vinegar or lemon juice, then dry thoroughly.
• Beat egg whites until stiff peaks just form-when you lift the whisk, the meringue tip should stand upright without drooping. Overbeating can make it dry and crumbly.
• Pipe Vertical, Not Swirled-hold the bag straight up and squeeze gently, lifting as you pipe to create that ghostly height.
• The 225 F (about 110 °C) temperature dries the meringues instead of browning them. If you see browning, lower the oven to 200 F.
• Place ghosts on frosted cupcakes shortly before serving so the meringues stay crisp.

❓ Recipe FAQs

🙏 Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Ghost Cupcakes:

Get Crafty This Halloween with Easy DIY Ideas

Looking for simple, creative ways to make this Halloween extra special? Check out my Easy Halloween Crafts eBook! It’s packed with fun, low-cost ideas that are perfect for families.

Whether you’re planning a spooky party or just want to keep the kids entertained, these crafts will add a festive touch to your Halloween celebrations. Grab your copy here and get ready for some ghoulishly good fun!

Ready to get cooking? Print off the recipe card below or toggle on Cook Mode to keep your screen from going dark while you follow along on your phone or tablet.

📋 Recipe