40 Halloween Recipes

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Serve up some spooky fun with these 40 Halloween recipes to make your party go off with a bang! From savory dishes, ideas for kids and adults, and some tasty desserts there’s something for the whole family! I’ll also share some of my ideas on how to create a Halloween menu for a hauntingly good party.

Halloween is one of our favorite times of the year, it’s a great holiday for kids and adults! Whether you plan on hosting a party, or celebrate with family only, these fun recipe ideas are a delight everyone!

Stick to traditional Halloween foods or expand to new flavors and ideas. You’ll have sweets, treats, and even savory options to consider when planning your Halloween party menu.

WHAT ARE POPULAR HALLOWEEN FOODS?

• Candy: Skip past the candy corn and head right for what’s popular: Starburst, Reese’s, chocolate bars like Hershey’s and Twix, and M&M’s top the list year after year for kid’s favorites (and parents, too). Have more fun making your own candy bark with googly eyes and candy pieces incorporated or make homemade candy bars.
• Treats: Popcorn, caramel apples, chocolate-covered pretzels, marshmallows decorated as ghosts and monsters, or a trail mix with nuts, dried fruits, and candy pieces. Want a healthy snack option? Carve the skin off an apple to look like a mummy or pumpkin, or make banana mummy pops.
• Sweets: Dessert bars, cupcakes, no-bake desserts, cookies, ice cream, and pies. There are plenty of options to make some tasty treats.
• Savory Foods: Having a Halloween-themed meal is so much fun, and you can really get creative. Make savory pumpkin pasta, hearty chili, or stuffed peppers that complement the holiday flavors.

TIPS FOR MAKING HALLOWEEN FOOD

1. Plan ahead. Whether you are planning a bigger party, or just celebrating with your immediate family, planning ahead will make it a lot less stressful. A lot of these recipes can even be made ahead of time so you can enjoy the day.
2. Use seasonal foods and flavors. Pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice is perfect to incorporate into your Halloween spread. But don’t forget about other squashes too!
3. Turn your favorite meals into Halloween-themed dishes. Revision your favorite recipes or try new recipes to get a handle on a spooky feast. Use a pumpkin to serve chili or soup out of, and make breadsticks into creepy witch fingers.
4. Add some color. Halloween is such a fun time for kids, so don’t be afraid to add some color to your foods! Greens, oranges, and blacks are perfect to include! You can make a green monster from mashed avocados or pumpkin smoothies from carrots, for example.
5. Get your kids to help! Halloween is a great time to get the kids into the kitchen! These fun recipes are easy to make, and little hands will love helping to decorate!
6. Choose a balance of sweet and savory foods. Plan for foods that will offer your guests a variety of easy-to-make recipes. You can also minimize having too many sweets by including fresh and healthy menu items.
7. Use fun containers, serving dishes, and props. An easy way to elevate a recipe into a killer Halloween dish is to choose food-safe containers and dishes to serve them in. Such as a cauldron for soups, stews, or beverages, or maybe a creepy hand holding a serving bowl filled with chips, pretzels, and popcorn.
8. Create a grazing table of fun and eerie appetizers. A table with various appetizers and other foods for guests to snack on such as pinwheel roll-ups, sandwiches, veggie sticks with dips, and small pickers like olives and pickles.

HOW TO PLAN A MENU FOR AN ADULT HALLOWEEN PARTY

• Make a drink table. This is so fun, and you can have different spooky drinks to really set the atmosphere. Carve a jack-o-lantern and fill it with a refreshing pumpkin spice drink, and a cauldron of witches brew.
• Have a theme. Having a themed Halloween party allows you to hone in on decorations, what foods to make, and what drinks to serve. It could be supernatural, horror/slasher film derived, or choosing a favorite show or movie to mimic.
• Arrange a tablescape for finger foods. For a more casual menu, make a spread of appetizers and small handhelds for guests to enjoy throughout the party.
• Dinner party. Plan a Halloween dinner party by focusing your menu around the main course. Then, choose sides and beverages that match. You can still include an appetizer spread to keep the party alive.

HOW TO PLAN A MENU FOR A KIDS HALLOWEEN PARTY

• Choose a theme and decorations. This is the fun part! Get the kids involved in planning the theme for your party that can incorporate seamlessly with the menu.
• Keep it simple but fun. Find foods that are easy to make and can be transformed into Halloween tidbits. Mac and cheese bites shaped like pumpkins, witch’s fingers, mummy pizzas, or burger sliders with a jack o lantern face carved in the cheese.
• Have a Spooktacular Movie Night. Play a movie in the background of a party, OR focus the party around Halloween movies. Create a Halloween menu around the movie playing, such as popcorn, pizza bites, fruit cups, and spaghetti with meatballs.
• Treats and desserts, of course. Have a variety of tasty treats like pumpkin donuts, chocolate-covered fruit and pretzels, worm pudding cups, and some really fun sweets. Some healthy options are peanut butter apple slices with marshmallow teeth or a candy corn parfait.

