45+ Easy Halloween Recipes for 2024

These days, the holidays start in October. And, if you’re like me, decorating for both fall and Halloween while also perfecting your kids’ costumes leaves little time for finding and cooking complicated or original recipes. 

To help minimize your time in the kitchen, I’ve scoured the internet and collected over 40+ Halloween recipes. I’ve tried to give you as many options as I could, from the spooky to the sublime, with a focus on dishes that are easy to make, delicious, and accommodate a variety of tastes and dietary needs. 

Whether you need to bring an on-theme appetizer to your in-laws’ party, or are yourself hosting a four-course dinner, you’ve come to the right place for some ghostly gastronomic inspiration.

Section 1: Spooky Savory Snacks

1. Mini Spider Pizzas

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

• ½ cup black olives (pitted olives are recommended)

• 1 cup pizza sauce or marinara sauce

• 14 ounces (397 grams) refrigerated pizza crust or homemade pizza dough

Servings: 6

Prep time:  10 mins                          Cook time:  10mins                          Total time:  20 mins

Recipe: 

• Heat the oven to 400°F/205°C/gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set it aside.

• Open up the pizza dough and unroll it onto a work surface. 

• For mini pizzas: Cut out 6–8 circles of dough using a 4–5” (10–13 centimeter) round cookie cutter (or mug) and place them on a baking sheet. For a full-size pizza: Keep the dough as one piece. 

• Cover the dough with marinara sauce, but remember to leave ¼” (1 centimeter) around the edges. Sprinkle cheese on top of the sauce. 

• Make the spider bodies out of olives by slicing them lengthwise (3–4 olives should do). Then, cut up 3–4 more halves widthwise to make spider legs. Finally, use a few olive tips to serve as heads.

• Put the olive spiders on top of the pizzas and bake for 8–10 minutes, until the cheese gets bubbly. Serve warm. 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes: 

• Spider pizzas taste best fresh out of the oven, but you can keep them for up to two days and reheat them in the microwave or oven.

Source: TipBuzz

2. Vegan Mummy Hotdogs

 Ingredients:

• 1 whole wheat puff pastry sheet (approximately 9 ounces or 250 grams)

• 8 vegan hot dogs

For brushing, for a deeper golden color (optional)

• ½ teaspoon vegetable oil

• ½ teaspoon non-dairy milk 

• ½ teaspoon maple syrup 

Servings: 8 

Prep time:  10 mins                             Cook time:  20 mins                               Total time:  30 mins

Recipe: 

• Boil the hot dogs for five minutes. Line a plate with paper napkins and place the hot dogs on it. You can also use a drying rack. The goal is to cool down and dry out the meat. 

• Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C/gas mark 8.

• Cut the puff pastry sheet up into long, thin strips, about ¼” (1 centimeter) wide.

• Wrap the hot dogs in the puff pastry strips, but leave some room near the mummy’s “head” for the eyes. You don’t need to be an experienced cook to do this, so it’s a great opportunity to get your kids to help out. 

• Place the hot dog mummies on a baking sheet and brush on the maple-oil-milk mix, if you choose to use it. 

• Bake for around 20 minutes or until you see the mummies getting crispy and golden brown. White-flour pastry sheets tend to take less time to bake to completion. In that case, you might want to check them after 12 minutes or so.

• Upon removing from the oven, use mustard or vegan mayo to give the mummies tiny eyes, and serve!

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: Holy Cow Vegan

3. Monster Fingers

Ingredients:

• ¼ red pepper, cut into 8 triangular pieces

• 2 ounces (60 grams) of seasoned bread crumbs 

• 4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  (approximately 1 pound/450 grams), cut in half lengthwise

• ¼ cup BBQ sauce

Servings: 4

Prep time:  5 mins                           Cook time:  30 mins                              Total time:  35 mins

Recipe: 

• Heat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC/gas mark 6.

• Coat the chicken breasts with coating mix, following the package directions. Spray the baking sheet with cooking spray and place the meat on top of it. 

• Bake for 13–15 minutes. The chicken may be done a bit sooner, so check up on it around the 10-minute mark. 

• Make ½” (1.3 centimeter) slits in the thinner ends of the chicken strips. Slide the red pepper triangle into these slits to create the monster's claw. Serve with barbecue sauce.

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• For the chicken claws to best resemble monster hands, place four in a fan-like arrangement on a large serving plate. 

Source: Kraft Heinz – My Food and Family

4. Pumpkin Fondue

Ingredients:

• 1 whole squash/pumpkin, sized proportionally to your needs

For 300 milliliters of fondue

• 3.5 ounces (100 grams) mature cheddar, grated

• 3.5 ounces (100 grams) emmental, grated

• 3.5 ounces (100 grams) gruyère, grated

• 3.5 ounces (100 grams) crème fraîche

• 1 tablespoon cornflour

• 1 shallot, finely chopped

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 2 tablespoons white wine

To serve

• Chicory leaves

• Pack of breadsticks

• 18 ounces (510 grams) small roasted or boiled potatoes

• Crusty bread

Servings: 6

Prep time:  20 mins                            Cook time:  1–2 hours                            Total time:  1–2½ hours

Recipe: 

• Heat oven to 350ºF/180ºC/gas mark 4. Start preparing the pumpkin as you would for carving: cut off a “lid”, then scoop out all the membranes and seeds. Place the lid back on top of it and set the entire pumpkin on a baking tray. 

• Mix all the grated cheeses with cornflour, until completely coated. No excess flour should remain. 

• Take the pumpkin out of the oven and throw away the lid. (Alternatively, you can scrape off the roasted flesh and save it up for another dish). 

• Increase the oven temperature to 390ºF/200ºC/gas mark 6. 

• Stack up the cheese, white wine, shallot, crème fraîche, and garlic inside the pumpkin. Put it back into the oven. 

• Bake for half an hour or until you see the fondue is melted and starts to bubble. 

• Eat with spoons, scooping out the melted cheese alongside soft, roasted pumpkin chunks.

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• For differently sized gourds, the time measurements needed to fully bake the squash or pumpkin fondue are as follows:

• Munchkins: 30 minutes 

• 2 pounds, or 4 ounces (1 kilogram) pumpkins and squashes: about 1 hour

• 3pounds, or 5 ounces(1.5 kilograms) gourds: about 1 hour 30 minutes

• If you get a pumpkin larger than about 3 pounds, or 5 ounces (1.5 kilograms), it will take you the same amount of time to cook it as the largest measurement above (about 1 hour 30 minutes). This is because once a squash or pumpkin reaches a large enough size, its cavities will increase proportionally, leaving the thickness of its flesh roughly the same. 

Source: BBC Good Food

5. Witch's Broomsticks

Ingredients:

• 24 pretzel sticks

• 8 string cheese sticks

• Fresh chives

Servings: 12 

Prep time:  12 mins                              Total time:  12 mins

Recipe: 

• Cut the string cheese sticks into thirds (roughly 1½" or 4 centimeters each).

• Next make multiple cuts through about two-thirds of the length of each stick, being careful not to cut all the way through. These cuts will turn the string cheese sections into broomstick bristles.

• Insert pretzel sticks into the uncut ends of the cheese strings. 

• Use chives to bind the structure together. Cut off any excess chives. 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: Mom Foodie 

6. Eyeball Deviled Eggs 

Ingredients:

• 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled

• 2 tablespoons green pesto

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

• A pinch of black pepper

• Salt to taste

• 12 large candy eyes

• Red gel food coloring

Servings: 12

Prep time:  10 mins                               Total time:  10 mins

Recipe: 

• Cut the eggs in half and scoop out the yolks using a teaspoon. Be sure to preserve the egg whites as best you can.

