Getty Images/Khadija Horton
Ah, October 31st. Maybe you’re on your tenth Hocus Pocus rewatch, but that doesn’t mean you’ll ever get tired of getting in the Halloween spirit. It’s such a vibe: All the storefronts are dripping in cobwebs, you’re considering taking scissors to a childhood costume to make it ~new again~, and you’ve studied approximately 17 full-length Halloween makeup tutorials to perfect your lewk for Halloween night.
If you’re hosting (or attending) a scary soiree this year, you can’t just put out any old chips and dip—no, it has to be a full-on enchilada dip graveyard. Your brie has gotta be skeletal, and your pizza has gotta be ghoulish. We’ve got ya covered with all these on-theme, super easy, and delicious Halloween snack ideas. To pull these off, you may wanna hit up your local craft store for some festive cookie cutters (and some food coloring), just FYI. Oh, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to stock up on tequila for the witches brew you’re about to stir up.
Now light a cinnamon-scented candle and prepare thyself to get pumpkin *spicy* with these Halloween party snacks (and cocktails, obv, we wouldn’t skip those).
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Peanut Butter Nutella Candy Bar Brownie
Big brownie bar? Say no more. Customize this shareable sweet with any Halloween candy you have lying around, but make sure that candy isn’t from last year’s celebrations…
If you don’t feel like baking, but also want everyone to *think* you turned on your oven, then decorating store-bought cupcakes is your best bet. All it takes is some cupcake liners, tape, and a toothpick to transform these cupcakes into witch hats. SpOoky, no?
Bake these donuts to perfection and decorate them with black and purple food dye to really give your dessert spread a spooky boost. Bonus points if you stick on a few edible googly eyes while you’re at it.
Sweet and Salty Caramel Apples
If you’re trying to take advantage of all the picture-perfect apples that fall has to offer, dip some in caramel, drizzle ’em in chocolate, and sprinkle sea salt on top. Good luck eating just one though. 😇
Halloween Monster Mash Cookies
With ‘monster’ in the name, it feels like you pretty much have to make these for your next Halloween party. Filled with oats, M&Ms, pretzels, chocolate, and topped with some long-lashed eyes, these are sure to be a favorite festive sweet treat.
Jack ‘O Lantern Quesadillas
Practice your pumpkin-carving skills with these festive quesadillas. Fill each ‘dill with your choice of cheese, meat, or veggies, and all of your guests will be thrilled to chow down own their own personal jack ‘o lantern.
Meatballs wrapped in crescent rolls? Say less. Purchase some frozen meatballs to make this appetizer extra easy to execute.
If you’re one of the lucky ones whose temperatures are still nice enough to host your October parties outdoors, these cinnamon twists should definitely be on your menu. These cinnamon doughy delights are the perfect treat to end your night with.
Forget the haters who say “candy corn is gross” and sprinkle an entire bag of it on freshly popped popcorn. Top it with chocolate, pretzels, and M&Ms and you’ve got yourself a delicious munch.
Pumpkin Gnudi with Vanilla Brown Butter
Maybe you’re thinking of doing an Italian cuisine night for your next Halloween party, in which case, you’re going to want to revolve the meal around this gnudi. Its pillow-y deliciousness creates the perfect texture for the vanilla brown butter to complement. Top it with some cheese and your guests will be beyond satisfied.
Mummified Garlic Bread
Garlic bread is always the most delicious thing on the table (no offense to any of the other apps) but with visible strands of melted mozzarella on top, I’m sure everyone will be darting for this dish before any others.
Pumpkin Butter Brie Pull-Apart Bread
With the perfect combo of salty and sweet, you’re going to have everyone asking you for the recipe of this bread. Plus, it’s a fun way to use pumpkin butter in a dish!
French Onion Soup with Gruyere Toasts
Nothing says “it’s getting cold outside” like a cup of warm soup accompanied by a piece of cheesy bread. Make this french onion soup for one of your smaller get-togethers, because sweating down 1 million onions doesn’t sound like the most ideal way to prep for a party…right?
Feeling like your shindig is missing something sweet? Slide a banana onto a stick, drizzle it with white and milk chocolate, then decorate using chocolate candies. Problem solved!