BEST HALLOWEEN RECIPES FOR KIDS & ADULTS

Once it’s been decided what kind of Halloween party you’re throwing, start choosing your menu. Consider what guests will be attending, whether it is a kid party, an adult party, or a combination, and check out this list of some of my favorite recipes to serve for Halloween.

SAVORY HALLOWEEN RECIPES

• Sweet Potato Chili – This Sweet Potato Chili is basic in ingredients but sophisticated in flavor – it has a sweet, smoky flavor, and you can switch out the potatoes for pumpkin.
• Sheet Pan Pizza – Easy to make, this crispy sheet pan pizza is loaded with fresh and flavorful toppings. An effortless way to enjoy a homemade pizza! Use this opportunity to decorate with your toppings.
• Pumpkin Risotto – This simple recipe is perfect to serve up this fall for a quick, comforting dish full of creamy pumpkin flavor.
• Vegan Pumpkin Pasta – This vegan pasta is a savory fall-inspired recipe made with a dairy-free sauce. It’s a tasty addition to a holiday party.
• Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip – It’s creamy, spicy, and loaded with the perfect balance of shredded chicken and cheese. This simple dip recipe is perfect for gathering with friends.
• Pumpkin Soup – Made with roasted pumpkin and seasoned with cinnamon, sage, cayenne, and maple syrup, it’s a perfect recipe to get cozy with!
• Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowl – Sub out chunks of pumpkin for the sweet potato in this quinoa bowl filled with a delicious medley of vegetables. Add a pinch of pumpkin spice (recipe coming soon) for Fall flavor.
• Beef Stuffed Peppers – Bell peppers are stuffed with a tasty ground beef and rice mixture for a filling main course. Carve those peppers for a really fun meal.
• Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowl – The freshness of the ingredients used in this breakfast bowl with greens gives you a savory and crunchy bite with loads of flavor. Swap the potatoes for pumpkin or butternut squash.

HALLOWEEN DESSERT IDEAS

• No-Bake Pumpkin Balls – This treat is a great way to welcome fall and all things pumpkin! Shape into pumpkins for a fun dessert idea. 
• Dark Chocolate Halloween Cookies – A dark chocolate lovers’ Halloween dream! Crisp on the outside with a soft, chewy center packed with chocolate chips and fun orange Halloween-inspired chocolate candies.
• Cranberry Apple Mini Pies – A tasty balance of tart cranberries with sweet cinnamon apples in a buttery, golden, rich pie crust. And because they’re mini, you can have many to include on a dessert table.
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread – A classic fall baking recipe that’s lightly spiced, moist, sweet, and easy to make with staple ingredients and pumpkin puree.
• Cinnamon Baked Apples – These individual apple cobblers are perfect for kids, topped with toasted pecans to give them a nice crunch.
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies – These cookies are easy to make and ready in 15 minutes. Another delicious combination of pumpkin and chocolate.
• Easy Pumpkin Bars – If you’re looking for an easy, no-fail pumpkin treat for a crowd this fall, then these moist and tender bars with light pumpkin-y flavor will do the trick.
• Candy Corn Parfait – This candy corn parfait is a festive, healthy, and fun treat to have for Halloween. It’s made with fruit, coconut milk, and chia pudding – vegan and easy!
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Dip – This is the perfect party food made with only five ingredients in just 5 minutes. It’s easy, healthy, and great for dipping fruits and pretzels in.
• Easy Apple Crisp – For a quick and cozy treat, try this easy and delicious fruit dessert recipe made with juicy apples and sweet, crisp topping.