• Place the yolks into a small bowl (like a soup bowl) and add the pesto, mayonnaise, salt, and black pepper. Mix vigorously until smooth-ish. Set the mixture aside.

• Take a toothpick, dip it into the red food coloring, and carefully paint “veins” onto each of the egg whites.

• Spoon the egg yolk mix back into the egg whites until all of the eggs are filled up. Top each one with a candy eye. Serve and enjoy!

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• Add more pesto or mayonnaise to intensify the flavor. 

• If you don’t want to use candy eyes, you can substitute them with sliced, pitted black olives. 

• You can easily double or triple this recipe to serve more people. 

Source: Happy Foods Tube

7. Pumpkin Pretzels

Ingredients:

• 4 cups mini pretzel twists

• ⅛ teaspoon ginger

• ⅛ teaspoon cloves

• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• ⅓ cup honey

• ¾ teaspoon cinnamon

Servings: 8 

Prep time:  5 mins                            Cook time:  10 mins                          Total time:  15 mins

Recipe: 

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC/gas mark 4.

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

• Place the honey, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. 

• Mix the ingredients well to combine the spices.

• Add the pretzels and mix well to coat them in the spices.

• Spread everything out onto the baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. 

• Remove the pretzels from the oven and allow them to cool for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle sugar on top. Toss to coat. 

• Allow to cool completely before serving.

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: My Name Is Snickerdoodle

8. Halloween Cheese & Salami Crackers 

Ingredients:

• 12 small round crackers

• 12 slices of salami

• 6 red cheddar cheese slices

• 1 tablespoon cream cheese

Equipment:

• Pumpkin cookie cutter

Servings: 12

Prep time:  10 mins                          Total time:  10 mins

Recipe: 

• Spread a dollop of cream cheese on each cracker and place a piece of salami on top.

• Cut out pumpkin shapes from the cheese slices using a pumpkin cookie cutter. Place these onto the crackers. Alternatively, you can carve out the pumpkin shapes manually, but keep in mind that it will take much longer. 

• Place the cracker snacks on a serving tray and enjoy!

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes: 

• You can substitute the cream cheese with pesto, if you like.

• I found salami slices that fit the crackers, but you can also use deli ham and cut small circles out using a circular cutter.

• Keep in mind that the number of cheese slices you need may vary due to the size of the slices and the cutter. 

• To simplify this recipe even more, skip the cream cheese and salami and only use the cheese slices on crackers. 

Source: Happy Foods Tube

9. Bacon Jalapeño Mummies 

Ingredients:

• 8–10 large jalapeños

• 6 slices of cooked bacon

• 8 ounces (225 grams) cream cheese, softened

• 1 cup of pepper jack cheese

• 32–40 candy eyes

• 1 container crescent rolls

Servings: 16–20

Prep time:  30 mins                               Cook time:  14 mins                                Total time:  44 mins

Recipe: 

• Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC/gas mark 6. Place cream cheese, pepper jack cheese, and bacon into a small bowl. Mix until combined.

• Cut the jalapeños in half lengthwise. Seed and core them.

• Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the jalapeños.

• Form a rectangle by pinching two crescent rolls together. Use a pizza cutter or knife to slice each rectangle into 10 thin strips.

• Wrap 2–3 crescent strips around the stuffed jalapenos. Keep in mind that you need to leave some space for the eyes! 

• Bake for 12–14 minutes.

• Take out of the oven. Let the mummies cool for roughly 10 minutes. Insert candy eyes into the jalapenos. Enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: Butter Your Biscuit

10. Mummy Celery Sticks 

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce (30 grams) mozzarella cheese, shredded

• 1 celery

• 6 edible eyeballs

• 2.5 ounces (70 grams) cream cheese, plain or flavored

Servings: 3

Prep time:  5 mins                               Cook time:  5 mins                               Total time:  10 mins

Recipe: 

• Cut the celery into 3–4” (7.5–10 centimeter) pieces.

• Spread the cream cheese onto each stick.

• Carefully place the shredded mozzarella on top of the cream cheese. Cross and overlap the cheese shreds to make the celery stick look like a bandaged mummy. 

• Place on two edible eyeballs about ¼” (1 centimeter) from the top of each celery stick. Repeat the process until you have as many mummy celery sticks as you need. Enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: Kelly's Thoughts on Things

11. Spiderweb Hummus

Ingredients:

• 2 tubs or 2–3 cups of homemade hummus (approximately 20 ounces or 570 grams)

• ¼ cup Greek yogurt

• ½–1 cup crumbled feta cheese (you can add extra to taste)

• 2 cups tomato, diced

• 3 cups romaine lettuce, finely chopped

• 1 cup chopped cucumber, peeled and seeded 

• 1 cup bell pepper, finely diced

• ¼ cup black olives, sliced (optional)

• ¼ cup green onion, chopped

To serve

• Fresh, fluffy pita wedges

• Pita chips

• Carrot sticks or celery sticks

• Bell pepper or cucumber, thinly sliced

Servings: 20

Prep time:  20 mins                               Total time:  20 mins

Recipe: 

• On a serving platter, spread the hummus in a thin layer. 

• Chop up all the vegetables. 

• Add Greek yogurt (or tzatziki sauce) into a piping bag. Pipe a spiderweb pattern on top of the hummus. You can easily do this by starting with a vertical line across the middle of the hummus, followed by adding an intersecting horizontal line. Next, add the diagonal lines (similarly to cutting up a pie). Finally, to create the web detail, connect each of the straight lines with lines that curve towards the central intersection. 

• Place your chopped lettuce around the perimeter of the spider web. Layer the remainder of the chopped vegetables on top of the lettuce. Sprinkle with feta and green onion. Serve with pita chips or fresh pita on the side. Enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• Feel free to add more toppings, per your preferences. 

• Any flavor of hummus will do here. 

• You can drizzle some Greek dressing or sweet balsamic glaze on top of the veggies for extra flavor. Olive oil also works well. 

• Parsley and fresh dill are great additional garnishes. 

• Replace the Greek yogurt and feta cheese with dairy-free alternatives to turn the spooky dip into a vegan dish. 

Source: Peas and Crayons

12. Frankenstein Guacamole with Tortilla Chips

Ingredients:

• 3 medium ripe avocados, peeled and cubed

• ¼ cup finely chopped onion

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced

• ⅛ teaspoon salt

To serve:

• 8 ounces tortilla chips

Optional ingredients: 

• Sour cream

• Refried black beans

• Olives

Servings: 8 (2 cups)

Prep time:  10 mins                                Total time:  10 mins

Recipe:

• Use a fork to mash your avocado in a small bowl. Add the cilantro, onion, salt, and lime juice. Stir well. 

• Spoon the guacamole onto a serving platter and shape into a rectangle. Place the tortilla chips at the top of the rectangle to resemble hair. 

• Create the face of your Frankenstein monster by decorating the guac rectangle as desired with sour cream, refried black beans, and olives. Enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: Taste of Home

Section 2: Scary Sweets & Devilish Desserts

13. Halloween Rice Krispie Treats

Ingredients:

• 10 puffed rice treats

• 30–40 candy eyes

• 100 candy melts in colors of your choice

Servings: 10

Prep time:  20 mins                              Total time:  20 mins

Recipe: 

• Melt the candy melts, following the instructions on the package. 

• Dip ½–⅓ of one puffed rice treat into the candy melts. If the icing isn’t runny enough, spread it over the treat with a knife.  

• Place the dipped treat on a baking sheet with parchment paper and repeat the same with the rest of the treats.

• Place the candy eyes onto each treat while the candy melt is still wet and let everything set completely. This might take as long as 30 minutes. Enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• Carefully read the candy melt instructions, otherwise you might not get the desired consistency. 