Quick Caramel Apple Fudge
Emphasis on the quick here. If your guests are in the Uber and you still have to, um, decorate your entire place, these caramel apple fudge squares are super simple. Basically you just dump together the ingredients, including apple, caramel, and white chocolate chips, and microwave them. This recipe’s extra fall-ish and makes a batch of 36 pieces, so you’re covered even if you end up with post-party crashers.
Dark Chocolate Fudge Pomegranate Tart
If you’re willing to put in a little more effort for a chocolatey dessert that also gives off a spooky vibe, please make this tart. It’s chocolate plus fruit (always the best combo,) and screams sophisticated while still leaning into the fun of Halloween.
Butternut Squash Potstickers
Think about your vegan guests ahead of time and make these potstickers that will be a hit with everyone from meat eaters to veggie lovers! It doesn’t get more fall than butternut squash wrapped up in something super tasty, right??
Spice up your classic pig in a blanket and mummify it with some crescent dough and a sprinkle of cheese for added deliciousness!
Chai Latte Cupcakes with Caramel Brulée Frosting
Let’s just say, this cupcake might replace your traditional morning latte after just one bite…With the familiar warm spices of the cake and a topping of sweet, crunchy caramel, this is going to be the biggest hit on your party’s dessert table.
S’more Butterscotch Caramel Dump Cake
It may not be the most delicious sounding cake, but a dump cake will be the easiest cake you make this fall season. By dumping (get it!) all of the ingredients and mixing them around in one dish, you’ll be greeted with the classic s’mores flavors in a new and less sticky way.
Look out, Starbs. This pumpkin pie dip is better than your go-to PSL. This rich, indulgent spread takes only seconds: Beat cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin, sour cream and spices until blended. Transfer to a bowl; serve with gingersnaps. Refrigerate leftovers (which you prob won’t have).
Candy Corn Jello Shots
Always a crowd-pleaser (but not always your friend the next morning), these vodka and rum-infused candy corn jello shots are ultra-festive. Just a tip though: You need about an hour and a half for each layer to set, so don’t think you can start filling these up as your guests are arriving. It’s more of an All Hallows Eve activity.
Spooky Chicken Sliders
Add in some fake fangs and voila! You’ve got instant creepy (yet savory) critters to jazz up any party platter. They’re almost too cute to eat. (Almost.)
Graveyard Chicken Enchilada Recipe
An enchilada graveyard…what more does a gal need? Bury me in this.
And don’t forget to fold in the cheese (that one’s for you, Schitts Creek fans) and let it get nice and bubbly to get the best, most IG story-worthy cheese pull when you dip.
Um, deviled eggs. Need we say more? Adding in some eerie eyeball imagery is exactly what you need to make this dish even scarier. Use olives or edible eyeball candies for eyes and apply red food coloring with a toothpick to trace the “veins” throughout the egg.
Is there anything better than graham crackers + chocolate + marshmallows? Throw this dip together in mere minutes, and watch while your guests consume it in the same amount of time.
Roasted Pumpkin Chipotle Cheddar Tots
These savory crispers are scary good, flipping the script on the usual cinnamon-y spice you get with your pumpkin goodies. So they’re kinda like tater tots, but pumpkin, and that chipotle cheddar adds a little kick. Fair warning: These might not make it all the way to the actual party.
Now this is the kind of ghosted you want to happen to you. Save this phantom-filled pizza for your Halloweekend Sunday Scaries, or serve it up to your guests as a midnight snacks to soak up all the boo-ze.
This recipe is so easy, a zombie could make it (aka you, hungover from bottomless brunch). Pick out your favorite popcorn, sprinkle some matcha over the top, and shake until coated. And there ya go, a Frankenstein-esque vibe to add to your snack spread!
These boo-ti-ful ghosts are more treat than trick, and they’re so un-complicated to make! Grab some strawberries, white chocolate, mini chocolate chips, and a Ziploc bag, and clear out some space in the fridge.