HALLOWEEN FOOD IDEAS FOR ADULTS

• Halloween Deviled Eggs – These three deviled egg recipes make for a great party tray food with different flavors for each of your guests. You can decorate them to be fun and festive, or just fill them up and gobble them down.
• Fall Harvest Salad – This festive, nutritious and delicious salad is full of many colors, textures, and flavors. It is a fantastic addition to include as part of a large holiday spread.
• Epic Cheese Board – This guide will help you make a Monster of a cheese board that you can get creative with. Be sure to include some Halloween decor throughout.
• Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte – It takes just 5 minutes to make and is perfect for pumpkin spice season and a Halloween menu.
• Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese – A lighter version of the recipe with added servings of vegetables and less cheese – it’s creamy and comforting!
• Cheesy Meatballs – Stuff with feta and baked to perfection, add these meatballs to your appetizer table. Or toss them with wide noodles and red sauce for “intestines” if you can stomach it.
• Chicken Taco Wonton Cups – Full of juicy chicken, fresh salsa, and melty cheese, these little bites are perfect for an appetizer, and you can add olive slices for eyes!
• Hearty Beef Stew – For a dinner party, serve up this rich beefy stew with big chunks of carrots, celery, and potatoes.
• Wild Rice Mushroom Soup – Soup season is here, and this vegan wild rice mushroom soup is sure to warm you up from the inside out! Rich, earthy and full of flavor, you can carve little skull faces into your mushrooms for a haunting appearance.

Halloween food ideas for kids

• Dirt Pudding Cups – Made with Oreos and a creamy peanut butter chocolate pudding, they’re topped with gummy worms and are perfect for the spooky season and your Halloween menu.
• Mummy Pizza – Add some fun to your table with a spooky mummy pizza! These handheld pizzas are made with ciabatta bread and are easy to make with just 5 ingredients. Your kids will love these!
• Almond Joy Bars – Quick and simple to make, they are a great homemade version made with only five ingredients.
• Apple Chips –  A perfect healthy snack that’s easy to dehydrate in the oven or air fryer. Seasoned with cinnamon, they are naturally sweet with no added sugar.
• Frankenguac – This is sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike. And the best part is you don’t need to be super crafty or need a lot of ingredients!
• Chocolate Covered Bananas – An easy and fun kid-friendly ghoulish treat is to dip bananas in chocolate and add googly eyes. Or, you can make them look like mummies!
• Mac and Cheese Bites – Made in mini muffin tins, they’re a cheesy, simple & fun appetizer idea that kids and adults love! Blend spinach into the sauce for a green, ooey gooey bite.
• Pumpkin Pancakes – Quick and easy to make and seasoned with pumpkin spice, this is one delicious breakfast. Make into mini pancakes for a fun treat for the kids.
• Cheesy Bean Quesadillas – Made with mini tortillas, these small bites are ready in less than 10 minutes and are a tasty addition to an appetizer table for the kiddos.
• Spaghetti and Meatballs – The meatballs are tender, juicy, and flavorful and made with simple ingredients, then tossed in a marinara sauce and spaghetti.
• Ravioli Soup – Very similar to Lasagna Soup, this kid-friendly soup is a hearty and comforting recipe that’s ready in about 30 minutes.
• Fruit Popsicles – Make frozen fresh fruit popsicles for the kids to enjoy. You can really get creative with a combination of fruit purees and add some fun, spooky decor to them.
• Fruit Leather – Roll up these thin fruit chews and add little googly eyes to them for a fun snack that kids will love.

HOW TO KEEP FOOD WARM

• Oven: As long as you’re not cooking anything in the oven, you can set it to 200°F and store dishes in there to keep them warm.
• Aluminum Foil: If your oven is not free, you can simply use aluminum foil, which has reflective properties that protect the food from light and oxygen. The foil reflects the thermal energy back to the food, which maintains moisture, flavor, and texture.
• Crock Pots and Instant Pots: Think of recipes that can be made in your crock pot or instant pot that will keep food warm during the party. You can even use them to keep foods warm even if you don’t cook in them.
• Insulated coolers: You can use a cooler to keep food hot as well as cold. The insulation technology that keeps out the heat to maintain cold foods also works to trap heat in and keep food hot for hours at a time. You can even line the cooler with aluminum foil for even better results.

HOW TO STORE ALL THE LEFTOVERS

• Have goodie bags for the kids and adults to fill up with sweets, treats, and desserts. You can also have to-go containers available for guests to take some leftovers, too.
• Use food-safe storage containers suitable for each food, such as air-tight tubs or zip-top bags. Store most foods in the refrigerator.
• Store food after being out for more than two hours at room temperature to eliminate the possibility of them going bad. When in doubt, throw it out.
• Store nuts, chips, candies, and such in bags or another air-tight container.
• Wrap up desserts and sweet loaves of bread with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Get creative and plan a party full of good food and a hauntingly good time with these 40 Halloween recipe ideas for appetizers, desserts, and dishes for kids and adults alike. Even witches, ghosts, and goblins need to eat!

Full List of recipes for Halloween

For more similar roundup of recipes, be sure to check out: 3 Easy Halloween Snacks, 10 Halloween Recipes, 4 Banana Halloween Themed Food, and Easy Halloween Party Tips.

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