• Use white chocolate with food coloring as a substitute for candy melts. The setting time will be a little longer, but the final look is almost identical. 

• Keep your leftovers in an air-tight container for up to one week in the refrigerator. If storing at room temperature, make sure to discard leftovers after three days. To keep your treats from sticking to each other, line them with parchment paper. 

Source: Veronika's Kitchen

14. Banana Ghosts

Ingredients:

• 2 large bananas

• 16 mini milk chocolate chips

• ⅔ cup fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt

• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

• 8 wooden popsicle sticks

Servings: 8

Prep time:  5 mins                               Freeze time:  1 hour 30 mins                              Total time:  1 hour 35 mins

Recipe: 

• Peel the bananas and slice them crosswise in half. Then slice each half in half again, this time lengthwise. 

• Take the banana pieces and lay them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Stick a popsicle stick into the flat end of each banana. Freeze for 30 minutes. 

• Stir the powdered sugar and yogurt together in a small bowl. 

• Dip the frozen bananas into the sugary yogurt. Return them to the baking sheet. 

• Place 2 mini chocolate chips about ¾” (2 centimeters) from the tip of the banana quarter to make the ghost eyes. Freeze again; this time for at least an hour. Enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: Our Farmer House

15. Monster Popcorn

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white popcorn kernels

• 1 tablespoon unflavoured vegetable or seed oil

• 1 package candy melts

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons eyeball sprinkles

• Sprinkles

Servings: 5

Prep time:  10 mins                              Cook time:  5 mins                                Total time:  20 mins

Recipe: 

• Add the oil to a pot along with 3 popcorn kernels over medium  heat. Once you hear the 3 kernels pop, add the remainder of the kernels. 

• Keep turning your pan to prevent your popcorn from burning. When the popping slows to just one or two pops every few seconds, take the pot off the stove and turn off the heat. 

• Transfer the popcorn into a large bowl and salt it for flavor. 

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to melt the candy melts. Once melted, add them to the popcorn and mix. 

• Pour the candy-melted popcorn onto a paper-lined baking tray. Top off with eyeball sprinkles for a cool, spooky effect. Enjoy!

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• If you’re using a popcorn maker to make the popcorn, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the best results.

Source: Salty Canary

16. Halloween Ghost Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 package mini figure eight-shaped or oval cookies (16 ounces or 450 grams) 

• 96 mini chocolate chips

• 1 package white chocolate chips or candy melts

Servings: 32

Prep time:  5 mins                             Cook time:  5 mins                             Total time:  10 mins

Recipe: 

• Follow the directions on the package to melt the white chocolate or candy melts. 

• Place a cookie on a fork and immerse it into the chocolate or candy melt. Don’t rush it here – dip one cookie at a time. 

• Lay the dipped cookies out on wax paper and decorate each one with three mini chocolate chips, arranged in a triangle to form the ghost eyes and mouth.

• Cool the ghosts in a refrigerator. To avoid melting, store your leftovers in a cool, dry place – preferably your fridge. Enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: Meatloaf and Melodrama

17. Sour Patch Grapes  

Ingredients:

• 3 cups green grapes (about 20 ounces or 570 grams)

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1½ ounces (40 grams) raspberry powdered gelatin 

• 1½ ounces (40 grams) orange powdered gelatin 

• 1½ ounces (40 grams) blueberry powdered gelatin 

• 1½ ounces (40 grams) lemon powdered gelatin 

• 1½ ounces (40 grams) lime powdered gelatin 

Servings: 6

Prep time:  30 mins                              Total time:  30 mins

Recipe: 

• Whisk together the lime and lemon juices in a small bowl. 

• Take the powdered gelatin and pour each packet out into separate cups or bowls. 

• Stick a toothpick into each one of the grapes in the same spot where the stem used to be. 

• One by one, dip the grapes in the juice mixture and roll them in the gelatin powder. Use one flavor per grape and alternate with every piece to get a nice, diverse range of colors. 

• Chill the covered grapes for 1–2 hours in the refrigerator or until completely set. Refrigerate the grapes for about two hours. 

• Remove the toothpicks, transfer to a bowl, and serve. Enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• Wash your grapes well before following this recipe. 

• If you’re bothered by the powdered gelatin getting wet, pour much less of it into the bowls and keep pouring in new, dry powder as you continue covering the grapes. 

• Spooning the gelatin powder onto the grapes will help you avoid getting clumps of gelatin mixture. 

• You might want to use a serving tray or a large plate to set the grapes on after dipping. This will expedite the cooling process. 

Source: Princess Pinky Girl

18. Halloween Toffee Apples 

Ingredients:

• 8 red apples

• 14 ounces caster sugar

• 4 tablespoons golden syrup

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• Red or black food coloring

• Red or black food glitter (optional)

You will also need:

• 8 lolly sticks or sturdy, clean twigs

Servings: 8 

Prep time:  20 mins                                Cook time: 10 mins                              Total time:  30 mins

Recipe: 

• If using twigs, clean them carefully. 

• Push the sharpest end of a twig or lolly stick into the stalk end of each of the apples. Make sure that you wedge it in firmly. Lay out some baking paper on a wood board.

• Pour the sugar into a big saucepan. Add the lemon juice and 3½ ounces (about 100 milliliters) of water to the sugar. Cook and simmer until you completely dissolve the sugar. Prevent the sugar from catching on the bottom by gently swirling the pan, but make sure not to stir. 

• Pour in the golden syrup and bring it to a simmer (don’t let it boil, though). 

• Use a sugar thermometer to know when it reaches the ‘hard crack’ stage at 150°C (about 302°F). Then add the food coloring and combine by swirling. Next, add the food glitter and take the mixture off the heat. 

• Dip the apples into the toffee one by one. Make sure you work quickly and cover each apple’s skin completely. Once coated, take the apple out and let the excess toffee drip into the saucepan and lay it onto the baking parchment. Let the apples cool, and enjoy!

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes: 

• Toffee apples are best when eaten on the same day they’re made.

Source: BBC Good Food

19. Candy Corn Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 4 large eggs

• 1½ cups sugar

• 1 cup milk

• ¾ cup butter, softened

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest

• ½ teaspoon salt

Frosting

• 1½ cups butter, softened

• 2–4 tablespoons orange juice

• 2 jars marshmallow crème (7 ounces or 200 grams) 

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• Orange food coloring 

• Yellow food coloring 

• 24 candy corn candies (optional)

Servings: 24 

Prep time:  45 mins                                 Total time:  2 hours

Recipe: 

• Heat the oven to 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4. Take paper baking cups and place them into a 24-muffin pan. Set aside. 

• Add all the cupcake ingredients together in a bowl and beat on low speed. Slowly increase the speed to medium and keep beating until everything is well mixed.

• Spoon the batter into the muffin cups. Bake for about 18–22 minutes. You can check up on the baking progress by sticking a toothpick in the center of a cupcake. If it comes out clean, your cupcakes are ready to be taken out of the oven. 

• Remove from the oven and cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the muffin pan and transfer to a cooling rack. Wait until the muffins cool completely.

• Add 1½ cups of butter, a teaspoon of vanilla, and 2 cups of powdered sugar to a medium-sized bowl. Beat until creamy with a hand mixer on medium speed. 

• Add the marshmallow crème and continue beating until well incorporated. 

• Add the orange juice, one tablespoon at a time, mixing continually, until your frosting is spreading consistently. 

• Take 1½ cups of frosting and put it in one bowl along with the yellow food coloring and place another 1¼ cups of frosting in another bowl with the orange food coloring. Mix the frosting and food coloring together in their respective bowls. The remaining frosting will be white.