Add some puff pastry to some good ol’ store-bought brie and you’re set. Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle some flour onto a work surface like your kitchen counter and roll out puff pastry. Whisk together egg and milk to brush over pastry. Bake until the brie is gooey and the pastry’s golden (approx. 20 minutes) and add pepperoni or olives for eyes.
Ssssomething smells deliciousssss. These reptilian snacks are clutch, whether you’re showing up to a spooky dinner party or having them leftover from the shindig with your third bowl of spaghetti this week. Use olives and dried chile for the eyes and tongue, and sprinkle on some poppyseeds for texture.
Pumpkin Pesto Crostini
Keep it seasonal and v sophisticated with a pumpkin and pesto crostini! Where’s the horror, you ask?! You’ll know it when you see an empty plate in five minutes…
Add a little scare to your meal prep with these shrunken potato heads. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and carve mini faces in the skins. Toss with oil and place on a baking sheet to bake for 40-45 minutes. Serve with the works: guac, bacon, sour cream, and, nevermind…just put together a whole baked potato bar while you’re at it.
Life hack: Adding the honey to the pudding mixture gives each pop a *pop* of candy corn flavor that makes it taste like the real thing. We also would not be mad at all if you added some whipped cream vodka to spike these bbs 😈.
These white chocolate dipped pretzels instantly become ghosts with candy eyes and some creativity. Better yet? They only use three ingredients so they’re easy as hell to throw together.
Cake pops? Immediate hit. You can get crafty with the design too, to create spiders, jack-o’-lanterns, mummies, or some classy glittery black and orange pops. You could even con your roommates into making it a decorating party before the party, while you simultaneously whip up the jello shots from above.
Can we once and for all admit that Bloody Marys are nighttime drinks? Embrace your inner vamp by sucking down this classic bev.
Crisp up these gluten-free, paleo-friendly, vegan-friendly delights with a cookie cutter and some olive oil spray. Make ‘em crunchy or thicc and more pita-like to go with any of the dips on this list.
Pumpkin Blondies with Cheesecake Swirl
That swirl, though…mesmerizing. Yes, you will devour these pumpkin and cheesecake-fused blondies, and yes, you will make them again for Friendsgiving.
If you’re gonna be partying all day on October 31st, kick the morning off by putting your Bloody Mary into easy syringe shots. As a bonus, this recipe’s super painless (!) to batch for lots of guests.
Spider Web Nacho Spread
With refried beans, guac, salsa, cheese, and a “web” of piped sour cream, this spicy and spooky recipe will haunt all your guests’ dreams (but, like, in a good way).
This crisp, tart poison apple cocktail is the most frightening shade of green. Serve in a witch’s cauldron with dry ice if you dare, or in test tubes to mimic a mad scientist’s lab experiment. Bonus points if you rim your glasses with some apple green sugar.
Mummy Jalapeño Poppers
Black Charcoal Lemonade
This witch’s brew is deceptively simple: lemon juice, activated charcoal, and maple syrup. Whisk all together well then dilute with water to taste. It won’t be a gritty or chalky texture at all, and just delivers a *chilling* black hue. Bonus points for being literally chilled.
Say hello to the *adult* apple juice you should be drinking this October. This spiced fall cocktail is the comforting, boozy drink of your dreams.
Oh, Harry Potter is on again? Brb, cuddled up under our fave weighted throw with a glass of this for all the witchy vibes during Halloween movie night.
Leftover Candy Cookies
I meannn, you probably don’t have any leftover candy hanging around, but if you don’t typically get trick-or-treaters to your studio apartment, put those treats to even better use. We present to you: leftover candy cookies. You can pack them with caramel and Reese’s like in the photo, but Snickers, Milky Way, and fun size Hershey bars are all fair game.
Practical Magic Midnight Margaritas
Speaking of midnight, who else wants to whip up a marg and dance around the kitchen? Practical Magic is the blueprint, and we’ll take any excuse to bust out the tequila during the witching hour (or any time, really).
Caramel Cream Cheese Apple Dip
Been to an orchard lately (pics with your S.O. or it didn’t happen)? Indulge your autumnal fantasies with this practically effortless dip. Actually though, it’s not often you get to pair your apples with Snickers and liquid caramel, so don’t sleep on this app opportunity.
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