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57 Scary-Delicious Halloween Recipes To Make This October

If you dare.

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chocolate pops with candy eyes
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Looking to plan a Halloween party that's 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.

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. Need more of a dinner vibe? And if you 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).

1

Vampire Cupcakes

chocolate cupcakes topped with white icing and red lines
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Sink your teeth into these devilishly delightful vampire cupcakes—perfect for Halloween! These moist chocolate cupcakes are filled with a gooey strawberry jelly “blood” center, topped with a fluffy, marshmallow-y frosting, and decorated to resemble Dracula’s iconic hairline. With a touch of red gel food color and chocolate cookie crumbs, these Halloween treats are sure to impress both the young and the young-at-heart.

Get the Vampire Cupcakes recipe.

2

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.

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3

Witches' Brew Lemonade

purple and blue layered drink with rosemary
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

To get the eerie glow that looks like this came straight from a cauldron, we layered sparkling lemonade with Blue Curacao and purple gin for a chilling effect. Great news: The results are absolutely delicious.

Get the Witches' Brew Lemonade recipe.

4

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.

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5

Mini Pillsbury Cookie Cheesecakes

pumpkin pillsbury sugar cookies topped with mini cheesecakes
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

Combining the rich creaminess of cheesecake with the sweet buttery taste of Pillsbury sugar cookies, this not-so-scary recipe is perfect for parties, gatherings, or as a special dessert for the family. Easy to make and even easier to enjoy, they’re a sweet way to embrace spooky season.

Get the Mini Pillsbury Cookie Cheesecakes recipe.

6

Black Magic Margaritas

black magic margaritas in a cup of ice
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

Looking for a creepy Halloween cocktail? Our classic margarita get an eerie upgrade for the spooky holiday! Your guests won't know what hit them.

Get the Black Magic Margaritas recipe.

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7

Hocus Pocus-Inspired S'mores Pops

chocolate pops with candy eyes
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

You'll love these even more than the Sanderson Sisters loved their booooook!

Get the Hocus Pocus-Inspired S'mores Pops recipe.

8

Nightmare Before Christmas Fudge

rainbow swirled fudge
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

A perfect Halloween (or Christmas, depending on which side of the debate you fall on!) treat, this fudge captures the essence of both holidays, just like the movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas. Sally Skellington comes to life in the form of this sweet, chocolatey, rich confection intermingled with multicolor to represent her iconic dress.

Get the Nightmare Before Christmas Fudge recipe.

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9

Color-Changing Margaritas

pink margarita with a purple ice cube with a salt rim and lime wedge
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

It's true: Red cabbage can turn your margaritas into a florescent fuchsia spectacle. 😱 Make these at your Halloween party to really wow your crowd.

Get the Color-Changing Margarita recipe.

10

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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11

Black Widow Cocktail

deep red cocktail topped with blackberries and bay leaves
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

“Double, double, toil, and trouble… mezcal smokes and ginger beer bubble!” As we start to enter spooky season, our black widow Halloween cocktail checks ALL the boxes: dark, mysterious, delicious, and dare we say, sexy?

Get the Black Widow Cocktail recipe.

12

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.

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13

Pumpkin Patch Brownies

brownies with pumpkin candies and green icing
Erik bernstein

Pumpkin patch brownies turn a regular boxed brownie into the cutest fall dessert. Top with crushed Oreos for dirt and nestle candied pumpkins to look like they are growing from the ground! So simple yet so sweet!

Get the Pumpkin Patch Brownies recipe.

14

Mummy Hot Dogs

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.

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15

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.

16

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.

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17

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.

18

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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19

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.

20

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.

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