• Take the three shades of frosting and put each one into separate piping bags with star tips. Use a swirled circle pattern to pipe the yellow and orange frosting onto each cupcake. Top it all off with white frosting. Enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: Land O Lakes

20. Vegan Bloody Cups

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raspberries (frozen)

• 1¾ cups vegan baking chocolate 

• 1 tablespoon rice syrup/maple syrup/agave syrup
  
  

Servings: 8

Prep time:  15 mins                               Cook time:  10 mins                              Total time:  25 mins

Recipe: 

• Take a small pot and heat up the frozen raspberries on medium-high heat until they get soft. Mash them up, getting rid of any large chunks. Add the rice/maple/agave syrup. Mix and set aside. 

• Melt 1 cup of vegan baking chocolate in a double boiler. At the same time, take 8 muffin liners and set them in a muffin baking tray.

• Put around 1½ teaspoons of melted chocolate inside the muffin liners and spread it to the sides by tilting the tray. Repeat this step for all muffin liners. Refrigerate until the chocolate hardens (not longer than a few minutes).

• Take the remaining ¾ cup of vegan chocolate and melt it in the double boiler.

• For each chocolate-coated muffin liner, take a teaspoon of raspberry filling and place it in the middle of the liner. Then, pour some of the melted chocolate over the filling. Make sure the top of the filling is completely covered with chocolate. Readjust by tilting. 

• Place the mixture-filled muffin liner in the fridge to harden (about 5 minutes). 

• Once hardened, take out the cupcake liners and set the bloody cups on a serving tray. Enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• Keep your bloody cups refrigerated until you’re ready to serve them. 

Source: Elephantastic Vegan

21. Halloween Jello Cups

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces (170 grams) lime jello mix

• 2 cups cold water

• 2 cups boiling water

• Sprinkles

• Whipped cream

• Gummy worms

Servings: 6

Prep time:  5 mins                              Cook time:  5 mins                              Total time:  10 mins

Recipe: 

• Follow the instructions on the box to make the jello. Pour equal amounts into six cups and put them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 

• Hang gummy worms off the sides of your cups. Put them back in the fridge for a further 30 minutes.

• Remove from the fridge, add an extra gummy in the middle of each cup and continue refrigerating until everything is set. 

• Add sprinkles and whipped cream on top to serve. Enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• While orange and grape jello are most appropriate for Halloween colors, you can experiment with any other flavor. 

• Another good idea is to layer the jello flavors by pouring one flavor on the bottom half of the cup, chilling until solid, and pouring another flavor over this. 

• For added creepiness, use gummy body parts. 

• You can store your leftover jello cups in the fridge for up to one week, as long as they’re properly covered. Keep in mind that the whipped cream loses volume over time, so you may want to add this each time you serve your jello cups. It’s also good to note that the texture of the gummy worms may also change over time. 

• Do not freeze.

Source: Lil’ Luna

22. Halloween Cheesecake Bars 

Ingredients:

Cookie crust

• 20–25 chocolate sandwich cookies

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

• ⅓ cup sugar

Cheesecake filling

• 3 packages cream cheese, softened (about 8 ounces or 230 grams)

• 3 large eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¾ cup sour cream

• ¾ cup sugar

• Orange and black food coloring

Servings: 16 

Prep time:  10 mins                              Cook time:  50 mins                              Total time:  1 hour 

Recipe: 

• Add water to a large baking pan and place the pan on the lower rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325°F/160°C/gas mark 3. 

• Pulverize your chocolate sandwich cookies in a food processor. If you don’t have a blender, transfer the cookies to a large zip lock bag, seal the bag ⅞ of the way and push out any extra air. Seal the bag entirely and gently beat the cookies with a heavy object (a pan or a rolling pin) until they are reduced to tiny crumbs. 

• Mix the melted butter, cookie crumbs, and sugar in a large bowl. Then, pour the gooey mixture into a 9×13” (23×33 centimeter) baking pan lined with parchment paper. Use your fingers to press the mixture evenly onto the baking pan. Set aside. 

• Beat the softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Keep beating until it is creamy. Add the salt and sugar. Crack in the eggs one by one and keep beating the mixture until the eggs are well incorporated. Add vanilla and sour cream. Continue mixing until the filling reaches a creamy consistency. 

• Take 1⅓ cups of the filling and transfer them evenly into two bowls. Add black food coloring to one of them and orange to the other. Mix well, until the coloring integrates completely with the filling. 

• Spoon the white cheesecake filling on top of the crust. Smooth until it’s even. 

• Alternately spoon lines of orange and black filling on top of the white filling.  Drag a chopstick or the back of a knife across the top of the cheesecake to create a nice swirl pattern. 

• Bake for 50–55 minutes or until the center is firm. When finished baking, turn off the oven and let your cheesecake sit for about an hour before removing. 

• Take the cake out of the oven and store in the refrigerator overnight. 

• Once cooled, pull the bars up on the parchment paper and take off of the baking pan. Cut the cake into nice squares to create cheesecake bars and serve. Enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: A Wicked Whisk

23. Spooky Boo Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 box brownie mix (about 16 ounces or 450 grams)

• Water, vegetable oil, eggs (check your brownie mix box for amounts) 

• 1 cup creamy white frosting

• 16 large marshmallows

• 1 tube black gel icing

Servings: 16

Prep time:  15 mins                              Total time:  3 hours

Recipe: 

• Heat the oven to 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4 (325°F/165°C/gas mark 3 for nonstick or dark pans). Take an 8–9” (20–22 centimeter) square baking pan and line it with foil. Make sure to leave some hanging space over the pan’s edges. Use cooking or shortening spray to grease the sides and bottom of the foil. 

• Follow the directions on your brownie mix box to prepare and cook the brownies. 

• Place the brownies on a cooling rack and allow to cool them completely (this should take about 90 minutes). Freeze them for 15 minutes (still in the pan). Use the foil to lift up and remove brownies from the pan. Peel the foil away. Cut the brownies into 4×4 rows. 

• Heat the frosting in a microwave on a high setting for about 20–30 seconds. Stir every 10 seconds until the frosting is smooth and fluid. Spoon frosting over each brownie. If, while decorating, your frosting settles and becomes too firm, microwave it for an extra 5 seconds. 

• Coat the marshmallows with 1 tablespoon of frosting each and place 1 on top of each brownie. Let it all cool off for around 30 minutes, until the frosting is set. 

• Use black gel icing to give your ghosts mouths and eyes. 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• Lining the pan with foil makes for quicker cleanup and easier cutting. 

• Use a plastic knife for even cuts when cutting up your brownies. 

Source: Betty Crocker

24. Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients:

Pumpkin bars

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

• 1½ teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 2 teaspoons store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice

• 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

• ⅓ cup granulated sugar

• 1 cup vegetable oil

• 3 large eggs

• 1 (15 ounces or 425 grams) can pumpkin puree

• 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Cream cheese frosting

• 8 ounces (225 grams) room-temperature, full-fat cream cheese

• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• ¼ teaspoon store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice

• ⅛ teaspoon salt

Optional

• Sprinkles for decorating

Servings: 24 bars

Prep time:  15 mins                              Cook time:  30 mins                              Total time:  3 hours

Recipe: 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4. Grease a 10×15” (25×38 centimeter) baking pan. Alternatively, you can line the tin with parchment paper and keep enough overhang on the sides to allow you to lift your bake out of the pan without a struggle.

• In a large bowl, whisk the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, flour, and pumpkin spice. Set aside. 

• Whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, and maple syrup together until well combined. 

• Pour the wet mix into the dry ingredients. Use a whisk or electric mixer to combine them and form a thick batter.

• Take the prepared baking pan and spread the batter onto it. Place in the oven and bake for 28–35 minutes. Keep in mind that baking times vary. Keep checking your pumpkin bars by inserting a toothpick: once it comes out clean, your bars are ready to go! 

