Meringue Cookie Bones

Meringue cookies are both light and inexpensive to make. Bake these in bone shapes for a fun Halloween party treat. These treats will perfectly mimic those creepy skeletons hang around on All Hallows Eve! If you are feeling ambitious, try making a full skeleton, this will instantly add a more festive touch!

Ingredients:

5 egg whites, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 drops yellow food dye

Directions:

Preheat oven to 220 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with a standing mixer or a hand mixer until soft peaks form, approximately 5 minutes.

Gradually add sugar.

Add vanilla extract and yellow food dye. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.

Spoon mixture into plastic baggie and cut off a 1/4 - 1/2 inch tip in the corner of the bag.

Pipe a 3-4" strip onto a cookie sheet. Pipe two balls on either end of the strip. Smooth any peaks with a damp finger. Repeat until the cookie sheets are filled.

Bake for one hour. Then, turn off heat and allow the cookies to sit for at least an hour. Do not open oven at any time during the baking process.

Carefully remove cookies from parchment paper and store in an airtight container. Recipe yields 3-4 dozen.