Autumn: the time of year when the days get shorter, the nights get longer, and we can finally turn off our air conditioning, open the windows, and turn on our ovens. While the “Holiday Season” technically starts with Thanksgiving, in the US, the “Eating-Delicious-Things-Season” starts with Halloween. We’ve assembled a list of 25 Spooky Halloween recipes for cooks of any skill level, including a few things little hands can help with. We’ve also added a few vegan, paleo and gluten free options so that everyone can have a treat, no tricks. Without further ado, here are 25 Spooky Halloween Recipes That Will Delight Your Tummy.
25
Spider Eggs: Avocado and Wasabi Deviled Eggs
Source & Image: http://familyspice.com/
Blueberries are the secret ingredient to make these eggs spectacularly spooky looking, while the combination of wasabi and avocado give them a creamy kick. A perfect bite to have waiting at home after Trick or Treat, the protein in the eggs will help offset any sugar crashes later in the evening.
24
Eye Popping Cake Pops!
Source & Image: www.bakerella.com/
An eye catching treat, these eyeball cake pops will make your guests do a double take. You can even use red velvet cake for an extra surprise inside. Perfect for wrapping up and handing out at the office or to classmates. Check out Bakerella’s other Halloween posts for great ideas on more treats and how to decorate a devilishly delicious holiday table.
23
The Perfect Fall Cheese Ball
Source & Image: www.familyfreshmeals.com
A quick and pretty appetizer, this pumpkin-shaped cheese ball will appeal to children and adults alike (because who doesn’t like cheese?). It can even be made a day ahead and garnished right before serving, giving you less time in the kitchen the day of your party.
22
Spiced Rum Cupcakes With Boozy Buttercream.
Source & Image: http://www.sugardishme.com
Shiver me frostings! These cupcakes are definitely for the adult table, but don’t hesitate because of that. Spicy and sweet with the magical kick of dark rum, these cupcakes are perfect for any swashbuckling soiree or, well, any excuse you can think of. The extra cinnamon in the buttercream really gives these treats a cozy fall flavor, making these cupcakes a great any Halloween or fall party.
21
Blood Clot Biscuts
Source & Image: http://www.ohbiteit.com
Four ingredients and easy prep, these delicious “clots” are really biscuit dough cooked in cherry pie filling, making them suitable for Halloween breakfast. Whenever you choose to eat them, they’re a sweet and creepy dish that’s sure to make your guests hesitate for a moment before diving in (but once they do, you’ll probably need to make another batch in short order).
20
Gooey Monster Cookies
Source & Image: http://lilluna.com
How cute are these? Bright happy Halloween cookies, perfect for the novice or experienced baker. These are a soft cookie made with cake mix and cream cheese, giving them a somewhat gooey texture. If you have little helping hands, they can add the eyeballs. Neon food coloring was used to get the extra bright colors shown here, but any color – even black – can be used to match your party theme.
19
Meat Head
Source & Image: http://helpfulhomemade.com
What an interesting an unexpected centerpiece for your Halloween table or sandwich tray. Meat Head is simple to assemble, if a little bit time consuming, but oh, so worth it. He can be made a day ahead, wrapped in plastic and kept in the fridge until party time. Any sliced meat you prefer can be used, so try mixing it up with prosciutto for a more jagged peeling look, or even thin layers of cheese over the meat for a still wrapped mummy.
18
Melon Brains
Source & Image: http://www.instructables.com
A suitably creepy vegan treat, this takes a watermelon and turns it into brains. Serve on a platter surrounded by other fruit or in a punch bowl filled with red punch for a spooky stew; these brains are as much decor as dessert.
17
Cheesy Halloween Breadstick Bones
Source & Image: http://www.justataste.com
Bread? Cheese? Yes please! These bony bread sticks can be made with homemade or store bought pizza dough and served with bloody (marinara) dipping sauce. A clever way to convince your little guys and ghouls to eat some real food between the candy.
16
Spooky Spiderweb Cake
Source & Image: http://cookiedoughandovenmitt.com
Black cocoa powder gives this beautiful cake it’s dark color, and the bright green web dripping around the top is made of dyed marshmallow fluff. Amazing, huh? Even if you don’t feel compelled to make this cake, it’s worth checking out the blog post just to look at more pictures of it.
15
Poison Toffee Apples
Source & Image: http://simply-delicious-food.com
“I’ll share a secret with you,” the Evil Queen whispered to Snow White. “This is no ordinary apple; it’s a magic wishing apple.”
Make these “poison” toffee apples to bewitch your guests. No hard candy coating to break your teeth on, just soft homemade toffee with a beautiful glossy black finish you can see the reflection of your tarnished soul in.