• Take the bars out of the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool off. If you want to speed the process up, set them in the refrigerator after about 45 minutes of cooling. 

• To make the frosting, use a stand or handheld mixer (fitted with a whisk attachment) set to high speed to beat butter and cream cheese until creamy and smooth. 

• Lower the mixer’s speed, add the salt, confectioners’ sugar, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla, and beat for 30 seconds. Switch back to high speed and keep on beating for 2 minutes. For a thicker frosting, add an additional ¼ cup of confectioners’ sugar. 

• Spread the frosting on the pumpkin bars once they’ve cooled down. Place the bars in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to help the frosting set. Cut the tray bake into 24 bars, serve, and enjoy!

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• Sometimes, the edges or top of your bars can brown too quickly; in which case, you can shield them by loosely securing aluminum foil over the top of the baking pan. 

• If you have any leftovers, cover them tightly and keep refrigerated for up to 5 days. If you don’t use frosting, you can store your pumpkin bars at room temperature for 3 days (or 1 week, if refrigerated). 

Source: Sally's Baking Addiction

Section 3: Monstrous Main Courses

25. Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups flour 

• 1½ tablespoons baking powder

• 3 tablespoons sugar

• 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree

• 3 tablespoons melted vegan buttery spread/organic canola oil

• 1½ cups non-dairy milk

• ¾ cup dairy-free chocolate chips

• 1¾ teaspoons cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon ground ginger

• ⅓ teaspoon nutmeg

• Vegan buttery spread, for frying

Servings: 2 

Prep time:  5 mins                             Cook Time:  18 mins                              Total time:  23 minutes

Recipe: 

• Whisk the baking powder, flour, cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg, salt, and ginger in a large bowl. 

• Add 3 tablespoons of melted vegan buttery spread to the dry ingredient mix along with the chocolate chips, non-dairy milk, and the pumpkin puree. Set aside and leave to rise for 5 minutes. 

• Grease your large skillet with a tablespoon of vegan buttery spread and warm over a medium heat. 

• Once the spread is sizzling, transfer your pancake batter into the skillet. Your pancakes should be around 4” (10 centimeter) in diameter. 

• Once you see that the pancakes’ edges look cooked, you can flip them over. Usually, the frying takes around 3 minutes for each side. This is a little longer than normal pancakes, because the pumpkin makes the batter rather moist. 

• When golden-brown on both sides, remove your pancake from the skillet. Repeat this process until you use up all of the batter. Make sure to keep on adding more buttery spread after every few pancakes to avoid burning them. 

• Serve with maple syrup, cinnamon sugar, or more vegan buttery spread. Enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• You can substitute water for the non-dairy milk in this recipe.

• Refrigerate your leftover pancakes. 

• You can also freeze them, but make sure to wrap each pancake in some waxed paper. Store them in a freezer bag. 

• Butternut squash puree is a great substitute for pumpkin puree, if you don’t have any on hand. 

• Use regular milk and butter for a non-vegan version of this recipe. 

Source: The Pretty Bee 

26. Spiderweb Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients:

• 1 cup frozen blueberries 

• 1 cup frozen strawberries 

• 3–5 tablespoons milk

• 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 2 frozen bananas

Servings: 2

Prep time:  5 mins                               Total time:  5 mins

Recipe: 

• Put the bananas, berries, 3 tablespoons of milk, and 1 tablespoon of honey into a blender. 

• On medium-low speed, blend until smooth. Add an extra 1–2 tablespoons of milk if necessary. Once blended, pour into a bowl. Set aside. 

• Get a small zip lock and pour the Greek yogurt inside. Cut a tiny piece off the corner and squeeze a small circle onto the middle of the smoothie bowl. Make three larger circles around the first one. 

• Create a web pattern by gliding a sharp knife from the smallest circle outward. 

• Garnish with fresh berries, banana slices, star sprinkles, chia seeds, or other ingredients of your preference.

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• Try to keep the mixture as thick as possible. Otherwise, your garnish elements might drown in the smoothie instead of sitting neatly on top. 

• You can use fresh berries instead of frozen.

• Thanks to its thick consistency, Greek yogurt is the best for the web pattern, but it’s also okay to use whipped topping, icing, or regular yogurt. 

• Frozen bananas will make your smoothie bowl even creamier than fresh ones! 

Source: Fresh Coast Eats

27. Monster Sandwich

Ingredients:

• 1 brioche bun

• 4 slices deli meat

• 1 tablespoon cranberry sauce

• 1 slice dill pickle

• 1 slice muenster cheese

• 2 stuffed olives

• Mustard and mayonnaise to taste (optional)

Servings: 1 

Prep time:  5  mins                             Total time:  5 mins

Recipe: 

• On the edges of your cheese slice, cut out triangular wedges to create monster teeth. 

• Lay down the deli meat, pickle, cranberry sauce, and cheese on the opened brioche bun and close it up. 

• Slide two toothpicks into the top of the bun. 

• Stick an olive on top of both toothpicks to resemble eyes. 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: Jordan's Easy Entertaining 

28. Severed Finger Hotdogs 

Ingredients:

• 3 hot dog buns

• 3 classic hot dogs

• Ketchup 

Servings: 3 

Prep time:  7 mins                            Total time:  7 mins

Recipe: 

• Place the hotdogs in a saucepan. Gently heat them up for about 5 minutes, 

• After straining the hot dogs, use a knife to cut knuckles and fingernails into the sausages. 

• Put the finger hot dogs inside of the buns and add ketchup at the bases to emulate blood. Enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: Ye Olde Oak 

29. Halloween-Themed Salad 

Ingredients:

For the red wine vinaigrette

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• ½ cup olive oil

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

For the salad

• ¼ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced crosswise

• 8 ounces (225 grams) tortellini

• 8 ounces (225 grams) spring mix or arugula

• 4 ounces (115 grams) thick-cut pepperoni, cubed or cut into spooky shapes

• 4 ounces (115 grams) pearl-sized fresh mozzarella balls

• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

• 6 mini sweet peppers, sliced crosswise

• Gel food coloring 

Servings: 6 

Prep time:  30 mins                            Total time:  30 mins

Recipe: 

• For the red wine vinaigrette: Add oil, garlic, mustard, vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper to a jar or dressing bottle with a tight-fitting lid. Close the lid and shake until your mixture thickens and emulsifies. Set aside. 

• For the Halloween salad: Dry out the mozzarella pearls by blotting them with a paper towel. In a 1” (2.5 centimeter) skull-shaped silicone mold, place one piece of mozzarella in each opening. 

• Set your microwave to high and heat the mozzarella-filled mold for around 30 seconds to soften the cheese. Watch out for any bubbling, as it will brown the cheese. 

• Once soft, press the cheese down into the molds with the back of a spoon. Put the mold in the fridge for about 5 minutes. After it’s cooled down, take the cheese skulls out of their molds. 

• In the meantime, cook tortellini by following the directions on the package. Drain. Put a few drops of gel food coloring in three separate bowls and pour ¾ cup of cool water into each one. Stir to dissolve the coloring. Divide your tortellini evenly and place them into the three bowls. Let them sit for 5 minutes. Drain the tortellini. Rinse with cold water. Use a paper towel to pat the tortellini dry. 

