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55 Scary-Delicious Halloween Recipes To Make This October

Make these if you dare.

By
spider taco ringpinterest
Erik bernstein

Looking to take your Halloween party truly over the top? You're going to need some Halloween treats that are both scary-looking and scary delicious. If you're in need of a Halloween drink, Halloween app, or Halloween dessert that looks like it was dreamed up in Frankenstein's lab, these spooky recipes will do the trick. Don't worry—these 55 thrilling Halloween recipes taste way better than they appear, and include our Ouija board cake, poison apples, and monster truffles!

Want to really creep out your party guests? Look no further than these scary and gross-looking Halloween food recipes, like our Bloody Mary syringes, our zombie brain cupcakes, or our witch finger cookies. Our dead velvet cake is one that's truly to-die-for too!

We're pretty sure you'll want to sink your teeth into these Dracula denture cookies and mummy pops. Not even scary spiders can keep us from eating our spiderweb cake, our spider taco ring, and our Halloweentown marshmallow spiders. One of our favorite spooky treats is, without a doubt, dirt pudding and dirt cake. Mix up some almost too realistic jelly worms to top yours, and you'll really freak out your friends and family.

And hey, you with your eyes covered—we’ve got some recipes here for you too that are more scary-cute than scary-BOO! Our Halloween chex mix, our pumpkin deviled eggs, and our "It's The Great Bundt-kin, Charlie Brown" are sure to delight any- and everyone at your party. Need more of a dinner vibe? We've also got a few of our seasonal faves—like our sweet potato chili cheese casserole or our baked pumpkin risotto, to fortify you before you head out into the night for trick-or-treating (or for staying in for a scary movie night at home).

Still stuck on how to decorate this Halloween? We've got some Jack-O'-Lantern ideas that will trick out your front yard, as well as next-level trunk or treat ideas. Looking to keep that party going? Check out our Halloween desserts and Halloween cocktails for more spooky recipes and creative ways to use up Halloween candy.

1

Spider Taco Ring

spider taco ring
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

If you love crescent rolls and are as obsessed with tacos as we are, this Halloween-inspired appetizer is calling your name. Created to playfully represent a spider with crescent roll legs and a crescent roll ring body stuffed with a beefy taco-spiced filling, it’s equal parts cute, creepy, and downright tasty.

Get the Spider Taco Ring recipe.

2

Jack Skellington Oreo Pops

white chocolate covered oreo pops decorated as jack skellington with icing
PHOTO: RYAN LIEBE; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

What's this, what's this?! Well, it's one very scary good treat. There's no better way to celebrate All Hallows Eve than with the Pumpkin King himself—and a bunch of chocolate-covered Oreos.

Get the Jack Skellington Oreo Pops recipe.

3

Vampire Poke Cake

vampire poke cake
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

This soft, rich, buttermilk almond cake is infused with a tart cherry sauce (“blood”!) and topped off with a light, fluffy whipped cream for a dessert that’s equally tasty and scary. Trust us when we say this is one time you’ll be craving blood too. 😉

Get the Vampire Poke Cake recipe.

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4

Zombie Brain Cupcakes

chocolate cupcakes decorated with green frosting and red gel food coloring to look like zombie brains
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER PHOTOGRAPHY; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

Don’t just make plain old cupcakes for your next Halloween bash, make zombie brain cupcakes! They’re nothing more than a moist, chocolate cupcake with rich vanilla frosting, but some neon green food coloring and clever piping turn these into a super-festive, spooky treat. (Oh, and some blood red decorating gel—we're really getting into it.)

Get the Zombie Brain Cupcakes recipe.

5

Ghost Purse Ravioli

ghost purse ravioli
PHOTO; LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLIST; BROOKE CAISON

Looking for something delicious that's only a little bit spooky this Halloween? Try these adorable raviolis filled with ricotta, Parmesan, and finely chopped pear. We made these from wonton wrappers, rather than pasta dough, to make them scary easy on you too. You're welcOoOme.

Get the Ghost Purse Ravioli recipe.

6

Eyeball Pasta

eyeball pasta
kat wirsing

Dinner on Halloween can be anything but regular—it's gotta be spooky! Our classics have been Jack-o'-Lantern stuffed peppers and ghost pizza bagels, but now we're obsessed with turning ordinary meatballs into scary works of art by making them look like monster eyeballs.

Get the Eyeball Pasta recipe.

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7

Witch Finger Cookies

witch finger cookies
Rachel vanni

Ghouls, goblins, and witches to the front, please! Spooky season is here, and we’re celebrating in style with these scary delicious witch finger cookies. A witch finger cookie is exactly what it sounds like: a shortbread cookie shaped into a severed finger and adorned with an almond nail and a bit of blood-red jam.

Get the Witch Finger Cookies recipe.