14
Mini Chocolate Doughnut Spiders
Source & Image: onelittleproject.com
Perfect for little helpers or last minute Halloween themed snacks, these spiders take literally minutes to make and require no actual cooking. Check out the blog post over at One Little Project for a video of exactly how these little guys are assembled.
13
Pumpkin Hummus
Source & Image: www.highheelsandgrills.com
Made with garlic, cumin, and paprika, this pumpkin hummus is a savory seasonal treat that only takes about ten minutes to make. Serve in a small hollowed out pumpkin with veggies or pita chips, or just eat with a spoon. We won’t judge.
12
Pumpkin Spice Truffles
Source & Image: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com
Looking for some slightly more refined, adult treats this Halloween? Try making your own Pumpkin Spice Truffles. They may be a little bit more effort, but how impressive and pretty will these be tied up in a bag with some orange ribbon?
11
Halloweeño Jalapeño Popper Mummies
Source & Image: http://www.thehopelesshousewife.com
If you or your loved ones desire spicy as much as sweet, try whipping up these cheesy jalapeno poppers. Baked, not fried, and dressed up for the holiday, these are pretty simple to assemble and impressive to present.
10
Bloody Eyeball Brownies (Paleo! Gluten Free! Dairy Free!)
Source & Image: http://www.texanerin.com
Halloween has always been one of those times of year that’s difficult for those who can’t join in on eating copious amounts of whatever they want. Thankfully, eyeballs and everything else in this recipe are allowed on a paleo diet, so those with dietary restrictions can still enjoy the holiday. These pretty pieces have coconut butter frosting and lychees for the “eye” topped with strawberry jam.
9
Candy Corn Fudge
Source & Image: http://totallythebomb.com
We all know that person, the candy corn person. The person who waits every year for the first bags of those little sugary delights to show up in stores and then buys extra to dip into between November and August. Win their heart this Halloween by making them candy corn fudge.
8
Blood Splattered Petit Fours
Source & Image: http://www.brit.co/
These fleshy looking petit fours are perfect for sharing during a horror movie marathon or as part of the creepiest afternoon tea imaginable. They start with a frozen pound cake, so all your effort goes into the fun part, which is decorating (and devouring).
7
Mummy Meringue Cookies
Source & Image: //www.sweetandsavorybyshinee.com
If you’ve never had meringue, it’s a surprisingly light, sweet, melt in your mouth bit of goodness made from whipped egg whites. Perfect for little ghost cookies. While this recipe is pretty basic and only calls for 4 ingredients, you could easily add color, flavoring extracts, or sugar substitutes to suit your fancy.
6
Witches' Finger Cookies (Sugar Free and Gluten Free)
Source & Image: http://www.sugarfreemom.com
Liquid chlorophyll gives these bewitching fingers their green color (don’t worry, the recipe says you can use regular food coloring too!) and an all natural liquid substitute called erythritol gives them their sweetness. With a texture very much like crumbly shortbread, those who can’t have refined white sugar won’t think they’re missing out on anything.
5
No Bake Spiderweb Cheesecake
Source & Image: http://www.epicureanmom.com
Baking a cheesecake can be daunting to even experienced bakers, but fear not! Traditional sweet cheesecake filling with a chocolate cookie crust, this recipe gives you the joy of cheesecake plus a pretty spider web on top, without the baking.
4
Salted Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Cookies
Source & Image: http://www.lifeloveandsugar.com
These clever cookies hide a bit of a mini candy bar in the middle to make the creamy caramel center, which makes the whole process so much easier than it looks. The sea salt on top provides a contrast to the chocolaty caramely gooey goodness and makes for a very well balanced, rich cookie.
3
Raw Vegan Goji And Pumpkin Mini Cakes
Source & Image: http://deviliciouslyraw.com
Choosing a vegan or raw lifestyle doesn’t mean choosing to no longer have decadent desserts. Most vegan pantries are likely to have the ingredients for these lovely little cakes on hand, with the exception of maybe the goji berries, so no list of special substitutes needed. The lovely thing about eating a raw pumpkin cake? You can truly taste the pumpkin instead of just the spice.
2
Black Widow Venom Punch
Source & Image: http://www.ladybehindthecurtain.com
The centerpiece of many party tables, punch is a tasty and important part of Holiday celebrations. This kid friendly alcohol and caffeine free punch works well for party goers of all ages, but could easily be adapted to a more adult crowd with the addition of spirits.
1
Oreo Bat Truffles
Source & Image: http://onesweetappetite.com
Even those with little to no decorating experience can make these adorable creatures of the night. No special equipment needed, the wings are made by piping melted chocolate onto a template via a small ziplock bag. You can do this. You can make Oreo bat truffles for Halloween, and you should.