• Place the tortellini and cheese skulls in a large bowl, alongside your peppers, olives, pepperoni, spring mix, and tomatoes. Toss and lightly dress with red wine vinaigrette. Serve and enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: Fox Loves Lemons 

30. Vegan Jack-O’-Lantern Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

• 4 small bell peppers

• 1 small eggplant, chopped into small pieces

• 1 pouch mixed grains (approximately 7 ounces or 200 grams)

• 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste

• 1 tablespoon olive/rapeseed oil

• 1 red onion, chopped

• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 ounce (30 grams) pine nuts

• 1 bunch basil, chopped

• Zest from 1 lemon

Servings: 4 

Prep time:  25 mins                             Cook time:  35 mins                               Total time:  1 hour

Recipe: 

• Remove the tops of the peppers and set them aside. Remove any white flesh and seeds. With a small, sharp knife, carve some spooky ghost or monster faces into the sides of the bell peppers. Offcuts should be chopped up into tiny pieces and set aside. 

• Add the pine nuts to a dry pan and toast them for a couple of minutes until they turn golden. Set them aside. 

• Pour some oil into the pan and heat it up. Turn on your oven and set the heating to 390°F/200°C/gas mark 6. Throw your chopped onion into the pan and cook for about 10 minutes, until it softens. Stir in the pepper offcuts, eggplant, and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes, until all the vegetables turn soft. If the pan gets dry, you can add a splash of water. Season the mix with salt and pepper to your tastes.  

• Break the grains up by squeezing the pouch and add them to your pan along with tomato paste. Stir for about 2 minutes to properly warm and combine the grains and paste. Remove from heat and add the basil, pine nuts, and lemon zest. 

• Get the grain mix and fill each pepper with it. Place the lids on top (use cocktail sticks to keep them in place). 

• Get a deep roasting tin to place the filled peppers in. Remember to have the carved faces standing upright! Cover the stuffed peppers with foil. Bake covered for around 25 minutes, then uncover your dish and bake for another 10 minutes. Enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• A mix of yellow, red, and orange peppers looks great for Halloween.

Source: BBC Good Food 

31. Jack-O'-Lantern Chicken & Sweet Potato Potpies 

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 pound (450 grams) sweet potatoes 

• 1 large egg

• 1 large onion 

• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry

• 1 small rotisserie chicken

• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

• 1 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated or ground 

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour

• ½ cup dry white wine

• Kosher salt and pepper

Servings: 8 

Prep time:  30  mins                               Cook time:  30 mins                            Total time:  1 hour

Recipe: 

• Heat the oven to 375°F/190°C/gas mark 5. Lightly oil 8 6-ounce (180 milliliter) ramekins

• Turn your stove on to medium heat and heat up the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, sweet potatoes, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ of pepper. Cover and cook for 10–12 minutes or until tender. Stir occasionally. 

• Next, stir in some flour and cook for one minute. Pour in the wine gradually, followed by the broth. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add the parsley, nutmeg, and chicken. 

• Once cooked, divide it among the ramekins (¾ cup each) and place them on a rimmed baking sheet. 

• With a 3¾” (10 centimeter) pumpkin cookie cutter and a ¾” (2 centimeter) triangle cookie cutter, carve out pumpkins and faces in the puff pastry. Do this for each ramekin. Place the pastry over the chicken filling and brush it with egg. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until they’re golden brown and puffed. Serve and enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: Woman's Day 

32. Beef & Pumpkin Stew

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds (900 grams) beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch (2.5 centimeter) cubes

• 3 tablespoon canola oil 

• 1 cup water

• 3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5-centimeter) cubes

• 4 medium carrots, sliced

• 1 large green pepper, cut into ½ inch (1 centimeter) pieces

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 teaspoons salt

• ½ teaspoon pepper

• 2 tablespoons beef bouillon granules

• 1 can (14½ ounces or 410 grams) diced tomatoes, undrained

• 1 pumpkin (10–12 pounds or 450–550 grams)

Servings: 10 servings

Prep time:  2½ hours                               Cook time:  2 hours                             Total time:  4½ hours

Recipe: 

• Brown the stew meat in a Dutch oven with 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the water, carrots, potatoes, onion, green pepper, garlic, salt and pepper. Simmer, covered, for about 2 hours. Stir in the tomatoes and bullion. 

• Wash the pumpkin and cut a 6–8” (15–20 centimeter) circle around its top stem. Remove the top and set it aside. Remove the pumpkin’s filling by scraping out any loose fibers and seeds from the inside. 

• Get a shallow baking pan and place the pumpkin inside. Carefully spoon the stew inside the pumpkin and place the top back on. Any remaining oil can be used to brush the outside of the pumpkin. 

• Bake at 325°F/165°C/gas mark 3 until the pumpkin turns tender. Serve the stew directly from the pumpkin and scoop out bits of its flesh as you serve. Enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: Taste of Home 

33. Tombstone Chicken & Green Bean Bake

Ingredients:

• 4 cups deli rotisserie chicken, shredded (made from 2 pounds or 900 grams of chicken)

• 2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup (10¾ ounces or 300 grams each)

• 1 package fresh mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups, 8 ounces, or 225 grams)

• 1 bag (1 pound or 450 grams) frozen French-cut green beans

• 1 jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped (12 ounces or 340 grams) 

• 1½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded (6 ounces or 170 grams)

• ¼ cup butter or margarine

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained (8 ounces or 225 grams) 

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

• 1 container sour cream (8 ounces or 240 mililitres) 

• 36 oval, buttery crackers

Servings: 12 servings

Prep time:  30 mins                             Cook time:  30 mins                                Total time:  1 hour

Recipe: 

• Heat oven to 375°F/190°C/gas mark 5. Spray cooking spray onto a 13×9” (32×23 centimeter) glass baking dish. Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a 12” (25 centimeter) skillet. Throw in the mushrooms and cook for 6–8 minutes until they’re tender. Stir occasionally. In the meantime, follow the package instructions to cook the green beans and drain them.

• In a large bowl, mix the shredded rotisserie chicken, soup, mushrooms, water chestnuts, pepper, sour cream, garlic powder and green beans together. Stir in the roasted peppers gently. Spoon everything into a baking dish.

• Take 20 crackers and place them in a resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag and crush crackers with a rolling pin. Sprinkle them on top of the chicken mixture. 

• Bake for 15 minutes, uncovered. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top and stick the last 16 crackers into the casserole, making them look like tombstones. Bake for another 10–15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the mixture is bubbly. Enjoy!

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• For a stronger chicken flavor, you can replace the cream of mushroom soup with cream of chicken. 

Source: Pillsbury 

34. Jack-O’-Lantern Burger

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds (900 grams) ground beef 

• 10 hamburger buns

• 5 tomatoes

• 1 head of iceberg lettuce

• 1 cucumber

• Ketchup

• 1 tablespoon English mustard

• Salt and pepper

Servings: 10 servings

Prep time:  10 mins                                Cook time:  10 mins                                 Total time:  20 mins

Recipe: 

• Preheat the oven to 320°F/160°C/gas mark 3.

• Mix the ground beef, mustard, salt, and pepper in a large bowl using a hand mixer with a dough hook attachment (or just use your hands). From the mixture, create 10 burger patties. 

• Heat up a pan and add some cooking fat. Fry the patties until they are well done on both sides. 

• Wash the iceberg lettuce and pat it dry. Tear off large pieces. 

• Peel and slice the cucumber. 

• Remove the stems from the tomatoes and wash them. Slice them up into very thin slices.

• While the burger patties cook, cut the buns in half and put them on a baking sheet. Place them in the oven and bake for approximately 5 minutes before removing them. With a triangle cookie cutter, make holes in the top buns to make them look like Jack-O-Lanterns. 

• Build your spooky burgers. First, spread ketchup on each half of the buns. Place the lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, and patty on the bottom half and cover with the top one. Enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• You can use a barbecue to grill your patties.

• To fully imitate the Jack-O-Lantern look, place a pepper stem on top of your burgers.  

