Spiders, ghosts and monsters, oh my! Those are all things you'll find in a haunted house—and on your party table, thanks to these simple Halloween food ideas.
47 Halloween Food Ideas You Have to Try
Mummy Pigs in a Blanket
These flaky mummy sandwiches are instant party hits. The accompanying mustard dip adds just the right kick.
Halloween Guacamole
It looks professional, but it’s actually so easy to design this monster of Frankenstein. Form the guacamole into a rectangle, then pipe refried black beans into a scar and mouth. Dollops of sour cream and sliced olives make the eyes. And blue corn chips really make the hair stand out.
Jack-o’-Lantern Empanadas
Ever get tired of having only Halloween-themed desserts? These cute pumpkin empanadas can make a great snack or side. Not only do they look the part but they taste it too! With a pumpkin filling, they’re savory with a hint of sweetness.
Spooky Pretzel Bones
These soft pretzels will warm you to the bone. Serve them with all kinds of hot dip recipes like chili cheese dip, cowboy queso or pizza dip.
Halloween Deviled Eggs
Who knew deviled eggs could get even more devilish? You can add Sriracha to these bites to add a bit more spice and create a bloody effect.
Witches’ Fingers
These sweet and salty treats are made with just three ingredients. To give your witches’ fingers a manicure, choose your favorite colored jelly bean.
Ghostly Cupcake Cones
No muffin tins at home? No problem! Peanut butter cupcake batter bakes right into ice cream cones. Pipe on a white-hued frosting and use black sprinkles for facial features.
Mummy-Wrapped Brie
This spooky baked Brie makes a wonderful centerpiece for your next charBOOterie board. With apple slices and dried cranberries for the eyes, it’s tasty and cute!
Bat Cupcakes
Fudge-striped cookies and chocolate kisses form these adorable Halloween cupcakes. Instead of frosting for the eyes, find edible eye decorations in the baking aisle.
“Boo”-rrific Kisses
A bit of orange food coloring makes these cookies go from adorable to festive. The low-calorie treats are a fun new way to spruce up meringue.
Spider Sliders
Homemade sweet potato fries make these creepy crawlers all the more tasty! Break out a bag of Hawaiian rolls to keep things easy, or go the extra mile and make dinner rolls from scratch.
Ghostly Custards
Lift your spirits with this simple dessert. The custard treat tastes like a pumpkin pie without the crust.
Marshmallow Ghosts
Kids can help bring these treats back from the dead. The no-bake recipe is ready in 20 minutes—just let an adult melt the candy coating.
Boo-rito Bites
With pizza crust instead of a tortilla, these boo-ritos are a lot easier to shape than it normally would be. You can even shave off some time by using a ghost-shaped cookie cutter. They are cheesy and pack a bit of heat depending on what type of salsa you use.
Tombstone Treats
This cute snack combines two Halloween favorites: cookies and Rice Krispies treats. Use frosting to write your own spooky personalized messages from beyond the grave.
Martian Marshmallows
Colored sugar gives you the option to make your very own martian marshmallows. It’s a great way for kids to get creative, and you get a fun gooey treat!
Frankenstein Boo-ritos
Spinach tortillas are a sneaky way to get some veggies in and make a face only a mother (or doctor?) could love. These chicken burritos are made special with Spanish rice and pasta.
Cake Eyeballs
Ever want a Starbucks cake pop from the comfort of your own home? Customize these cake pops to look like scary monsters or eyeballs.
Tomato Soup with Cheesy Ghost Croutons
I love this play on the classic grilled cheese and tomato soup, especially for the cold weather. French bread makes the “croutons” crispy.
Jack-o’-Lantern Pops
Draw some funny faces on these popsicle stick treats. This recipe has all the fun and portability of cake pops with all the ease of making a batch of Rice Krispies treats.
Witches’ Brooms
These licorice snacks take only 30 minutes to make and are a great favor for your next Halloween party. You can use black and green licorice, or try out some other colors.
Spiderweb Taco Dip with Bat Tortilla Chips
These homemade tortilla chips are made special with cookie cutters. You can try any Halloween shapes you like.
Bones & Blood
We have a bone to pick with whoever withheld this Halloween recipe from us for so long. The chocolate strawberry sauce is simple but thick enough to resemble blood.
Frankensushi
This veggie-friendly dish is as adorable as it is healthy. Experiment with funny facial expressions and your favorite sushi fillings.
Scary Eyeballs
You better keep an eye on these peanut butter treats—they’ll be gone before you know it! These foolproof snacks are great for your next party.
Scary Hairy Caramel Apples
You’ll never guess what makes up the hair on these scary caramel apples. It’s chow mein noodles! They’re cinnamon-coated for a crunchy and sweet add-on.
Ham ‘n’ Cheese Spiders
Your lunch has never looked scarier. Ham, onion, cheese and mustard make up these creepy-crawly calzones.
Ghostly Chicken & Pepper Pizza
This stuffed pizza will make your oven smell like a dream. But its shape is your worst nightmare!
Halloween Brownies
Chow mein noodles and candy eyeballs make these brownies go from cute to creepy. Ready in under an hour, they’re a great last-minute treat for your Halloween party.
