9 Creepy Halloween Treats You Can Make Yourself
It’s that time of year again, when everything has a spooky bent to it. Candy spiders roam free, and everything is pumpkin flavored. Yup, Halloween is here and boy, is it fun to whip up snacks and drinks in honor of Oct. 31.
But just because sugary treats and cheap candy are the holiday’s cornerstones doesn’t mean you can’t break the mold with fun and inventive twists. With that in mind, we found nine awesome ways to spook up your goodies, from eyeball soup to an evil-looking cocktail to fruit-shaped monsters.
Frankenstein faces carved from fruit will delight your Halloween party guests. Photo: Linnea Covington
Fruity Frankenstein
Is it Frankenstein or a zombie boy bander? The best part of making the kiwi creatures in the photo above is that you can turn them into any kind of character you want. All you need are some kiwis, a paring knife, candy corn, pretzel sticks, a strawberry, and something for the eyes. We opted for dried blueberries, since they kept the creation fruity and taste good with kiwi.
Here’s how to make these green guys: Take the knife and lightly carve a zigzag pattern on the kiwi where you’d like the hairline to be. Continue the line around to the back of the kiwi, dipping it to where the hairdo should end. Make sure the line is continuous all around the kiwi. Then carefully peel the brown skin away from the face of your monster. From here you can keep chiseling features into your kiwi. Pop in some eyes, add bolts to the side of the neck with pretzels or candy corn, and make a mouth with thin slices of strawberry.
Need more guidance? There’s a similar a project over at Two Healthy Kitchens.
Related: 6 Insanely Cute Halloween Treats That Your Party Guests Be Dying to Try
Try eyeball soup for your Halloween party. Photo: Linnea Covington
Eyeball Soup
A bloody bowl of fresh eyeballs is just the ticket for getting into the Halloween spirit. Start with your favorite tomato soup, then plop a few mozzarella “eyeballs” on the surface. Slices of green olives make the irises, while the pupils are tiny peppercorns or capers.
For a slightly upmarket version, check out Martha Stewart’s take on the project.
Related: This Pumpkin Roulade Takes Spice Cake to the Next Level
Photo: Linnea Covington
Marshmallow Ghouls
These super simple ghouls are a quick and easy way to spook up a Halloween spread. Just grab a few ‘mallows, poke in eyeholes with a knife, and jam a couple chocolate chip “eyes” in there. Up the ante by pouring jam “blood” over their heads with a little raspberry jam or syrup.
Related: 'I Scream’ Graveyard Pie for Halloween
Photo: Absolut
Witchy Cocktail
On Halloween, the spirits like to come out to play, but in this case, the spirits are vodka and Chartreuse and black currant juice. The Absolut Masquerade cocktail, dreamt up by the mixologists at Absolut, is 1.5 ounces of vodka, 2 ounces of black current juice, and half an ounce Chartreuse. Combine all three in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, gently stir the ingredients, then strain the mixture into a chilled martini glass.
Related: These Halloween Cocktails Are Hauntingly Delicious
Photo: Linnea Covington
Hot Dog Mummies
These adorable hot dog mummies are so much fun to make and eat, and did we mention they’re adorable? All you need is a package of hot dogs and a tube of ready-to-bake crescent rolls. Break apart the dough triangles and cut them into strips a half-inch wide. Then wrap the strips around the meat, one triangle’s worth per hot dog. Make sure to leave a little opening at the top for the eyes. Bake in the oven at 375°F for about 10 minutes, until slightly golden, and add eyes with dots sriracha before serving.
Related: Easy Halloween Party Dishes
Photo: Samantha Bolton
Cheesy Ghost Pizza
With the right tool — a ghost cookie cutter — these cheesy ghosts are pretty quick and easy to make. First, snag a pre-sliced log or ball of mozzarella. If you choose the latter, cut the ball into discs a quarter-inch thick. Then, using the cookie cutter, cut out the ghost shapes. From there, all you need to do is follow your favorite pizza recipe. We suggest baking the pizza sans cheese at first, then layering on the mozzarella ghosts before giving the whole thing a final few minutes in the oven. That way the ghosts won’t melt into unrecognizable shapes. Before serving, give the spooky spirits eyes with bits of olive, chili flakes, or capers.
Related: Easy-to-Make Chocolate Crunch Bars
Photo: Betty Crocker
Severed Finger Cookies
Bloody fingers for dessert? Yes, please! Betty Crocker has a great, low-effort recipe for these creepy treats, which require only sugar cookie mix, some slivered almonds, and a jar of strawberry jam. If you want to make them extra ghoulish, add a little green food coloring to the dough for witch’s fingers.
Related: Creepy Halloween Decorations
Photo: Linnea Covington
Evil Eye Apples
Not all Halloween treats have to be full of refined sugar. For a healthy option, carve a giant evil eye into your apple. Then color the cornea with a slightly dampened dried blueberry, carve out a tiny hole where the pupil should be, and stick the berry in there. Eat it, display it, or use it for a spooky rendition of bobbing for apples.
Related: A Cool Candy Maker Talks Halloween
Photo: Food Network
Candy Corn Parfait
There are a lot of different versions of this dish floating around the Internet, though many call for layering slices of citrus (either canned mandarin or fresh clementines), whipped cream, and a yellow-hued pudding or mousse. Tailor the dish however you see fit: Go the artisanal route with fresh fruit, hand-whipped cream, and homemade lemon curd, or opt for ease with canned fruit, whipped cream from a can, and instant banana pudding. The choice is yours!
Related: A Boston ‘Scream’ Pie Recipe for Halloween