Source: Küpperbusch

35. Spooky Eyeball Tacos 

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (450 grams) lean ground beef

• 1 pack taco seasoning mix (1 ounce or 30 grams) 

• 12 taco shells

• ¾ cup salsa

• ¾ cup sour cream

• 1 can sliced black olives, drained (2¼ ounces 65 grams)

Servings: 6

Prep time:  20 mins                            Cook time:  20 mins                             Total time:  40 mins

Recipe: 

• Heat the oven to 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4.

• Combine the seasoning mix with the meat and shape it into 36 ping-pong ball-sized spheres. Place the spheres onto a 15×10×1” (38×25×2.5 centimeter) baking pan.  

• Bake for 15–20 minutes.

• Place 1 meatball inside each taco shell and spoon the salsa on top. Dip 2 meatballs in sour cream and place on top, sour cream-side up. Garnish the meatballs with the sliced olives to make them look like eyeballs. Enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• The best cuts of beef to use for this dish are lean cuts (e.g. ground sirloin). Use light or reduced-fat sour cream. 

Source: Kraft Heinz – My Food My Family

36. Halloween Stir Fry

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces (340 grams) canned chopped pork and ham

• 3.5 ounces (100 grams) carrots

• 1½ tablespoons peanut butter (smooth or crunchy, according to your preferences)

• 2 fluid ounces (60 milliliters) water

• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

• 1½ tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce

• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil

• 3.5 ounces (100 grams) frozen peas

• 10 ounces (290 grams) medium egg noodles (straight-to-wok variety)

• ⅛ cup roasted peanuts

• 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped

• 4 candy eyes (optional)

Servings: 2

Prep time:  10 mins                             Cook time:  10 mins                               Total time:  20 mins

Recipe: 

• Slice the chopped pork and ham lengthwise into five pieces. 

• Cut the carrots in half lengthwise.

• Use a small, bone-shaped cookie cutter to cut bone shapes out of the meat slices. Do the same with the carrots. Set the meat and carrots aside. 

• Make the sauce in a small bowl by mixing together the peanut butter, water, dark soy sauce, and Thai sweet chili sauce. 

• Heat up the sunflower oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the meat “bones”. Fry until they’re brown on each side. Throw the carrot “bones” and frozen peas into the mix. Cook for another minute. 

• Add the peanut butter sauce and stir vigorously. Add the noodles and stir well to coat them in the sauce. 

• To serve, sprinkle the stir fry with the chopped coriander and roasted peanuts. Place candy eyes on top of the noodles for added spookiness. Enjoy!

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• To reduce food waste, keep the unused meat to make a Halloween-themed breakfast. Fry the leftover bits of meat in oil and stir in a couple of beaten eggs. Add spring onion and red pepper to taste. As for the leftover carrots, you can use them to make carrot soup or freeze to use at a later date. 

Source: Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary 

Section 4: Halloween Drinks for Kids

37. Green Witches’ Brew  

Ingredients:

• 32 fluid ounces (950 milliliters) green isotonic sports drink or other green drink, chilled

• 2 quarts (1.9 liters) lime sherbet

• 70 fluid ounces (2 liters) lemon-lime soda, chilled

Servings: 14 people

Prep time:  5 mins                             Total time:  5 mins

Recipe: 

• Scoop the sherbet into a glass. 

• Pour the sports drink over it until you fill up ¾ of the glass. 

• Top it up with lemon-lime soda.

• Garnish with Halloween gummy candies. 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes: 

• If you’re throwing a kids’ Halloween party, make this drink in a punch bowl. 

• The nutrition details listed below don’t include any garnishes.

Source: Easy Budget Recipes

38. VooDoo Halloween Drink 

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces (450 grams) ginger ale

• 8 ounces (225 grams) lime powdered soft drink mix

• 4 tablespoons raspberry Torani syrup

• 1 can (11 ounces or 330 milliliters) lemon-lime soda

• Ice

• Water or simple syrup

• 1 container of green sanding sugar

Equipment: 

• 4 syringes

Servings: 5

Prep time: 5 mins                               Total time: 5 mins

Recipe: 

• Pour the ginger ale into a 32-ounce (950 milliliter) pitcher, filling it about halfway. 

• Throw the powdered lime soft drink into the mix. 

• Stir until fully combined. 

Preparing the glasses:

• Pour the green sanding sugar into a bowl. 

• In another bowl, add water or simple syrup, filling the bowl ¼ of the way up. 

• Dip each glass in the water/simple syrup, followed by the sanding sugar. Twist the glass around so that it’s well coated with the sugar. 

• Carefully fill ½ of each glass with ice. 

• Pour in the punch. Make sure to leave ¼ of the glass empty! 

• Fill up ½ of the syringe with lemon-lime soda. 

• Add raspberry syrup (¼ of the syringe)

• Stick the syringe into the cups and inject the lemon-lime soda just before drinking. Enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: Wheel ’n Deal Mama

39. Purple Halloween Punch

Ingredients:

• 2½ cups Blue Gatorade

• ⅓ cup grenadine

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 cup lemon-lime soda

• Violet food coloring

Servings: 6–8 servings

Prep time:  2 mins                               Total time:  2 mins

Recipe: 

• Pour the Gatorade, grenadine, lemon juice, and lemon-lime soda into a pitcher. Stir well to fully combine. 

• Add a few drops of violet food coloring and stir again. Repeat until you achieve your desired shade of violet. 

• Place in the fridge to cool. When cold, serve and enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: Frugal Mom Eh

40. Ghost Milkshakes

Ingredients:

• 4 cups vanilla bean ice cream

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1½ –1¾ cups whole milk

Topping:

• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Servings: 4

Prep time:  8 mins                               Total time:  8 mins

Recipe: 

• Combine the milk, ice cream, and vanilla extract in a blender and blend until smooth. 

• Get a medium sized mixing bowl and beat the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks forming. 

• Split the milkshake up evenly between 4 glasses. Fill up a large sandwich bag with the sugar-cream-vanilla topping. Cut the corner off the bag and pipe a swirl of the topping onto the milkshake. Serve right away. 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: Lil‘ Luna

41. Halloween Smoothies 

Ingredients: 

Jack O'Lantern Orange Smoothie

• 1 large orange, peeled and sectioned

• ½ cup frozen mango chunks

• ½ cup milk 

• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

• ½ cup frozen banana slices 

Frankenstein Smoothie

• ½ cup milk 

• ½ cup frozen mango chunks

• ½ cup spinach leaves

• ½ cup frozen banana slices 

• Blueberries to top

Bloodshot Eye Smoothie

• 1 apple, cored and sliced

• 1 orange, peeled and sectioned

• ½ cup frozen raspberries

• ½ beetroot, cooked, peeled and quartered

• 3 blueberries to top

• 3 slices banana to top

Ghost Smoothie

• 1 cup frozen banana slices

• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

• ¼ cup milk of choice

• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt

Servings: 1 (per smoothie recipe)

Prep time:  5 mins                                Total time:  5 mins

Recipe: 

Jack O'Lantern Smoothie

• In a blender, blend all of your ingredients on high speed until the mixture becomes smooth. 

Frankenstein Smoothie

• In a blender, blend all of your ingredients on high speed until the mixture becomes smooth. 

• Top off with blueberries

Bloodshot Eye Smoothie

• In a blender, blend all of your ingredients except for the banana and the blueberries on high speed until the mixture becomes smooth. 

• Take a slice of banana and turn on its side. Then, using a knife, scrape a small divot in the middle of the banana slice. Pour in some of the blended smoothie and stick the blueberry in the hole. Repeat with another slice of banana. Spread the slices on top of the smoothie to resemble bloodshot eyes. 