Crescent Roll Witch Hats
Crescent rolls are already divided into triangles, so it doesn’t take much to form them into witches hats. With a sun-dried tomato filling, they’re bewitchingly good.
Mini Pumpkin Cakes
Put your Bundt pan to work! These maple-glazed Bundt cakes look as if they’re straight off the bakery shelves.
Gourd-geous Halloween Nachos
You won’t find these chips at the store. They’re made from pita bread cut with a cookie cutter and baked until very crispy. These nachos are topped with bacon, black beans and cheddar cheese.
Spider Bread
Spider bread, spider bread, does whatever a spider bread can! Wow guests with this elaborate homemade savory bread.
Halloween Feet Loaf
This meat loaf is sure to put some spring in your step. Carrot toenails make this meal toe-tally creepy!
Meringue Bones
Bone appétit! These simple meringues are so easy to make and can be flavored with just about anything.
Mummy Poppers
You’ll be dying to try these mummified jalapeno poppers. Don’t be too precious with the wrapping. Varying shapes and crossing patterns look more realistic.
Spider Cookies
These cookies give Reese’s peanut butter cups a spooky new look. You can find edible candy eyes in the baking aisle of the grocery store or craft store.
Bewitched Chili
This super easy chili comes with a bewitching decoration. I love making chili recipes for a crowd because they’re easy to configure to different diets and can cater to all guests.
Slithering Snake Roll
Make this once and the rest will be hissstory. Despite its intimidating size, it’s actually quite easy to assemble the snake. Don’t forget to save a piece of red bell pepper for the tongue.
Spirited Spaghetti
I think this spirited spaghetti is so creative! It’s the perfect dish to fix following an afternoon of trick-or-treating. For something a little more natural than black food coloring, try squid ink pasta.
Make-a-Monster Pizza
These monster slices ensure that everyone gets a piece of what they like. You can use toppings like asparagus, sweet peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and even pineapple!
Pumpkin Cheese Ball
While it might be obvious that there’s pumpkin in this cheese ball, it might be less obvious that there’s pineapple. The subtle sweetness is perfect for the holidays.
Ghost Strawberries
If you’re looking for something dead easy, these ghost strawberries are just as simple to whip up as classic chocolate-covered strawberries. Keep the leaves on so the strawberries are easier to hold when dipping and eating.
Cemetery Cake
This cemetery cake might look intricate, but it’s as simple as baking a sheet cake, adding frosting and decorating with grocery store treats. If it’s too scary for the kids, go the pumpkin patch route. Randomly arrange the pumpkins all over the “soil,” and pipe vines and leaves with green frosting. You could use a dirt cake base instead too.
Sugar Ghost Cupcakes
While our recipe makes fondant from scratch, you can totally make these spooky ghosts and pumpkins with store-bought fondant. It’ll definitely save a bit of prep time.
Jack-o’-Lantern Cream Puffs
A little bit of tinted frosting turns classic cream puffs into adorable jack-o’-lanterns that are perfect for a party. Make the shells ahead of time, but wait to fill and frost them until just before serving so they stay nice and crispy.
Halloween Sugar Cookies
Why do Christmas cookies get to have all the fun? These Halloween sugar cookies trade in the usual Christmas tree and snowflake cutters for Halloween shapes. Put on a Halloween movie or playlist in the background and make it a cookie-decorating party!
Halloween Food Ideas FAQ
How do I make Halloween treats kid-friendly?
Make Halloween treats kid-friendly by keeping the ingredients simple and the design cute and creative rather than spooky and scary. The best recipes in this list that kids would love (and not be scared of!) are the make-a-monster pizza, ghostly chicken and pepper pizza, martian marshmallows, scary hairy caramel apples, jack-o’-lantern sandwiches, bat cupcakes and spider cookies. Save the spookier ones—like the bones & blood and scary eyeballs—for an adult-only Halloween party.
Can any of the recipes for these Halloween food ideas be made ahead of time?
Yes, most of these Halloween food ideas can be made ahead of time. The ones that should not be made ahead of time are Halloween guacamole, spider sliders, spiderweb taco dip, gourd-geous Halloween nachos and the jack-o’-lantern cream puffs. For any recipes that use puff pastry, crescent dough or pizza dough, you can make them ahead of time by fully assembling the recipe and storing it unbaked in the fridge. Be sure to cover it tightly with storage wrap so the dough doesn’t dry out. Remove the wrapping and bake just before serving.
What are the best drinks to pair with Halloween snacks?
The best drinks to pair with Halloween snacks are fall drinks, of course! From nonalcoholic options, like Crockpot apple cider and pumpkin pie smoothies, to boozy options, like a maple old-fashioned or a brandy Alexander, beverages that prioritize fall spices, apples, pears or pumpkin are excellent choices for Halloween snacks. Even if you’re hosting a party that’s for adults only, make sure to have a few nonalcoholic party drinks for anyone abstaining.















