8
hot dogs with mustard eyes wrapped in crescent dough with cheese and served a mustard and ketchup dip
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: SPENCER RICHARDS

These festive Halloween snacks are not only easy to make—they’re even easier to devour. Wrapped in crescent dough and stuffed with cheese, these mummy dogs are buttery, flaky, and cheesy (AKA, everything we could ever want in an easy appetizer).

Get the Mummy Hot Dogs recipe.

9

Bloody Mary Syringes

bloody mary syringes
Kat Wirsing

These shooters are the PERFECT spooky Halloween cocktail. No Halloween party is complete without a little blood, right? Bonus: These go great with eyeball pasta!

Get the Bloody Mary Syringes recipe.

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10

Pumpkin Deviled Eggs

pumpkin deviled eggs

These adorable pumpkin deviled eggs are way easier to make than Jack-o'-lanterns! Paprika gives a wash of bold color, while a fresh chive (or snip of scallion) makes for the perfect stems.

Get the Pumpkin Deviled Eggs recipe.

11

Mummy Brie

mummy brie
Ethan Calabrese

Thanks to puff pastry, your basic baked brie becomes a totally spooky Halloween appetizer. Perfect for your Halloween party spread or to snack on while you watch scary movies!

Get the Mummy Brie recipe.

12

Halloween Chex Mix

a bowl of halloween themed chex mix with chex cereal, chocolate pretzels, reese's pieces, candy corn, and sweet potato chips
PHOTO: RYAN LIEBE; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

This Chex Mix recipe is perfect for Halloween parties, for pre-trick or treat snacking, or for using up your leftover candy. In honor of the holiday, this blend veers more toward the sweet side by using some more dessert-friendly components: chocolate-covered pretzels, cinnamon Teddy Grahams, and candy corn (naturally).

Get the Halloween Chex Mix recipe.

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13

Halloween Sangria

a bowl of red wine based punch with ice cubes, blackberries, pomegranate seeds, and green apple slices cut to resemble ghosts
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

This recipe is spookier than your average sangria: Blood oranges, pomegranate seeds, and blackberries all work together to make this Halloween-approved punch. And as if it weren’t festive enough, we added some adorable ghost-shaped apple slices. 😜

Get the Halloween Sangria recipe.

14

It's The Great Bundt-kin, Charlie Brown

two pumpkin bundt cakes stacked on each other, filled with candy corn, and decorated to look like a pumpkin
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: RILEY WOFFORD

Whether you’re throwing a Halloween bash and need a show-stopping centerpiece dessert, or just really love the Peanuts gang and want your pumpkin patch to be the most sincere, this is the cake for you—it’s the Great Pumpkin, er, Bundt-kin, Charlie Brown!

Get the It's The Great Bundt-kin, Charlie Brown recipe.

15

Graveyard Chicken Enchiladas

graveyardchickenenchiladas
Ethan Calabrese

It takes fewer than 10 ingredients to throw this simple graveyard together—you might have some of them at home already! Feel free to use all store-bought ingredients to make it easier, or make your own enchilada sauce, homemade chicken, and taco seasoning.

Get the Graveyard Chicken Enchiladas recipe.

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16

Hocus Pocus Binx Cookies

hocus pocus binx cookies
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: FRANCESCA ZANI

Hocus Pocus is a must-watch every year, and with a new one finally coming out this year, we had to celebrate. These chocolate cookies are simple, chewy, and slightly crispy. Black cocoa powder is what makes them their dark rich color, perfect for a black cat.

Get the Hocus Pocus Binx Cookies recipe.

17

Mummy Meatballs

dish, food, cuisine, ingredient, baked goods, baking, dessert, produce, finger food, danish pastry,

Store-bought crescent roll dough turns meatballs extra spooky in no time, perfect for your next Halloween party. Turn the mustard you use for their eyes into a honey-mustard sauce for dipping, or go classic with marinara.

Get the Mummy Meatballs recipe.

18

Dirt Pudding

dirt pudding
Parker feierbach

Dirt pudding (aka dirt cups) is a classic kids' recipe that everyone should know how to make. Using crushed Oreos to mimic dirt and garnishing with gummy worms might sound kind of silly, but the truth is this: This creamy and indulgent layered dessert tastes ridiculously good, is incredibly easy to whip together, and is equally as fun to make as it is to eat.

Get the Dirt Pudding recipe.

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19

Brain Big Batch Jell-O Shot

brain big batch jell o shot
Jonathan Boulton

Kick off your Halloween bash with this booze-spiked brain Jell-O shot! This is truly insane in the membrane.

Get the Brain Big Batch Jell-O Shot recipe.

20

Jack 'O Lantern Quesadillas

jack 'o lantern quesadillas

These spooky quesadillas are a trick and a treat. 😈

Get the Jack 'O Lantern Quesadillas recipe.

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