Ghost Smoothie

• In a blender, blend all of your ingredients on high speed until the mixture becomes smooth. 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• Turn this recipe into a vegan one by replacing milk and Greek yogurt with vegan alternatives

Source: Healthy Little Foodies 

Section 5: Halloween Cocktails & Mocktails

42. Bloody Martini Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 2.5 fluid ounces (75 milliliters) London dry gin

• 2 fluid ounces (60 milliliters) pomegranate juice drink

• ½ fluid ounces (15 milliliters) extra dry vermouth

• 7 to 8 ice cubes  

For the garnish

• 1 teaspoon icing sugar

• 4 blackberries

• 1 sprig of mint 

Servings: 1

Prep time:  10 mins                               Total time:  10 mins

Recipe: 

• In a medium-sized jug or cocktail shaker, chill the extra dry vermouth by stirring approximately 20 times with the ice cubes. 

• Add the London dry gin and pomegranate juice and stir gently. Strain the liquid into a Martini glass. 

• For the garnish, put 4 blackberries in a sieve. Use a fork to mash them; pushing the pulp and juice through the holes into a bowl. Stir through 1 tsp icing sugar until dissolved. Drizzle around the rim of the glass. 

• Slice into 3 blackberries and place on the side of the glass. Finish with a mint sprig.

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: Tesco Real Food

43. Blue Witches’ Brew Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 1 fluid ounce (30 milliliters) blue Curaçao

• 1 fluid ounce (30 milliliters) vodka

• 1 fluid ounce (30 milliliters) triple sec

• Juice of 1 lime

• Black sanding sugar (for coating)

Servings: 1

Prep time:  5 mins                               Total time:  5 mins

Recipe: 

• Place cracked ice in a shaker and pour the blue Curaçao, vodka, triple sec, and lime juice over. 

• Shake well and strain into a cooled martini glass, rimmed with black sanding sugar.

• Serve and woo your Halloween party guests! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: Recipes Just 4U

44. Haunted Graveyard Cocktail 

Ingredients:

• ½ cup bourbon

• ⅓ cup maple syrup

• 4 orange slices

• 4–6 splashes of bitters (see notes)

• 1 rosemary sprig 

• 1 cup ice

To serve:

• Large ice cubes

• 2 rosemary sprigs (see notes)

Servings: 1 drink 

Prep time:  5 mins                               Total time:  5 mins

Recipe: 

• In a cocktail shaker, add the bourbon, maple syrup, orange slices, bitters, sprig of rosemary, and ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds or more.

• To serve, add the large ice cubes to a short whisky glass and strain the cocktail into the glass. 

• Garnish with a fresh rosemary stem. Use a long match or kitchen lighter to set the sprig on fire (see notes). 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:  

• There are a variety of bitters you can add to enhance the flavor of this cocktail: rosemary bitters, smoke bitters, grapefruit bitters, and orange bitters, to name a few. Or you can experiment with some new combinations.

• If you don’t want to burn the rosemary, garnish the drink with a curl of zest or an orange slice. Alternatively, you can simply not singe the rosemary.

Source: Sprinkles and Sprouts

45. Pumpkin Pie Punch

Ingredients:

• ½ gallon (2.3 liters) cold apple cider

• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

• 12 fluid ounces (350 milliliters) cream soda

• 1 can of pumpkin flesh (15 ounces or 420 grams) 

• Whipped cream or cool whip to garnish

• Apple slices to garnish

Servings: 8

Prep time:  5 mins                              Total time:  5 mins

Recipe: 

• Stir the apple cider and pumpkin flesh together in a large pitcher with a large whisk, until fully combined. For additional smoothness, pour it through a small wire mesh strainer or a cheesecloth. 

• Stir in the pumpkin pie spice and cream soda. 

• Throw some apple slices into your pitcher and refrigerate until serving. 

• Serve cold and top off with some cool whip or whipped cream. Enjoy!

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: The Cookie Rookie

46. Blackberry Witch Mojito

Ingredients:

• 12 mint leaves

• 12 blackberries

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

• 4 teaspoons sugar

• ½ cup seltzer water

• 6–8 ice cubes

Optional:

• ¼ cup vodka or rum

Servings: 1 

Prep time:  3 mins                             Total time:  3 mins

Recipe: 

• In a tall glass, muddle together the mint leaves, blackberries, lemon juice, lime juice, and sugar. 

• Pour in the seltzer and, if using, the vodka or rum. Add ice and stir well. Serve and enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

Source: Driscoll's

47. Zombie Brain Shot 

Ingredients:

• 1 dash of crème de menthe

• 2 dashes of grenadine

• 2 part Irish cream

• 4 part peach schnapps

Servings: 1 shot

Prep time:  5 mins                               Total time:  5 mins

Recipe: 

• Fill a double shot glass about halfway full with peach schnapps. 

• Color the shot green with a splash of creme de menthe. 

• Get a spoon, turn it upside down and gently lean the edge against the side of the glass. Slowly pour the Irish cream over the spoon, making it slide off the back of the spoon – this will result in larger “zombie brain” clumps. Keep pouring until the Irish cream layer takes up about ¼ of the shot glass. 

• Add a few dashes of grenadine from a few inches above the glass. Aim for the Irish cream clumps and watch the reaction. Serve and enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes: 

Source: Homemade Hooplah 

48. Smoking Halloween Mocktails

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of orange juice

• 2 cups apple cider

• 2 tablespoons simple syrup

• 2 tablespoons mulling spices in a tea strainer/cheesecloth

• 1 cup pumpkin puree

• ½ teaspoon orange zest

• Dry ice

Servings: 4

Prep time:  5 mins                               Total time:  5 mins

Recipe: 

• In a pan, whisk together the orange juice, apple cider, puréed pumpkin, and orange zest over medium-to-low heat. 

• Add the mulling spices and simple syrup. Continue cooking slowly. 

• Remove spices when the mixture is fragrant. 

• Whisk vigorously and serve hot. 

• To make it a true Halloween drink, add some dry ice for the smokey effect. Enjoy! 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• Don’t add too much dry ice to the cups because this can make them overflow with bubbles. Advise your guests to start drinking after the dry ice is melted. 

Source: This Vivacious Life

49. Monster Mocktails 

Ingredients:

For the zombie juice

• A splash of cranberry juice

• 1.7 fluid ounces (50 milliliters) water

• 1.7 fluid ounces (50 milliliters) green apple syrup

• 3.4 fluid ounces (100 milliliters) lemon-lime soda

• Zombie gummy hand stirrer sticks

For the vampire juice

• 2 fluid ounces (80 milliliters) cranberry juice

• 2.7 fluid ounces (80 milliliters) lemon-lime soda

• 1.4 fluid ounces (40 milliliters) part blood orange syrup

• Gummy eyeballs

Servings: 1

Prep time:  5 mins                               Total time:  5 mins

Recipe: 

Zombie juice

• Fill a glass halfway with ice cubes. 

• Add the liquids one after the other, pouring slowly to create layers. 

• Pop in an edible stir stick to finish off. 

Vampire juice

• Fill a glass halfway with ice cubes. 

• Add the rest of the ingredients. Remember to pour slowly to create layers. 

• Top off with gummy eyeballs. 

Nutritional info: 

Please note that due to the nature of nutritional information, all values are approximate.

Notes:

• If you’re throwing a kids’ halloween party, you can use a large punch bowl for serving and decorate it with gummy worms and plastic spiders.

Source: 4 Sons R US

The Bottom Line

Whether you’ve volunteered to host a spooky sleepover for your kids or need a dish you can carry while dressed to the nines in your finest Frankenstein costume, I hope you’ve found some inspiration here. 

We’ve covered everything from horrific hors d’oeuvres to monstrous main courses to give you a spread that’s both delicious and thematic!

Halloween is my favorite holiday, and I hope these dishes help make yours unforgettable and serve you well both now and for years to come!